139 Best Sights in Singapore

Renovated in 2023, this is one of the city's largest and busiest wet markets (where meat and fish are sold). Tekka also has a staggering array of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices for sale. On the Sungei Road side of the ground floor are stalls selling Chinese, Indian, Malay, and Western foods. Many of the stalls are run by second- or third-generation hawkers, making this an excellent place to sample Singapore's famed hawker food. Upstairs shops sell hardware, shoes, luggage, textiles, and Indian clothing.

George Coleman designed the Parliament House in 1827 as a mansion for wealthy merchant John Maxwell. Maxwell never occupied it, and instead leased it to the government, which eventually bought it in 1841 for S$15,600. It is considered Singapore's oldest government building, housing the Supreme Court until 1939 followed by the Legislative Assembly in 1953 and then the Parliament in 1965. The building now contains The Arts House, a multidisciplinary venue offering film retrospectives, photo exhibitions, musicals, plays, and talks by experts. Note the bronze elephant statue on a plinth in front of the building; it was a gift from King Chulalongkorn of Siam during his state visit in 1871.

This structure was completed in 1842 to replace a simple shrine built 20 years earlier. It's one of Singapore's oldest Chinese temples, built on the spot where, prior to land reclamation, immigrants stepped ashore after a hazardous journey across the China Sea. In gratitude for their safe passage, the Hokkien people dedicated the temple to Ma Chu P'oh, the goddess of the sea. It's richly decorated with gilded carvings, sculptures, tile roofs topped with dragons, and fine carved-stone pillars. On either side of the entrance are two stone lions. The one on the left is female and holds a cup symbolizing fertility; the other, a male, holds a ball, a symbol of wealth. If the temple is open, note that as you enter, you must step over a high threshold board. This serves a dual function. First, it forces devotees to look downward, as they should when entering the temple. Second, it keeps out wandering ghosts—ghosts tend to shuffle their feet, so if they try to enter, the threshold board will trip them.

Inside, a statue of a maternal Ma Chu P'oh surrounded by masses of burning incense and candles dominates the room. On either side of her are the deities of health (on your left) and wealth. The two tall figures you'll notice are her sentinels: one can see for 1,000 miles; the other can hear for 1,000 miles. The gluey black substance on their lips—placed there by devotees in days past—is opium, meant to heighten their senses. Although the main temple is Taoist, the temple at the back is Buddhist and dedicated to Kuan Yin, the goddess of mercy. Her many arms represent how she reaches out to all those who suffer on earth.

This is a good place to learn your fortune. Choose a number out of the box, then pick up two small stenciled pieces of wood at the back of the altar and let them fall to the ground. If they land showing opposite faces, then the number you have picked is valid. If they land same-side up, try again. From a valid number, the person in the nearby booth will tell you your fate, and whether you like the outcome or not, you pay for the information. Leave the grounds by the alley that runs alongside the main temple. The two statues to the left are the gambling brothers. They will help you choose a lucky number for your next betting session; if you win, you must return and place lighted cigarettes in their hands.

There isn't a map to guide you, but hunting for Tiong Bahru's murals is a fun way to spend a few hours. Local artist Yip Yew Chong has painted intricate pictures across the neighborhood: look out for Pasar and the Fortune Teller on Block 73 of Eng Watt Street; Bird Singing Corner on Block 71 of Seng Poh Lane; and Home on Block 74 of Tiong Poh Road. There are more often popping up, though, so keep your eyes open and your camera ready.

Packed with cutting-edge rides, shows, and movie-themed attractions, this theme park inside Resorts World Sentosa is a family favorite. Eighteen of the 24 movie-themed rides were designed or adapted especially for the Singapore park, including the world’s first Puss in Boots’ Giant Journey and the dueling Battlestar Galactica: Human vs Cyclone roller-coaster. Spread across seven themed sections, the park has a number of kid-friendly rides and shows, including Shrek 4-D Adventure, Dino-Soarin', and Donkey-Live as well as the Hello Kitty Studio Store and Minion Mart. The five-hour guided VIP tour includes priority access to eight popular rides like TRANSFORMERS The Ride: The Ultimate 3D Battle and photo-ops with characters. Popular dining spots like Mel's Drive-In, Fossil Fuel, and Fairy Godmother's Juice Bar provide fuel for what will be a busy day. 

This heritage garden is on the grounds of the Nanyang Technological University; it's a little out of the way but certainly worth a visit. The grounds are well-maintained, and there are plenty of scenic photo spots, including a cascading waterfall, a small lake, and Chinese gates and pagodas. There are multiple trails to choose from, so you can wander across the boardwalks to explore the whole park. Try to visit in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the heat.

This mosque was completed in 1910 and has recently been restored. Though it has none of the exotic, multicolor statuary of the Hindu temples, it still woos you with an intricately detailed facade in the Muslim colors of green and gold. When entering, make sure your legs are covered to the ankles, and remember to take off your shoes. Only worshipers are allowed into the prayer hall. Out of respect you shouldn't enter during evening prayer sessions or at any time on Friday.

