15 things to do (and 4 NOT TO DO) in Singapore - Travel Guide

A city-state just south of Malaysia and north of Indonesia, Singapore is a destination jam-packed with things to see and do. Singapore is a land of visionaries, one of the most forward-thinking and futuristic places in the world.

Yet it is by no means a soulless city made only of metal and glass. Here you can breathe a truly unique mix of cultures. If you are interested in visiting this oriental metropolis, here is our guide with the things to see in Singapore, the unmissable attractions, but also those that are a little less renowned or to consider if you have more time available.

1. Marina Bay and Marina by Sands.

Without a doubt, the Marina Bay area is the best known image and the one that best represents Singapore, the place that we all want to visit as soon as we arrive in the city.

The Marina Bay area is located in the eastern part of Singapore and is part of the larger Downtown Core district, the historical and economic center of the city, where you can still admire buildings dating back to the colonial period, such as the Parliament.

The Merlion is probably the symbol of Marina Bay, it is a half fish and half lion statue almost nine meters high and located in front of the Fullerton Hotel. On the opposite bank is the Esplanade-Theatres on the Bay, a futuristic architecture venue with theatre, concert hall and shopping centre!

But the real heart of the neighborhood is undoubtedly the Marina Bay Sands Resort, a skyscraper with a unique design that includes a hotel, casino, shopping center, various museums, theaters, restaurants, but above all the famous Infinity Pool top floor of the building.

2. Fountain of Wealth.

As seen so far, Singapore is a modern and avant-garde city, where everything is calculated down to the smallest detail. The shopping malls are also large, clean and modern, and one of the most famous is Suntec City, which is definitely worth a visit!

Inside, in fact, you can find one of the main attractions of the city. We are talking about the Fountain of Wealth, the largest fountain in the world. It is even possible to enter the fountain, where you will find a sign with instructions to follow: "extend your arm inwards and make three laps around the center of the fountain, it will bring you luck”.

3. Singapore Flyer.

The largest Ferris wheel in the world. It sits atop a 3-story structure, is 165 meters tall and offers mind-boggling views across the city.

Being located in the Marina Bay district, you can see the district itself, the Singapore River and many of Singapore's most famous buildings from above. On the clearest (rare) days, the view extends as far as Batam and Bintan in Indonesia and over parts of Malaysia.

The complete tour 30 minutes. The attraction, inaugurated in 2008, is one of the most famous in Singapore and is able to accommodate 28 people in each of its 28 cabins.

4. Gardens by the Bay.

Made up of 101 hectares, the Gardens by the bay are nothing short of futuristic gardens. To see these structures up close, you can walk on the OCBC Skywalk, a walkway that crosses all the gardens from above. Inside there are various species of plants, but above all one of the most iconic attractions of the city, namely the Supertree Grove, huge artificial trees of variable size between 25 and 50 meters.

The atmosphere becomes even more magical in the evening when the Supertrees light up the park with the Garden Rhapsody show, a kaleidoscope of colored lights (show at 6.45pm and 7.45pm, plus additional times on holidays, duration 15 min).

Also of particular charm are the two bioclimatic greenhouses, the Flower Dome, which has different flowers in every season, and the Cloud Forest, with a huge waterfall!

5. Arab Street.

Arab Street is the Arab quarter of the city and includes the areas of Bussorah Street, Bali Lane, Muscat Street and Haji Lane. The latter can be considered the main artery of the neighborhood, and consists of a small street full of shops and stalls where you can buy all kinds of products, including silk dresses with unique batik work.

Inside Arab Street you can enjoy a crazy sunset climbing above the golden dome of the Sultan Masjid Mosque, one of the most important historical attractions of the city, and with features that make it look like something out of Aladdin's fairy tale!

In the northern part of the city, it borders the Little India district.

6. Museum of Art and Science.

Inaugurated in 2011, it represents one of the main poles of cultural diffusion in Singapore and offers an innovative union between the world of arts and sciences.

The visitor is already struck by the external structure of the museum, with a careful and futuristic design, which recalls the lines of a lotus flower with open petals.

Inside, an area of 6,000 square meters where 21 exhibition spaces are organised. On display, many symbolic objects of human history: among the many you can admire Leonardo da Vinci's flying machine. The exhibitions are extremely accurate thanks also to the use of impact devices such as floating stairs and paths modeled by lights and moving images.

7. Little India.

Singapore's folk quarter, Little India is the heart of the city's Indian community. It's really easy to let yourself be fascinated by the characteristic shops of fabrics, jewels and spices. And it is precisely here that one of the oldest streets in the city is located, Serangoon Road. Do not miss at least a fleeting visit to the Mustafa Centre, the 24-hour warehouse where you can find any type of object at bargain prices, and to the Mekka Mall, the most modern warehouse and the only one with air conditioning for a some refreshment in the warmer months. Obviously this is the best place to eat great tandoori chicken and palak paneer.

Here we recommend that you also visit the Sri Veerkamaliamman Temple (daily 5:30-12:15 and 16:00-21:00, Sun mornings only), the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore and characterized by a particular architecture, with colorful statues representing religious deities.

8. Chinatown.

Lively, teeming and colorful, it is the area of Singapore inhabited exclusively (or almost!) by Chinese. Here the small traditional houses survive in the shadow of the big skyscrapers of the metropolis, enclosing typically Chinese flavours, colors and customs.

Pagoda Street is the main street for buying souvenirs and paraphernalia, while Smith Street is the perfect stop for buying food or stopping for lunch at the street food stalls in the Chinatown Food Street market.

