24 Hours in Singapore

24 Hours in Singapore

Having a hard time figuring out how to spend your short transit time in Singapore? Here’s your guide to 24 hours in Singapore!

If you’re city-hopping or transiting, it can be quite overwhelming trying to plan an itinerary that covers all the important attractions and makes full use of your limited time. Researching the must-visits, figuring out transport, finding the best restaurants, and trying to fit them all within one day is just a huge headache in the making, isn’t it?

24 Hours in Singapore
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In acknowledgement of this, we have decided to give you a hand and come up with a guide for 24 hours in various popular cities around the world. For the first part in our 24-Hour Series, we will be covering 24 hours in Singapore, the beautiful Garden City that is both a food and shopping haven!

24 Hours in Singapore
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Luggage Deposit

Deposit your cumbersome luggage at Changi Airport: all three terminals offer Left Baggage counters, where you will be able to deposit your luggage for an entire day for less than SGD 10, depending on the weight and size of it.

Transit Accommodation

Looking for a quick nap before exploring the city? All three terminals at Changi Airport provide either lounges or transit hotels if you need to grab some rest! Rates can be found on the websites for the Ambassador Transit Lounge and Ambassador Transit Hotel, together with a list of the facilities and services they provide, ranging from showers to massages. Otherwise, free resting areas are also available for travellers in all the terminals.

Transport

24 Hours in Singapore
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Public transport in Singapore is convenient and comprehensive, making it easy to get around the island by public transport alone. For 24 hours in Singapore, a one-day Singapore Tourist Pass will give you unlimited rides on the public transport network, which consists of public buses, the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) and LRT (Light Rail Transit).

This pass costs SGD 20 (of which SGD 10 is a refundable deposit), and can be purchased from various TransitLink Ticket Offices, including one at Changi Airport, starting from 8am. Remember to return the card to get your SGD 10 deposit back, unless you are thinking of keeping it as a souvenir!

Plan your route beforehand with SBS Transit’s IRIS Journey Planner, or if you prefer, Google Maps!

Morning

Breakfast

24 Hours in Singapore
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For a taste of traditional Singaporean breakfast, you can’t go wrong with visiting Ya Kun Kaya Toast, a chain of cafes selling toast products. Try the ever-popular Kaya Toast at one of the outlets (if you’re starting out at the airport, there’s one in Terminal 3!), together with the boiled eggs and traditional Kopi (black coffee).

After which, start your one-day journey in Singapore by soaking up the rich culture and heritage of Little India and Chinatown!

Little India

24 Hours in Singapore
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The vibrant ethnic enclave for the Indian community in Singapore, Little India is home to spice shops, backpacker hostels, sari shops and more. Your senses will be in for a treat in colourful Little India, with the smell of spices and sounds of Bollywood music assaulting you from all around.

Combining a wet market, food centre and shopping mall, Tekka Centre will provide you with an unforgettable experience all under one roof, as you sample delicacies and explore the eclectic mix of goods available for purchase.

24 Hours in Singapore
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One of the oldest temples in Singapore, Sri Veeramakaliamman temple is perhaps the best known attraction in Little India, and will be worth visiting for its striking decorations and architecture. Just note that you have to remove your shoes to enter the temple, and be respectful, keeping in mind that it is a place of worship!

Chinatown

24 Hours in Singapore
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Chinatown is just a couple of MRT stops away from Little India – once you reach Chinatown, you can start at Pagoda Street, admiring the restored shophouses along the street while shopping through the Chinatown Street Market. You will be able to find many traditional items and trinkets for sale here, making it a great place to pick up souvenirs.

24 Hours in Singapore
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Also take time to visit the famous Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore’s oldest Hindu temple, and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple on South Bridge Road. The two temples are built in the South Indian Dravidian and Tang dynasty styles respectively, and will be a treat for architecture lovers!

Afternoon

Lunch

24 Hours in Singapore
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Grab lunch at Maxwell Food Centre before leaving Chinatown – located in the heart of Chinatown, this hawker centre is popular with both tourists and locals. While you are there, don’t miss the chance to have a plate of the famous Tian Tian Chicken Rice, whose owners taught celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay the secrets behind the iconic Singaporean dish. If you have a sweet tooth, try Lao Ban Soya Beancurd, a new version of the beloved chilled dessert that has gained immense popularity among locals in recent years.

Kampong Glam

24 Hours in Singapore
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Next up is Kampong Glam, the Muslim heritage district located near Bugis MRT station. A good starting point in Kampong Glam would be Sultan Mosque, which is the area’s key landmark and can be easily identified by its huge golden domes.

