First Time in Singapore
Twenty things to do before anyone lets you call it 'SG'.
New here? This is the order we would do it in: the skyline and the free light shows first, then hawker food, the temples and mosque of the old quarters, and the big-ticket sights. Tick off the top ten and you have honestly seen Singapore.
0/20 · Fresh off the plane
1. Supertree Grove, Gardens by the Bay
Sight · Marina Bay · Free · MRT Bayfront (CC34/DT16)
Daily 05:00–02:00 (Supertree lights off 23:30)
Towering steel trees wearing real plants. Looks like sci-fi concept art, costs nothing to stand under.
💡 Come at dusk, stay for the 19:45 light show, and lie flat on the ground like everyone else does.
2. Merlion Park
Sight · Marina Bay · Free · MRT Raffles Place (EW14/NS26)
Hours unknown, check before you go
8.6 metres of national mascot facing the bay. Yes, you will take the mouth-catching-water photo.
💡 Go before 9am or after dark; midday is hot and packed. The jetty in front gives the cleanest shot.
3. SkyPark Observation Deck, Marina Bay Sands
Sight · Marina Bay · $$$ · MRT Bayfront (CC34/DT16)
Daily 09:30–22:00 (last entry 21:30)
The deck on top of that famous building. Whole skyline on one side, the Gardens and the sea on the other.
💡 Book a slot just before sunset and linger. The infinity pool is for hotel guests only, so skip the swimwear.
4. Spectra Light & Water Show
Sight · Marina Bay · Free · MRT Bayfront (CC34/DT16)
Sun–Thu 20:00 & 21:00; Fri–Sat 20:00, 21:00 & 22:00 (check before you go)
Fifteen minutes of fountains, lasers and orchestra on the bay. Free, nightly and shamelessly dramatic.
💡 Sit on the Event Plaza steps 15 min early. Check before you go: shows can pause for weather or events.
5. Maxwell Food Centre
Hawker · Chinatown · $ · MRT Maxwell (TE18)
Hours unknown, check before you go
The hawker centre everyone sends you to, and they are right. Rows of stalls, plastic stools, serious food.
💡 Go at 11am before the office crowd. A tissue packet on a seat means it is taken; that is the law here.
6. Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
Sight · Chinatown · Free · MRT Maxwell (TE18)
Daily 07:00–17:00
Four storeys of red lacquer and gold, with a stupa upstairs and a quiet roof garden most people miss.
💡 Cover shoulders and knees. Take the lift to the rooftop garden first, then work your way down.
7. Cloud Forest
Sight · Marina Bay · $$$ · MRT Bayfront (CC34/DT16)
Daily 09:00–21:00 (last entry 20:00)
A chilled glass dome with a misty mountain inside. The best air-con in Singapore, with orchids.
💡 Take the lift to the top and walk down. Bring a light layer; it is properly cold in there.
8. Singapore Botanic Gardens
Nature · Tanglin · Free · MRT Napier (TE12) / Botanic Gardens (CC19/DT9)
Daily 05:00–00:00
Lawns, lakes and a patch of real rainforest in the middle of town. Joggers, swans and monitor lizards included.
💡 Enter at Tanglin Gate, exit by Botanic Gardens MRT. Go before 9am; by noon you will be soup.
9. Sultan Mosque (Masjid Sultan)
Sight · Kampong Glam · Free · MRT Bugis (EW12/DT14)
Sat–Thu 10:00–12:00 & 14:00–16:00; closed to visitors Fri
Singapore's landmark mosque. Look closely: the base of the gold dome is ringed with glass bottle ends.
💡 Visitors enter from Bussorah Street, Sat–Thu, in two short windows. Dress modestly; no tourists on Fridays.
10. Haji Lane
Street · Kampong Glam · MRT Bugis (EW12/DT14)
Hours unknown, check before you go
Narrow, loud with colour, and full of boutiques, bars and people taking the same photo. Still fun.
💡 Shops wake up after noon. Come late afternoon, then drift over to Bussorah Street for dinner.
11. Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple
Sight · Little India · Free · MRT Little India (NE7/DT12)
Daily 07:00–12:00 & 18:00–21:00
A gateway tower stacked with colourful gods on Serangoon Road. Loud, fragrant and alive at prayer time.
💡 Shoes off, dress modestly, and aim for the evening prayers. It is shut through the afternoon.
12. Tekka Centre
Hawker · Little India · $ · MRT Little India (NE7/DT12)
Hours unknown, check before you go
Hawker centre downstairs, sari shops upstairs, wet market next door. Little India's kitchen, basically.
💡 Come for breakfast or lunch; popular stalls sell out by mid-afternoon. Bring cash and an appetite.
13. Lau Pa Sat
Order: Satay, hawker classics
Late night · Raffles Place · $$ · MRT Telok Ayer (DT18)
Open 24 hours
A cast-iron food hall in the middle of the financial district, open all night. Satay smoke outside, eighty-odd stalls inside.
💡 Not every stall trades overnight. Satay Street runs in the evening; go before midnight for the full line-up.
14. National Gallery Singapore
Sight · Civic District · $$ · MRT City Hall (EW13/NS25)
Daily 10:00–19:00 (last entry 18:30)
The old Supreme Court and City Hall, stitched together with glass. Come for the art, stay for the building.
💡 The UOB Southeast Asia Gallery is shut until late 2027; the rest is open. Do not skip the rooftop view.
15. Jewel Rain Vortex
Sight · Changi · Free · MRT Changi Airport (CG2)
Daily 10:00–22:00; light shows 20:00 & 21:00 (plus 22:00 Fri–Sun)
A 40-metre waterfall pouring through a glass doughnut next to the airport. Absurd, and free to stare at.
💡 The water runs 10:00–22:00 only. The free view from the Level 1 forest floor is the best one.
16. Clarke Quay
Nightlife · Singapore River · $$$ · MRT Clarke Quay (NE5)
Hours unknown, check before you go
Pastel warehouses on the river, now packed with bars and restaurants. Touristy, but the river at night delivers.
💡 Walk in along the river from Boat Quay at sunset. Drinks cost more here; hunt for a happy hour.
17. Night Safari
Sight · Mandai · $$$ · MRT Khatib (NS14) + Mandai Khatib Shuttle
Daily 18:00–00:00 (last entry 23:15)
Ride a tram through a dark forest while tapirs, lions and hyenas go about their night. Oddly peaceful.
💡 Book a timed entry online. Do the walking trails after the tram; most people skip them and miss the best bits.
18. ION Orchard
Shopping · Orchard · MRT Orchard (NS22/TE14)
Daily 10:00–22:00
Eight floors of shops right above Orchard MRT: luxury up top, snacks and food court gold in the basements.
💡 Start here, then walk Orchard Road east under the trees. Head to the basement floors when hunger hits.
19. Long Bar, Raffles Hotel
Nightlife · Civic District · $$$ · MRT City Hall (EW13/NS25)
Sun–Wed 11:00–22:30; Thu–Sat 11:00–23:30 (last seating)
Home of the pink cocktail since 1915. You get a sack of peanuts and throw the shells on the floor. Really.
💡 Walk-ins only, so expect a queue by evening. Mid-afternoon on a weekday is the easy slot.
20. Siloso Beach
Nature · Sentosa · Free · MRT HarbourFront (NE1/CC29) + Sentosa Express
Hours unknown, check before you go
Sand, palms, beach bars and volleyball, 15 minutes from the business district. The sea view comes with ships.
💡 Go late afternoon and stay for sunset. The beach is free; check Sentosa's island entry fee for your route in.
Unofficial · not affiliated with TOKEN2049. Hours and prices change; check before you go.