If you are travelling to South East Asia from Europe, chances are you will have a stopover somewhere on your way. It could be in Dubai or Doha, but it could also be in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Hong Kong. Now during one of my most recent trips, I had the opportunity to travel to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. In this blog I’ll discuss the best things I’ve visited during my 3-day stopover in Singapore.

Singapore had been on the bucket list for quite a while now, as I have friends living there who really made it tempting to come visit. Now I’m really glad I was able to explore the country with them. As I probably already mentioned on this blog, the best way to travel somewhere is to get to know the locals and let them guide you to the best spots. Many thanks to Yi Jie and Elson for showing me the best of their country and welcoming me into their new home 🥰

Marina Bay Area

Let’s start with the most famous place in all Singapore: Marina Bay. Indeed this place is the must-do attraction when you’re visiting Singapore for the first time. It offers many different beautiful skylines depending on where you’re located. There are many activities to do in the area, from taking a boat tour, walking along the sea, going to the Singapore flyer, the ArtScience museum, Marina Bay Sands hotel, and many shopping malls.

Gardens By The Bay

This magnificent botanic garden is located on the other side of the Marina Bay Sands hotel. It is composed of two giant domes where they created a stunning mix of nature and architecture. The entrance fee is $28 per adult to access the two domes.

Cé La Vi Rooftop Bar

Staying at the Marina Bay Sands hotel wasn’t something I could afford on this trip. That gives me yet another reason to go back 😛 The reason why I’m mentioning this is because on top of the hotel, there’s a famous infinity pool that overlooks the entire financial district. To access this pool, you need to be a hotel guest though, and they’re very strict with security. An alternative if you’d like to get the same view is to go to Ce La Vi rooftop bar, which is located on the last floor next to the infinity pool. There sometimes is a $20 admission fee depending on what time it is, or if it’s ladies night.

Marina Bay Super Trees

You can admire these trees from many different locations. I personally saw them right after I visited Gardens by the Bay, as they are located pretty close. It’s free to visit this area, but it costs something to get to the top of the trees where there’s a metal bridge.

Japanese Cemetery

The Japanese cemetery wasn’t something I had found when looking at things to do in Singapore prior to my stay. In fact, my friends knew I like taking photos so they researched places that would provide a good background for photos. Turns out this cemetery actually has a bougainvillea tunnel, which works perfectly for photography!

Chinese Garden

This garden is located quite far from the downtown area. It was under renovations when we visited (April 2019), but most of the park was still accessible and looked pretty. I was surprised at how big it was, and also at how many different monuments there were; a mix of Chinese and Japanese. We even saw big lizards and exotic birds during our little walk.

ArtScience Museum

teamLab hosts different exhibitions around the world. Last year I had the opportunity to visit the one they had in Paris and really liked it. I saw that they were having one in Singapore too - Future World: Where Art Meets Science. I’d definitely recommend checking it out! I think I spent at least 20 minutes starring at those LED lights. Worth every penny in my opinion, the entrance fee was $18. Try to go early in the morning to avoid crowds.

Buddha’s Tooth Relic Temple

Located in the heart of China Town, this is one of the many temples you can find in Singapore. This Chinese temple is very sacred because it contains Buddha’s tooth relic. It has 3 different levels as well as a rooftop terrace.

Arab Street

A dynamic area where you can find Masjid Sultan mosque. It’s definitely one of the most authentic neighbourhoods you will find in Singapore, since most of the city has now been transformed into a concrete jungle. It’s worth walking around if you’d like to shop for some souvenirs. You’ll also find plenty of restaurants.

Haji Lane

Singapore’s original indie hood. I really loved how colourful it was with all the murals. The street is packed with cute shops, restaurants, bars and cafés.

Orchard’s Library

Now this place is typically not on any Singapore itinerary, but I came across a photo of it on social media, and really liked the design of the place. It is located on the 3rd and 4th floor of Orchard Gateway, a shopping mall. I was not expecting to stay very long, but I got very curious once I got there. The library is pretty big, and there are many fun couches and chairs where you can just sit and read a book or get some work done.

I cannot conclude without mentioning that Singapore is also a real food heaven. If you like trying new things, you’ll have many options to choose from. A few personal favourites: dumplings, bubble tea and pandan jam.