Visit Singapore for the first time in 10 tours, attractions and tips

To visit Singapore for the first time is to explore a city of a thousand facets. The iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel with its surfboard-shaped roof and the gardens of Gardens by the Bay with their giant trees, animated day and night, are on everyone’s mind. But Singapore is much more than the “Switzerland of Asia” and that’s what we’re going to show you in this post on our OneDayOneTravel blog following a 5-day, 4-night stay in February 2020 by testing some of the visits and activities proposed in the online magazine of the airline company Air France with whom we arrived, Air France Travel Guide.

Singapore is the fourth largest financial centre in the world and its lot of buildings in the city centre is a good reminder of this when you arrive in the city. But this ultramodern city-state also has a cosmopolitan and multicultural side that totally seduced us when we visited the Chinese, Arab and Indian districts.

The different neighbourhoods are like villages in the city that preserve the unique heritage and traditions of each culture. Staying in Singapore is therefore an opportunity to immerse oneself in a city nation that has managed to preserve much of its ethnic and cultural diversity, and which well deserves its nickname “the melting pot of Asia”. A real surprise for us and for many travellers who often do not expect to find this kind of atmosphere in such a city where 1 out of 6 inhabitants is a billionaire. And only one metro ticket is enough!

It is this balance between modernity and cultural preservation that makes Singapore so fascinating.

A true tourist and commercial crossroads of Southeast Asia, Singapore, which is located between Malaysia and Indonesia, welcomes many travellers in its sublime airport with stopovers of varying lengths. We were part of it 5 years ago during a long stopover when we were leaving on a trip to Bali in Indonesia that we love so much.

We had time to visit the Marina Bay Sands and the Gardens by the Bay which attract tourists from all over the world like magnets. We had published an article on what to do in Singapore during a stopover. We have absolutely no regrets to come this time to visit Singapore for a few days. The city-state is so rich and offers so many facets to discover. So eager to share our 10 favorites in this blog post. We also give you all the practical tips to visit Singapore in the best conditions.

By the way, we’re Frank and Richard. We’re travel bloggers exploring the world by sharing our inspiring stories, itineraries, city guides, practical tips and alternative good plans with you since 2008 on OneDayOneTravel. Read more on OneDayOneTravel

Here is the plan of this article of our travel blog on how to visit Singapore for the first time.

When and how to come to visit Singapore for the first time?
1.1 When to visit Singapore? The weather question but not only !
1.2 How to visit Singapore from France? What about flights and administrative documents?
1.3 How do I get to central Singapore from Changi Airport? How do I get around Singapore?
1.4. The question of travel insurance and first-aid kit
1.5. The issue of international SIM cards when travelling in Singapore
1.6. Security issues for visiting Singapore
1.7 Cost of living in Singapore
1.8. Where to sleep in Singapore? Our housing advice
Visit Singapore and the Gardens by the Bay
2.1. Why is Gardens by the Bay a must-see site in Singapore?
2.2. The must-see attractions of Gardens by the Bay
Visit Singapore and the Marina Bay Sands Hotel
Visit Singapore and the Museum of Arts and Sciences
Visit the Singapore Botanic Garden
Visit Singapore and Clarke Quay
Navigating the wonders of Singapore
Visit Chinatown – Recollection at the Temple of the Tooth of Buddha
8.1. Visit the Tooth Relic Temple (or Buddha Tooth Relic Temple)
8.2. Visit Thian Hock Keng Temple (or Tianfu Temple)
8.3. Visiting the Sri Mariamman Temple
8.4. Visit the centre of Chinatown and lunch at the Maxwell Hawker Center
Visit the Lau Pa Sat market and have lunch there like a local.
Visit Kampong Glam or the Arab Quarter of Singapore
Visit Singapore and the Little India district
11.1. Some visits not to be missed in Little India
11.2. Where to eat in Little India?

Let’s start by visiting Singapore on video!

Suis-nous sur YouTube

What do you think of this video?

Don’t hesitate to join us on YouTube and leave us a comment under the video. Thumbs up are also appreciated. It always motivates us to continue our adventures!

Let’s move on to practical tips for visiting Singapore for the first time before giving you our favorites in terms of activities, visits and attractions that are unmissable in the city nation.

