Singapore travel blog — The fullest Singapore travel guide first-timers

As a safe country, hospitality as well as possession of thousands of busy shopping centers, various entertainment services, convenient transportation system, that is Singapore — the famous tourist island nation in Southeast Asia. It is always a great destination for every visitor. With so many modern architecture buildings, crowed and bustling streets. In addition, there are numerous of historical, art and natural museums such as the National Museum, ArtScience Museum… and botanical gardens, parks, wonderful zoos like the Singapore Zoo, Gardens by the Bay or Botanical Gardens, extremely beauty that no where never ever had. Living Nomads brings together all the Singapore travel experiences with all information you need to know to have an unforgettable vacation with full exciting experiences.

So, is Singapore worth visiting, how to visit Singapore, what to do in Singapore and how to plan a budget trip to Singapore for the first-time perfectly? Let’s check out our Singapore travel blog (Singapore blog) with the fullest Singapore travel guide (guide to Singapore, Singapore tourist guide, Singapore city guide, Singapore guide) from how to get to Singapore, best places to visit, best time to come, what to eat as well as top things to do in Singapore to help you maximize your trip as follows!

Singapore travel blog: When is the best time to visit Singapore?

Singapore is a beautiful tourist island country, where it is an ideal destination for travelers around the world. You can visit Singapore at any time of the year, but for your Singapore trip is the most memorable and most complete experience, you should go to the following times:

• Thaipusam, a fascinating Hindu festival that takes place around February every year.
• The Singapore Food Festival takes place in April. This is one of the best time to visit Singapore for travelers who want to learn and explore the culinary culture of this country.
• The biggest sales season of the year is in June. There are a lot of fashion brands in the busiest shopping centers will simultaneously discount their prices at this time. Shoppers love shopping do not miss this unique opportunity.
• In July and August, there are two summer months with fewer tourists, if you want to travel to Singapore with a low cost, then you should choose this time is very appropriate.

Singapore travel blog: How to get to Singapore from Vietnam?

Only takes 2 hours fly from Vietnam. There are many flights of many airlines from Vietnam to Singapore that you can choose, such as Cathay Pacific Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Jetstar, Tiger Airways … You should buy tickets before flying about 3, 4 months and stay tuned for the discount airlines. The average ticket price for a flight to Singapore will be around $90 – $140 for a round trip.

To move between stations you can use the Skytrain (Changi Airport Skytrain), operating from 5 am to 2:30 am on the next morning. The service is free of charge with travel time between stations of about 90 seconds.

Singapore travel blog: How to get to city center from Singapore Airport?

Singapore’s international airport is Changi, is quite far from the city center. To getting from Changi to the city, the first, you must determine which terminal you are in. Changi has 4 terminals, of which:

• T1 is usually for Jetstar’s flights
• T2 is Singapore’s domestic airlines such as Singapore Air, Scoot, …
• T3 is Malindo Air, Lion Air and some Singapore Air’s flights
• T4 is Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet, AirAsia

MRT from Singapore Airport to city

To know which Terminal you will arrival at Changi airport, you need to see in your airfare or boarding pass. If you arrival at T1 and T4 you will have to travel by Skytrain, or walking to T2, T3, because the MRT station is located between T2 and T3. To go to MRT, from T2 or T3 you follow the “Train to the City” signboard to the basement.

From Changi Airport, the train will go to Tanah Merah Station. Stopping at this station you can transfer to almost all other MRT branches to the your hotel. The earliest train depart from 5:31 am (Monday to Saturday) and 5:59 pm on Sundays and holidays; The last one at 11:18 pm.

Bus from Changi Airport to city

• The bus station is located in the basement of each Terminal. The car does not stop for a long wait but will pick up passengers from the Terminal
  3 -> 1 -> 2 -> 3.
• From Changi Airport to Changi Business Park, you can getting to the Terminal 3 for free shuttle bus, which operates Monday – Friday except
  public holidays.

With bus and MRT, you can buy tickets for each station or recharge your EZ Link card for convenient transportation without having to stop to buying tickets. The price of this card is about SGD12 (of which SGD5 is the deposit) and it is available in any station or terminal.

By Taxi

If you want getting to the city by taxi, you go to the reception hall of the terminal is available taxi, to getting to the center will take about 30 minutes and from SGD20 – SGD40 depending on location and time. If you go on late night, you will have to pay a surcharge of SGD5–SGD10.

By bus, if you need to go to Johor Bahru (Malaysia) you can use the bus service at terminals 1, 2, 3. The bus will stop at Larkin Bus Station (Malaysia).

Singapore blog: How to get around Singapore?

