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Two Days in Singapore Itinerary: The Best of Both Worlds

Two Days in Singapore Itinerary: The Best of Both Worlds

I lived in Singapore for two years and explored pretty much the whole island in that time. It’s tough to boil all of that down into a two day Singapore itinerary, but when people ask me for travel advice that’s about all the time they have. I created this 48 hour Singapore itinerary which takes in the famous, touristy sights and also some of the hidden gems I’ve discovered along the way.

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Day 1: The typical tourist trail

Singapore is one of the most modern, well-oiled city machines in the world and is home to some impressive feats of architecture, interesting historical sites and peaceful nature areas. If you’re short on time a great idea is to book a ticket on a hop on/hop off city bus tour. The open top “Hippo” bus (Singapore Duck Tours) is a great option, and at around $40 won’t end up costing you too much more than getting the MRT/local buses around town (assuming you make a lot of stops).

The double decker buses also give you a great view of the city and you’ll get some background information on the history of Singapore (the earphones they gave me stopped working after about 5 minutes though, make sure you bring your own!). Another great thing about the Hippo bus is that the ticket lasts for 24 hours – so if you bought your ticket at 1pm you can use it until 1pm the next day (the buses run from 9am-6.30pm).The buses stop at almost every tourist attraction in the inner city; here are some I’d recommend checking out (you might not have time to see the all).

Gardens by the Bay

Gardens By the Bay is one of my favourite places in Singapore and I’d highly recommend visiting if you have time. The Supertrees are straight out of an alien world and the cloud forest dome has an awesome waterfall, the largest indoor one in the world apparently!

The supertrees and Marina Bay Sands at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

Chinatown/Little India/ Kampong Glam

Get to know Singapore’s unique cultural history by visiting one (or all) of its historical districts. My favourite is Kampong Glam, the old Arab quarter. The food there is great and Haji Lane shows a slightly more alternative side of the city – you’ll actually see graffiti here (I’m sure it’s all legal though). We’ve stayed in some really nice hotels close to some of these districts, including Hotel Yan and Hotel 1929 (which is in a cool old building).

Kampong Glam, Singapore

Raffles Hotel

Old world colonial architecture doesn’t get any better than at Raffles Hotel, named after Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore. Apparently the last tiger in Singapore was shot in the famous Long Bar, but the only wounds you’ll find these days will be to your wallet – the legendary Singapore Sling will set you back over $20! If you have the money, definitely consider spending the night there (it’s not cheap though).

Courtyard at Raffles Hotel, an interesting attraction to visit if you have 2 days in Singapore

Singapore Flyer

Just like the London Eye but bigger, apparently the Singapore Flyer is the tallest observational wheel in the world and the views from the top are pretty amazing.

The Singapore Flyer - a good thing to do if you have 2 days in Singapore

Marina Bay Sands

Staying at Marina Bay Sands will cost you a lot, but if you’ve got the money it seems like a great experience. Alas, I’m only a poor traveller so I haven’t stayed there, but I have been to the Skypark, located on the 57th floor. The views are even better than from the Singapore Flyer and sitting up there drinking an overpriced beer is a must do.

Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Singapore

Singapore Botanic Gardens

The gardens are huge and if you visit in the middle of the afternoon (like I did) it’ll be extremely hot, but it’s worth it. The orchid garden set me back $5 and I was beginning to feel ripped off, until I saw Kristen Stewart filming a science fiction movie there (Equals). It took her a few takes to walk down a garden path, and even though I can’t stand Twilight it’s always cool to see famous people.

The Singapore Botanic Gardens - a must do if you are spending 2 days in Singapore

Clarke Quay

The river at Clarke Quay (and Boat/Robertson Quay) is lined with restaurants and bars, and if you’re feeling hungry and don’t mind shelling out for an expensive meal it’s a great place to eat. The Asian Civilizations Museum is also worth a look – it’s one of the better museums I’ve been to in Southeast Asia. This area comes alive at night, so if you’re looking to do some clubbing it’s a good option. Looking for a budget hotel close to Clarke Quay? We stayed at Fragrance Hotel – Riverside and it was great!

Boat Quay, Singapore

Sentosa Island

Sentosa Island is built for tourists and you could easily spend a couple of days there. Universal Studios is good (although quite small) and the beaches are pretty decent simulations of actual tropical paradises (they shipped their sand in from Indonesia apparently).  This is also a good place to go at night as there are some really good beachside restaurants and bars. Read more about some of the best things to do on Sentosa Island here. Spending a night or two on Sentosa Island could be a good idea, especially if you feel like escaping the city for a bit and have more than two days in Singapore — check out Capella Singapore and W Singapore – Sentosa Cove.

Sunset at Palawan Beach, Sentosa Island - a good place to visit if you have 2 days in Singapore

Orchard Road

If you’re into shopping go to Orchard road, if you aren’t then I’d avoid it. Cuppage Terrace is cool though (it’s a place with lots of restaurants close to Orchard Road).

The Singapore Night Safari

If you’re not too exhausted from sightseeing you should go to the night safari, it’s a really unique experience and one of my favourite places in Singapore. You can get a free bus ride there if you have a Singapore Sightseeing bus ticket, which saves a lot of hassle (or money), as it is located well out of the city. 