1. When and how to come to visit Singapore for the first time?

Here is the interactive map of Singapore to help you find your way around. Indeed, Singapore became independent in 1965 and is composed of 64 islands on a surface of 719 km2. In 40 years, the surface of the country has increased by 25% by dint of nibbling on the sea!https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d255281.19036277817!2d103.70416542320628!3d1.314339378013704!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x31da11238a8b9375%3A0x887869cf52abf5c4!2sSingapore!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sph!4v1591880909968!5m2!1sen!2sph

Singapore’s population is 76% Chinese, 15% Malaysian and 7% Indian. The remaining 2% represent the rest of the world, including the French community, which is very well established. Here, everyone speaks English but 4 languages are official.

Singapore is located not far from the Strait of Malaka, between the Indian Ocean and the China Sea. The consequence of this unique geographical location is that the city is on one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. And fortunately for the inhabitants because everything is imported here.

Singapore in brief. Here are all our tips and everything you need to know before coming to Singapore.

1.1 When to visit Singapore? The weather question but not only !

Singapore has a hot and humid climate with 150 rainy days per year. All year round, temperatures range between 24 and 32 degrees.

February to October is the driest and therefore most bearable season to visit Singapore. We had only 1 single day of rain in discontinuous over 5 days of visits with temperatures around 30 degrees during the day. Quite pleasant when you think back to the winter temperatures in metropolitan France at the same time.

1.2 How to visit Singapore from France? What about flights and administrative documents

French nationals do not need a visa to travel to Singapore as long as the stay does not exceed 90 days. More information on this official website.

Also visit this other page of the diplomtie.gouv.fr website for more information and to find out about the current health situation in the country.

11,000 km separate Singapore from France. Numerous daily flights and numerous airlines serve Singapore (SIN) from Paris (CDG).

We invite you to visit the skyscanner site to compare flight proposals and fares. The Air France company we have chosen provides direct flights in 12h50 on the outward journey and 13h20 on the return, with 10 flights per week in Boeing 777-300.

Price of air tickets Paris – Singapore in AR in economy class :

Exceptional price: 400 € with 1 to 2 stopovers (600 € live)
Good price: 450 € with 1 to 2 stopovers (750 € live)
Average price: 610 € with 1 to 2 stopovers (1000 € live)

You must have noticed that rates often move in the wrong direction as you search. We strongly advise you to read our article on this subject if you don’t know how to find cheap airline tickets on the internet.

Attention bon plan !

Focus on our flight Paris (CDG) – Singapore (SIN)

We travelled in economy class with Air France. But did you know that for an additional €50 per passenger, you could access the lounge and benefit from all the services usually reserved for business class? We wanted to be sure of this when we tested this option and we were absolutely not disappointed.

In fact, once our luggage is checked in, we access the lounge area where we wait comfortably until the boarding call for our flight to Singapore.

There are so many services offered in the lounge at CDG that we unfortunately don’t have time to test everything. Drinks and food at will, wellness and relaxation areas with a Clarins spa, a game zone, a cocktail bar, etc. It is rare to see so many services in a lounge and yet we have already tested the dedicated areas of other companies around the world. An excellent surprise reserved for Air France passengers, allowing them to relax in complete peace of mind before taking their flight. We might well get used to it for our future flights!

And it’s not over yet, because once on board, you can once again “pimper your flight” with special meals for an extra twenty euros with a quality meal. Richard is enjoying the Fauchon menu and I (Franck) the Italian menu. A meal worthy of a very good restaurant and taken with pleasure. It is literally a change from the traditional meal trays served on airplanes, which you don’t necessarily appreciate every time. What’s more, we are served among the first! You definitely accumulate the advantages on this flight to Singapore!

In terms of comfort, it’s obviously economy class, but frankly we’ve never felt cramped.

Changi Airport Singapore

We land at terminal T3 of Changi Singapore Airport which is the 7th largest airport in the world in terms of international passengers. It is a modern airport with 4 well-serviced and well-equipped terminals. The particularity of Changi airport is to have a central and ultra-modern hub with the sweet name of “Jewel” designed by the architect Moshe Safdie who is also at the origin of the Marina Bay Sands hotel.

