Top 10 Things to Do in Singapore

Using this list

Ten of Singapore's landmark experiences as a checklist. Singapore is small, efficient, and easy to cover — this is one of the few city lists genuinely completable in a long weekend.

The MRT makes everything close

Public transport is fast, clean, air-conditioned, and reaches nearly everything on this list. Tap in with a contactless card. Given the heat and humidity, plan routes that surface as little as possible — the city is built with covered walkways for exactly this reason.

Gardens by the Bay and the Botanic Gardens are different things

Both are worth doing. Gardens by the Bay is the futuristic one with the Supertrees and the conservatories — the light show runs in the evening and the domes are ticketed. The Singapore Botanic Gardens is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, free, and much quieter.

Hawker centres are the point

Singapore's hawker culture is UNESCO-listed and the food is exceptional and cheap. Look for the long queue of locals rather than the English menu. Every centre has its own famous stalls; asking is normal and welcomed.

Know the rules

Singapore enforces its regulations in ways that surprise visitors — fines for eating and drinking on the MRT, for littering, for smoking outside designated areas. Chewing gum import remains restricted. None of it is a problem if you're aware of it.

Practicalities

It rains hard and briefly most days; carry an umbrella. Sentosa is a half-day of its own.

Timing

Run it plain, or add due dates from your arrival date.