5 days in Singapore
#2
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 252
Likes: 0
5 days is a great amount of time in SG - but your itinerary should be dependent on your experiences and interests. I could spend 5 days just eating local food!
Personally, I always go to the Botanical Gardens - I could spend a whole day there. I also really enjoy the Gardens by the Bay - both the flower dome and cloud forest are fascinating. I also really like the Night Safari which is unique. Many years ago, people from the US loved SG for shopping as the currency exchange gave great discounts - that's not really the case anymore, but shopping there is definitely a pleasant experience (I'm not usually a big shopper).
Then there is the wandering of the various neighborhoods - Little India, Chinatown, Joo Chiat, etc. Various guidebooks have good "guided walks" through the most interesting streets of the different areas.
If you like outdoorsy stuff, there is also a nice hiking area.
If you are interested in eating local food, check out my food blog here: https://forums.egullet.org/topic/151...and-food-blog/
This thread: https://forums.egullet.org/topic/143...-in-singapore/ is a little old, but there is some good discussion of local food as well.
Personally, I always go to the Botanical Gardens - I could spend a whole day there. I also really enjoy the Gardens by the Bay - both the flower dome and cloud forest are fascinating. I also really like the Night Safari which is unique. Many years ago, people from the US loved SG for shopping as the currency exchange gave great discounts - that's not really the case anymore, but shopping there is definitely a pleasant experience (I'm not usually a big shopper).
Then there is the wandering of the various neighborhoods - Little India, Chinatown, Joo Chiat, etc. Various guidebooks have good "guided walks" through the most interesting streets of the different areas.
If you like outdoorsy stuff, there is also a nice hiking area.
If you are interested in eating local food, check out my food blog here: https://forums.egullet.org/topic/151...and-food-blog/
This thread: https://forums.egullet.org/topic/143...-in-singapore/ is a little old, but there is some good discussion of local food as well.
#3
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,331
Likes: 8
I haven't been there in about 8 years but some of the things that come to mind, depending on your interest as khtodd says:
Botanical Gardens, be sure to the orchids
Jurong Bird Park
Shopping
Food Courts
Little India
Chinatown
...and their various Hindu and Buddhist temples (remember these are still in use, not really tourist attractions)
Singapore Zoo
Chinese and Japanese gardens
Shopping
Eating
Visit Raffles Hotel (but I liked it better before the remodel)
River Walk area
East Coast Seafood area
Orchard Road area
Shopping (tanglin mall is a bit unusual)
Eating
If you want something off the beaten path and if this rings your bell then I highly recommend the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Take an MRT to the far northwest corner of the island, then a short bus or taxi ride. It's pretty interesting and totally different than the rest of Singapore
https://www.nparks.gov.sg/gardens-pa...etland-reserve
Botanical Gardens, be sure to the orchids
Jurong Bird Park
Shopping
Food Courts
Little India
Chinatown
...and their various Hindu and Buddhist temples (remember these are still in use, not really tourist attractions)
Singapore Zoo
Chinese and Japanese gardens
Shopping
Eating
Visit Raffles Hotel (but I liked it better before the remodel)
River Walk area
East Coast Seafood area
Orchard Road area
Shopping (tanglin mall is a bit unusual)
Eating
If you want something off the beaten path and if this rings your bell then I highly recommend the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Take an MRT to the far northwest corner of the island, then a short bus or taxi ride. It's pretty interesting and totally different than the rest of Singapore
https://www.nparks.gov.sg/gardens-pa...etland-reserve
#4

Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,860
Likes: 0
#5

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,788
Likes: 0
For Second World War history (Singapore was occupied by the Japanese) the notorious Changi prison can be toured. The Japanese interned foreign nationals and prisoners of war under brutal conditions. The small museum is of particular interest to Australians whose troops were trapped in the colony. Viator lists a number of tours. Part of the grounds still serves as a prison.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changi...n_and_POW_camp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changi...n_and_POW_camp
#6
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,331
Likes: 8
Funny how you see some threads and others escape. I missed fourfortravel's thread only a few days ago, but good to crosslink, Guenmai.
Good thought on WWII history Southam. Another spot, easier to get to than Changi for most folks, is the Battlebox in Fort Canning Park, where the British surrendered to the Japanese after the latter had come down the Malay peninsula.
The Park is great to walk through in any case if you want to relax. And it's right behind the nice Singapore Art Museum.
Which reminds me: don't forget the spectacular Asian Civilizations Museum
http://acm.org.sg/
Good thought on WWII history Southam. Another spot, easier to get to than Changi for most folks, is the Battlebox in Fort Canning Park, where the British surrendered to the Japanese after the latter had come down the Malay peninsula.
The Park is great to walk through in any case if you want to relax. And it's right behind the nice Singapore Art Museum.
Which reminds me: don't forget the spectacular Asian Civilizations Museum
http://acm.org.sg/
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#8
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 25,617
Likes: 0
You might find some ideas in my trip report:
https://www.fodors.com/community/asi...a-and-bali.cfm
Enjoy!
https://www.fodors.com/community/asi...a-and-bali.cfm
Enjoy!
#9
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 188
Likes: 0
Check out some places @ Garden of the Bay! You may visit
https://knycxjourneying.com/2015/11/...mething-green/ for more information. Enjoy!
https://knycxjourneying.com/2015/11/...mething-green/ for more information. Enjoy!
#13
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 4,672
Likes: 0
That depends on the visitors and their travel style. We spent two weeks in Singapore in Feb/March last year and could have easily stayed longer. Our style is to see one sight or do one major activity per day, then relax. We enjoyed swimming in the hotel pool (we spent eight nights at the Mandarin Oriental, fantastic, plus a few nights at Raffles, also fantastic, and arrival day stay at the Oasia Downtown), seeing our one daily sight (including some not on your list that we loved, like the Red Dot Design Museum, the Chinese Heritage Museum, the Asian Civilisations Museum, and wanders around Tiong Bahru and Clarke Quay). We gladly skipped Sentosa -- my husband lived in Singapore for three years as a kid and had been to Sentosa then. He had no interest seeing it again. We also enjoyed a few afternoon tea breaks at the TWC salon at Ion, alternating with happy hour margaritas at Barrio (6 SGD for a great margarita and happy hour goes from late afternoon until closing). We have another trip to Singapore planned for 2019 and that one will be three weeks -- at least!
#14
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 4,672
Likes: 0
[QUOTE=mbw220;16665827]Thanks to everyone for their suggestions about what to do and where to stay. We stayed at the Mandarin Oriental and the hotel was amazing. /QUOTE]
Glad to hear you enjoyed your stay there. It's one of our favorite hotels. I had suggested it on other threads, but my recommendation was pooh-poohed with claims that the area was sterile and boring and that the hotel was just a mehhhh. Did you stay on the Club level?
Glad to hear you enjoyed your stay there. It's one of our favorite hotels. I had suggested it on other threads, but my recommendation was pooh-poohed with claims that the area was sterile and boring and that the hotel was just a mehhhh. Did you stay on the Club level?