The building houses shops for all budgets but also a tropical forest, waterfalls and other walls of vegetation and water under a gigantic glass dome. A real living space also open to non-passengers that cost 1.3 billion dollars. The unmistakable attraction of the Jewel is “The Rain Vortex” which remains to this day the highest indoor waterfall in the world. Powered by rainwater, the waterfall is 40 meters high. Very impressive!

How do I get to the Jewel from the 4 terminals at Changi Airport?

From T1: Jewel’s north entrance is directly connected to the arrival hall on level 1.
From T2: Get to Jewel via the covered pedestrian bridge on level 3.
From T3: Travel to Jewel via the pedestrian bridge that passes next to the Crowne Plaza Hotel in the departure lobby on level 2.
From T4: Board the complimentary shuttle to Terminal 2 first. Then take the escalator to level 3 and walk over the connecting bridge.

1.3. Comment rejoindre le centre de Singapour depuis l’aéroport Changi ? Comment circuler à Singapour ?

1.3.1. How do I get to central Singapore from Changi Airport?

L’aéroport de Changi est à 23 km à l’est du centre-ville de Singapour. Il existe plusieurs moyens pour s’y rendre.

Reaching Singapore by taxi from Changi Airport

Taxis are the preferred mode of transport if you plan to visit Singapore during a stopover. Available 24 hours a day in front of Halls 1 and 2, you can reach the centre of Singapore in 30 minutes for about S$30 or €20.

Reaching Singapore by bus from Changi Airport

By bus, take the SBS 36 towards Orchard road. There is a departure every 15 minutes from 6:00 am to about 10:50 pm for 2 $S. More information.

Getting to Singapore by subway from Changi Airport

To take the subway, which in Singapore is called the MRT, you must first take the skytrain to reach the Expo station.

This trip takes 8 minutes. Then we take the MRT’s DownTown Line, which is the blue line. The service starts at 5:30 in the morning and ends at midnight with a subway every 2 to 7 minutes. The price is $2.80 per person. You reach the centre of Singapore in 1h-1h30, change included. When you return, don’t forget to ask for a refund of your card and any outstanding credits. We will tell you more about the different tickets and maps available to travel around Singapore just below. This is the option we have chosen.

1.3.2. How to get around to visit Singapore?

Take the subway to visit Singapore!

Le Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) est le moyen le plus facile et définitivement le moyen le moins cher pour se déplacer d’un quartier à l’autre à Singapour. En plus, il est très moderne et extrêmement propre. C’est bien simple, il est interdit de boire ou de manger dans tout le réseau métropolitain. N’essaye même pas où tu seras obligé de payer une amende de 500 $S. Si tu fumes, l’amende s’élève à 1000 $S et si tu transportes des produits inflammables, ça s’emballe à 5000 $S. Rien à voir avec le métro parisien !

Several ticket and card formulas exist. It’s up to you to choose the right formula according to your needs and especially according to the length of your stay in Singapore.

The single ticket is ideal if you plan to visit Singapore for 1 or 2 days. It is possible to keep the same ticket for 6 trips. You just need to top it up each time on a machine.

Choose the EZ-Link card if you are visiting Singapore for at least 3 days. This is the card we chose during our 5-day stay. The trips are cheaper then. The card costs 5 $S and you have to buy it at the station counters (12 $S = 7 $S credit + 5 $S card) or at 7 Eleven stores. You can top up your card very easily at the automatic machines in the various metro stations in the network. At the end of your stay, you will be re-credited for what you haven’t spent. The EZ-Link card is definitely the most convenient way to travel by subway from one neighbourhood to another.

The Singapore Tourist Pass allows you to enjoy unlimited MRT travel for a set period of time. The card is valid for 1, 2, or 3 days but can be re-credited for a 4th day for example. The cost of this card for 3 days is 20 $S.

Access to the Singapore metro map

Visit Singapore by taxi if you are short of time or if you don’t like the subway!

Taxis are quite expensive, especially during rush hour after 6pm. Prefer the Grab app if you want to drive around Singapore.

Afraid of losing you in Singapore?

You can also download the free application maps.me (Google Play link) or maps.me (itunes link) which, even in airplane mode, allows you to find your way around the world. You can use it as a hiking GPS but also in your car. We use it everywhere!Reaching Singapore by taxi from Changi Airport

Just download the map of Singapore before you leave or from any wifi spot once you get there.

