Hi All
I will be visiting Singapore for business mid November and I will only have 1 day to spend for seeing around. Other 3 days, I will be in all day meetings. How can I optimize my 1 full day? What are 2-3 must do things during the day and 1 must do thing for the night?
Thanks in advance for the help.
This is hard to answer not knowing your interests. There are a number of ethnic areas that are quite fascinating. It is easy to walk through China Town with markets, the Chinese Cultural Center (excellent museum with re-creation of a 1950’s era shop house living situation), traditional Chinese food, several major temples, Buddhist and Taoist. If you want to try a hawker center (traditional street food which is now sold in vendor markets so that sanitary conditions are well controlled), Maxwell Food Center is right by China Town. Take the MRT on to Little India and Kampong Klam (Arab Street). Little India - temples and the large Indian department store - Mustafa Center. Arab Street - Sultan Mosque where they will give you appropriate clothing if necessary and will explain any aspects of the mosque that you are unfamiliar with. Definitely a good place to learn a bit about Islam, very comfortable and welcoming. Lots of stores with fabrics and cute boutiques as well in the area.
Gardener? The Botanic Gardens are wonderful with the Orchid Garden a World Heritage site. Also, the domes and gardens at Gardens by the Bay.
Art or architecture? The National Gallery is constructed from former government buildings, fascinating even without the art galleries. Wonderful bar over looking the Padang, a cricket field.
Family entertainment? The zoo is world class. There is also a Night Safari, a night zoo with simulated moonlight lighting. Sentosa Island.
WWII? Several moving museums and monuments. Fort Siloso on Sentosa Island, the BattleBox in Fort Canning Park, Changi Cemetary, The Ford Factory Museum.
MRT transit is very easy, taxis very available (except perhaps at shift change) and Uber also. Lots of buses as well.
Lots of good restaurants. Seafood at Jumbo Seafood, Clarke Quay with clubs and restaurants, Orchard Road restaurants and shopping.
Have a great trip!!
Thank you so much. This is really helpful. Appreciate it.
If the extra day is before the meeting, be aware that sleeping might be necessary. I wouldn’t do anything that will take you too far away from your hotel in case you decide at some point that you need to go back and take a nap. Of course in Singapore “too far away from your hotel” might not even exist.
Thanks @DadTwoGirls . How safe is Singapore for tourists?
What is your night schedule? Night Safari is cool. Go see the Merlion at night as well. Chinatown as stated. It really depends on your interests. Regardless, enjoy the amazing cuisine.
Singapore is extraordinarily safe - as long as you don’t run drugs as they are serious about the death penalty! Also, common courtesy - don’t litter, no food or beverage on the MRT, etc. There are fines for these sorts of nuisances. (The country is stunningly clean.) I have had cab drivers tell me not to wander Little India at night. I have never felt unsafe in that area, but have had friends say that Little India makes them uncomfortable. If you visit the area, the main temple, Heritage Center and stores are on main streets.
Another option for night are the two light shows at the Marina Bay Sands area. One is the Spectra Light Show on the bay by MBS looking toward the Merlion and the other the Rhapsody Show at Gardens by the Bay that uses the artificial trees, If you haven’t seen an Asian light show, these are good examples. Frankly, not my thing. I prefer the Night Safari as recommended above. However, I told friends about both of these and they disliked Night Safari and loved the light shows, so you might google them both and decide if either is for you.
The zoo and Night Safari (same location) are not served well by public transport (except bus). I have, as a single female traveler, taken taxis and felt very safe. Even coming back late evening after Night Safari, there is a line of waiting cabs. I travel the MRT, cabs and buses during the day frequently and have never felt uncomfortable. Many of the taxi drivers will give you a bit of a tour, pointing things out on the route and chat pleasantly about life in Singapore.
Thanks all. Tons of good advice. Tell me how this plan sounds. Agree with a cab driver to be my guide for whole day and drive me around. Is this a good plan? Also how much will this cost?
@Momofadult gives you a lot of excellent options in post #1. Always loved the food in Singapore, and I would highly recommend going to a hawker center at least one time and grazing on a variety of cuisines. Singapore is a great melting pot of Indian, Malay, Indonesian and Chinese cuisines. Also, if you are a fan of seafood, there are a ton of fresh seafood restaurants. The Jumbo is a good, safe choice to sample chili and black pepper crabs (unofficial national dishes), and if you are adventurous, drunken prawns. It’s too bad the Raffles is undergoing renovations. Afternoon tea there was like stepping onto a 1950’s movie set for a movie set at the turn of the century.
