The rain vortex at Jewel Changi Airport in Singapore

How to Spend Two Days in Singapore: Itinerary for First-Time Visitors

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The bustling metropolis of Singapore is unlike any city in the world. The sovereign city-state packs a lot of excitement in a small 283.5 sq. mile package. From the skyscraper-ridden commercial areas to the culturally diverse neighborhoods, visitors may question if they are in the same city, let alone the same country, while exploring the distinct districts. While this may sound intimidating to those who only have a little time (or money) to explore, the city’s compactness (along with its superior public transportation system) makes it a breeze to see in as little as two days in Singapore. This 2-day Singapore itinerary will take you on an incredible adventure to fall in love with the city and its unique features.

Singapore Itinerary Day 1

Zac and Elaina standing in front of the Marina Bay in Singapore with Marina Bay Sands in the background
Zac and Elaina in front of Marina Bay, Singapore

Food Tour

Singapore is a foodie city, and to try the best of the best, you need to go on a food tour during your two days in Singapore. We chose a 6-hour food tour that took us to three different neighborhoods. Between Chinatown, Little India, and Kampong Glam, we tried the various local cuisines that represent the melting pot that is Singapore.

Explore the neighborhoods

After finishing your food tour, head back to any neighborhoods you visited to explore sites that piqued your interest. Don’t miss the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Yip Yew Chong’s murals in Chinatown. Be sure to spend time strolling the markets in Little India. In Kampong Glam, you need to see Haji Lane and Sultan Mosque. If you want to visit new neighborhoods, head to Katong, Joo Chiat, and Jalan Besar.

Singapore Itinerary Day 2

Sultan Mosque in Kampong Glam, Singapore
Sultan Mosque in Kampong Glam, Singapore

Free Walking Tour

Start your second day in Singapore by seeing the city on a free walking tour. With so many different layers and neighborhoods, exploring the whole city would take an entire day. Instead, we started with a tour of the downtown commercial area by Monster Day Tours. The tour gives travelers more knowledge about some of the city’s most well-known areas, like Marina Bay, the Singapore River, and the civic district. Monster Day Tour company also offers free walking tours of different neighborhoods throughout the city, but if you follow this 2-day itinerary, you’ll hit the other neighborhoods on day 1!

National Museum of Singapore

The National Museum of Singapore is our top recommended museum because it shares about Singapore’s history and culture. The museum also hosts pop-up exhibits and has a permanent light art display by TeamLabs. If you can only visit one museum during your two days in Singapore, this is the one we recommend!

Marina Bay Sands

Marina Bay Sands is a renowned, peculiar-shaped building that towers over the bay. It is not only a hotel but also features a large shopping mall, restaurants, a museum, and more. The most famous feature, however, is its rooftop infinity pool. Unfortunately, the pool is only open to hotel guests, and the rooftop costs S$28 (day prices) to S$32 (night prices) to access.

Pro tip: We didn’t go to the top of Marina Bay Sands, but we heard about this tip. Instead of paying to go to the rooftop, make reservations at one of the bars like Cé la Vi or Spago and order a drink. You’ll likely still pay around S$25, but at least you get a drink with your view.

Gardens by the Bay

Right next to Marina Bay Sands, you’ll find the Gardens by the Bay. These massive light-up tree structures are an incredible installation that now serves as an icon of Singapore. At night, visitors can see light shows at the Supertree Grove. During our visit, we saw Garden Rhapsody and Borealis.

Note on Meals

We didn’t include recommendations for when/where to eat meals throughout day 2 because it’s essential in a foodie city like Singapore to have flexibility when it comes to food. Plus, it would be best if you got some recommendations from your food tour guide on day 1 to determine where to eat on day 2. Our only recommendation is to try some of the 100+ hawker centers around the city.

Singapore Itinerary Optional Extra Day

Entrance of Universal Studios Singapore
Entrance of Universal Studios Singapore

The more time you have to explore Singapore, the better. There is plenty to explore in the city to keep you entertained for multiple days. If you have the option to add another day to your 2-day Singapore itinerary, I recommend adding Universal Studios or some of the other museums, depending on your personal interests.

Universal Studios

Universal Studios Singapore is one of the five Universal Studios parks worldwide. The park is just a little outside the city center on Sentosa Island. In the park, you can explore the different themed zones like Sci-fi City, New York, the Lost World, and more. Universal Studios Singapore is also the only Universal Park with a whole zone dedicated to Shrek. The Far Far Away area mimics the kingdom from the Shrek 2 Movie, with rides and entertainment you can’t find in other parks.

Museums

There are plenty of exciting museums to explore in Singapore. You would have already seen the National Museum of Singapore on day 2, but there are several others that will show you the city’s unique history, culture, and art. Some of the best options are the ArtScience Museum, the National Gallery Singapore, and the Asian Civilisations Museum.

This itinerary will show you how to spend two days in Singapore exploring some of the country’s best museums, art, architecture, and food. While it may seem like a short itinerary, every activity has been specifically selected to give you the best overview of Singapore in a short time. Our experience with these activities made us recognize why this country is worth a visit, even if it’s brief. We hope it will do the same for you!

Elaina

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