1.4. The issue of travel insurance and drug kits

We strongly recommend that you read our article on travel insurance even for stays of less than 90 days. You’ll find that you may not be as well insured during your travels, especially if you plan to do sports activities. Insurance linked to credit cards covers you and your civil insurance. But have you ever looked at and compared the limits and ultimately the benefits offered with travel insurance such as those offered by Chapka Insurance? In any case, it doesn’t cost anything to ask for a quote online!

As you probably do, we and the insurance company were two. But as we got into it, we realized we weren’t necessarily that well covered. Chapka Insurance is an online travel insurance expert. They insure thousands of travellers around the world all year round, including us since the beginning of 2018. We highly recommend. Reimbursements are known to be fast.

As far as travel medicine kits are concerned, we talk about them extensively in a dedicated article.
The Institut Pasteur website will give you all the useful information about health and vaccination in Singapore.

1.5. The issue of international SIM cards when travelling in Singapore

We, once again, chose on this trip to buy a SIM card package on the Explod website. We are very greedy for Data, we never ran out during our stay in Singapore, just like in Thailand, Bali or Vietnam for that matter. We recommend Explod 100% for its cheap prices, ease of use and moreover you receive your SIM card directly at home by mail before you leave and without shipping costs.

Reaching Singapore by taxi from Changi Airport

The advantage on the technical side is that your phone connects to the most efficient network according to its location, which is not the case when you buy your SIM card directly at the airport because your SIM card depends on the chosen operator. What’s more, your connections are secure.

Reserve your Explod SIM card

1.6. Security issues for visiting Singapore

That’s a question that came up a lot in your questions about Instagram. There is no sense of insecurity in Singapore. There are surveillance cameras everywhere. As proof, in restaurants and markets, people even put their credit card or mobile phone on the tables to reserve their seats!

The government even insists on denunciation for crimes that everyone can observe in their daily lives. We have found that this may even be excessive. But at least everyone in Singapore respects the law.

1.7 Cost of living in Singapore

Conversion rate (as at 02/04/2020) :

1 $S = 0,64 €
1 € = 1,57 $S

Singapore is a city that fits any budget.

On the question of the budget for accommodation, see section 1.8. Low budgets will prefer hostels and therefore dormitories for 10 to 15 € per night and per person. But if you are looking for a hotel room, prices will quickly rise to hundreds or even thousands of euros per night. In order to limit our housing budget, we have opted instead for renting an apartment. We’ll tell you more about this in the next paragraph.

When it comes to food, if you limit yourself to local food in hawkers or fast food restaurants, you can get by with between 5 and 10 euros per person. However, if you’re looking for an international restaurant, the price will go up very quickly. Cocktail prices will go along with it, as they do in all the major capitals of the world. You can find our few good local addresses tested neighborhood by neighborhood a little further down in this post of our travel blog.

As for transport, we already told you about it a little bit above but here is what you should remember. For small budgets, choose the metro. If you want to save time (or if you’re busy), you’ll have to take a taxi.

1.8. Where to sleep in Singapore? Our housing advice

Housing prices in Singapore are quite high. So, in order to enjoy a place where you feel comfortable, we have chosen to rent an apartment. This is really what we advise you if you are travelling as a couple and especially if you are travelling with friends or family.

We choose to rent an apartment on the Abritel rental site for our 5 days and 4 nights stay in Singapore. Very well located in the green district of Orchard/Central, the accommodation is easily accessible from the red and blue metro lines. And there is a supermarket just 5 minutes walk away.

Located on the 6th floor accessible by lift, the apartment is quiet, clean and air-conditioned. It has 2 beautiful bedrooms, 2 bathrooms with shower, washbasin and toilet. In the living room area, you can enjoy the sofa and flat screen TV. The open kitchen is very basic with a hob, a microwave oven and a refrigerator. This is a nice apartment but where a family could feel a little cramped.

142 € per night (February 2020)

Reac

See the apartments in Singapore proposed by Abritel

If you wish to sleep in a hotel, you will find all the prices but be aware that in short, the prices are 70% more expensive than in France. If you’re on your own, prefer a dormitory in a hostel.

Find your hotel in Singapore

After all these good advices to visit Singapore for the first time or during a stopover, here are the 10 visits and activities that we have tested in the “Garden City”. These visits and many others can be found in the online magazine of the airline Air France, Air France Travel Guide.

