Somehow, 15 years passed between my last two visits to Singapore. By the time I returned in late 2023, there was an entirely different skyline, one I was familiar with thanks to movies set in Singapore like Crazy Rich Asians. Singapore’s airport—where I’d spent countless hours on layovers as a kid—had become a destination in itself, known for its futuristic dome and powerful indoor waterfall.
This Singapore felt like an entirely different place from the one I visited in 2008. That version seemed quieter, more reserved, almost boring. Singapore in 2023 seemed vibrant, stylish and lively—the kind of place I could stay awhile.
Unfortunately, I only had 48 hours. I spent them eating, drinking, shopping, and walking the equivalent of a marathon around the city. I also slipped in visits to the Gardens by the Bay for its free evening light show and to the Marina Bay promenade for its free light and water show.
Things to Know
Singapore is easier to navigate than New Delhi, Mumbai, Seoul and Ho Chi Minh City. It’s served by one of the world’s best airports and filled with five-star hotels that take the meaning of the word service to a whole other level. It’s also one of the most welcoming—and safest—cities in the world.
Strict laws carry stiff penalties in Singapore. It’s illegal to import or sell chewing gum, for example. Jaywalking and littering are also punishable crimes. Even not flushing a public toilet can result in a fine. Just do your research, follow the rules and pay attention to cultural cues.
Singapore is both a city and a country. It has four official languages—English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay and Tamil, and multiracialism is written into the constitution. Official business is conducted in English, which is also the language of education. The official currency is the Singapore dollar.
Lightning fast Internet speeds make it easy to work remotely while extensive, well-maintained public transit makes it easy to get around Singapore quickly and cheaply. Uber doesn’t operate in Singapore, but you can book rides through the Grab app.
Things To Do
If it were my first time in Singapore, I would start with a sidecar tour of the city for a unique perspective of its architecture and green spaces. I once took a sidecar ride in Paris, and it was like seeing the city for the first time again.
If you’re into flower gardens, visit the Singapore Botanic Gardens. This place is huge, and it’s where you’ll find the National Orchid Garden. The Singapore Orchid, also known as Vanda Miss Joaquim, is the national flower. Singapore sees it as a symbol of its multicultural heritage and the harmony that exists among the ethnic communities that call it home, and I think that’s beautiful.
After dark, head to the Night Safari at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve. This is considered the world’s first nocturnal zoo, and you can see about 1,000 nocturnal species on a guided tour. I am not a huge fan of zoos, but I loved this experience.
This trip, I went to Gardens by the Bay, a horticultural oasis that brings together a collection of Supertrees connected by elevated walkways, lush greenery and an indoor Cloud Forest. I took public transit, and my ride cost around 7 cents. I caught the free evening light show and then headed to the Marina Bay promenade for Spectra, another impressive free show but with light and water.
One reason I chose free things to do is because I shopped. Singapore is an excellent place to shop for a new wardrobe, especially if you’re petite like I am. If you’ve got money to burn, start at Orchard Road—one of the most expensive parts of the city. This is where you’ll find the city’s newest luxury hotels and most expensive designer brands.
For more affordable options, visit the Suntec City, Marina Square, or Millenia Walk shopping malls. They’re attached to both the Pan Pacific Hotel and the convention center. For deals on everything, head to Mustafa Centre in Little India. Walmart SuperCenters have nothing on this place.
Next time I’m in Singapore, I plan to checkout the Asian Civilizations Museum and the National Museum of Singapore. I made it as far as the collection of giant mirrored marbles outside the Asian Civilizations Museum. The marbles are part of an audio time capsule that captures the sounds of 24-hours in Singapore in 2015, and I love this approach to historic preservation and storytelling.
Where to Stay
Pan Pacific Singapore
For just under $300 a night, the Pan Pacific Singapore feels like a deal. The service is top-notch, like the attention to detail. There’s a Cantonese restaurant and a Japanese restaurants on site that serves a kaiseki-style brunch on the weekends There’s also an extensive breakfast buffet, a pool, a fitness center and lots of garden nooks for reading.