Shops selling textiles, Persian carpets, handicraft and more can be found along Arab Street, and around each corner, you will also be enticed by the aromatic smell of spices from the cafes and restaurants nearby. Apart from being a cultural heritage area, Haji Lane in Kampong Glam is also an appealing shopping street, with indie boutiques and second-hand clothes stores drawing in the young locals.

Orchard Road


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For shopaholics, Orchard Road will be a must-visit. The 2.2km-long boulevard is Singapore’s internationally renowned shopping district, with a variety of brands catered to everyone. Most of the malls are open from 11am to 10pm. International luxury brands such as Prada and Chanel will have their boutiques in malls like ION Orchard and Paragon, alongside high street brands such as H&M and Topshop.

If you walk slightly off from the main street, you might find yourself among the locals in Far East Plaza, the mall for Singapore’s young adults. Far East Plaza may not boast any brand names, but its diverse selection of clothes and accessories will definitely be as fashionable yet cheaper than those on the main street. Orchard Road also has plenty of dining options available, making sure you will never go hungry while in the area.

Evening

Dinner

Stop by Newton before heading to Marina Bay and have your dinner at Newton Food Centre! This food centre, also known as Newton Circus, is slightly off the Orchard Road belt, with a wide variety of local food available. Dishes you should try include satay, sambal stingray and fried oyster omelette. However, do be careful when you are ordering from the stalls, especially when it comes to seafood dishes. Always reconfirm the final price of the items before placing your order, to prevent yourself from getting a bill of SGD 100 for just a few plates of food!

24 Hours in Singapore
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Alternatively, have your dinner at Makansutra Glutton’s Bay, where the best of local fare is available, ranging from fried carrot cake to chilli crab and char kway teow (stir-fried ricecake strips). Makansutra Glutton’s Bay is situated at the Esplanade Mall, and you will be able to enjoy a wonderful view of the Marina Bay skyline while feasting on local dishes.

Marina Bay

24 Hours in Singapore
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Marina Bay is perhaps number one on a list of must-visits in Singapore, and it will be worth dedicating a few hours to this area. Take the time to stroll along the scenic waterfront, enjoying landmarks around the area such as the Marina Bay Sands, ArtScience Museum and Helix Bridge.

24 Hours in Singapore
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Don’t miss out on the Merlion, the half-lion, half-fish mascot of Singapore which resides in the Merlion Park, right opposite Marina Bay Sands. From the Merlion Park, take a short walk over to the Esplanade, the structure better known to Singaporeans as the “durian” due to its resemblance to the local favourite fruit.

If you have more time, you can visit the Sands Skypark (tickets at SGD 23) and enjoy the best views of the city skyline, or spend some time with Mother Nature in the outdoor Gardens by the Bay (free admission), taking in the amazing and unique Supertree Grove.

Night

Singapore River

Hop on a bumboat at Marina Bay and take a cruise down the Singapore River. Enjoy the sights along the waterway, and hop off at Clarke Quay for the last location of the day!

Clarke Quay

24 Hours in Singapore
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To end your night, take a walk around Clarke Quay and enjoy the bustling nightlife of Singapore. Clarke Quay is a nightlife hotspot, consisting of numerous bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants. Highlights include Brewerkz, Singapore’s largest and oldest microbrewery, and Attica, one of the most popular nightclubs locally.

Spend the last couple of hours of your time in Singapore grabbing a drink and soaking up the atmosphere in Clarke Quay – it’s sure to make you wish you didn’t have to leave the city!

That’s a packed itinerary, isn’t it? Of course, you can pick and choose from the attractions and locations we have listed, according to your own preferences and pace. You could easily spend an entire day (or at least half a day) in any of the areas listed here, but with only 24 hours to spare, this guide seeks to help you get a glimpse of the best of Singapore!

Alternatively, plenty of guided tours are also available if you have even less time – Changi Airport offers two free guided tours, the Heritage Tour and the City Lights Tour for tourists hoping to condense the city into four and a half hours.

No more reason to bum around the airport and lament about the hours spent transiting. Find more inspirations and deals on TripZilla and make the most of your short stay in Singapore!

Which city’s 24 hour guide would you like to see next?

About Author

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Jessie Koh

Despite her terrible sense of direction, Jessie enjoys exploring (and getting lost) in new cities on foot. A pop culture junkie who spends much of her time catching up with music, television shows and movies, she relishes the opportunity to visit locations read in books and seen on screen.

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