Singapore Travel Guide: 8 Days Itinerary + Visa Details

Great news backpackers! Singapore is reopening to fully vaccinated travellers without quarantine on April 1st, 2022. Therefore, I have drafted a long beautiful blog post just for you to help you plan your trip to Singapore.

I visited Singapore in September 2019 with my mom. It was an 8-day-long trip that I carefully designed, keeping my mom’s age and health in mind. I’ll try to cover every tiny detail of my journey from planning to execution in this blog post. Moreover, I will also include the cost and hacks that will come in handy on your trip to Singapore. So tighten your seat belt because I’m about to take you on a ride to the Lion City.

Singapore Visa

To enter Singapore as a tourist, Visa is mandatory for Indian nationals. I began my Visa application by downloading Form14a from the ICA website. The consulate provided a checklist that included all the supporting documents needed to submit along with Form14a. After gathering the required documents, I visited the Visa centre closest to my office (Udyog Vihar phase III, Gurgaon) to submit my application. The process was hassle-free, and we got our Visa in 7 working days. 

You read can read a detailed article about my visa application process here. 

Cost per person: ₹2,900 (approx)

Immigration

The Immigration check at the Changi Airport took merely ten minutes. We submitted the customs form (provided in flight), passports and visas at the immigration counter. The immigration officer asked the purpose of our travel and stamped the passport.

Tip: If this is your first time travelling abroad, getting nervous during immigration is normal. Take a deep breath, put on your beautiful smile and remember to be confident while answering your questions. Everything’s going to be fine 🙂

Flight Tickets

I chose Vistara airlines to travel to and from Singapore because it is the fastest among all airlines, with a travel time of 5 hours and 45 minutes. Moreover, the quality and comfort are exceptional. You can read a detailed review of my journey here.

Cost per person: ₹21,000 (approx)

Hotel Booking

Stay is the most expensive thing in Singapore. Even the budget hotels were charging ₹8,000 per night. I am a budget traveller. Hence I don’t prefer to splurge on hotels. Finding a decent mid-range hotel in Singapore was a task. However, I managed to find Hotel Supreme located on Orchard Street that perfectly served my budget. The hotel was old school with traditional door locks and no-frills decor. However, the location was great and close to many popular attractions. Below is a list of a few top-rated hotels on Booking.com that you can consider for your trip. 

Cost for two: ₹64,000 (approx) for 8 days

Attraction Tickets

My itinerary included plenty of attractions that required an entry ticket. Therefore, to dodge any last minute availability issues, I pre-booked all my attraction tickets from isango.com and Viator. It was a hassle-free experience. Plus, I also got great deals on the website.

Some tour recommendations from our side 😉

• Pedaling around the city is a new and fun way to discover a city. Therefore, we recommend this Lion City Bike Tour operated by Bike Around Tour Singapore to get a nice introduction to the city.
• Food is one of the main elements that makes this city so diverse. Therefore, if you want to enjoy the city to its core, go on a Food Tasting Tour at UNESCO Hawker Centre in Singapore’s three ethnic neighborhoods.
• Take this Guided Tour to explore one of the best gems of Singapore, the Gardens by the Bay, and get a mesmerizing view of the city skyline from the Marina Bay Sands Skypark and the River cruise.
• If you’re short on time then hop onto a Hop-on, Hop-off Bus and enjoy the city from an open top bus.

Additionally, you can get up to 20% off experience tickets by simply making a booking through the below banner.

Cost for two: ₹38,000 (approx)

Itinerary

I was on an eight day-long trip to Singapore. The itinerary was a mix of the most touristy places like Sentosa Island, Gardens by the Bay etc., to the lesser-known ethnic pockets of the country. Here’s what my eight days looked like in Singapore: 

Day 1: Orchard Street & Little India

We reached Singapore in the morning, explored Orchard Street in the afternoon and attended the Deepavali festival at Little India in the evening.

Day 2: Marina Bay Sands & Chinatown

We visited the Marina Bay Sands and attended the Autumn festival in Chinatown.

Day 3: Singapore Zoo & Clarke Quay

We spent a day amidst nature at the Singapore Zoo and took a boat ride at Clarke Quay.

Day 4 & 5 : Sentosa Island

We stayed in Sentosa Island a night. On the first day, we visited Madame Tussauds, explored the beaches and watched the Wings of Time show at night. The next day was spent at Universal Studios Singapore, enjoying fun rides, food and shows.

Day 6: Jurong Bird Park & Night Safari

We visited Jurong Bird Park during the day and went on a Night Safari at 80 Mandai Lake in the evening. 

Day 7: Gardens by the Bay & Flyer

We explored the gigantic Gardens by the Bay, visited the conservatories and watched the trees grove at night. 

Day 8: Kampong Glam & Marina Bay

We explored the remaining attractions of the city, visited Kampong Glam and ended our day at the casino of Marina Bay Sands. 

Food

The food is the best part of Singapore. The culinary delights connect a tourist to the history and culture of Singapore. Therefore, don’t give the local food a miss. Here’s a list of dishes that are a must-try in Singapore. 

Cost for two: ₹7,000 (approx)

Transportation

Singapore has a brilliant transportation network. The MRT and buses are the two best ways to commute within the city, as they are connected well with all the tourist destinations. However, the bus stops and MRT stations can be slightly confusing for tourists. Therefore, here’s a detailed guide to decoding the transit network. Taxis are the least recommended transportation because of their higher tariffs.

Cost for two: ₹3,500 (approx)

Tip: Plan your travel during the non-peak hours to have a smoother commute and use public transit and free shuttles to save transit costs.

Shopping

If you’re looking for souvenirs, head to the ethnic districts for a vast collection of traditional and authentic items to gift your loved ones. Moreover, they are cheaper, and you find plenty of options in one place.

Weather

I visited Singapore in October. The mornings and late evenings were pleasant. However, the daytime was hot and dry. Plus, most of the attractions are outdoors and include a lot of walking, and hence you can feel dehydrated. Therefore, I recommend you to wear comfortable shoes and keep hydrating even if you don’t feel like keeping your energy level maintained.

If you are wondering how the trip went, I’m happy to share that the trip was a major hit with my mom. 😎

P.S: If you need tips to plan a trip with your parents, worry not! Here’s an article for you.