Sarah
Okay, bad news first: You can’t do EVERYTHING in three days in Singapore. But: You can do A LOT of awesome stuff with this Singapore itinerary for 3 days!
Markus and I have been to Singapore twice already – the first time in 2013 and the second time in 2018 during our nine-month trip around the world.
And I can’t really decide on what to think of Singapore. It’s one of the most magical modern cities in the world on one hand. And on the other, it still has some pretty medieval rules and can be super expensive. Someone once described Singapore to me as “Disneyland with Death Penalty”. It’s probably a famous quote, but I don’t know who said it. 😉
But in the end, it’s definitely a place you need to see and explore on your own at least once in your lifetime. And there are a ton of fun things to do in Singapore. Even with visiting twice for several days, we haven’t done everything and we will definitely return.
So but now lets have a look at the best places to visit in Singapore in three days!
Table of Contents
Pin this Singapore itinerary for 3 days for later!
Map of Singapore itinerary for 3 days
As you may know, we always include customized Google maps in our itineraries to make sure that it is as easy as possible for you to follow our advice. So here’s your custom map for a Singapore itinerary for 3 days!
You can just click on any of the points to see more information and zoom in and out as you would expect it from Google Maps!
Singapore itinerary for 3 days - Day 1
This Singapore itinerary is planned for three full days – so we hope that you are staying for four nights. If not, Day 1 and Day 3 are easier to shorten by skipping a few of the items! But then, there are so many things to do in Singapore that you could easily spend 5 days in Singapore too!
Depending on where you stay, we suggest you start Day 1 with hopping on the MRT and getting to Chinatown MRT station (North-East and Downtown Line)
Explore Chinatown
Our first stop on this Singapore itinerary for three days is Chinatown. Singapore has a rich history of Chinese immigration, so there’s a lot to see. You can learn more about it at the China Heritage Centre.
Right next to it is the former Opium Den – Opium was once an important part of Singapore`s trade and home to big Chinese Opium Syndicate. Wander around the streets of Chinatown a bit to shop for cheap knick-knack and some funky snacks.
Visit Sri Mariamman and Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
Singapore is an ethnically and religiously diverse country – so you will find impresssive churches, hinduistic and buddhistic temples as well as mosques in Singapore.
The two most important ones to pay attention are the hinduistic Sri Mariamman Temple and the buddhistic Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.
Sri Mariamman Temple is the oldest hindustic temple in Singapore and is open to visitors from 7am-11:30am and from 6pm-8:45pm.
Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is open without a break from 7am to 7pm. The Museum does not open before 9am though. Buddha Tooth Relic temple is HUGE and guided tours take around 2 hours to explore!
Please be respectful when visiting religious buildings like Sri Mariamman and Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and dress appropriately. Make sure to cover your knees and and shoulders and don’t show off your cleavage too much. We know, Singapore’s steamingly hot – so bringing a pareo or larger scarf is a great way to cover up just for the visit.
Lunch at a Hawker Center
You might have already snacked on some Chinese goodies while walking through Chinatown, but now it’s time to have a real authentic lunch at one of Chinatown’s Hawker Centres! The two most famous ones are “Chinatown Hawker Centre” (surprise!) and “Maxwell Food Centre” – both are used to tourists.
Walk to Clark Quay or take a bus
Next up on our Singapore itinerary for 3 days is Clark Quay. In order to get there, you can simply walk along the main road. If you are not a good walker, you can also hop on one of the buses running north on New Bridge road (e.g. Nr. 2,12,33).
Don’t forget to take a shot of the colorful Ministry of Communications – it’s popular on Instagram for a reason! Maybe photos are not your top priority when you only have three days in Singapore – but this one is really conveniently located along Clark Quay!
Optional: See Fort Canning
The next stop on our Singapore itinerary for three days is optional. Fort Canning is directly next to Clark Quay and is a historical landmark. The park itself is large but rather unspectacular. Skip it if you are short on time!
Do a Singapore River Cruise
Singapore is surrounded by water – and the most prestigious parts of the city can all be seen from the river. So, naturally, one of the best things to do in Singapore in three days is going on a river cruise!
There are two companies offering river cruises (Duck Tours and Singapore River Cruises). We did Duck Tours during our first trip and it was hilariously funny! Their tour starts at Suntec Center and they have an amphibious vehicle! Trust us, you will LOVE the moment where the car hits the water with a big splash!
However, given that you only have three days in Singapore, the shorter (and cheaper) Singapore River Cruise using traditional bum boats starting from Clark Quay might be a better option for you!
Dine and Drink at Clark Quay
After cruising the Singapore River it’s time for dinner and drinks on your first day in Singapore! Luckily, Clark Quay is one of the best places to visit in Singapore in three days for that purpose and offers plenty of options.
