Singapore, it is a city, a capital and a state all at once, making it one of only three City States in the world! If you are planning a trip and have a stopover in Singapore, why not make a few days of it and get to know this impressive business city. This post will help you fill 3 days in Singapore!

Day 1 (half day): Arrive Singapore, hotel check-in

Day 2: Gardens by the Bay, Orchard Street, Bugis Village, Little India, Gardens by the Bay (night time light show)

Day 3: Universal Studios Singapore, Chinatown, Clarke Quay

Day 4 (half day): Arab Quarter

On our first day, we checked into our hotel and relaxed by the pool for a few hours – we needed some downtime after our two weeks in Vietnam.

Because we were staying at Marina Bay Sands, we spent a bit of time at the Skypark Observation Deck. The views are amazing and if you want to get a drink or a bite to eat, you can do that here although we chose not to.

For prices and information, click here.

Gardens By the Bay

We got up and went to Gardens by the Bay as soon as it opened. The main reason for this is to avoid the hottest part of the day (for which I’d rather be sitting by the pool!). There weren’t too many people there and we were able to purchase our tickets for the Skyway for that evening. We were told that the line up in the evenings to get on to the skyway can be up to 1 hour, so we thought we’d plan ahead and get our tickets sorted!

If you don’t have time to visit the gardens twice, I would recommend going in the evening. Firstly it is much, much cooler (ok, maybe not cooler but the sun isn’t beaming down on you!) and you then get to see it all lit up and watch the light show.

Entrance to the gardens is free, you only need to pay if you want to go on the Skyway or in the conservatory domes. For a current list of prices click here.

Orchard Street

This is the main shopping street in Singapore. You can find just about everything on this street. Therefore, if you need to pick up a few things, I’d suggest you do that here!

Singapore Visitor Centre

This place is worth a mention! Located on Orchard Road, you can walk in (to the air conditioned shop) and use one of their computers to plan your stay in Singapore. The staff are there to help you and can print off an itinerary for you as well which is amazing. Worth a stop if you’re not sure what you want to see or do.

ION Sky – Free Observation Deck

If you want lovely views over Singapore and don’t want to pay to get them, check out ION Sky. Because it is free, we thought there would be heaps of people, but there weren’t. I’d definitely recommend heading up for some great views.

They are only open certain times of the day, but given it is free there is no complaining here! Check it out and read some of the interesting facts they have printed on the windows.

Bugis Village

Located across from Bugis MRT, it is very convenient to get to. Bugis Village is home to many market stalls selling lots of different things from clothing, souvenirs and bags etc. You can also visit Bugis Junction Shopping Centre if you fancy a spot of shopping! We spent some time at Bugis Junction Shopping Centre because it has shops we don’t have in Australia! It is safe to say we therefore spent quite a bit of money!

Little India

We visited during the day and it happened to be raining. So perhaps our judgement is a bit clouded… I think if you visited on a clear night the atmosphere would be completely different! Just something to keep in mind when you visit.

Universal Studios Singapore

We spent a few hours at Universal Studios and had the most amazing time. Click here to read our full review and see our highlights video.

Chinatown

Similar to Little India, we visited during the day but I think if you visit in the evening, the atmosphere would be completely different! Just something to keep in mind when you visit.

Clarke Quay

Again, similar to everywhere else – it is meant to be better in the evening probably because it is slightly cooler, but also because there is supposed to be a good vibe!! We went during the day and it was lovely, and there are plenty of restaurants to choose from and there is a shopping centre there as well in case you need to escape the heat and sit in the air conditioning!

Arab Quarter

The mosque at the Arab Quarter is really quite beautiful. You can walk around and go inside. We visited on the morning we were flying out and it didn’t feel too rushed. We had a late check out so it did mean we could go back to the hotel and shower before our flight – otherwise, I’m not sure I’d do anything on my last day, it is far too hot and you wouldn’t feel refreshed before a long flight.

Where to eat in Singapore

Osteria Mozza: This restaurant was nothing short of amazing! Osteria Mozza is part of the Marina Bay Sands complex and has the restaurant to one side and the pizzeria on the other side. You can’t order from both, you need to choose one or the other.

We ordered a Caprese of Burrata, Tagliatelle with oxtail ragù & Fazzoletti with duck ragù. For dessert, we shared a menu item that was on their degustation special and they made it into a dessert portion for us. It was like an apple goodness that I can’t explain!

MBS Pool: We ate at Marina Bay Sands pool and ordered the beef burger with chips. The meal was lovely and the serving size pretty big. So if you’re only a little bit hungry, I’d suggest sharing!

Tandoor: If you like Indian, you need to visit Tandoor restaurant which is part of the Holiday Inn Orchard City Centre. Click here to read more about Tandoor.

Where to stay in Singapore

We highly recommend staying at The Holiday Inn Orchard City Centre. The location is wonderful and the staff amazing. Click here to read our full review.

We also stayed one night at Marina Bay Sands, do we think it was worth the ridiculous amount of money to stay there? Click here to read our full review.

Do you have travel insurance?

Before travelling, make sure you get a travel insurance policy – you never know when you might need it! Click here for information on travel insurance, what company we recommend and a link to get an instant quote.

Alternative accommodation

If you’re looking for alternative accommodation to either save some money or share with friends or family, click here for information on Air B&B ($50 discount on your first booking), hotel price comparison websites etc.

Here are a few more snaps of our Singapore trip.

“Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and enjoy the journey.” – Babs Hoffman