This mosque was completed in 1910 and has recently been restored. Though it has none of the exotic, multicolor statuary of the Hindu temples, it still woos you with its intricately detailed Moorish facade in the Muslim colors of green and gold and its unusual architectural symmetry. Shorts are not allowed, and remember to take off your shoes. Only worshipers should enter the prayer hall, and visitors should avoid evening prayer sessions and Fridays.

Standing on a busy road in Chinatown, this ornate mosque was once just a thatched hut, built in 1827 as one of Singapore's first mosques for Indian Muslims. Also known as Kuchu Palli (Tamil for "mosque hut"), the existing structure dates from 1855. Though much of the mosque's original ornamentation has been replaced, its original timber panels and fanlight windows have remained. You can visit during the week except on a Friday lunchtime, when devotees flock in for the midday prayers.

On this street of specialty shops, you'll find an eclectic mix of cafés and restaurants with trendy retail spots mixed in with shops that sell fabrics: batiks, embroidered table linens, rich silks, and velvets. 

Also known as the Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator and dating from 1835, this is one of the city's most elegant and oldest surviving churches. A dozen wealthy Armenian families who had come to Singapore for a better life donated the funds for renowned colonial architect George Coleman to design this church. The main internal circular structure is imposed on a square plan with four projecting porticoes. In the churchyard is the weathered tombstone of Agnes Joaquim, who bred the pink-and-white orchid hybrid that has become Singapore's national flower.

Owned by the Shanghai-born art dealer and author Marjorie Chu, Art Forum is a beautiful contemporary art gallery with a focus on Southeast Asia. Paintings and sculptures from more than 150 local and international artists are on display within this restored, whitewashed terrace house, and Chu herself is a wonderful resource for learning about the region's evolving arts scene. The art collection is displayed on a rotating basis.

Part of Marina Bay Sands, this Moshe Safdie–designed structure is often compared to an open hand or a lotus flower. Inside, the exhibitions combine—you guessed it—art and science. Since its opening in 2011, major international exhibitions have been set up within the 21 gallery spaces, totaling 50,000 square feet. Guided tours leave at 4 and 5 pm from the Exhibition Entrance on basement level 2. Upstairs, the Sweet Spot has excellent coffee, cakes, and snacks.

The ½-mile Berlayer Creek Boardwalk near the neighborhood of Alexandra runs through one of the two remaining mangrove forests in southern Singapore. The boardwalk is raised, letting you peer over the sides at the swampy undergrowth, where 60 bird species, 19 fish species, and 14 mangrove plant species have been recorded. There are informative storyboards along the route, as well as look-out points where you can get closer to the area's unique biodiversity. Continue to the Alexandra Garen Trail and Bukit Cermin Boardwalk for the full Labrador Nature and Coastal Walk.

Now just a metal monument—in the 1980s, this was the site of Tiong Bahru's most loved coffeeshop, where locals could hang their bird cages while they sat and sipped coffee. The shopowner, Wah Heng, devised the concept after seeing how much attention a nearby pet shop was getting from its bird cages. Indeed, many bird owners made a beeline for the shop, and before long, the cacophony of song and colorful cages drew attention from locals, tourists, and journalists alike. Sadly, the coffee shop closed in the early 2000s.

In the same area as Singapore Zoo and Night Safari, Bird Paradise is a 42-acre bird park home to 3,500 birds from over 400 avian species. Some of the world’s most endangered species, including Philippine eagles and blue-throated macaws, can be seen here, as well as the socorro dove, which is now extinct in the wild. View birds from eight large, walk-through biomes representing different regions of the globe, including South American wetlands, African rainforests, Australian eucalypt forests, and more. Guests can take part in feeding sessions for an additional fee, and there are avian presentations from experienced birdkeepers that give a closer look at some of the park’s most famous birds.   To save a bit, you can buy a combo ticket for access to all four wildlife parks (Bird Paradise, Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, and River Wonders) or two of your choice, to be used within seven days of purchase.

The heritage houses that line Blair Road are a sight to be seen with their beautiful Peranakan floor tiles, mint green facades, and French-style shutters. They were built in the 1900s in response to the increasing demand from well-to-do Chinese merchants who wanted new homes for their families. Nowadays, they look too pretty to live in, but some people are lucky enough to call them home—which means you can't go inside and should be conscientious with your photography. Still, just strolling the street outside is enough to give you a taste of what it might be like to live here.

Local entrepreneurs have created a mélange of eateries and bars to satisfy diverse tastes at this dining and drinking stretch along the Singapore River, the country's trading hub from colonial times to the 1970s. Between 7 pm and midnight, the area swells with an after-work crowd enjoying drinks along the water. At the end of Boat Quay and named after Lord Elgin, a British governor-general of India, Elgin Bridge links the colonial quarter to Chinatown. The original rickety wooden structure was replaced in 1863 with an iron bridge imported from Calcutta. The current concrete bridge was installed in 1926.