2. Visiter Singapour et les jardins de la baie

2.1. Why is Gardens by the Bay a must-see site in Singapore?

Answer in this video vlog!

Gardens by the Bay is THE must-see when visiting Singapore. We all have in mind the image of this huge futuristic garden and its giant trees, the supertrees, which are very impressive both day and night. The park is indeed open to the public from 5am to 2am, almost continuously.

Created in 2012, the garden cost $1 billion. Quite an investment on the part of the government of Singapore, which made it possible to put the city back into a garden. The attraction has very quickly become Singapore’s most popular attraction. You will understand very quickly why when you arrive at the 100-hectare site as the gardens are stunning and unique.

Walking in the park Gardens by the Bay is free but we advise you not to miss the paying attractions either, especially the 2 glass canopies: Cloud Forest and Flower Dome. The 22-metre high walkway, which allows you to wander between the supertrees, is also unmissable.

Gardens by the Bay, high-tech botanical gardens!

Les Gardens by the Bay se divisent en 3 secteurs.

Bay South Garden with an area of 54 hectares is the area that attracts the most visitors because it is where the emblematic supertrees and the 2 domes are located.
Bay East Garden, another green lung of Singapore, offers superb views over the rooftops of the city.
Bay Central Garden is the link between the 2 previous areas. It is a 3 km waterfront promenade, perfect for walking and running. Here again, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of Singapore and its skyline.

2.2. Les Attractions incontournables des Gardens by the Bay

2.2.1. Visiter la Cloud Forest et le Flower Dome

Access to the Cloud Forest and Flower Dome costs S$28 for both domes. Open from 9am to 9pm, the 2 canopy spaces are not to be missed when you come to visit Singapore.

When you enter the Cloud Forest, it is a mysterious world veiled in mist of 0.8 hectares that you discover. And it all starts in front of a huge waterfall. It’s quite cool inside the dome. You can really feel the difference in temperature with the outside.

Once we arrive at the bottom of the mountain, it is in a pretty hidden garden where orchids and other tropical plants bloom that we end the visit.

The Flower Dome is the larger of the two with its 1.2 hectares and is just as spectacular. It contains an abundance of plants from the Mediterranean and semi-arid regions.

We wander among baobabs and other strangely shaped cacti. But don’t worry, flowers are also in the spotlight with more than 200 species. Enough to make one’s head spin as we travel in Australia, California and South Africa!

2.2.2. Visiter le Supertree Grove des Gardens au bord de la baie

This is another must-see area of the Gardens by the Bay. It’s even the heart of the park, a must-see in the shade of giant trees called supertrees that look like they’re straight out of a sci-fi movie like Avatar. It’s an impressive display both day and night and you’ll soon find out why.

Access to this area is free as well as the night show. On the other hand, access to the panoramic viewpoint from the observatory and the footbridge are paying visits. We have tested both visits.

Access to the Supertree observatory costs S$10 per person and is available every day from 9am to 9pm. Access is via an elevator located in the heart of the Supertree trunk. Arriving at an altitude of 50m, one discovers a 360 degree panoramic view of the gardens and the Marina Bay Sands. Very nice at sunset especially as you can have a drink there.

The other main attraction of the area is the OCBC Skyway which is a 22m high elevated footbridge that allows you to wander in the heart of the supertrees with a little bit of emotion in every step. The price to access the attraction is $8.00S per person. Access is open every day from 9am to 9pm but closes as soon as the weather turns bad.

While waiting for the night show that takes place at the Supertrees, don’t hesitate to visit the Floral Fantasy for S$12. Open every day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., the attraction plunges us into a floral universe where artistic talent and technology unite for a unique and fantastic experience. We loved the passage under the bunches of flowers that seem to fly into the sky and the 4D movie show that gives us a different view of the Gardens by the Bay for 10 minutes.

And last but not least, don’t miss the night show of the Gardens by the Bay!

The sound and light show “Garden Rhapsody” seems to come straight out of a dream. The fairy-tale show takes place every day at 7:45 pm and 8:45 pm and lasts 10 minutes. The second show is a little less successful each time and is therefore to be preferred if you want to be a little quieter. It remains a detail because the park is very big but to enjoy the show, we advise you to settle down under one of the supertrees located around the observatory. The different light effects programmed and cleverly set to (opera) music will delight the youngest and oldest! This is normal if you shed a tear at the grand finale. There are so many beautiful emotions mixed together.

