Singapore is the easiest country in Southeast Asia to backpack on your own: English is an official language, signs and transport apps are clear, and street crime is rare.
The challenge is cost rather than logistics. Dorm beds in
Chinatown,
Little India or
Kampong Glam run S$30 to 60 (US$22 to 45), a hawker meal costs S$4 to 7, and MRT rides are S$1 to 2.50 by contactless card. A realistic backpacker budget is S$60 to 105 (US$45 to 80) a day. Respect the rules, since fines apply for littering, eating on trains and jaywalking.
Four to five days covers Singapore’s core neighborhoods comfortably, while 10 to 15 days lets you add the nature reserves, Sentosa and the rural northeast.
With 2 to 3 days on a stopover, stick to
Marina Bay,
Gardens by the Bay and
Chinatown. Five days adds
Kampong Glam and
Little India. A week to 10 days fits the
Singapore Zoo and
Night Safari, MacRitchie and two or three beach days on
Sentosa. Two weeks gives time for
Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Sungei Buloh, Katong and a day on
Pulau Ubin. Nowhere on the main island is more than about 60 to 75 minutes from downtown by MRT and bus.
You can get around Singapore entirely without a car, and most visitors do, because the MRT and bus network reaches almost every sight on the island.
The MRT has six lines, and fares run S$1 to 2.50 per ride when you tap a contactless bank card or phone.
Changi Airport to the city takes 30 to 45 minutes by MRT, or 20 to 30 minutes by taxi for S$25 to 40. The
Singapore Zoo and
Night Safari need a bus or shuttle from Khatib or Ang Mo Kio, Sentosa has its own monorail from VivoCity, and
Pulau Ubin is a 10-minute bumboat ride from Changi Point for S$4 to 5.
The must-visits in Singapore are
Gardens by the Bay, the hawker centres of
Chinatown, the old quarters of
Kampong Glam and
Little India, and the
Night Safari.
Gardens by the Bay’s Supertree show is free at 7:45 and 8:45 pm, and the two conservatories cost about S$50. Eat at Maxwell Food Centre in Chinatown and Tekka Centre in Little India for S$4 to 7 a plate. Pair the
Singapore Zoo and Night Safari in one day, around S$100 for both. For nature, hike
Bukit Timah Nature Reserve at 7 am, and if you have a free day, ride a bike around
Pulau Ubin.
If you are short on time in Singapore, skip
Madame Tussauds Singapore, the Clarke Quay bar strip and most paid attractions on Sentosa.
Madame Tussauds costs around S$40 for wax figures you could see in a dozen other cities. Clarke Quay is pleasant for a 30-minute riverside walk, but drinks there run S$15 to 20 each. The
Marina Bay Sands SkyPark Observation Deck costs about S$32 to 36, and the free Supertree show gives you Marina Bay at night for nothing. Leave
Changi Beach Park and
Pasir Ris Park for a second trip, since each takes 45 to 75 minutes to reach from downtown.
Yes, our itinerary-planner does exactly that. Set your trip length in days, give your interests and travel style, optionally give start- and end location and/or some mandatory stops you would like to include and the itinerary planner creates your personalized routes for Singapore in seconds. Try it out!
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