The rooms are spacious, modern and equipped with every kind of power outlet you could need. I appreciate sustainability efforts like the filtered tap in the bathroom for refilling water bottles.
When I asked for a late checkout, they asked for my flight time and suggested 4 p.m. since that would be the best time to leave for the airport. I’d book again for that courtesy alone.
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Pan Pacific Orchard
This hotel is architecturally stunning. It has four open-air sky terraces, each with a subtle theme: forest, beach, garden, cloud. There’s a pool with swim-up suites and a view of the city.
This is a property where the indoors and outdoors blend. It kind of feels like being in a forest, a beach, a garden or a cloud. I haven’t stayed here yet, but I did get a tour that’s inspired me to add the swim-up suites here to my bucket list of travel experiences.
The Pan Pacific Orchard opened in 2023, so it still has that new hotel feel. Some rooms have balconies. Some have lofts. All have mini-bars stocked with the hotel’s exclusive Singapore Orchard Gin.
There are only two gins I’ve ever truly loved. Singapore Orchard is one of them. In case you’re wondering, Park Distillery’s Alpine Dry Gin from Banff is the other.
Marina Bay Sands
At around $600 a night, the Marina Bay Sands is out of my budget. But staying at this luxury hotel is the only way to gain access to the hotel’s rooftop pool, so maybe one day I’ll splurge or at least ask for a tour. You may recognize the building if you’ve seen Crazy Rich Asians or Independence Day: Resurgence.
If you stay at the Marina Bay Sands, please send me a message and tell me all about it.
Raffles Singapore
The Raffles is even more expensive than the Marina Bay Sands, but it’s a Singapore legend that continues to earn its status. I’ve never stayed here, but heads of states, rockstars and other VIPS do. I have, however, drank here, and I can tell you The Long Bar is a vibe.
If you stay here, send me an message to tell me all about it.
Where To Eat & Drink
If you’re looking for fine dining and fancy bars, you’ll find lots here. I had drinks at the Pan Pacific Orchard and dinner at Mosella, the onsite restaurant best known for its Hamachi Tiradito. I loved its creative preparation of vegetables and its dessert menu.
Pan Pacific Singapore, the hotel where I stayed, has one of the most amazing breakfasts I’ve ever experienced. The spread included every kind of Asian cuisine, fresh cut fruit, western staples and the most delicious pastries.
For a more affordable but equally memorable meal, head to Chinatown for dim sum or have a late lunch served on a banana leaf in Little India. Take yourself on a food crawl through Singapore’s famous hawker stalls or see which of your friends may now live here and have recommendations.
I met up with an old friend who took me to his curry spot where I had an excellent veggie curry with rice, soup and a salad for maybe $8. That’s the thing about Singapore—you can always find a great meal within your budget.
For Drinks
I wanted to check out the view from the Marina Bay Sands hotel, so I went for a drink at the roof top bar. Having a drink on the roof was just a few dollars more than admission to observation deck, and the cocktails are excellent.
I also had cocktails at Florette, a cocktail bar on the Garden Terrace level of the Pan Pacific Orchard hotel. This sleek bar is an ode to its namesake, the Roman goddess of flowers. The cocktail menu draws inspiration from the same four natural landscapes as the hotel: forest, beach, garden and cloud. Each drink also falls within a theme: root, shoot, flower and fruit. Or try the hotel’s signature botanical gin.
If you have time for just one bar in your Singapore itinerary, head to the Long Bar at the Raffles. This is the bar where the Singapore Sling was invented over a century ago. Because the drink look liked fruit juice—and not socially unacceptable alcohol—women could also sip on Singapore Slings at the bar in the early 1900s.
*Support this site by booking through partner links. We earn commissions when you purchase, but our editorial reviews are independent and not subject to review by the companies mentioned.