The “Garden Rhapsody” show is magical, enchanting, fabulous, wonderful, dreamlike!

3. Visit Singapore and the Marina Bay Sands Hotel

Marina Bay Sands is Singapore’s most iconic hotel. You certainly have in mind the image of this atypical hotel with its skateboard shaped roof top infinity pool. Well we have the chance to access one of the hotel’s suites and its roof top during this stay in Singapore. Let’s go for a small but intense visit.

This place is practically a city unto itself. Home to the world’s largest rooftop infinity pool, the luxury Marina Bay Sands Hotel offers 2561 hotel rooms, a huge convention center, shopping, a museum, two theaters and the world’s largest casino atrium. Everything is grand in this building.

At the top of the three 57-storey towers that make up this huge 5-star hotel is the famous SkyPark, which has a coveted infinity pool and is a dream come true for tourists from all over the world who come to visit Singapore. Who wouldn’t want to enjoy this unforgettable 360-degree view of all of Singapore? You can also have a drink or a good meal in one of the 3 restaurants located on the roof top.

The hotel’s infinity swimming pool is only open to hotel guests, but you can still access a deck to enjoy the amazing views of all Singapore and the Gardens by the Bay. Access costs approximately €15. It is recommended that you book your access ticket in advance.

Book your ticket to the Marina Bay Sands Skypark here.

We end this unforgettable and emotional experience with a visit to one of the luxurious suites at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel.

The suite is located on the 50th floor and has 2 beautiful bedrooms, a huge living room with a grand piano and a very nice bathroom where we admit that a little bath would have done us good with the outside temperatures around 30 degrees.

Access is direct from the shopping mall at Marina Bay Sands. Shaped like a lotus flower, the building is a true work of art in itself. The museum houses permanent and temporary exhibits that give a glimpse of the futuristic world. We all loved the use of interactive technology.

Program here from the ArtScience Museum

5. Visit the Singapore Botanic Garden

The Singapore Botanic Garden is first visited on video. Go to this vlog which will surely make you want to visit this natural site of the city.

As you were told earlier, Singapore’s nickname is “the garden city”, so today it’s headed for the Botanical Garden of the city nation with its 10,000 species of plants and flowers. The Botanical Garden of Singapore, which is free of charge, is not to be confused with the Gardens by the Bay. To get to this 82-hectare park, simply get off at the MRT station, Botanic Gardens, which is on the blue line.

This exotic garden, located in a more natural setting than Gardens by the Bay, is the only site in Singapore to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Once you pass the entrance gate, you are directly in the middle of lush nature. We pass through a bamboo grove composed of several species of bamboo, some of which reach dizzying heights.

And then, we arrive in more flowery areas where thousands of plant species mix before crossing a primary tropical forest, some specimens of which are several centuries old. Rather extremely rare in the city! There are large lawns and lakes lined with all sorts of rushes, including pretty sledgehammers that twirl with the wind.

The park is huge but impossible to get lost because the different horticultural themes are well defined. Entrance to the Singapore Botanic Garden is free as we told you before, but the highlight of the show is paying. For the sum of 5 $S per person, one enters the sublime National Orchid Garden which is a must.

We get lost on the small paths lined with hundreds of flowers of all colours. The collection of orchids is very impressive. We have already visited many botanical gardens around the world but frankly the one in Singapore and especially its orchid garden is the most impressive. One doesn’t know where to start with all these flowers in the most unusual colours.

The Singapore Botanic Garden is open to the curious, walkers and joggers from 5am to midnight. A sublime green lung in the heart of the city that we really recommend if you come to visit Singapore for a few days.

6. Visit Singapore and Clarke Quay

For this visit, we come back near the marina of Singapore. We also like the walk along the riverside to reach Clarke Quay. Located on the outskirts of the business district and its buildings upstream from Boat Quay, the district was until 2006 home to warehouses where goods from all over the world were stored by river.

7. Navigating the wonders of Singapore

From Clarke Quay, we depart for a 40 minute commented river cruise with Singapore River Cruise for about 15 € per person.

