Singapore In A Day: THE ULTIMATE ITINERARY

If you plan to see Singapore in a day, this is the only itinerary you’ll need.

Trying to explore all of Singapore in a day is not ideal. However, such a fascinating place should not be skipped, no matter how little time you’ve got.

Singapore is a melting pot of East meets West. It’s where business district skyscrapers meet small houses in Little India and Chinatown. It’s where the waterfront meets the big city and multiple religions all existing side-by-side.

Singapore is truly the definition of a diverse city.

It’s also a very popular place for airport layovers en route to other destinations. By no means should it be underestimated as a destination in itself, but it is possible to get a good overview when visiting Singapore for a day.

I previously visited Singapore for two weeks, so got to know it pretty well. But my most recent visit was primarily for work, and therefore I could only be a tourist in Singapore for a day.

So whether you’re doing a whistle-stop tour during a Singapore layover, or you have an extended stay. Here is everything you need to know about seeing Singapore in a day.

One Day In Singapore : What you need to know.

How: Walking & Metro ( I walked about 34k steps in total, however in places you could hop between spots by Metro if you prefer.)
Duration: 10am – 6pm (not including dinner)
Cost: $6 for Metro tickets & $28 for entry to the Gardens By The Bay. (SGD)
Top Tip: Carry water & wear comfy walking shoes.

Weather: 1 degree above the equator, Singapore has prime globe-real estate that gives it consistent sunshine hours throughout the year. Despite the frequent afternoon monsoons, Singapore has an average of 25c-30c across the whole year. When it does rain, it’s intense but doesn’t last long. Just pop into a café, mall or indoor market for an hour or so then resume baking!The weather was not in my favour, which can be quite common for this city. But luckily there is an excellent Metro system to help you out on days where walking isn’t possible.

OVERVIEW:

Anderson Bridge
Esplanade Park
Marina Bay
Gardens By The Bay
Little India
Bugis
Raffles Hotel
St Andrew’s Cathedral
Old Hill Police Station
Clarke Quay

Singapore In A Day ITINERARY:

This itinerary is a combination of walking and metro. For a full walking version see the rearranged map at the end.

Walking: Anderson Bridge to Cloud Forest:

Singapore in a day itinerary — ANDERSON BRIDGE TO GARDENS BY THE BAY

Anderson Bridge & Esplanade Park

I started my day from Raffles Place Metro stop. Providing you’re not caught in one of Singapore is thunderstorms, walk from Raffles across the Anderson Bridge and through Esplanade Park to The Marina, taking in the view of the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel and the peaceful waterfront.

Marina Bay

Once you’ve walked around the water, you’ll cross the Helix Bridge and arrive at The Shoppes Marina Bay Sands. Singapore has a phenomenal amount of malls, so try not to get sucked in to retail therapy too early in the day or you won’t see the city at all. Within the marina mall, take the escalator to the top floor for a rooftop view of the gardens by the bay and the city skyline.

Gardens By The Bay

Next, head over to the gardens for Singapore’s top attraction. If you’ re short on time, I would recommend starting your day here by catching the Metro to Bayside station.

The Gardens By The Bay is a large area which is free to enter. However if you wish to see inside the two large conservatories, or cross the Skywalk among the large metal trees, you do have to buy a ticket (28SGD). The day I was there the Skywalk was closed due to the thunderstorms, which I believe is quite common.

I opted to buy a ticket and explore inside the greenhouses and it was worth it. Particularly the Cloud Gardens, which include multi-level walkways and an indoor waterfall. There is also a lot of educational information around the climate of tropical rain forests and also the impact that climate change is having on the world.

The second garden, the Flower Garden, contains various plants from across the globe. It’s nice and air-conditioned to walk around and interesting if you’re into plants. However, if your trip to Singapore in a day is tight for time, I would skip this.

Metro transfer, Bayfront to Little India

Little India

Once you feel you’ve seen enough of the gardens, head back to the Bayside Metro stop and take the Metro to Little India. This is a complete change of scene from the gardens, and the shiny skyscrapers of the business district. Little India is colourful, busy and with a great vibe. It also has a wonderful range of choices to eat. Making it a perfect lunch spot once you’ve captured the obligatory Instagram pics.

Continue walking through Little India, taking in the sights and sounds of all the people, shops and restaurants. Depending on what date you visit, you may also see people visiting the temples to worship. It’s worth stopping at the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, to admire the gorgeous decorations from the outside even if you don’t go in.

Walking route: Little India to Clarke Quay

Bugis Mall

As you walk down the road you’ll arrive at Bugis Station and Bugis+. This is your opportunity for some retail therapy if you can’t resist. The Bugis+ mall and Malay Street across the road have a massive range of food outlets, just in case you didn’t find any food that took your fancy in Little India. Full disclosure… I saw Nando’s and needed some home comfort, so ate lunch there. I’m not proud of it, but don’t judge.

Raffles Hotel & St Andrew’s Cathedral

Once you’ve had enough retail therapy, or just made shameless use of the air-conditioning for a few minutes, head on down Victoria Street and take a peek at the Raffles Hotel. (More info on the history of the iconic hotel here.) If for whatever reason, you still have shopping energy (or money) Raffles City Mall is also nearby for all your retail therapy needs.

Continue towards the river admiring St Andrew’s Cathedral on the way. Whilst small, the building grabs attention with its white walls and European architecture.

Old Hill Police Station & Clarke Quay

Finish up your one day in Singapore at Clarke Quay. This is probably my favourite sport in Singapore to sit and reflect. There are bars and cafés lining the waters edge on both sides, making it the perfect place to grab an ice cream, dinner or a drink depending on how long you’ve got left.

The buildings in this area are super colourful, and the Old Hill Police Station across the street is a popular Instagram spot.

There are boats taking people up and down the river, which you could enjoy. But personally I prefer sitting on the steps and watching them pass by. If you don’t love any of the options for dinner at Clarke Quay, Riverside Point is just around the corner with a whole other set of options. On a clear day this is the ultimate romantic sunset spot whether you’re travelling solo or with someone special.

And there you have it: How to see Singapore in a day.

Of course, there are more things to do in Singapore if you have longer, but this is the highlights tour. If you do you have more time to consider checking out some of the following;