And a few places you need to pay for.
Merlion Park
A visit to Singapore can be very budget friendly, there's plenty to see especially for the first time visitor. The easiest (and reasonably affordable) way to get around is by using the MRT, the underground train system. I've never used anything else apart from my two feet!
MRT station entry
The symbol of Singapore is the Merlion, Merlion park next to the Singapore river is a popular visitor's spot, for locals as well as tourists. There's now a walkway going out on the river opposite the Merlion for that perfect photo. Also the not so perfect as you try and pose so the Merlion squirts water into your mouth!
From Merlion Park there's a walk along the river to Clarke Quay, this area was the original landing spot for traders and there are now statues along the river to commemorate life along the river in the 19th century. (A quick way to learn Singaporean history!)
There are two historic bridges that can be used to cross the river, one still carries road traffic and the other is pedestrian only.
Cavenagh Bridge and tourist boat
Walking along the river to the restaurants at Clarke Quay is free, from there it's possible to take a traditional boat tour along the Singapore River. (For a fee!)
Clarke Quay and traditional boats
The Singapore Botanic Gardens are a World Heritage Site, lovely to stroll around. I suggest first thing in the morning as it's cooler, not the afternoon as I did it when it was hot and humid! The National Orchid Garden can be found at the Botanic Gardens, if you like orchids then it's a must see destination, but not free. It's $5 (Singapore dollars) entrance for adults.
Botanic Gardens path
A newer garden to explore is Gardens by the Bay, the Supertree Grove is the best known part of the gardens, but site is huge with different sections to it. I love the Supertree Grove and there's a lightshow at night which is free.
Supertree Grove
Gardens by the Bay is free to wander around but there are paid attractions there as well. It's possible to get a combination ticket to visit all the conservatories, on my last trip I bought the combination ticket and had entry to the Floral Fantasy (the newest conservatory), the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest as well as the shuttle bus from the ticket office to the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest. If heights aren't a problem then buy a ticket to walk along the Skyway, the elevated path between the Supertrees.
Supertree lightshow
Sir Stamford Raffles, who is credited as being the founder of the port of Singapore, divided the Singapore trading post by ethnicity. Singapore still has these easily identifiable areas, my favourite is the Colonial District. This area has the government buildings, the churches, the schools, a fort, a firestation, all built in colonial times, a taste of Europe in an Asian outpost. I particularly like the little Armenian church which is the oldest church in Singapore, I always pay it a visit when stopping over. The church was built in 1835 by the small Armenian community in Singapore, the community still maintain the church, the last priest left in the 1930s but the church does have visiting priests and is used for weddings.
Church of St. Gregory the Redeemer (The Armenian Church)
Other popular areas are Chinatown, Little India and the Arab Quarter.
Chinatown
Tan Teng Niah house
A visit to Singapore can be very budget friendly, there's plenty to see especially for the first time visitor. The easiest (and reasonably affordable) way to get around is by using the MRT, the underground train system. I've never used anything else apart from my two feet!
The symbol of Singapore is the Merlion, Merlion park next to the Singapore river is a popular visitor's spot, for locals as well as tourists. There's now a walkway going out on the river opposite the Merlion for that perfect photo. Also the not so perfect as you try and pose so the Merlion squirts water into your mouth!
From Merlion Park there's a walk along the river to Clarke Quay, this area was the original landing spot for traders and there are now statues along the river to commemorate life along the river in the 19th century. (A quick way to learn Singaporean history!)
There are two historic bridges that can be used to cross the river, one still carries road traffic and the other is pedestrian only.
Walking along the river to the restaurants at Clarke Quay is free, from there it's possible to take a traditional boat tour along the Singapore River. (For a fee!)
The Singapore Botanic Gardens are a World Heritage Site, lovely to stroll around. I suggest first thing in the morning as it's cooler, not the afternoon as I did it when it was hot and humid! The National Orchid Garden can be found at the Botanic Gardens, if you like orchids then it's a must see destination, but not free. It's $5 (Singapore dollars) entrance for adults.
A newer garden to explore is Gardens by the Bay, the Supertree Grove is the best known part of the gardens, but site is huge with different sections to it. I love the Supertree Grove and there's a lightshow at night which is free.
Gardens by the Bay is free to wander around but there are paid attractions there as well. It's possible to get a combination ticket to visit all the conservatories, on my last trip I bought the combination ticket and had entry to the Floral Fantasy (the newest conservatory), the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest as well as the shuttle bus from the ticket office to the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest. If heights aren't a problem then buy a ticket to walk along the Skyway, the elevated path between the Supertrees.
Sir Stamford Raffles, who is credited as being the founder of the port of Singapore, divided the Singapore trading post by ethnicity. Singapore still has these easily identifiable areas, my favourite is the Colonial District. This area has the government buildings, the churches, the schools, a fort, a firestation, all built in colonial times, a taste of Europe in an Asian outpost. I particularly like the little Armenian church which is the oldest church in Singapore, I always pay it a visit when stopping over. The church was built in 1835 by the small Armenian community in Singapore, the community still maintain the church, the last priest left in the 1930s but the church does have visiting priests and is used for weddings.
Other popular areas are Chinatown, Little India and the Arab Quarter.
Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple
Little India has its restaurants and temples, the beautifully colourful Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple was built in 1881 by Bengali labourers who were working in the trading post that was Singapore. Like the Armenias who built their church, the Hindu Bengalis came together to build their temple to have a place of worship.
There are 2 MRT stops that take you to Little India, the first stop is called 'Little India', close by this stop is a brightly coloured house called Tan Teng Niah. It's the last surviving Chinese villa in Little India, walk past the villa onto Serangoon Road which is the main thoroughfare through Little India, it's here where the Indian shops and restaurants can be found. Close by is the Indian Cultural Centre, a museum of the Indian community in Singapore. There is a fee to enter, it's $8. The other MRT stop is Farrer Park, it's further down Serangoon Road, from that stop you can see another Hindu temple called Sri Srinivasa Perusal Temple and then Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple, a Buddhist temple built by a monk in 1927. It's built in the Thai tradition and houses a very large Buddha, it's free to enter.
Little India, Serangoon Road
Chiangi Airport, which consistently gets voted as the world's best airport, opened its latest attraction the Jewel complex. It's in the public part of the airport, so visit it before you clear immigration. There are restaurants and shops all centred around a tropical rainforest which the most amazing water feature I've ever seen, the Rain vortex. At about 7pm there's a light show and then the whole area is lit up, it's all free.
Rain vortex
A trip to Singapore needn't be expensive, the MRT makes it easy to get around to explore whatever parts you're interested in.
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