We ate at Haidilao Hot Pot in Shanghai and we LOVED it! So, no surprise, our recommendation: Haidilao Hot Pot at Clark Quay!
Read: Review of Haidilao Hot Pot Restaurant
And once you are filled – how about hopping to Chupitos? It’s a super fun filled bar that we experienced in Barcelona this year. Their shots have crazy names and come with a lot of show! And Chupitos made it to Singapore as well!
Singapore itinerary for 3 days - Day 2
Good morning folks! Ready for the second day of this Singapore itinerary for 3 days? Today, we’ll explore the most iconic sights of Singapore. Get prepared for a full day of action, flowers and light. First, we will head to Sentosa Island!
Explore Sentosa Island
Sentosa Island is an island right off the shore of Singapore and it is jam-packed with cool things to do. That was the place that actually gave us most of the “Disneyland feeling” (but, luckily, without a death penalty!).
The Aquarium is here as well as Universal Studios Singapore, an aquapark and Madame Tussauds. And Sentosa Island is also where you will find some really beautiful beaches! I know, most people don’t come to Singapore for the beaches (but maybe they should!) but having a beach next to a glittering city is something that I only came across in Dubai otherwise!
Best places to visit on Sentosa Island (all free!):
- Festive Walk
- Sentosa Merlion
- Universal Studios Rotating Globe
- Southern-Most Tip of Continental Asia on Palawan island (don’t confuse it with Palawan island on the Philippines!)
- Fort Siloso Skywalk
How to get to Sentosa Island
Luckily, getting to Sentosa Island has become more easy and cheaper since our first visit to Singapore in 2013. Basically, you have five options on how to get to Sentosa Island:
- By Cable Car (Mount Faber Line, 35 SGD, iconic views)
- By Monorail (Sentosa Express, 4 SGD)
- By Bus (123 or RSW8, ~1 SGD)
- By Taxi
- By Walking (Sentosa Boardwalk)
I felt it’s funny that there’s no ferry to Sentosa, given that it’s an island. If you need even more info, here’s a really good guide on how to get to Sentosa Island with all the detail!
Basically all options require to first get to Harborfront MRT (Circle Line, North East Line). Given the options we would probably just walk as we hate lining up and the boardwalk seems to be pretty cool! But, of course, the cable car offers stunning views over Singapore city, the Bay and Sentosa Island!
How to get around on Sentosa Island
There are plenty of options to get around once you arrive on Sentosa Island and almost all of them are for FREE! You can take a bus, the Sentosa Monorail or the Beach tram without any cost – just the cable car still requires a ticket!
Where to eat on Sentosa Island
No Singapore itinerary can live without recommendations for where to eat and that’s true for Sentosa Island too! There are so many options that it’s hard to decide which place is best, but let us show you some highlights:
- Hard Rock Café Sentosa (we are AVID fans of Hard Rock Café!)
- Ocean Restaurant (SUPER PRICEY, but with an amazing view on the aquarium while eating)
- Sand Bar on Siloso Beach (you can always catch us with a beach bar with cold beer and hot pizza!
Get high on Singapore Flyer
It’s time to leave Sentosa Island and head on to our next stop on this Singapore itinerary for 3 days: the Singapore Flyer!
Get back to the mainland via Sentosa Express and hop on the North Eastern Line to Chinatown MRT. Change for the Downtown Line and exit at Promenade. It’s only a short walk to the Singapore Flyer from here.
The Singapore Flyer is the second highest ferris wheel in the world (it actually WAS the highest when we rode it in 2013 before the High Roller opened in Las Vegas in 2014….). It’s best to book tickets in advance to save queuing time!
Take photos at the Art Science Museum
After leaving the Singapore Flyer it’s time to cross the famous (and instaworthy) Helix bridge.
Stop by the Art Science Museum if you still have enough time before sunset. Day two of this Singapore itinerary for 3 days is densely packed with awesome things to do in Singapore – so, eventually, you have to skip some if you take too much time.
The Art Science Museum is a funny “playground-meets-science-meets-instagrammable-art-kinda-thing” and we absolutely loved it! However, the most famous exhibit was closed for renovation when we visited the last time so I have to show you a shot of another Instagram travel girl!
If time is short, at least have a look at the outside of the building – it’s one of the most iconic shapes in Singapore (except for Marina Bay Sands)
Marvel at Gardens by the Bay
Next up: Flower Power! Head on to the Gardens of the Bay – this is probably No 1 of the best places to visit in Singapore in three days! Many of the attractions are even for free (e.g. the fancy Supertree Grove)!
Two paid attractions that you should not miss at Gardens by the Bay are Cloud Nine and the OCBC Skywalk.
OCBC Skywalk gets you up close to the Supertrees and gives you a stunning view across the Gardens by the Bay.
