Singapore’s River Safari park takes you on a water-themed wildlife safari from the banks of the Amazon to the fish-filled waters of the Mekong. More than 7,500 animals and 240 different species call this park home, including rare marine life, exotic fish, and even a pair of Giant Pandas.
Not just for history and culture buffs, the Malay Heritage Centre is a must-visit attraction for anyone interested in learning about the rich heritage of Singapore’s Malay community. Set in a grand former royal palace, you’ll see galleries focused on the history of Kampong Gelam, along with an interesting collection of artefacts from the National Collection and the wider Malay community. Built 160 years ago, the former Istana Kampong Glam was once the royal seat of the Malay sultans in Singapore. Beautifully restored to its former glory, the Malay Heritage Centre sits within well-preserved grounds that can be explored as part of a Kampong Glam and Sultan Mosque walking tour.
Reached by cable car and affording views over Singapore Harbour and Sentosa Island, Mt Faber Park is one of Singapore’s oldest and most popular green spaces. The lush rainforest-clad hilltop is more than just a recreational area—it also offers hilltop dining, shopping, and entertainment.
Candy-hued Peranakan shophouses make Singapore’s Joo Chiat neighborhood an Instagram smash—and it’s a great place to delve into this historic Malay-Chinese culture. The area is also a favorite with foodies and shoppers—boutiques run the gamut from vintage to interior goods, while there are artisan bakeries galore.
Established in 1852, the Singapore Cricket Club is Singapore's second-oldest sporting club. Originally established as an elite colonial sports club, today it’s a multi-racial club focused on offering sports, social, and recreational activities and amenities for its members and their guests.
Singapore’s Geylang Serai Market is a vibrant and bustling marketplace that offers a glimpse into local Malay and Peranakan cuisine and culture—it’s a must-visit for an authentic Singaporean experience. Come with your eyes, stomach, and heart, ready to devour a cornucopia of flavors, colors, and traditions.
An unusual museum 30 feet (nine meters) beneath Fort Canning Hill, the secretive British military fort known as Battlebox once played an important role in Singapore’s history. Used by the Malaya Command to defend Singapore during World War II, the bunker was where Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival ultimately surrendered Singapore to the Japanese, marking the decline of the British Empire. Today, the cavernous space is filled with lifelike wax mannequins and antique photos and video clips that depict what it was like to live and strategize within the gray, 29-room labyrinth during the final days of the war.
Situated in one of the most prosperous countries in the world, Singapore Cruise Port is also one of the world’s busiest and largest ports, as well as the gateway to the Malay Peninsula. Home to two harbors—Singapore Cruise Centre and Marina Bay Cruise Centre—it’s a jumping-off point to explore many of Singapore’s top sites after docking here.
The Old Supreme Court Building housed Singapore’s highest court for more than 60 years, until the judiciary arm moved to a more modern building in 2005. Today, the architectural icon—which was the last classical building to be completed in Singapore—houses the National Gallery Singapore.
You can find Tiger beer throughout Asia, but in Singapore, you can actually see where and how it’s made from malt, hops, water, and yeast. Tiger Beer started brewing the first local Singaporean beer in 1932, and today, their signature bottled pale lager is sold in more than 60 countries.
A 20-foot (6-meter) white marble statue of Sir Stamford Raffles, backed by the skyscrapers of modern Singapore, marks the spot where the British statesman was believed to have landed in 1819 in the area today known as Boat Quay. The founder of Singapore would go on to sign a treaty establishing the sovereign city-state.
With a sinister past as a quarantine center, political prison, and drug rehab operation, St. John’s Island remains one of the quieter of Singapore’s outlying islands, with not so much as a café or a shop. Spend the night in bungalows, enjoy the island’s cat population, or fish from the pier or off the beach.
Ranked among the world’s largest bird sanctuaries, the Jurong Bird Park is home to an astounding 5,000 birds representing 400 avian species. Each habitat is designed to mirror a naturalistic environment. Walk through the Waterfall Aviary—the world’s largest walk-in aviary—or meet colorful Australian lories in the 9-story Lory Loft. You can observe toucans and parrots from the South American tropics inside Jungle Jewels; watch penguins glide through the water at Penguin Coast; or see the world’s most comprehensive collection of pelican species at Pelican Cove. Guests can witness birds’ behaviors during a live show, and kids can cool off at the Birdz of Play splash zone.
Flight Experience Singapore is an ultra-modern flight simulator that allows you to step inside a fully-replicated cockpit and see what it takes to fly a plane. Staff give you a breakdown of what’s required in order to successfully take off and land a virtual Boeing 737NG aircraft at a number of global locations.
