7 days in Singapore

Day by day

1. Day 1: Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands SkyPark

   Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands SkyPark, then Merlion Park and the Marina Bay promenade in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Gardens by the Bay

      Marina Bay · 3–4 hours · mid-priced. Buy conservatory tickets online on weekends and school holidays to skip the counter queue.

   2. Late morning

      Marina Bay Sands SkyPark

      Marina Bay · 1 hour · mid-priced.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Hainanese chicken rice

      Maxwell Food Centre in Chinatown is the classic stop; most hawker centres have a chicken-rice stall.

   4. Evening

      Merlion Park and the Marina Bay promenade

      Walk the loop at dusk when it is cooler, timing your arrival at the Event Plaza for a Spectra show.

2. Day 2: Singapore Botanic Gardens and Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

   Singapore Botanic Gardens and Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, then Night Safari in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Singapore Botanic Gardens

      Tanglin · 2–3 hours · free.

   2. Late morning

      Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

      Chinatown · 1 hour · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Laksa

      East Coast Road in Katong is the home of Katong laksa; hawker versions are everywhere.

   4. Evening

      Night Safari

      Take an early entry slot so children are not exhausted, and walk the trails after the tram for quieter viewing.

3. Day 3: Little India and Kampong Glam and Sultan Mosque

   Little India and Kampong Glam and Sultan Mosque, then Singapore River bumboat cruise in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Little India

      Little India · Half a day · free.

   2. Late morning

      Kampong Glam and Sultan Mosque

      Kampong Glam · 2–3 hours · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Chilli crab

      Seafood restaurants at East Coast Seafood Centre and along the river at Clarke Quay; it is priced by weight.

   4. Evening

      Singapore River bumboat cruise

      Take a sailing after dark to see the skyline lit up and, with good timing, the Spectra show from the water.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Johor Bahru

   About 1–2 hours including the border each way. Getting there: Causeway bus from Queen Street, or shuttle train from Woodlands.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Johor Bahru

      About 1–2 hours including the border (Causeway bus from Queen Street, or shuttle train from Woodlands); about 25 km.

   2. Day

      Johor Bahru

      Border queues can be very long at weekends and on Friday evenings, so go on a weekday morning and check entry requirements on official sites.

   3. Evening

      Back in Singapore

      Dinner: try Char kway teow.

5. Day 5: National Gallery Singapore and Asian Civilisations Museum

   National Gallery Singapore and Asian Civilisations Museum, then Clarke Quay in the evening.

   1. Morning

      National Gallery Singapore

      Civic District · 2–3 hours · mid-priced.

   2. Late morning

      Asian Civilisations Museum

      Civic District · 2 hours · mid-priced.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Char kway teow

      Hawker centres such as Hong Lim Market and Chinatown Complex.

   4. Evening

      Clarke Quay

      Neon riverside bars and clubs in restored warehouses, busiest on Friday and Saturday nights.

6. Day 6: Day trip to Batam

   About 1 hour by ferry each way. Getting there: Ferry from HarbourFront Centre.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Batam

      About 1 hour by ferry (Ferry from HarbourFront Centre); about 25 km.

   2. Day

      Batam

      It is more developed than scenic, so it suits a relaxed day rather than sightseeing.

   3. Evening

      Back in Singapore

      Dinner: try Satay.

7. Day 7: National Museum of Singapore and Singapore Zoo

   National Museum of Singapore and Singapore Zoo, then Ann Siang Hill, Club Street and Keong Saik Road in the evening.

   1. Morning

      National Museum of Singapore

      Civic District · 2 hours · mid-priced.

   2. Late morning

      Singapore Zoo

      Mandai · Half a day · expensive. Online tickets are often cheaper than the gate and combined Mandai park tickets are available.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Satay

      Boon Tat Street beside Lau Pa Sat closes to traffic each evening for satay grills; also at most hawker centres.

   4. Evening

      Ann Siang Hill, Club Street and Keong Saik Road

      Cocktail bars, wine bars and restaurants in restored shophouses on the southern edge of Chinatown.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Gardens by the Bay, Singapore Zoo and Night Safari before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 7 nights, Marina Bay keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Chinatown ($$) suits first-timers, food lovers, budget, culture and solo travellers. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 26–33 hours of visiting over 7 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 12 hours in December to 12.2 hours in May.

More or fewer days

• One day in Singapore
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