The meeting point is at 30 Merchant Road, right across from Hooters Restaurant. We really advise you to follow in our footsteps because these hour-long ¾ walks give you a totally different view of this multi-faceted island nation. And if you manage to get on board at the end of the day to experience the sunset and enjoy the ride also at night when the city’s landmarks light up, the experience becomes even more magical.Réserve ici ton billet de croisière en avance

Book your cruise ticket in advance here

Boat excursions leave every 30 minutes between 9am and 11pm with a last departure at 10.30pm.

We first walk along the colourful Clarke Quay district and then pass the famous Fullerton Hotel. After a few bridges, we arrive in front of the commercial symbol of Singapore which is the Lion (Singa means Lion).

We then follow Boat Quay with its restaurants in the foreground overlooking the marina, small colourful buildings in the background and the skyscrapers of the financial district in the background. A world of contrasts.

The highlight of the show is of course the exceptional view of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and the Museum of Arts and Sciences recognizable by its lotus-shaped architecture. The Singapore Ferris Wheel seems to make us an eye not far away but its access is closed at the moment.

8. Visit Chinatown – Recollection at the Temple of the Tooth of Buddha

Visit Chinatown in Singapore, it’s also in vlog video!

To get to Chinatown, it’s easy again because you just have to take the North East Line of the MRT subway (blue line) and get off at Chinatown station.

In addition to getting lost in it, the interest of this district which has kept a certain authenticity is to visit 3 remarkable temples: the temple of the relic of the Tooth of Buddha, the Thian Hock Keng temple and finally the Sri Mariamman temple. Visiting Chinatown is finally the opportunity to taste good local dishes in one of the hawkers of the district.

8.1. Visit the Tooth Relic Temple (or Buddha Tooth Relic Temple)

The majestic Temple of the Relic of the Tooth of Buddha is an exceptional temple built in 2002 on 4 floors. Open to visitors only since 2007, the temple presents Buddhist culture, art and history over more than 100 years.

Most visitors usually concentrate on the 4th floor in the giant stupa of 320 kg of gold to observe the sacred relic and on the 3rd floor about 300 Buddhist artifacts from all over Asia can be seen.

To get there, go to 288 South Bridge Rd.
Open every day from 7am to 7pm.
Free Visit
Correct clothing required

8.2. Visit Thian Hock Keng Temple (or Tianfu Temple)

The Thian Hock Keng Temple was built in 1840, making the site one of the oldest Chinese temples in Singapore. Originally located along the coastline, it was the first port of call for Chinese immigrants arriving in Singapore.

Travellers were indeed passing through here to thank Mazu, the sea goddess, for having managed to make a smooth journey. On the spot, once past the main gate, one arrives at a small square almost hiding the prayer site just behind it. All around, one walks in front of pavilions dedicated to deities that are forbidden to take pictures.

To get there, please go to 158 Telok Ayer St.
Open daily from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm
Free visit
Correct clothing required

8.3. Visiter le temple Sri Mariamman

The Sri Mariamman Temple built in 1827 is the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore. We will not visit it for lack of time but the entrance tower visible from the street still impressed us with its 6 levels decorated with Hindu sculptures.

To get there, go to 244 South Bridge Rd.
Open daily from 7am to 12pm and 6pm to 9pm.

8.4. Visit the centre of Chinatown and lunch at the Maxwell Hawker Center

As we have already said in this post of our travel blog, hawkers are places to eat local and world food for cheap in Singapore. Go to the Maxwell Hawker Center for that. You’ll be spoilt for choice! The best addresses can be found here.

9. Visit the Lau Pa Sat market and have lunch there like a local.

The Lau Pa Sat market, which means “old market”, is a very popular market in Singapore. Open 24 hours a day, it is located in the Business District (CBD) right next to Chinatown. It is obviously the diversity and quality of the food served that gives it an excellent reputation. The 100 year old market structure and the overhanging clock tower that rings every ¼ of hours also make it an interesting architectural attraction.

We went there to have lunch with an expatriate friend after our visit to Chinatown. All Asian specialties are represented in the market but we advise you to taste a laksa, a local soup made of noodles, coconut milk, shrimps and fish. The whole is flavoured with curry paste, chilli pepper, coriander and lemongrass. A pure delight. 4 $S per dish, which means that the price is unbeatable.

From 7 p.m., you will see that the stalls lining the market open and offer very famous and cheap satays.