Perched on Singapore’s northeast coast, Changi Beach Park is one of the nation’s oldest coastal parks. Despite the planes that roar overhead, it maintains a tranquil feel. Besides plane-spotting, locals come to run, cycle, roller-skate, kayak, fish, and eat barbecue, or enjoy views of Ubin Island (Pulau Ubin) from the western end.
Built in 1946 following the conclusion of World War II, Kranji War Memorial commemorates the SIngaporean and allied soldiers who fought and died protecting Malaysia and Singapore from invading Japanese forces. The site includes a cemetery with some 4,400 headstones and a memorial with names of 24,000 more servicemen.
Discover the best in design at the Red Dot Design Museum, located along the promenade at Singapore’s Marina Bay Waterfront. Housed in a futuristic glass building, the compact museum showcases outstanding and award-winning contemporary design involving the everyday across multiple disciplines, and it offers stunning waterfront views to boot.
Singapore’s Changi Chapel and Museum commemorates the World War II prisoners of war (POWs) who suffered in the notorious Changi prison camp, run by Japanese forces. It’s not on the site of the original camp and the chapel is a replica, but it’s a powerful tribute to the resilience of the human spirit and Changi’s many internees.
Part Singapore history museum, part amusement destination, the Singapore Discovery Centre pairs informative galleries with entertainment including laser tag, escape rooms, and paintball. It was originally a museum of the history of the Singapore Armed Forces, funded by Singapore’s Ministry of Defence.
With its grand neoclassical pillars and enormous mint-green dome, Singapore’s City Hall (formerly the Municipal Building) is an architectural feast. But inside the national monument, things get even more aesthetically pleasing—the recently restored building houses the National Gallery Singapore, which boasts an 8,000-strong collection of Southeast Asian art that’s among the largest in the world.
Looping about 2 miles (3.5 kilometers) around Marina Bay, Singapore’s Waterfront Promenade is a cool, comfortable walking route that links some of the city-state’s star attractions. Besides the Marina Bay Sands complex and the ArtScience Museum, the promenade extends to the Merlion and, via the Helix Bridge, to Theatres on the Bay.
Shaped like a lotus with 10 petals (or fingers), ArtScience Museum is a striking and iconic cultural institution at Marina Bay. The largest private museum in Singapore, ArtScience features 21 galleries, which host a mix of permanent and special exhibitions that explore the intersection of art, science, technology, and culture.
If you believe the legend, Kusu Island—‘Tortoise Island’—was created when a giant tortoise transformed itself into an island to save a local fisherman from drowning. Myths aside, the island provides an idyllic getaway off Singapore’s south coast, dotted with sandy beaches, lagoons, and sacred temples.
Wild Wild Wet, one of Singapore’s largest water parks, has everything you’d want and expect in a water-themed amusement park. The park’s dozen or so rides and attractions range from waterslides and a wave pool to kids areas and the relaxing Shiok River, where guests can float leisurely around the perimeter of the park.
Despite its conservative setting—housed in a pair of restored 19th-century Catholic school buildings—the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) is anything but traditional. Focusing on contemporary art, exhibitions change regularly and feature innovative works from local creatives and artists across Asia.
This towering, high-tech structure in the heart of downtown Singapore is the nation’s largest library. Seven floors of the 16-story building house the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library, which focuses on Singapore; the Central Public Library (currently closed for renovations) occupies the basement.
Abandoned in 1973, Bukit Brown Cemetery is Singapore’s oldest municipal cemetery—but modern life is encroaching on this eerie wilderness, and the site is set to be completely redeveloped by 2030. For now, you can still wander crumbling paths between overgrown tombs and spy the graves of famous locals who have yet to be moved.
An oasis of primary rainforest amid Singapore’s skyscrapers, the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve boasts 403 acres (163 hectares) of tropical plants, home to monkeys, butterflies, and more. Established in 1883, the focal point is Bukit Timah, one of Singapore’s highest hills, which stands all of 535 feet (163 meters) above sea level.
Situated in Singapore’s bustling Marina Central District, the Suntec City Mall is one of the largest shopping, dining, and entertainment complexes in Singapore. The spacious mall is home to more than 360 shops and food and beverage outlets, along with lifestyle and entertainment options, and a massive central Fountain of Wealth.
If you want to see a Singapore largely devoid of tourists, head to the new town of Ang Mo Kio (AMK) in the north central region of Singapore. While considered a new town, AMK was originally settled by rubber plantation workers in the late nineteenth century and has since matured into a thriving (and densely populated) community.
