Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Singapore?

Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Singapore?

Many visitors spend two to seven days in Singapore during their visit. If you're not sure how much time you might need here, we have the answers because there's so much to see and do. This city offers a number of attractions to explore, including the big city activities, the restaurant scene, the live music, and the many shops.

Singapore is a modern city-state with a mix of cultures and neighborhoods. There are many historic buildings tucked between modern high rises and green gardens. There's also a nice waterfront area with great restaurants and high energy. The city is a financial hub for the entire world, so you'll find many expats from many different countries living and working here.

Do you have one or two days to visit Singapore? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.


Is one day enough time in Singapore?

With only one day, you might feel a bit pressed for time when it comes to exploring the main attractions. After all, With its wealth of sights and attractions, Singapore is a top choice for tourists. To fully embrace Singapore, a longer visit is better. Most travelers tend to allocate two to seven days to enjoy the city's energy, enjoy a meal at a restaurant, enjoy the live music scene, and browse the shops. Nevertheless, if your schedule is limited, we can provide some suggestions to maximize your visit.

How to spend a day in Singapore

Given that Singapore is a large and popular city, give yourself a full day to uncover the diverse neighborhoods, captivating attractions, and engaging activities scattered throughout the area. Be sure to include visits to some of the city's premier landmarks and quintessential neighborhoods, too. Both a country and city, it is vibrant, high energy, and one of the most diverse cities in the world.


A few tour suggestions include:

  • Off the Beaten Track in Singapore: Private City Tour ($88)
  • Let's Go Kelong Boat Tour at Pulau Ubin ($101)
  • Singapore Group History & Culture Tour:River Cruise, Hawker Dinner & Tea Tasting ($117)

The delicious food of Singapore is one of the main highlights of a trip to the region. Dining out is one of the highlights of a trip. Make sure you take the time to taste as much of it as possible during breakfast, lunch, and dinner at some of this city's best restaurants. And consider a food tour or cooking class. You can easily fit one into your schedule since many are just a few hours or half a day. From local dives to five star restaurants, the city's food scene is all about diversity. Make sure you try Hainanese chicken rice, chili crab, and Hokkien prawn mee.


A few tour suggestions include:

  • Guided Local Cuisine Cooking Class in Singapore ($135)
  • Small-Group Food Tour With Hawker Center: Eat Like A Local ($141)
  • Experience Singapore: Cultural Cooking Class ($83)

Singapore is a very walkable city. With only a day in the city, you'll have no trouble exploring the local sights. It's possible to walk in most areas in the city center. There are also park connectors that are nice for taking a stroll or going for a run.

Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Singapore?

The city of Singapore boasts plenty of sights and attractions, making it a popular destination for tourists. A weekend is probably not enough. You'd feel rushed to see the main attractions of Singapore such as the great big city activities along with the terrific food. To thoroughly enjoy all that the city has to offer, you'll probably want more than just a 2 day trip. Most travelers schedule two to seven days to fully experience this city. Nevertheless, if a weekend is all you can spare, we have some suggestions for your weekend getaway to Singapore below.

Singapore Singapore

How to spend 2 days in Singapore

With a weekend (two to three days) in Singapore, you'll have a bit more time to enjoy everything that the city has to offer.

Shopping in Singapore is very popular, and it's easy to see why. Spend time exploring the many shops and boutiques to find the perfect gift, souvenir, or outfit. You'll find tons of malls along Orchard Road, but for a more eclectic shopping experience head to the Chinatown Street Market.

Live music is very popular in Singapore, so make sure you spend the evening exploring some of the more popular venues. As a globalized city, you'll find almost any type of music here. Popular music venues include Timbre, Zouk, and the Crazy Elephant.

Public transit in Singapore is easy and efficient. In just a few days, you should be able to get around the city quite easily. There is the MRT subway system as well as buses that travel all over the city.

More Info

If you're looking for more information about Singapore, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.

Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.

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