The Top Things to Do in Singapore 2020

Home to traditional shop houses, temples and cultural heritage, Singapore Chinatown is a must see for most visitors. From the rooftop dragons of the Thian Hock Keng Temple, the festively gaudy Hindu Sri Mariamman Temple to the outdoor eating area of Smith Street. Chinatown has something for everyone.

Singapore Zoo Night Safari, Winner of the Singapore Tourism Awards Best Leisure Attraction Experience, is the world's first tour of its kind. On an open tram you'll explore 40 hectares of jungle adjoining the zoo, passing a large reservoir and weaving through habitats specially designed to replicate the Himalayan foothills, Southeast Asian rainforest and Indian subcontinent. Enjoy spotting animals in their natural environments on this unique night tour!

As Southeast Asia’s first ever movie theme park, Universal Studios Singapore® contains 20 fun rides, including five large roller coasters and two water-based rides. The park was first opened in 2011 after mega-director Steven Spielberg signed on as a creative consultant to aid with its layout. The family-oriented park offers a slew of exciting attractions that includes a festive walk, water park, marine life park and maritime experiential museum and aquarium. The area also includes some of internationally recognized accommodations such as the Hard Rock and Equaius hotels. In all, Universal Studios Singapore, which is located on Sentosa Island, covers just over 20 hectares, or 49 acres, of space and features rides from some of the most famous movies ever produced, including the Transformers, Madagascar and The Lost World. The park even manages to accurately mimic the streets of New York, Hollywood and ancient Egypt in separate themed zones.

Visit the world class Singapore Zoo where you will see Singapore’s orangutans and exotic imports like tigers, sea lions, baboons and giraffes. With areas dedicated to the Lush rainforest, Wild Africa and Australian outback the zoo is a delight to all. The separate Night Safari attraction provides night-time viewing of nocturnal animals at play from the vantage point of a safari-style tram.

Singapore Zoo, located in the north of the island at Mandai, has the world's most successful orangutan-breeding program, and the largest social colony of these highly intelligent primates. Don't miss the opportunity to photograph and interact with the orangutans as they swing and climb in their naturalistic enclosure. You'll also have the chance to breakfast with these lively primates - truly an experience you'll never forget!

The Raffles Landing site in the Boat Quay area of downtown Singapore is the apparent location of the landing place for Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819 when he signed a treaty that established modern day Singapore. Marked by a white marble statue about 20 feet, or about 6 meters tall, the statue depiction of the father of Singapore is dwarfed by the surrounding office towers that now exist in the area, but nonetheless tells a historic tale of the founding of the country. As the landing site is believed to be along the banks of the Singapore River, it is said that Raffles was able to establish a treaty with the local rulers within ten days of arriving that would pave the way for the construction of the city’s sprawling metropolis. History aside, the statue is located in an open outdoor space that provides a great view of the buildings located in the opposite southern banks as well as an opportunity to take a quiet walk and relax.

For sub-continental color, cuisine, atmosphere and bustle, head to Singapore’s Little India, one of the island’s most vibrant and authentic precincts. Shops, restaurants and colorful Hindu temples line the streets of Little India, and the best thing to do here is to just take a walk and drink it all in. The Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple is dedicated to the bloodthirsty god Kali, Sri Srnivasa Perumal is dedicated to the more peaceful Vishnu, the Taoist Leong San See Temple is dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy, and the Temple of 1000 Lights features a gaudily lit Buddha. Come to Little India to sample terrific curries, dosas and banana-leaf thalis at restaurants, street stalls and cafes. Shop for everything from incense to saris, and lose yourself in the interestingly named Thieves Market, where anything and everything is for sale.

Singapore’s River Safari, the world’s first river-themed wildlife park, recently introduced the first visitors to its 5,000 animal inhabitants during a soft opening in April 2013. The 30-acre (12-hectare) park presents the world of freshwater aquatic animals to guests with a series of walkthrough exhibits inspired by eight iconic rivers, the Mississippi, Nile, Amazon, Congo, Ganges, Mekong and Yangtze. Of the animals on display, representing some 300 species, the Giant River Otter and the Giant Salamander stand out as rare highlights. Not all the animals at the River Safari are aquatic, however. You’ll also find an ever popular pair Giant Pandas in Southeast Asia’s largest Panda exhibit, the Giant Panda Forest, as well as squirrel monkeys, jaguars, giant anteaters and Brazilian tapirs in the Wild Amazonia area of the park. Later in the year, the park is set to open the Amazon River Quest, a river boat ride through the Wild Amazonia exhibit.

Merlion Park is not as much a park as it is a standing symbol for all of Singapore. Spread out over 2,500 square meters, or about 27,000 square feet, the park is perhaps most famously known for its centerpiece, a 2 meter tall, or seven foot, Merlion cub fountain at the center. Because of the great city view from the park, which extends out to the Marina Day Sands , the waterfront park has become a busy destination around clock, with access open 24 hours a day. The park is centrally located on One Fullerton near to the busy Central Business District. Drawing over a million visitors each year, the park’s Merlion cub was first unveiled to the public in 1972. A large public event was recently held for the 40th year anniversary of the occasion.

