Singapore | DIY Travel Guide for First Timers
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Singapore, known as the Lion City, is a small island country in the southern part of Malay Peninsula. Despite its size, Singapore is one of the richest country in the world and one of most developed in Southeast Asia. It is also a fact that Singapore is an expensive destination, not the top choice for budget travelers.
I got an opportunity to visit Singapore for a three-day, two-night leisure trip. A DIY tour of Singapore, and we didn’t rush our schedule trying to visit every tourist destination. I’m sharing my experience in hopes of guiding my fellow travelers, especially for those visiting Singapore for the first time.
We stayed at Ibis Budget Hotel near Bugis, one of the most affordable options in the area.
For our first day, we didn’t started early, as our plan was to have brunch at The Coconut Club, highly recommended by our Singaporean friends. The Coconut Club is a local restaurant known for Nasi Lemak. We visited their flagship branch, located on Beach Road.
After that, we treated ourselves to botanical gelato from Birds of Paradise, which is just a few steps away from Coconut Club.
We explored a Arab Street, one of the ethnic enclaves in Singapore. While the area is influenced by Muslim culture, the place is filled with diverse restaurants, cafes and shops. Here’s the vibrant Haji Lane which is also considered part of Arab Street.
Our next stop was Clarke Quay, a waterfront district along Singapore River. Developed as a shopping and entertainment center, home to a variety of restaurants, bars and clubs.
It was too hot, so we spent a few hours at Clarke Quay Central Shopping Mall and let the midday sun pass, before heading to our next destination.
From Clark Quay, we took a bus to Merlion Park, the most popular landmark and a must-visit destination, especially for first-timers in Singapore.
Aside from the iconic Merlion, the park offers a great view of the Marina Bay Sands.
After Merlion Park, we went back to Bugis area to check Bugis Street.
We picked QQ Noodle House, a Chinese restaurant serving authentic Sarawak-style Fuzhou noodles for dinner.
For our day two, the weather was gloomy with a bit of drizzle. We started our day early and headed to Little India. This is the second enclave we visited in Singapore. We explored the colorful market of Little India before heading to the main attraction.
The Former House of Tan Teng Niah, a historic 2-storey rainbow-painted, Chinese villa built around 1900.
Next, we visited Gardens by the Bay, another must-visit attraction in Singapore. The Gardens by the Bay showcase an innovative and creative way of presenting flowers and plants from around the world.
Then, we went to Newton Food Centre, a popular hawker place featured in the Crazy Rich Asian movie.
Afterwards, we visited Orchard Road, a high-end shopping area and a shopper’s haven. Since this is a budget travel, we only window-shopped.
We were too tired from all the walking and had no energy to search for a good restaurant, so we ate at one of the food court in the area. I tried Ah Yen Traditional Fried Pork. Surprisingly, it was good.
That night, we experienced the nightlife on Liang Seah Street in Bugis area. We found a random bar offering a buy one, take one promo.
After drinking, we had a late-night snack at Seng Huat Bak Chor Mee at Seng Huat Coffee House.
On our last day, we decided to take it slow. We went back to Seng Huat Coffee House to have an authentic Singaporean breakfast. Ordered the set meal which consist of a toast, coffee and soft boiled eggs.
While having breakfast, we changed plan and ordered lunch to save time since we needed to pack. I had Hainanese Chicken Rice.
On our way back to Ibis Budget Hotel, we noticed IJooz, an orange juice vending machine. We had seensimilar vending machine in our Japan trip and were curious about it. Unfortunately, we didn’t had the chance to try one. Seeing one here in Singapore, we decided not to let miss the opportunity and got a fresh orange juice, for only One Sing dollar.
After checkout, our last stop was Jewel Changi Airport to see the Jewel Rain Vortex before we end our Singapore DIY Travel.
I also had the opportunity to explore more of the food scene in Bugis area. Blog coming soon.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT SINGAPORE
The best time to visit Singapore is February to April or after the rainy season and before summer. Where temperature can be a little bit cooler and perfect for outdoors.
WHAT ARE THE THINGS TO PACK TO SINGAPORE
Light clothes for hot weather
Comfortable shoes/ sneakers/ boots
Backpack or travel bag
Camera / gear
Powerbank
Jacket or umbrella in case there’s rain.
Universal Adaptor
Tumbler
WHERE TO STAY IN SINGAPORE
These are the accommodations I’ve tried and would recommend to you. If interested, you can book via Agoda by clicking the link below:
HOW TO GET TO SINGAPORE FROM MANILA
The most convenient way to get to Singapore from Manila is via direct flight. Most of the local airline offers a flight to Singapore.
HOW TO GET TO BUGIS FROM CHANGI AIRPORT TERMINAL 4
The most convenient and fastest way is via Taxi or ride-hailing service. Estimate fare is around 30.00 SGD which is much costly.
Another option is via train. From Terminal 4 ride an airport bus transfer to Terminal 1. Transfer to CG Line to Tanah Merah. Alight at Expo and transfer to DT line to Bukit Panjang. Depending on where you’ll stay, you can alight at Jalan Besar or Bugis station.
SINGAPORE BUDGET AND ITINERARY
COMING SOON…
IMPORTANT THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN VISITING SINGAPORE
Be familiar with laws of Singapore.
Singapore’s weather is hot and humid.
Stay on the left side, whether it's on escalators, sidewalks, or streets.
Do not litter.
Aside from cash, most establishments accepts credit card. You can even pay your taxi and bus fare using a Philippine issued credit card or debit card with Mastercard scheme.
Buy an EZ-link card if you plan to go around the city.
SINGAPORE TRAVEL TIPS
Secure your passport
Be sure to have a credit card for emergency
Download the following Google Apps: Google Maps for Navigating.
Rent a pocket Wi-Fi or eSim in advance. This way you’ll have data as soon as you land in Singapore. I’ve tried pocket Wi-Fi during our vacation and encountered no issues on connections or signal.
Buy the ticket attractions in advance to avoid queues: Gardens by the Bay
Exploring Singapore involves a significant amount of walking, so it's important to wear comfortable shoes.
While train ride is faster and convenient, bus ride is better for sightseeing. You can avail the hop on hop off tour from Big Bus
Instead of buying bottled water, bring your own tumbler.
Expect to sweat because Singapore is hot and humid so bring extra clothes.
WHAT’S IN MY BAG?
If you want to know more about the cameras, gadgets and travel essentials I use, check out “MY GEAR”
This is a DIY travel guide to Singapore.