Re #7 - It has been random when I have found friendly drivers that point things out and chat. I have had one driver in maybe 40 cab rides offer his services for the day - I didn’t take him up on this. If you want to go this route, I think I’d set it up in advance. You can google or ask your hotel, there may be taxi services that have day rates. I don’t know about taxi + guide service. English is well spoken and the public transport is so good that I’ve never wanted/needed a guide.
Singapore is a very sophisticated city with conventions more like Chicago, NYC and western Europe as far as getting around town than in some of the other Asian countries where I’ve traveled. Taxis are reasonable (less than Chicago, NYC, London), but a driver for the day is not likely to be cheap as in some Asian countries.
Although I have used drivers in Thailand and Cambodia, I have never used a driver in around my 10 or so recent visits to Singapore. The MRT is quite good - I believe there is a day pass for unlimited use. The stations are mostly manned with live people who can help you purchase this. Taxis can be hailed on the street and Uber is responsive. Singapore is also very walkable. Caveat - I’m a walker. I walk for miles, do wear very light weight clothing as the temp is always 80 - 90. I believe there may be a Hop On Hop Off bus and bus tours as well as a river tour, but I have never done these.
I asked my brother-in-law and sister-in-law; she grew up in Singapore and they visit there for a month every year. They Recommended:
Sight Seeing
Orchard Road (like Manhattan’s 5th avenue)
http://www.visitsingapore.com/see-do-singapore/places-to-see/orchard.html
Little India
http://www.visitsingapore.com/walking-tour/art-tour/little-india-art-trail.html#places-to-see
Eating
Don’t waste time on western food or fine dining. The hawker center local food is the best. Maxwell Hawker Center might be a little overwhelming but it’s all there.
http://www.visitsingapore.com/editorials/the-street-food-of-singapore.html#dining
http://www.visitsingapore.com/dining-drinks-singapore/local-dishes.html
Dishes to try:
Nasi Lemak
http://www.visitsingapore.com/dining-drinks-singapore/local-dishes/nasi-lemak.html
Chick Rice (Singapore’s national dish)
http://www.visitsingapore.com/dining-drinks-singapore/local-dishes/hainanese-chicken-rice.html
Roti Prata
http://www.visitsingapore.com/dining-drinks-singapore/local-dishes/roti-prata.html
Awesome. Thanks all. I already got some pointers from my colleagues in Singapore office. I should be good. I love College Confidential Parents. 
Take public transportation as close as you can and then a cab. I’m not sure if I ever took a cab in Singapore. Visited twice but it’s been ten years.
Overseas, always insist that the meter is on or you may get taken for a different kind of ride. I don’t think you’lll have that issue in Singapore but it’s a good practice. I had to make a cabbie let me out in Korea. Was offering a deal at $10 per person for four of us. Cab that we took that used a meter was $10 total fare.
Really nice bird park as well but I’m a photographer so that may have more appeal to me than most.
Well, I am back from Singapore. I hate that I am bumping up an old thread and I apologize in advance for doing this but I had to. I have to thank people who gave me great advice and I have to write briefly to help for future travelers who will go to Singapore.
@Momofadult - Can’t thank you enough. It was when I was Singapore I realized what gread advice you provided. Everything was the way you described. Can’t thank you enough.
@DadTwoGirls - Thanks to your advice, I slept the first day I was in Singapore and didn’t venture into sightseeing. You saved the day.
@Sportsman88 - I enjoyed the amazing cuisine but didn’t do Night Safari. We did Safari in Africa already so I wasn’t really into this.
@BKSquared - I headed to Jumbo for dinner and enjoyed it thoroughly. Thanks my friend. You are the best.
@TheGreyKing - It was your links that firmed up my schedule. Thanks for listing everything so nicely. Appreciate it.
Now general comments. Singapore is such a beautiful city if you are from New York area like me. MRT(Subway) is very clean and organized. People speak English and it is pretty easy to get around. Taxi is super cheap compared to New York standards. If you like night life stay in the Clarke Quay area. Marina Bay Sands Hotel is decent to visit. Great mall next to it and night view at the top is good but we see a similar skyline in New York so don’t go to top if you have little time. Try a hawker center if you are into Asian food and not scare of trying new things. One last advice. People are great. Leave all your worries at home and enjoy your time. I loved Singapore.
Thanks for the update! It’s your thread. You can revive it.
So glad you enjoyed! I have two trips scheduled between now and end of year. Looking forward to the visits, if not the flight time and the jetlag.
I’m used to Chicago and NYC subways, London tube and Paris Metro. The first time I entered an MRT station, I thought I’d ended up in the lower lobby of a modern office tower. It was so clean and bright, I didn’t recognize that I was standing right by the entrance to the train!