Asia's most iconic architectural and engineering marvel, the Singapore Flyer towers 165 meters above Singapore, making it the world's largest observation wheel. (It's 30 meters higher than the famed London Eye.) During your 30-minute flight enjoy the views of the Singapore River, Marina Bay, Changi Airport, Sentosa Island and even parts of neighboring Malaysia and Indonesia.

One of the more famous neighborhoods in Singapore, Kampong Glam is a preserved town once home to the Malay and Muslim elite that inhabited it prior to British colonization in the early 19th century. Although the town was comprised of a multitude of ethnic groups over the last few hundred years, much of this pristine town has been restored to its former beauty, with strips of colorful shop houses now home to modern businesses. Among some of its other key features includes one of the most important mosques in the country, the Sultan Mosque. It also has a peaceful pedestrian walk called the Bussorah Mall as well as the recently opened Malay Heritage Center, which contains loads of cultural pieces and history showcasing the lives of Malay Singaporeans. As a destination for foreign visitors, the town itself now has several local restaurants as well as art galleries textile and carpet shops to peruse.

The Kranji War Memorial, located in northern Singapore, is an impressive structure built in 1946 immediately following the Second World War to commemorate the soldiers from the allied and regional countries who fought and died protecting Malaysia and Singapore from the invading Japanese forces. Made up of a cemetery of nearly 5,000 servicemen and a separate memorial bearing the names of more than 24,000 others, the war memorial is divided in three segments to represent the different branches of the military, the Air Force, Army and Navy. Of the tombstones, about 850 remain without names. Upon entering the memorial, there is a large bronze door nearby a reference book for each of the names within. On Remembrance Day, which is typically held in November, there is a rather large service at the memorial to pay tribute to those who lost their lives.

There’s a lot you can do with $8 billion, and the Marina Bay Sands may have just done them all. Touted as the world’s most expensive casino this 2,561 room integrated resort lavishly offers nearly anything that a visitor could ever need on their stay in Singapore. In addition to the 500 tables and 1,600 slots which comprise the atrium casino, the Marina Bay Sands has also opted to include an ice-skating rink, two entertainment theatres, the 300-store Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands shopping mall, an art science museum and a full range of evening entertainment and shows. There is also an impressive, 478 foot (145.7 meter) long infinity swimming pool which gazes out over the Singapore skyline at the aptly named SkyPark—an observation deck which stretches longer than the Eiffel Tower were it laid down. Swimmers with a fear of heights beware: the “infinity” edge looks out over a 55-story drop to the street level below.

Lining the Singapore River, the renovated riverside warehouses and ‘godown’ shophouses of historic Clarke Quay make up one of Singapore’s major wining and dining precincts. Now pedestrianised and home to shops, restaurants, nightclubs, river cruise bumboats and floating cafes, the precinct pays homage to Singapore’s river trade and colonial history. Clarke Quay is a good place to look for varied cuisines, from Italian to brewhouse and fine French, and relaxed outdoor bars with riverfront views. It’s also where you’ll find Singapore’s wild Reverse Bungy adventure ride.

Singapore’s Garden by the Bay redefines the whole garden strolling experience. Spanning over 250 acres, or 100 hectares, the gardens are located near to the Marina Reservoir and feature three large garden spaces in what many people consider to be a virtual garden city. The Bay South Garden segment, which opened midway through 2012, is perhaps the most impressive, with two bio-controlled conservatories, dubbed Cloud Forest and the Flower Dome. In them is plant life found on the different corners of the earth, from the Mediterranean to both cool and arid climate areas. Another fascinating part of the gardens are the huge tree-like structures known as the supertrees, which provide an environment for vast collection of exotic and rare ferns, orchids and vines. At night the supertrees light up, giving an especially unique look into gardens.

Home to the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, Cloud Forest at Gardens by the Bay offers travelers access to incredible indoor mountains that climb high into veils of cloudy mist. Visitors can explore tropical canopies and rainforest vegetation while wandering along bridges that crisscross through nine vastly different zones. Crystal clear glass panes hang high above the forest floor. The start contrast between breathtaking Mother Nature and the city skyline beyond the dome is just one of the reasons a visit to Singapore’s Cloud Forest is not to be missed.

Sipping a Singapore Sling cocktail in the wicker and palm ambiance of Raffles Hotel is a Singapore must-do experience. With its tropical garden courtyard and elegant galleried architecture, the terracotta-roofed white hotel has been a byword for colonial elegance since 1887. It was named after the founder of Singapore, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. Swags of famous names from Noël Coward to Somerset Maugham have stayed here, along with more recent stars like Michael Jackson and Beyoncé. You can learn more about the building’s history and see fascinating ephemera at the on-site Raffles Museum. If you’re not staying here, dress up to experience high tea in the Tiffin Room, or order that Singapore Sling in the Long Bar. The hotel has a swag of other upmarket restaurants, cafes and watering holes.