We liked Flower Dome, but we LOVED Cloud Nine.
It’s hard to describe, but it’s kind of a giant dome with a central tower with a walkway of exotic flowers and a waterfall. It’s gonna be all over your senses – visually as well as olfactory (ha, medical word, bazinga!)
We bough tickets for both Flower Dome + Cloud Nine and for OCBC Skywalk and we did not regret that!
Watch Garden Rhapsody Light Show
Now our favorite free things to do in Singapore on this Singapore itinerary for 3 days: The Garden Rhapsody Light Show!
Two times a day (at 7:45 pm and 8:45 pm) the Supertrees come to life with an amazing light and music show! Just sit on the grass as everyone else and enjoy the spectacle!
We highly recommend you to watch it at 7:45 pm because of Spectra Light show (see next point below)
Enjoy the free Spectra Light Show
We hope you don’t have enough of free light shows in Singapore yet (ha, who does EVER?!). Because there’s a second light show that is among the must see things in Singapore: The Spectra Light Show!
The Spectra Light Show is a laser and water show on the Bay hosted by Marina Bay Sands. The shows run at 8pm and 9pm (+10pm on Friday and Saturday) and people arrive much earlier to secure a comfortable seat on the stairs.
If you watched the Garden Rhapsody at 7:45 pm, you will just be perfectly in time to snag a good seat for the Spectra Light show at 9 pm! Tip: get some takeaway food at the Marina Bay Sands Mall while passing it!)
Finish with drinks at Cé La Vi (Marina Bay Sands)
Have you really been to Singapore if you didn’t pay attention to Marina Bay Sands? It’s famous for its rooftop infinity pool but this is only open to guest of Marina Bay Sands.
People reportedly do crazy stuff to try to sneak into the pool but we wouldn’t recommend that in Singapore. (Although, we DID sneak into a rooftop pool at Berjaya Times Square in Kuala Lumpur once. But that’s another story… :D). Simply don’t try it in Singapore. Because, you remember, that crazy medieval laws…
Luckily, there’s another excellent option to enjoy Marina Bay Sands. (By the way, we think that Marina Bay Sands actually looks like a giant panty liner on three podiums. Once you saw that, you will never be able to forget it, sorry! :D) But back to “the other option”: Head for drinks at Cé La Vi!
Cé La Vi is the sky bar right on top of Marina Bay Sands – you’ll even see the well guarded entrance to the infamous infinity pool! And while the cocktails are pricey – they are well worth the view in our opinion!
Please note that they have a dress code called “casual chic” and that we heard people wearing flip flops were refused entry! Just dress up a bit 🙂
Singapore itinerary for 3 days - Day 3
So let’s move on to our final day in this Singapore itinerary for 3 days! Today, we will explore Little India and Kampong Glam (The Malay/Arab Quarter!)
Get a taste of India in Little India
Out first stop will be Little India, accessible by the Downtown and North Eastern MRT Line. Get off at “Little India MRT” (surprise!) and head towards Serangoon Road.
Don’t forget to make a stop at Tan Teng Niah House! This colorful house is an Instagram darling and surrounded by outdoor food market with tasty Indian food!
Serangoon Road itself is lined with Indian shops and restaurants at both sides. There’s gold, there’s cheap clothing and lots of knick-knack. A bit like Chinatown. But, you know, Indian. 🙂
Visit Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple
Even though you should have already seen Singapore’s oldest hinduistic temple on day 1 of our Singapore itinerary for 3 days, you absolutely can’t miss Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple!
Don’t worry you are not gonna walk past this building accidentally while strolling down Seragoon Road! This iconic Hinduistic temple is open from 5:30 am to 9:30 pm and is dedicated towards the goddess Kali.
Lunch in Little India (Mustafa Center)
Mustafa Center is one of the biggest shopping malls in Singapore. And that MEANS something! If you have the time (or you are looking for ANYTHING) you should definitely spend some time here. This Singapore itinerary for 3 days is not focused on shopping – although Singapore has plenty of options for that!
Mustafa Center also has an abundance of food options available – and it’s surrounded by tasty Indian restaurants!
Explore Kampong Glam (Malay Muslim Quarter)
And from India it’s only a stone throw until Malaysia or the Middle East. Or at least, that’s true in Singapore! Kampong Glam is definitely among the best places to visit in Singapore in three days – it’s one of the “must see things”!
Singapore also had a fair share of immigration from Muslim countries like Malaysia and this is most obvious in Kampong Glam – the Malay Muslim Quarter of Singapore.
If you want to know more about this part of Singaporean history, check out the Malay Heritage Centre! It’s open from 10 am to 6 pm and costs 6 SGD entry.
Visit Masjid Sultan Mosque
Masjid Sultan Mosque is the heart of Kampong Glam and is a stunningly beautiful mosque!