In Singapore there are three popular public transportation vehicles: taxi, bus and MRT. From the airport, you can getting to your hotel by all these 3 means of transport. Taxis are the fastest but most expensive transportation in Singapore. Buses are cheaper, but the way they operate is different from Vietnam. In Singapore’s self-sufficient travel experience (our Singapore travel guide blog), it’s best to travel with MRT, because this is the cheapest, safest, fastest and most convenient way to travel in Singapore.

Singapore Travel Card (NETS FlashPay)

To use the MRT, you can buy a ticket each time at each station or buy an EZ Card for multiple uses as mentioned above. Singapore’s MRT is most modern MRT in the world and passes through most famous tourist attractions. There are 4 main routes set in the moving direction of the train: The red (the North South), The purple (the North East), The green (the East West) and The Circle Line. MRT normally operating from 5.30am and stop at 23pm and the bus is 24pm, so please pay your attention to avoid misses and have to travel by taxi.

Three extremely important notes when using MRT:

• Name of station: Contains the abbreviation of the route name and station’s order number. For example, the name of the station you are going to depart is Little India (NE7) and the station name you must be down is Newton (NS21). You have to remember this if you do not want to mistakenly routes.
• Name of direction: Recorded on the train body.
• Interchange: There are some stations that are interchanges between the routes so you need to pay attention.

Read more: How to get around Singapore — 6 means of transportation in Singapore for tourists.

Singapore travel guide blog: Singapore travel cost (or trip cost)

Cost of accommodation

• Guesthouses/hostels: ranges from SGD24 to SGD33 per night.
• Cheap hotels: an average of SGD55 per double room with fan.
• Hotels: ranges from SGD110 – SGD135 per night.

A good travel experience for backpacker travelers is you should be stay in Geylang (if you rent a hotel) or Little India (if sleeping in dorm room) will have the best price.

Cost of moving

There are many buses and taxis in Singapore, but for long distance and go through all tourist attractions you should use the MRT (Express Train).

• MRT: Cost based on travel distance, normally you will spend SGD4 to move between stations.
• Taxi: The opening price is SGD3.4, about SGD 0.55 per kilometer and SGD17.5 per hour.
• Bus: costs from SGD0.65 depending on the route, be sure to bring penny cash because the bus driver will not pay excess cash for you.

Cost of eating out

• Street Food: Great solution to save money with less than SGD6 / dish. For Chinese & Indian food, it costs between SGD8 – SGD10 per dish.
• Restaurant: A full meal costs an average of SGD20 – endlessly (depending on your capabilities).

Cost of transportation

MRT (Mass Rapid Transit)

The MRT system in Singapore has 4 main routes: North South Line (sign NS – red), East West Line (sign EW – green), North East Line (sign NE – purple), Circle Line (sign CC – orange). MRT usually operates from 5:30am to 12:00pm. There are two important routes that you need to pay attention when traveling in Singapore.

• East West Line: This is the route you will travel from Chang Airport and through many other transit stations.
• Circle Line: This route passes many city attractions, some popular stations such as the Esplanade (Durian Theater, Duck Tour), Bayfront (Gardens by the Bay), Marina Bay, Dhoby Ghaut (Transfer station of CC, NS, NE routes).

MRT cards are plastic cards, including used one-time cards (cost depend your routes from SGD1.1 – SGD2.6, buy at automatic machines, plastic cards), Singapore Tourist Pass card (Can be used in 1/2/3 days at a respective cost of SGD10/16/20) and EZ-Link card (can be
recharged money, can be used many times for many types of vehicles: MRT, Bus, Monorail). EZ-Link cards are available at ticket counters (TransitLink Ticket Office) at the stations of Changi Airport, Orchard, Chinatown, City Hall, Raffles Place, Ang Mo Kio, HarbourFront, Bugis, Lavender and Bayfront.

Bus

The bus system is very scientific and convenient, most of the buses are equipped with air conditioning. You can pay by cash (remember to bring excess cash), Singapore Tourist Pass or EZ-Link card.

Taxi

It is quite convenient vehicle for you to travel to locations located far from MRT / Bus stations. Taxis in Singapore charge per kilometer, some firms may charge extra fees depending on the time / place of pickup. You should clearly ask the driver about this before going and remember to ask for a bill when paying. You can pick up taxis on the street or stand in front of shopping malls / hotels / attractions. Another simple way is to
call 6-DIAL CAB (6342-5222) to connect to taxi call centers.

Singapore travel blog: Some tips on how to saving money for a budget trip to Singapore

Save money on hotels

If you want to save the most money fof a budget trip to Singapore, you should choose stay Little India area (Check rates Little India hotels at here). With the price per bed in dorm room costs about SGD20 – SGD60, single room from SGD60, and double room (cheap type) from SGD100. In addition, many travelers sleep right at the airport on the first and last night in Singapore to save more money. This is also true, because the cheap flights often arrive or depart at night. Moreover, Changi Airport is well known for its clean, safe and quite comfortable to sleep through the night.