Among the most important cultural attractions of the neighborhood is the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum, a well-known Buddhist temple with an annexed museum, inside which a sacred relic is kept, which is presumed to be a tooth of the Buddha and is only exhibited on certain occasions . A visit to the Chinatown Heritage Center is highly recommended, an ethnographic museum that traces the history of the Chinese who migrated to Singapore and is housed in a tailor's house.

9. Singapore Zoological Garden.

Another popular attraction in Singapore is the Zoological Garden. More than a zoo, it can be considered a real natural park.

In over 26 hectares of land, over 2,800 specimens of 300 different species can move in semi-freedom, within various areas that perfectly recreate various natural habitats. Among the species present are alligators, pythons, Komodo dragons, poisonous frogs, basilisks and chameleons.

Inside the park there are various paths that can be covered with excursions on foot of variable duration between 4 and 8 hours or by taking advantage of the convenient internal shuttle.

10. Singapore Botanic Gardens.

They represent one of the oldest parks in the city, as well as one of the largest. What can be considered to all intents and purposes "Singapore's green lung" occupies a vast area in the heart of the metropolis, approximately 74 hectares, offering a perfect refuge from the hustle and bustle of the centre.

Ideal for a walk surrounded by the scents and colors of thousands of plants, including the famous orchid, symbol of the city, to which an entire garden, the National Orchid Garden, is dedicated. The landscape consists of rainforests, wildflower meadows, swan lakes, palm stands, vegetable and herb gardens. The rainforest is also not to be missed. A real paradise for plant and flower lovers!

11. Universal Studios Singapore

Universal Studios Singapore is part of the famous chain of Universal Studios theme parks, like the one in Florida or in Hollywood. The theme park is located within Resorts World Sentosa on Sentosa Island. It is the second Universal Studios theme park to open in Asia, after the one in Tokyo, as well as the first in Southeast Asia.

It is organized into 7 thematic areas, there are 28 thematic rides and shows, and the various zones are mainly based on movies and TV shows, with their own attractions, meeting and reception places, over 30 restaurants and food kiosks and 20 retail shops .

Hollywood is the main entrance area to the park; its only attraction is a Broadway-style theater, surrounded by several restaurants and a variety of shops. The area is filled with palm trees and boasts Hollywood-inspired architecture, complete with a replica of the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.

12. Sentosa.

An island of rare beauty, located at the southern end of Singapore and reachable thanks to the Sentosa Express line, the Singapore cable car.

It is nothing more than a large amusement park, where attractions for the whole family are concentrated: starting from the very famous Universal Studios, to continue with the Adventure Cove Waterpark and the Sentosa 4D AdventureLand adventure park. There are also golf courses, shops and restaurants. Furthermore, along the coast, you will find kilometers of soft beaches offering a beautiful setting for relaxing and escaping even for an afternoon from the traffic of the city.

13. Raffles Hotel.

Historic hotel with colonial charm. Icon of Singapore, emblem of luxury and symbol of the Orient that has hosted all the greats: from Joseph Conrad and Rudyard Kipling to Prince William and Kate Middleton. A Sikh doorman welcomes you at the entrance.

A room can be expensive, but you don't need to stay overnight to poke around and take a look inside. In fact, the lobby is open to access, but above all the bar is open to all, one of the most famous bars in all of Asia, with the wooden counter covered with a finger-high layer of peanut peels and the wicker fans and bamboo.

In perfect colonial style, traditions such as the 5 pm tea and the brunch ritual are kept alive here, to be consumed

14. Clarke Quay.

Clarke Quay is a complex of old river warehouses that have been reclaimed into clubs, discos, and any other type of place to have fun.

It is no coincidence that it comes to life in the evening, when it comes alive with music that offers a lively background to dinners and cocktails sipped along the canal. During the day, this area is well suited for a walk topped off with a little healthy shopping.

15. Orchard Road.

The equivalent of New York's Fifth Avenue, Orchard Road is the city's premier shopping avenue, running from Tanglin Mall on Tanglin Road to Plaza Singapura. Here are concentrated elegant boutiques of prestigious brands, furniture and accessories shops and large shopping centers which, in addition to shops, offer a vast range of services, restaurants and entertainment. The skyscrapers bordering the avenue house spas, hotels, offices, restaurants and cafés.

There really is everything to spend an afternoon of shopping and entertainment, so much so that it almost makes you smile to think that this area was originally occupied by plantations, from which the road later took its name.

16. Warnings.

1. Chewing gum.

This is one of the bans that can usually seem more absurd, but it has its reason. Since 1992, the Asian metropolis of the Arabian Nights has imposed this ban, so it is illegal to import and chew gum in the city.

The ban was instituted mainly to prevent the streets from being soiled by chewing gum, to therefore reduce environmental pollution and also to avoid the transmission of viruses which would also occur through this means.

2. Durian on public transport Singapore.

Do you know durian? It is a tropical fruit, present in several Asian countries, which has a particularly unpleasant smell, so much so that it is nauseating. Here, it is forbidden to consume this fruit on public transport, under penalty of fines of up to $500!

3. Smoking in the open air.

One thing you absolutely must not do in Singapore is to smoke wherever you want. It is absolutely forbidden to smoke outside the designated areas (around the ashtrays scattered throughout the city) and it is also forbidden to throw ashes on the ground. What is the risk in this case? Fines up to $1000!

4. Going naked in public places and at home.

Well yes, you got it right. Nudism in public places is absolutely banned, but that's not all: it's also forbidden at home! In essence, it is not allowed to go naked around the house or in a hotel room and there are fines of up to $1000 and even three months' imprisonment.