In its younger years, Bugis Street was the epitome of Singapore's seedy, but colorful nightlife, famous for the skimpily garbed cross-dressers who paraded its sidewalks. The government wasn't delighted, though, and the area was razed to make way for the Bugis MRT station. So strong was the outcry that Bugis Street has been re-created (but not really) just steps from its original site, between Victoria and Queen streets, Rochor Road, and Cheng Yan Place. The shophouses have been resurrected, and hawker food stands compete with casual-dining restaurants. Closed to traffic, the streets in the center of the block are a haven for bargain hunters after fast fashion or made-in-China trinkets. Across the road is Bugis Junction, a shopping center packed with mid-range dining options and clothing stores.

Step away from Singapore's manicured urban parks and into 405 acres of wild rain forest at this sprawling nature reserve. The walking paths are well marked, but exploring here still gives you a sense of what the island was like when tigers still roamed the jungle. Towering trees, tangled vines, and prickly rattan palms line the footpaths, while long-tailed macaques, squirrels, and tree shrews scamper overhead. The trails circle Singapore's highest hill (535 feet), with some of the routes leading to the peak for spectacular views of the dense greenery. Wear good walking shoes—the trails are rocky and muddy after the rain—and make sure you bring water. You can buy maps from the visitor center.

Set within a rain forest—and featuring an Asian landscape complete with a moon gate, streams, and bridges—this park has a collection of 1,500 live butterflies from 50 species, as well as 3,000 insects that creep, crawl, or fly. Look for tree-horn rhino beetles, scorpions, and tarantulas. A number of free educational and feeding experiences with iguanas, tortoises, and other creatures are scheduled daily.

This gracious steel bridge, the oldest surviving bridge across the Singapore River, is named after Major General Orfeur Cavenagh, governor of the Straits Settlements from 1859 to 1867. Built in 1868 with girders imported from Glasgow, Scotland, it was the main route across the river until 1909. It's now a pedestrian bridge with a spectacular view of the Fullerton Hotel. On the riverbank, the whimsical sculptures of boys in half-dive over the water by local sculptor Chong Fah Cheong make for great pictures.

Sprawling, squat, sinister-looking Changi Prison was built in the 1930s by the British and was used by the Japanese in World War II to intern some 70,000 POWs, who endured terrible hardships here. The museum, a replica of one of 14 chapels where 85,000 Allied POWs and civilians gained the faith and courage to overcome the degradation and deprivation inflicted upon them by the Japanese, reopened in 2021 displaying drawings, sketches, and photographs by POWs depicting their wartime experiences. Organized tours take you through the old British barracks areas to the former RAF camp, still part of an active military installation. Here, in Block 151—a prisoners' hospital during the war—you'll see the simple but striking murals painted by a British POW, bombardier Stanley Warren. The last admission is at 4:30 pm, and with little public parking, it's recommended that you take public transportation.

Hikers and bikers can enjoy about 200 acres of greenery at Singapore's largest nature park, located just outside of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve. Its two hiking trails (a 2-mile route on the north side and a 1.3-mile route on the south side) and 5 miles of mountain biking trails offer adventurous escapes from the hustle and bustle of the city for a day.

The oldest building in this walled complex is the Coleman-designed Caldwell House, a private mansion built in 1840. In 1852, it became the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus, where nuns housed and schooled abandoned children. The church was added in 1903. After World War II, both the convent and the church fell into disrepair. In 1996, the complex was renovated and reopened as a shopping and entertainment complex. The lovingly restored church is also rented out for private functions (it stood in for the First Methodist Church in the film Crazy Rich Asians).

Typically, this market is swamped. On the first floor, hawker stalls sell local eats that are great for a quick, cheap meal, but it's the basement floor that fascinates. Here, you'll find a wet market—so called because water is continually sloshed over the floors to clean them—where meat, fowl, and fish are bought and sold. There's also an open-air produce market where you can find bargain local fruit—including the infamous durian—for an after-lunch snack.

The Chinese Circle Theatre (CTC) is a nonprofit organization that's been cultivating an appreciation of Cantonese opera since 1981. Check out one of their dinner performances every Friday and Saturday night from 7 to 9 and gain some insight into this particular art form. The Theatre Circle is set up along a stretch of Smith Street that transforms into a pedestrian zone nightly and brings to mind the hustle and bustle of the street hawkers from the 1970s.

Deep in the heartlands of residential Redhill, City Sprouts is a social enterprise and urban farm founded on an old school site. Tours can be arranged to guide visitors around the urban farm and there are regular events and workshops on-site, including farmers' markets and even outdoor movie screenings. Thai bistro and bar View Dee has set up shop in the repurposed school canteen, so you can grab a beer and some Thai snacks when you’ve finished exploring.