Save money on drinking water

If you choose to go to bars in Clarke Quay, you can find bars hang discounted signboards or buy 1 get 1. In addition, some cheap bars but still style that you can try are Five Izakaya Bar (only SGD5 for a glass of beer, the price apply for all day) or Ice Cold B’s @ SMU (SGD10 for a big glass).

Pre-booking tickets for tours, activities

One of Singapore’s most self-sufficient travel experiences is pre-booking tickets for sights, tours and activities. The reason is pre-booking usually better price than buying directly, especially when buying online. Also, with the crowded attractions like Universal Studios Singapore, buying tickets in advance will save you time, avoiding queues too long.

Use public transport

MRT is a means of transport that anyone who has traveled to Singapore choose. This type of vehicle will help you to go to any famous places and also save money. Alternatively, you can also “imitate” local people and walk to discover the cleanest city in Southeast Asia.

Singapore travel blog: Where to stay?

• Budget: Chinatown, Burgis, Little India, Geylang. Part of Geylang is the red light district, so if you are visit Singapore for the first time, do not stay here, it will be easy to ask by customs.
• Average: Civic District, Bugis and Kampong Glam, Clarke Quay
• Luxury: Sentosa Resort, Marina Bay Sands, …

Below are some best cheap, budget, mid-range and upscale hotels with good ratings and reviews you can refer to.

Marina Bay Sands (Address: 10 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018956 / Phone: +65 6688 8868), a 5-star hotel with room rates from $294/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

YOTEL Singapore Orchard Road (Address: 366 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238904 / Phone: +65 6866 8000), a 4-star hotel with room rates from $97/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport (Address: 75 Airport Blvd, #01-01, Singapore 819664 / Phone: +65 6823 5300), a 5-star hotel with room rates from $157/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

M Social Singapore (Address: 90 Robertson Quay, Singapore 238259 / Phone: +65 6206 1888), a 4-star hotel with room rates from $86/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Hotel G Singapore (Address: 200 Middle Rd, Singapore 188980 / Phone: +65 6809 7988), a 4-star hotel with room rates from $84/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Village Hotel Changi by Far East Hospitality (Address: 1 Netheravon Rd, Singapore 508502 / Phone: +65 6379 7111), a 4-star hotel with room rates from $82/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Orchard Hotel Singapore (Address: 442 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238879 / Phone: +65 6734 7766), a 5-star hotel with room rates from $108/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay (Address: 2 Magazine Rd, Singapore 059573 / Phone: +65 6589 8000), a 4-star hotel with room rates from $106/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel (Address: 392 Havelock Rd, Singapore 169663 / Phone: +65 6733 0880), a 5-star hotel with room rates from $109/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

One Farrer Hotel (Address: 1 Farrer Park Station Rd, Singapore 217562 / Phone: +65 6363 0101), a 5-star hotel with room rates from $131/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

ibis Singapore on Bencoolen Hotel (Address: 170 Bencoolen St, Singapore 189657 / Phone: +65 6593 2888), a 3-star hotel with room rates from $84/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Hotel Jen Orchardgateway Singapore by Shangri-La (Address: 277 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238858 / Phone: +65 6708 8888), a 4-star hotel with room rates from $138/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Mandarin Orchard Singapore (Address: 333 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238867 / Phone: +65 6737 4411), a 5-star hotel with room rates from $162/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore (Address: 22 Orange Grove Rd, Singapore 258350 / Phone: +65 6737 3644), a 5-star hotel with room rates from $212/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

The Fullerton Hotel Singapore (Address: 1 Fullerton Square, Singapore 049178 / Phone: +65 6733 8388), a 5-star hotel with room rates from $211/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Village Hotel Katong by Far East Hospitality (Address: 25 Marine Parade Rd, Singapore 449536 / Phone: +65 6344 2200), a 4-star hotel with room rates from $88/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

You can find more, check rates, availability & booking for Singapore hotels on Agoda.com or Booking.com.

Singapore travel blog: Singapore travel experiences — Points of interest, best places to visi, what to do and top things to do in Singapore.

Top amusement parks in Singapore

Universal Studios Singapore (USS): The largest and unique amusement park in Southeast Asia about movie theme. With dozens of adventure games, heartbreaking. Read more: Universal Studios Singapore tips — Top 5 best tips for a wonderful trip to Universal Studio Singapore.

Adventure Cove Water Park: The most beautiful water park in Asia, where you can find abundant water games, enjoy a relaxing day and have fun.

Wild Wild Wet: Singapore’s largest water park and one of Asia’s wonderful water parks, with its unique twist, winding, circle slides.

Legoland theme park and water park: theme park and water park with the theme is the colorful Lego world.

Singapore Flyer: The giant Ferris Wheel with the largest cabin in Asia, where you can enjoy spectacular view of Marina Bay and vibrant city of Singapore.

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