10. Visit Kampong Glam or the Muslim Quarter of Singapore

The Muslim Quarter of Singapore is a small neighbourhood that stretches around Arab Street and is dominated by the Sultan’s Mosque with its golden dome built in 1928. A change of atmosphere once again where it is nice to walk at the end of the day. This famous area stretches across Bussorah Street, Haji and Bali Lanes and Muscat Street and has many cafes, shops and restaurants.

To get to the area, we take the blue line of the Singapore subway and get off at Jalan Besar station. You have to walk a few hundred meters on Arab Street before reaching the Sultan’s Mosque after passing through one of the doors of the district.

If there’s one street you can’t miss in the Muslim quarter of Singapore, it’s Bussorah Street, just across the street from the Sultan’s Mosque. We took the opportunity to take a break at the Sultan Turkish Restaurant at No. 30 overlooking the Sultan’s mosque to drink tea and enjoy a few slices of baklava ($24 per teapot and sweets), a dish with Persian and Ottoman origins made of sugar syrup and nuts on a thin puff pastry.

11. Visit Singapore and the Little India district

To visit Singapore and Little India is to immerse yourself in an authentic part of the city-state.

And it all starts on video in this vlog shot in the Indian quarter of Singapore.

11.1. Some visits not to be missed in Little India

To get to Little India, we take the blue line of the subway (MRT) and get off at Little India station. We arrive near the unmissable Buffalo road and its colourful stalls, but also facing the Race Course road. We then immediately rush into a pretty neighborhood with colorful house fronts. This reminds us of our trip in North India (with much less agitation of course) but it is still well in an environment full of colors and life that we walk.

It was the racecourse that attracted Europeans at the beginning of the 19th century. With the development of the local cattle market, traders soon had to call on cheap labour. It was Indian. Trade became very prosperous. Thus the Indian community grew with the construction of Hindu mosques and temples.

We walk along the avenues of the district and we get lost in the alleys bearing the names of the inhabitants who lived there in the 19th century. Street art is on every corner. Some works are masterful.

Colors, flavors, smiles: Little India, a real favorite!

Don’t miss during your visit of the district, the Hindu temple with the unpronounceable name of Sri Veeramakaliamman built in 1881. Dedicated to the goddess Kali, destroyer of evil, it is the entrance tower decorated with Hindu sculptures that is the most impressive but also all the statues arranged up to the enclosure that closes it. To get there, go to 141 Serangoon road.

The other unmistakable curiosity of the district is the very colourful house of Tan Teng Niah which is located at 37, Kerbau road. The opportunity to make beautiful pictures in front of the different facades of the building that frankly transports us elsewhere.

11.2. Where to eat in Little India?

Our visit to the neighborhood makes us hungry. We follow the recommendations of one of you on Instagram and have lunch at the Azmi Indian Restaurant located at 166 Serangoon Road. An opportunity for an authentic culinary experience in Singapore’s Little India neighbourhood. It all starts with a warm welcome from the whole team who even let us try some of the dishes before ordering, so that we can choose the speciality that suits us best.

We are tasting for only S$14 for 2 with 1 chicken masala, 1 keema curry and 2 lemonades. The full of flavors in the middle of the visit of the Indian quarter of Singapore already filled with scents and colors. And above all, the impression of having made a trip to India. This lunch necessarily reminds us of our trip to Rajasthan.

Concluding this blog post on how to visit Singapore for the first time,

These visits and many others can be found in the online magazine of the airline Air France, Air France Travel Guide.

We had a few a priori that were shattered after visiting Singapore during these 5 days. The city is much more diverse and touching than we thought. Singapore has a real soul, even several, thanks to its different districts, even if Gardens by the Bay and the Marina Bay Sands hotel remain 2 must-sees when you come to visit Singapore for the first time or during a long stopover.

Visiting Singapore is finally experiencing a real world tour with a metro ticket!

For even more immersion, find here all our stories shot in Singapore.

We have already travelled to many other destinations in Indonesia and Southeast Asia. You can find them by clicking on the link below:

All our destinations in Asia

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This stay in Singapore was organized in collaboration with Air France, the online magazine of the airline Air France Travel Guide and the apartment rental company Abritel. These partnerships in no way detract from our freedom of speech.