Singapore in a Day: Top Things to See and Do (8-18 hour Layover via Changi Airport)
Cloud Forest & SuperTree Grove // Photo by: Daniel Welsh
Singapore completely blew me away with its lush greenery and magnificent architecture. I had a 16 hour layover on my way to Europe and was excited to explore the city from Crazy Rich Asians! As a solo (female) traveller, I found Singapore to be a super safe and clean country with (mostly) friendly locals who (mostly) all speak excellent English! Singapore is a multi-cultural hub with many Western and Eastern expats.
If you find yourself with a long layover via Changi Airport, then you’re in for a treat! In this blog article, you’ll find everything you need to know about making the most of a long layover in Singapore: from money, transport and luggage storage, to the best sights and vegetarian food in Singapore City. I’ve also included a map at the end with all the locations pinned, so that you can find and save these places for your layover adventure in Singapore.
CONTENT:
1. Arriving at Changi Airport: Money, Visa and Luggage Storage
2. Transport in Singapore: Changi Airport to City
3. Best Sights and Attractions in Singapore
4. Free Tour Group vs Exploring on your own
5. How to find cheap, delicious food in Singapore (for Vegetarians)
6. Overnight Layover - Where to Stay in Singapore?
7. Map - Singapore Sights and Attractions
1. Arriving at Changi Airport: Money, Visa and Luggage Storage
Hooray! So you’ve landed in Singapore’s Changi Airport and you can’t wait to go out and explore! But first, you probably have some questions regarding Money and Currency, Visa and Immigration, Luggage Storage, the humid climate and Singapore’s strict rules. Let’s get into it!
What Currency does Singapore Use? Do I need Cash in Singapore?
The currency in Singapore is Singaporean Dollars (SGD) - which is roughly equivalent to 1 AUD or 0.75 USD and 0.70 EUR (if you want to do quick calculations in your head).
Cash is definitely handy to have and I would highly recommend having at least $20-30 SGD in cash on hand. Some local markets or food stalls only take cash. Certain MTR stations also only take cash. But you can pay by card in most places.
If you travel a lot and deal with multiple foreign currencies, then I can highly recommend using TransferWise as a way of storing, transferring and paying in foreign currencies. It saves you so much money in terms of foreign exchange rates and conversion rates.
I wrote an article about how I use it here: Travelling with Foreign Currencies
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Do I need a Visa or go through Immigration to leave Changi Airport?
As a NZ Citizen, I did not need a Visa to exit the airport. But everyone has to fill out an arrival card of some sort in order to leave the airport as a transit visitor. They will give you a card, which you will have to show security upon your return (to catch your next flight).
Highly recommend double checking whether you need a Visa or not. Here is a good website: Visa Check - Singapore
Does Changi Airpot have Luggage Storage - to drop off my heavy bags?
Yes they do!! And I’m so thankful because I could not imagine lugging my carry-on bags around in Singapore humid climate! It only cost me 20 SGD to leave my carry-on bags there for an entire day. They have luggage storage options in all four terminals.
You can find prices and locations here: Changi Airport - Luggage Storage
What is the Climate like in Singapore? Is it really that humid?
Ew… yes. This is the only thing I disliked about Singapore… I don’t do well in hot, humid climates. When you walk outside, it’s like you just entered a sauna x steam room. Your clothes are drenched in sweat within minutes. Bring a bottle of water with you :)
However, I would still recommend bring a light jacket - because shopping malls and indoor areas are usually (very well) air conditioned and you actually feel cold when you spend too much time indoors.
Cloud Forest // Photo Credits: Douglas Sanchez
2. Transport in Singapore: Changi Airport to City
If you have 6+ hour long layover in Singapore and want to explore the city - there are two options to get from Changi Airport into Singapore City.
By Car: $10-20 SGD - one way
If you don’t mind spending more money to save you time, then Taxi is a great option. Depending on traffic, the journey takes roughly 30mins. Taxi would cost around $20 SGD one way.
Another great alternative to Taxi is GRAB Car - which is essentially like the Asian Version of Uber! It’s much cheaper, costing you around $10-15 SGD and just as fast as a Taxi.
By MTR: $3-4 SGD - one way
If you’re on a budget, then the MTR is a no brainer. I would recommend purchasing a one way ticket first as you don’t know where you will be coming back from yet. Simply pay at the machines, take your ticket and go through the gates. If you have trouble, there is usually always a staff nearby. From memory, the machines only take cash!?
The whole journey took about an hour. Maybe a bit more, because we actually took the wrong train (twice) and had to go back to square one … so tragic. My advice: ask the staff at the train station and use Marina Bay as your destination.
My return journey went a lot smoother (thankfully). But yes, just allow some extra time for getting lost if your navigation skills are (ahem) not the best.
Note for Short Layovers:
If your layover is shorter than 5-6 hours, then it might not be worth the trek into the city. It can take up to 1hr one way (2hrs on transport return), plus you have to factor in switching terminals, luggage storage, security check, transit to final gate (which you should allow 2hrs for).
Stunning photo by Nathaniel Yeo
3. Top Sights and Attractions in Singapore
In my opinion, the best way to explore and get around Singapore is with your own two feet. Even though it’s sticky hot and humid outside, it’s worth it because you get to take in so much more.
I started my day at Marina Bay and went as far as Chinatown, before making my way back to Changi Airport. Here are the stops I made and can highly recommend.
Marina Bay Sands and Shopping Mall
Oh my gosh - this place is amazing! It’s like a mini indoor Modern Venice! The architecture is magnificent and while I’m not a huge fan of ‘shopping malls’, I do appreciate art and this entire building (both interior and exterior) is a work of art.
