The Republic of Singapore never stops to amaze you around every corner.

Singapore is known for its spectacular skyline and impressive hotels, yet there is so much more to see and do in one or two days, or even if you only have a few hours:

Singapore in one or two days

Singapore is a fantastic holiday destination but with a huge difference: Your holiday actually already begins when you step from the airplane and enter the Best Airport in the World. (Also referred to as the airport with the waterfall.)

An airport with a waterfall, gardens and so many more. We can spend a few hours here…

These photos show just how spectacular it is inside the airport.

Changi International Airport - The Best Airport in the World

Yes, this is known as the best airport in the world. Above all because it is simply spectacular, and it is worth spending some time here.

Did you know that you can use Google Maps or the Above Map to navigate your way inside the airport.

Look out for:

The Jewel with the amazingly huge 40 m waterfall coming down from the middle of the roof is the central attraction. Real tropical plants everywhere and daily airport activities seems to just disappear when you’re standing here. This is not a place where you quickly walk through with the thoughts of “oh yeah nice”. No; you stop, you stare, and you try to walk and stop and stare more… It is simply incredible and I would really suggest allowing you enough time to just take everything in.
- At the top of the Jewel, there are some awesome activities you can do. Although it will cost you extra, if you love that sort of thing and you are not afraid of heights, it is definitely worth checking out.
  - In the Canopy Park you have the Discovery Slides, Petal Park, Foggy Bowl and the Topiary Walk
  - There is the Canopy Bridge
  - Manulife Sky net walking or bouncing
  - The Mirror Maze
  - As well as a Hedge Maze
- When leaving Singapore, you have to visit the tropical Butterfly Garden. (Unfortunately only available as you depart, not at arrivals. Furthermore the butterflies are only active from 8h00 to 17h00. They sleep at night.)
- What is nice for the traveler:
  - You can do an early ‘check-in’ at the airport and drop your luggage way before boarding time. Then you have loads of time just to explore and enjoy the airport itself. With a huge variety of shops and restaurants as well as all the things to see, you can take your time and just have fun before your flight. (Go to the airline website and check how much time you are allowed to do an early check-in. It all depends on the airline you fly with.) You can also lock away your carry-on luggage, so you can explore easily without worrying about a heavy laptop backpack, etc..
  - Get a free workout while your phone is charging. Hop on one of the charging station bicycles to charge your phone. Add to that free movie theatres and free foot massages and you have quite an interesting experience all for free.
However Changi offers loads more – You just have to check out their Festive Village website for loads and loads more. You can literally have a whole holiday all packed just into one airport. A layover at this airport is definitely not a punishment but the best experience ever. (Make sure it is a long lay-over.) As you have to have enough time at the airport for the Inspiring Moments as well as World Class Shopping and the 24 hr World of Dining opportunities. (Check out these links for updated current info on awesome things to do.)

…and so we haven’t even left the airport yet. LOL (I told you so.) LOL

Marina Bay & Gardens By The Bay

If you only have a day or two in Singapore, you have to experience the Marina Bay as well as the Gardens by the Bay, as this is iconic tourist spots.

Marina Bay is very much the skyline photos you see at night of Singapore:

All shiny at night with impressive skyscrapers, luxury hotels and malls as well as the Flyer Ferris wheel.

The Merlion Park is a major tourist attraction located in the Downtown Core district of Singapore. It is a famous photos spot for travelers as well as Instagram lovers. The Merlion is a mythical creature with a lion’s head and the body of a fish and is used as the national ‘mascot’ of Singapore. The park is a great spot to view the Marina Bay Sands Spectra Light & Water Show. Entrance is free.

Certainly the most famous Marina Bay Sands Hotel is one of the huge focal points. This luxury hotel is everyone’s dream. In my opinion if you are saving everywhere else, then spoil yourself with one nights accommodation at this awesome hotel. You will have a lifetime of stories to tell.

Marina Bay Sands

Book your accommodation

Book your stay: Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Singapore

“Towering over the bay, this iconic hotel offers the world’s largest rooftop infinity pool, 20 dining options and a world-class casino. It has direct access to Singapore’s premier shopping mall and the Art Science Museum, which features the permanent exhibition, Future World.” – Booking.com

Iconic Luxury Hotel

Find and Book more “not so expensive” places to stay.

Gardens by the bay is spectacular at night.

Join all the people on the grass, wait for the lights to be turned on and enjoy a free show.

However you’ll have to buy tickets to access to the Cloud Forest, Flower Dome and OCBC Skyway.

The Gardens by the Bay consists of 101 hectares and has 3 waterfront gardens: Bay South Garden, Bay East Garden and Bay Central Garden.

Again if you are not afraid of heights, there is a lovely walkway way up in the air offering spectacular views. People’s opinions differ and they recommend anything between 3 to 6 hours for a walk around the gardens. I think it all depends on how much you love gardens. For the horticulturists this would be a day outing. But if you’re in a hurry I would say the evening light show is the best time to visit the Gardens by the Bay, if you are time restricted.

Show times of the Supertree Lightshow: At 7:45pm and 8:45pm daily with additional shows during holiday seasons. The show duration is 15 minutes.

Shopping on Orchard Road

Shopping on Orchard Road or just strolling along in Orchard road is an experience in itself. With all the big brand companies and shops (like Tiffany’s and Dior), it is quite a tempting experience. But just remind yourself again and again of the luggage weight. LOL. What had me most interested was the amount of lovely greenery everywhere in the street; All beautifully taken care of. This is also where you will find a lot of awesome luxury hotels as well as the interesting Library@orchard with its curved shelving. Being just 22 km away from the airport, this is a stop you can definitely do without worrying if you will be back in time.

Emerald Hill is a pretty neighborhood and the Emerald Hill Conservation Area, located near Orchard Road is a historical landmark. Here you will find a few relaxed restaurants and alfresco dining areas. A walk up the beautiful Emerald Hill road and the Emerald Hill conservation area is a nice experience, but it is not a tourist stop. It is actually more for the enjoyment of the architecture. In my opinion I would only fit this in if you have a free afternoon to spare.

Foodies can visit the Newton Food Centre. Bugis Street Market and Pagoda Street Market which is actually Chinatown, are two more markets to visit for some shopping. Apparently these are great markets to visit, should you be looking for fresh fruit. But we have not tried it ourselves yet. Let us know on Facebook if you’ve tried it and loved it.

Did you like our article? Join our Facebook travel community. Besides, traveling with friends is more fun than doing it on your own!

In summary: If you stop at any of the above mentioned places, you will also have plenty of options to experience the local cuisine. However the airport itself has loads of options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Shopping for souvenirs is quick and easy at the airport as well as in Orchard Road…where else…

Popular Keywords