We could not get enough of Singapore and really hit the ground running. The first half of our highlight reel focused on the north side of the river. Catch up here if you missed that post.
The second half of our Singapore Highlights are all located on the south side of the Singapore River. We will definitely stay in this part of town the next time we visit. Most of the financial buildings are on this side of the river, but there is still a ton of fun things to do.
Singapore Highlights
Marina Bay Sands
This hotel is famous in the Singapore skyline (you can find it on the left in the picture above). There is an infinity pool on the roof that used to be accessible to everyone, but now you have to be a guest to stay there. The rooms were WAY outside our budget, so we opted to just wander through the mall attached to the hotel and take in the views of the Gardens by the Bay and the harbor. If you want to check out prices, see the room options here. I would definitely add this to my bucket list of places to stay.
See the full post about Gardens By The Bay here.
The Merlion – A Famous Singapore Mascot
The Merlion spits water into the Singapore Harbor. It’s usually swarmed with tourists, as shown in the picture below. We opted for this River Cruise to learn a little more about Singapore’s history. It was a perfect way to get great views from the water. You can definitely get up close and personal with the creature if you are OK with braving the crowds.
Chinatown
This part of town was one of my favorites. It is VERY different from the Chinatown I grew familiar with in New York City. There is room to move around and wander in and out of stalls. The area covers a large city section and is divided into three parts since the community expanded over time. We stopped to have a beer at a brewery here and spent an hour just watching the people go by. This is an area that should not be missed when visiting Singapore.
Cafes on Telok Ayer Street
Telok Ayer is a street near Chinatown with a few of our favorite cafes in Singapore. Shake Farm has tons of healthy options and smoothies, plus you can get a coupon for your next visit if you bring back your smoothie bottles. My Awesome Cafe has a great menu of snacks and brunch, and the inside is filled with fairy lights and bright colors. Free the Robot is another great option on that same block. Telok Ayer Market is not far, and another street food option if you are looking for something like that.
Thian Hock Keng Temple
This Hokkien temple is near Chinatown as well. Its name means the Palace of Heavenly Happiness and was built to worship the goddess of the sea. You can walk through as long as you do not disturb anyone in the main altar area. It is a beautiful building with lots of different areas to look at.
Singapore is one of the most religiously diverse countries in the world and it is really amazing to see all the different temples, mosques and churches on the same block.
Boat Quay
Located right across the river from Clarke Quay, I recommend this area if you are looking for happy hour by the river. It lacked any of the chain restaurants of its neighbor, but there were options for every taste. We tried the microbrewery Red Dot (Justin tried their green vegetable beer). This is a great area to be when the sun is setting.
The Skyline at Night
With a laser show and a beautiful skyline, this city really shines at night. It doesn’t matter where you find yourself – on the harbor, at the Supertree Grove or on a rooftop, you’ll have a beautiful view.
Malls Everywhere
There is a good chance that when you visit, you will experience a strong desire to get out of the heat. There are so many malls in Singapore that have cafes (like a full recreation of Central Perk from Friends) and movie theaters to enjoy in the middle of the day. We checked out multiple cafes and got to see the live-action Aladdin. It was an inexpensive way to keep cool and have some fun.
Final Thoughts on Singapore
Thanks for reading our Singapore highlights. We still have a pretty long list of things we want to do the next time we return.
This city is clean, easy to navigate and full of amazing things to do. You will want to make sure to read up on the laws there before you go – things like chewing gum and spitting can earn you a fine. The country is young, but the history is rich and worth learning about. Singapore is a leading innovator when it comes to city planning and being a green city and I loved seeing that in person and learning more about it.
It would definitely be a livable place for us for a while with it’s central location and plethora of things to do and see. We cannot wait to return to this wonderful tiny country.
