10 Musts Dos on your first time in Singapore
If you’re planning your first international trip or you want a super-safe and fun place to visit with your girlfriends or you want to travel with your extended family, Singapore is the ideal holiday destination for you. I stayed in Singapore for 8 years and let me tell you, it is the perfect place if you’re looking for a short, safe, and fun holiday
Getting into Singapore
Singapore Airlines offers convenient connections from most prominent cities. It is one of our personal favourite airlines! Once you reach Singapore, there are plenty of cabs at the airport. The island is absolutely safe, so there is no need to book in advance or look for other services. You can easily hail cabs or take buses and get around easily
Staying connected in Singapore
From face-timing family and streaming videos to going live on social media and checking maps, a lightning-fast connection is essential on the go these days. One of the popular tourist SIM cards in Singapore comes from Singtel, our personal favourite. The Singtel tourist SIM card offers lightning-fast speeds on a 5G network. It is also super easy to get hold of – you can purchase online or pick one up at Singapore Changi Airport (Travelex Foreign Current Exchange or Changi Recommends) or 7-Eleven stores islandwide.
Here’s a nifty table that summarises all the Singtel tourist SIMs available, with an abundance of data, up to 120GB of 5G access, and how much they cost:
Singtel offers a wide suit of Tourist SIM cards, to meet all your travelling needs. If you are a long-stayvisitor, we will recommend their 5G S$50 or S$30 Tourist SIM (28 days validity) with up to 120GB of 5G data to turbocharge your stay in Singapore, with unlimited local calls and SMSes, 90 minutes of international calls and up to 10GB of data roaming to popular destinations. If you are a short-stayvisitor, you may opt for Singtel’s S$12 Tourist SIM (14 days validity) which comes with 100GB of 4G data and 3GB of data roaming to popular destinations.
Where to Stay in Singapore
You can find some great hotels in Singapore, irrespective of your budget. We always suggest staying in a centrally-located hotel, close to Orchard Road. Hilton Singapore is a luxurious and conveniently located option. If you prefer mid-range hotels, then Hotel Jen Tanglin is a great option. We’ve stayed at both these hotels in the past and really enjoyed it. Jen Tanglin is perfect if you’re travelling with your family or enjoy huge buffet spreads. Rooms are comfortable, they have a great pool, and the breakfast buffet has a vast array of continental and Asian specialities.
10 Must Dos on your first time in Singapore
- Take a river cruise and enjoy panoramic views of Singapore’s famous skyscrapers. Get off at Boat Quay or Clarke Quay, the focal points of nightlife in Singapore and enjoy drinks and dinner
- Visit Singapore’s River Safari, especially if you’re travelling with kids. Here a small boat will take you through a replica of the Amazon rainforest.
- Combine some of Singapore’s best attractions in one short evening. Hop on to the Singapore Flyer to get amazing views of Singapore from the top. Walk to Gardens By The Bay and explore its 2 colourful domes, lined with flowers, plants, and even a waterfall! As the sun sets, make your way to the super trees for the amazing Garden Rhapsody Light and Sound Show that begins at 7.45 pm. The 15 minute show is sure to leave you mesmerised
- Reserve a fun-filled day for Sentosa Island. Enjoy the beach but don’t forget to visit Skyline Luge. The karting track is so much fun and completely safe, no matter what your age
- Explore Chinatown: you could visit The Chinese Heritage Centre to understand of Singapore’s history, sample some scrumptious street food at the Chinatown Food Street where several hawkers cook a feast for tourists, and walk in the bustling alleys of Chinatown for a spot of shopping. If you enjoy cultural hotspots, you could also visit Little India or Arab Street
- Visit the newly-opened Ice Cream Museum for a whole lot of sugary fun and instagrammable photos
- Visit one of Singapore’s iconic parks. While Merlion Park is the most popular one, we like East Coast Park, with its wide array of sea-food eateries too
- Lau Pa Sat has some truly iconic street-style eateries- a must visit
- Shopping – if you want to shop at malls, there is no shortage of options. Start at Ion Orchard Mall and Paragon shopping centre. But if you’re keen on street shopping head straight to Bugis.
- Eat, eat, eat – from its signature food courts to Michelin-starred eateries, Singapore boasts of some of the best food in the world. Don’t come back without trying local specialties like hainanese chicken rice, prata (fried and stuffed flatbreads served with a curry), teh tarik (tea made with condensed milk), claypot rice, noodle soups, and Singapore laksa
That’s it – everything you need for your first visit to Singapore. Stay connected, explore well, and have fun. Leave us a comment if you have any questions and we’ll answer them for you
How you take pics of you and him ? Can you share it ❤️☺️
Hello
We use a tripod (Vid sets up the composition etc.) 99% of the time. Sometimes a friend or a guide who is with us helps out 🙂
Wow! Happy to see the low rate for tourist sim cards. It is usually super expensive in other south Asian countries.
Yes, they can be quite expensive in other countries. And we feel it always helps to have a local SIM card
I love how Singapore has come such a long way with their lives and tech, etc. I’ve only visited there once recently and it was a great experience! They had some good places to eat from shopping malls to actual restaurants or even some street vendors. Would love to visit there again some time.
LOVE Singapore 🙂 It’s where Vid spent 8 years of his life
This Singapore guide is truly exceptional; it’s a must-read. To all future travelers considering Singapore, please be aware that there has been a significant rise in prices, from food to hotel, in recent months.