It is usually open for visitors from 12 am to 12pm and 2pm to 4pm and does not cost any entry. On Fridays, visiting time is limited to 2:30 pm to 4 pm – so plan accordingly.
Sadly, we never saw the inside of the mosque ourselves as we managed to visit during Ramadan both times and visiting was not allowed for tourists at this time.
Same as with the Hinduistic and Buddhistic temples: Be respectful and make sure to dress appropriately and cover your shoulders, knees and cleavage!
Have a coffee or dinner + drinks at Haji Lane
Haji lane is probably the most “hipster-indie-instagrammer” street that you will find in all of Singapore! Haji Lane is filled with hip cafés, health fruit smoothie shops and fancy food stalls.
Whatever hip food or drink floats your boat – you will probably find it in Haji Lane. Depending on the time of the day you could either stop for a coffee or directly stay for dinner and drinks. Not surprisingly, nightlife around Haji Lane tends to be hip too! 😉
Optional: Head to Chijmes for dinner
If you have rushed through day three of this Singapore itinerary for 3 days and you didn’t want to stay in Kampong Glam for dinner and drinks, you can also head further south to Chijmes.
Chijmes is a former Catholic convent that now houses several contemporary restaurants (27 restaurants to be precise!). And it looks pretty fancy and comes with several highly instagrammable photoshoot locations!
Optional: Order an iconic Singapore Sling at Raffles Long Bar
How could you end a 3 days in Singapore trip better than with having a Singapore Sling at the place where it was actually invented: The Long Bar at the 5* luxury Raffles hotel?
So if you still have energy, grab your last Singaporean Dollars (which, hopefully, will still be plenty….) and get THE Singaporean Drink in the most classic setting possible!
Things to do if you have more than 3 days in Singapore
As mentioned right in the beginning: Singapore is a city that has plenty of things to do. Much more than a Singapore itinerary for three days could possibly cover. We tried to craft together 3 separate day itineraries, that, together, show you “the essence of Singapore”.
Singapore is a cultural melting pot with a unique and rich history and we hope that this list of the best places to visit in Singapore in three days will help you explore this a bit easier.
So if you have actually MORE than 3 days in Singapore, here are some other things that you should definitely consider visiting or doing:
- Singapore Botanical Gardens (free)
- Singapore Zoo + Night Safari
- Universal Studios Sentosa Island
- Shopping on Orchard Road
- St.Andrew’s Cathedral
- River Safari
- Adventure Cove Water Park (Sentosa Island)
- Singaporean Cooking Class
Where to stay for this Singapore itinerary for 3 days
As you can see, the areas that we recommend you to visit during your 3 days in Singapore are not exactly next to each other.
But Singapore’s public transport system is efficient and affordable. Thus, there are different areas that would be best to stay for this Singapore itinerary for 3 days.
Our choice: Andaz Singapore
We stayed at Andaz Singapore and we absolutely loved their free cocktail happy hour as well as their breathtaking rooftop infinity pool and cocktail tipi rooftop bar. (YES, not only Marina Bay Sands has a rooftop infinity pool!)
If Andaz Singapore is outside your budget range, you can look for some more affordable accommodation in Chinatown or Little India. They also have quite a few hostels that are well rated and surprisingly cheap!
Top Choices for every budget
Top budget accommodation in Singapore:
- Cube Boutique Capsule Hotel @ Chinatown (Capsule Hotel, Chinatown, they also have one in Kampong Glam)
- Circular House Singapore (Capsule Hotel, The Quay)
- Spacepod@lavender (Futuristic Capsule Hotel near Kampong Glam)
Top mid-range accommodation in Singapore:
- The Quay Hotel (The Quay, perfect location)
- Hotel M Social (The Quay, very hip)
- Hilton Garden Inn Serangoon Road (Little India, with pool)
- The Scarlet Singapore (Chinatown, very hip)
- Hotel ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove (The only midrange option on Sentosa Island)
Top luxury accomodation in Singapore:
- Andaz Singapore (our choice – LOVE their infinity pool too!)
- Marina Bay Sands (legally swim THE infinity pool)
- Raffles Singapore (you can’t go more classy than this)
- The Fullerton Hotel (top luxury alternative to Marina Bay Sands)
- W Singapore Sentosa Cove (we are IN LOVE with W Hotels!)
How did you like our Singapore itinerary for 3 days?
How did you like this Singapore itinerary for 3 days? Let me know in the comments below!
And if you have not yet subscribed to my newsletter – how about doing this now?
I promise that I won’t spam you – but you will always be the first to know about my next destination guides or Lightroom and Instagram tipps! Plus, you will get access to my exclusive and free member’s area! That’s where I share lots of invaluable additional content with you – like my hashtag list for Instagram!