Take an escalator to the top floor (which you can see in the first picture below) and you’ll have an epic view of the Marina Bay Sands. Follow the platform pathway and it will eventually lead you to the Marina Bay Gardens.
Marina Bay Gardens - The Supertree Grove
My second stop (and probably my favourite). The Marina Bay Gardens is like something out of a fairytale. It’s so green and so lush! I loved the mini lakes and water fountains. The garden itself is separated into different sections and each one is so unique.
The Supertree Grove is the most photogenic of them all. It feels like you landed in a purple version of Avatar! There’s also the option to walk across the platform (between the trees) - it’s called the OCBC Skyway and costs 8 SGD. If I had more time, I would have done this :)
Merlion and Esplanade Bridge
Take a nice stroll down the Esplanade Bridge towards the Merlion. You have a magnificent view of the Marina Bay Sands. Be prepared for a lot of tourists are the Merlion!
Chinatown
I wandered around town and found myself in the heart of Chinatown! What a cool little area this is! Heaps of cool, traditional building, hip restaurants, temples, expats and business people, old men playing board games, hawkers and food stalls. It’s like a multi-cultural hub - I love the contrast.
If you’re getting hungry, the Maxwell Food Centre is a good place to look. You’ll find very authentic and local dishes here. It’s also a shopping complex/local market where you can lots of cheap things.
The Rain Vortex - Jewel changi airport
You absolutely cannot leave Singapore without seeing the Rain Vortex! It’s so pretty and incredibly photogenic! No excuse either because it’s actually located at Changi Airport - the JEWEL.
I decided to visit the Rain Vortex as my last stop, on my way to my connecting terminal. Simply take an inter-terminal train and it’s just a short walk from there.
If you’re visiting in the evening, they put on this extravagant light show display every hour (with the first starting at 7:30pm) and it lasts for about 10 minutes. It’s completely free and insanely magnificent. Tip: I can highly recommend viewing it from the highest platform!
RAIN VORTEX - JEWEL, SINGAPORE
Top Left: Macy Ng // Top Right: Peerapon C. // Bottom: Pang Yuhao
Extra Places for Next Time:
Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough time to see and do everything I would’ve liked to. So next time I visit Singapore, these are the places on my list to check out:
ArtScience Museum // 19 SGD for one exhibition
Cloud Forest and Flower Dome // 20 SGD for both
OCBC Skyway // 8 SGD
Sands SkyPark Observation Deck // 23 SGD
Sentosa Island Cable Car // 35 SGD return
*If you want to save time waiting in line and dealing with foreign currency, you can actually click on each of the links to purchase your tickets online :)
Great Deals on City Attractions:
You can actually jump the queue and buy your tickets (for almost all attractions) ahead of time though this link here:
A R T . S C I E N C E . M U S E U M
…
4. Guided City Tours vs Exploring Solo
Since I’m someone who does a lot of solo travelling, it’s not a surprise that given the choice between a Group Tour and exploring on my own - I would choose the latter.
Perks of Exploring Singapore On Your Own
You get to do things your pace. Take extra time to photograph the architecture. Stroll around the local markets. Try a variety of food from different places. Take time to really soak in the culture and people watch.
This option is best for people who don’t care much for ‘ticking things off’ but prefer to wander around with the aim of simply taking things in.
I had the privilege of being guided around by a local (who I randomly struck a conversation with) - and I learnt so much about the country from him. He also took this photo of me :)
Guided City Tours
However, for those that do prefer Guided City Tours, it might be nice to know that Singapore actually offers FREE City Tours for transit tourists! There are different types of tours from 2.5hrs long - but they do recommend a layover of at least 5 hours (to factor in transit and connection times).
You can find more info here: Free Singapore City Tour
Alternatively, there are some amazing tours led by local businesses. You can find some of their unique city tours via this link:
5. How to find cheap, delicious food in Singapore (for Vegetarians)
People often comment how hard it is to find Vegetarian food in Asian countries. While it’s true that most places serve meat dishes, there are many places that also serve vegetarian and vegan food too.
I had no problem finding delicious vegetarian (and 90% vegan) meals during my layover. It was surprisingly affordable and I didn’t have to go anywhere fancy - just popped by the local food courts in the CBD (Telok Ayer Market - highly recommend) and Chinatown (Maxwell Food Centre).
My Tip for Vegetarians and Vegans:
If you see a meal you like with meat (or animal products), just ask them nicely if it’s possible to take out the egg, meat or cheese from the dish. Most likely, they will say yes! Especially if you’re still willing to pay the same price for it!
If you want to search up Vegetarian or Vegan restaurants beforehand, I can recommend this link here: Happy Cow for Vegan Food in Singapore
6. Overnight Layover - Where to Stay in Singapore?
Singapore at Night is actually incredibly beautiful. If you’re keen to explore Singapore at night, definitely stroll by Marina Bay Gardens when the trees are all lit up at night! Many of the shops and food stalls are open till very late hours of the night, so definitely make the most of it!
Accommodation near Changi Airport
If you have a really long overnight layover and you don’t fancy sleeping at the airport, then you can find some excellent accommodation options nearby.
You can search using this link: Hotels near Changi Airport
Or by using the search tool below:
7. Map - Singapore Sights & Attractions
Here, you will find all the sights and attractions mentioned in this article - pinned as locations on this map.
Feel free to click and save it to your own maps for future reference :)
Disclaimer: This article contains my recommendations in the form of affiliate links, so if you book or purchase something through these links, I will receive a small commission from the company. But this does not change the price for you at all - simply an awesome way to support this blog! Thank you so much!!
Have you been to Singapore before or are you planning a long layover for your next trip? Do you still have questions or perhaps some extra tips that you’d like to share? Simply leave a comment below or DM me @emilypeilan!