Where to Stay in Singapore: Marina Bay Sands | Hotel 1929 | Hotel Yan 

Day 2: The Path Less travelled

Very few people I’ve met who passed through Singapore went to any of these places. Getting to some of them can be time consuming, but the public transport system is very easy to navigate.

Haw Par Villa

Haw Par Villa is probably the weirdest tourist attraction I’ve been to (possibly the weirdest in the world) and you should definitely check it out. It was built by two Burmese brothers to celebrate Buddhism, and you’ll not only find statues of torture in the “12 Courts of Hell” but you’ll also see one of a woman breastfeeding an older woman while one kid does sit ups and another peels an orange. 

Creepy breastfeeding at Haw Par Villa - a unique place to visit during 2 days in Singapore

Pulau Ubin

It’s hard to believe Pulau Ubin is part of Singapore – if you go on a weekday you’ll have it almost all to yourself. Apparently it’s what all of Singapore would have looked like in the not too distant past and the scenery/peacefulness makes it my favourite part of the country. You can hire a bike and check out a wetland boardwalk, photograph the colourful quarry lakes and see wild pigs and monkeys.

Pulau Ubin: I highly recommend visiting if you have 2 days in SingaporePulau Ubin town, a place to eat lunch and hire a bicycle

East Coast Park

If you’re after a suburban Singapore experience, head to East Coast Park. You’ll see local families riding bicycles, firing up their BBQs or maybe setting up their tents for a night of camping. The beach is pretty good and there are some nice bars and restaurants in the area.

If you have 2 days in Singapore join the locals at East Coast Park

Go for a walk

There are lots of walks in Singapore if you’re after some exercise. Macritchie Reservoir is one of the better ones, or you could do the Southern Ridges – my personal favourite.

The Southern Ridges - a great place to walk if you have 2 days in Singapore

Kampong Buangkok

The only surviving kampong (traditional village) in mainland Singapore makes for an interesting step back in time. It’s strange to see a small, rural village surrounded by high rise buildings and it’s a place I hope gets more popular as it’d mean it’ll be less likely to get knocked down to make way for another big building.

Back to nature in Kampong Buangkok, a unique stop on a 2 days in Singapore trip

The Highlight of Our Two Day Singapore Itinerary: Gardens by the Bay at Night

For your last night in town head back to Gardens by the Bay to see the Supertrees perform a psychedelic light show.  It’s free and is one of the most unique experiences you’ll have in Singapore.

Garden rhapsody at Gardens by the Bay, a great way to end your 2 days in Singapore

If you are spending two days in Singapore it won’t be cheap, but there are a lot of free things to do. The Night Safari, Gardens by the Bay (just the domes and Skywalk), Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay Sands will all cost you, but if you’re travelling in Southeast Asia you can easily make up that money with a few cheap days in other countries.

READ MORE: The Best Free Things to Do in Singapore

*I received a complimentary city bus tour from Singapore Duck Tours and was hosted by Hotel Yan, Hotel 1929, and Fragrance Hotel Riverside. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Did you enjoy our two day Singapore itinerary? Let me know in the comments below!

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Jon Algie

A travel blogger from New Zealand who hates talking about himself in the third person and has no imagination when it comes to naming websites.

Erin

Friday 20th of April 2018

I am so happy I found this post. I will be in Singapore for work next month and added two days to explore at the end of my trip. Any updates for 2018?

Jon Algie

Friday 4th of May 2018

Nice! I haven't been back there for a couple of years so no idea -- let me know how the trip goes and if you find anything cool I haven't mentioned!

Danielle

Thursday 22nd of February 2018

Thanks heaps for this Jon! Really indepth and useful, love the free tips for the budget backpacker. The world needs more posts like these

Jon Algie

Monday 26th of February 2018

Thanks Danielle, glad it was useful!

Nirmal

Thursday 22nd of February 2018

Need your help please?

I am there for 2 full days and half a day (3rd day).

What can I do and see to make most of the 2 full days?

Is Sentosa Island worth going for half a day?

Thanks

Jon Algie

Monday 26th of February 2018

Hey Nirmal, yeah Sentosa is pretty cool, it kinda depends on your budget though. Universal Studios is worth it if you haven't been to many theme parks and there's also a lot of other stuff to do there. Check out the rest of my Singapore posts if you have some more time to kill, there's heaps to keep you busy for three days.

Arif Khan

Monday 31st of July 2017

Hey looks like you have gone through everything in Singapore. I have been there for couple of months. Hardly got any chance to enjoy all these places. Haw Par VILLA is one that is surely something strange and hence I would like to Visit Singapore again. :-)

Jon Algie

Thursday 2nd of November 2017

Yeah, I got through most of it in the two years I lived there. Such a cool city and a great place to live.

Faye

Friday 9th of June 2017

This was so helpful! I decided to do a weekend in singapore (working on a short term assignment in HK this summer) and thus only have 1 1/2 true days in Singapore and really want to get the most out of it. Thanks for sharing ! I will be using your day 1 down to the tee, and will likely need to modify day 2 a bit as I fly out on day 2 at 4PM.