“The best and most comprehensive 3-day itinerary of Singapore”
Why should you visit Singapore for 3 days?
We have written this guide entitled ‘Singapore 3 Day Itinerary’ for anybody planning on staying 72 hours in this fascinating city. Even if you are Singaporean, you will benefit from reading this detailed overview of the best things to see and do in the city.
Singapore is a world-class city because it caters to a whole range of visitors. There is literally something for everyone! Budget and luxury travellers can both enjoy the city. Families love Singapore because there is a wide selection of attractions for children of all ages.
Singapore also has one of the best public transportation networks in the entire world.
It is common for visitors to use the MRT throughout their entire stay in the city. Unlike many other Southeast Asian cities, Singapore has so many MRT lines that you can pretty much get to every attraction using MRT or a combination of MRT and bus.
Singapore also attracts tons of tourists because of its superb architecture. It showcases many elegant colonial buildings along with no shortage of cutting-edge skyscrapers.
It is no secret that Singapore is often called an expensive city. Three days provides visitors with enough time to get a feel for the city without spending a ridiculous amount of money. It may leave you with the feeling of wanting more – more attractions, more meals and more experiences. We hope you enjoy our Singapore 3 Day Itinerary!
Considerations for a Singapore Itinerary
Before you begin your 3-day trip to Singapore, you have to make a few important decisions about where you want to stay, how much you want to spend, and how you plan on getting around.
Choosing the right area of stay and the right hotel are very important decisions. How close you are to public transportation can change the cost of your trip by over $100 dollars over three days.
Whether you want a luxurious stay or a budget one really depends on your accommodation.
Where to stay?
Singapore has an extensive selection of both 5-star hotels and no-frills budget hotels (hostels). You may be surprised by the price difference.
Five-star hotels in Singapore can easily range from $300-$1000 per night, whereas some budget rooms in hostels can be only $20 dollars.
Be thorough with your itinerary planning. If you do not carefully plan where you will book your hotel, you could pay hundreds of dollars more per night than you should be!
You can read this comprehensive article on where to stay in Singapore to learn more about the best areas to stay and how much they cost.
The next consideration is how you want to get from point A to point B.
Getting around Singapore?
Based on our experience, try to use the MRT network and bus network as much as possible during your Singapore 3 day itinerary.
There are clear benefits of using the MRT. First of all, it is more environmentally sustainable when compared to private vehicle use. Secondly, it is much more affordable. And third, you can save a lot of time getting around because you naturally avoid time spent parking and in traffic.
If you plan to use MRT to get around Singapore, you want to book a hotel as close as possible to a station.
There are hundreds of hotels throughout Singapore that are minutes from MRT stations. So, don’t think this is a hard task.
A few common examples include:
Fairmont Singapore (5-star, 8.9/10 review score) beside Esplanade Station.
Chic Capsule Otel (2-star, 8.6/10 review score) beside Chinatown Station.
Singapore Itinerary for 3 Days
Day 1: Morning (Marina Bay)
When you are creating a Singapore itinerary for 3 days, first consider what area is the most convenient for your trip? Some of the most popular areas to stay in Singapore include:
Marina Bay
Chinatown
Sentosa Island
Little India
Kampong Glam
Marina Bay and Sentosa Island have a wider selection of luxury hotels than the other areas. Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam are generally more popular for backpackers and visitors on a tighter budget.
If you can afford it, try to stay in Marina Bay.
Marina Bay is arguably the nicest area of Singapore. It’s the place for famous skyline views. Conveniently, Marina Bay is serviced by multiple MRT stations, which means you can enter the area at one station and then leave at another.
Some of the most popular hotels in Marina Bay include:
The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore (5-star, 9.3/10 review score)
The Fullerton Bay Hotel (5-star, 9.2/10 review score) – beside Raffles Place Station
Marina Bay Sands (5-star, 9/10 review score) – beside Bayfront Station
If you do stay at one of these hotels, begin day 1 of your Singapore itinerary with a delicious breakfast along with a coffee. Afterwards, get set for an exciting day of sightseeing.
Begin with a Morning Walk around Marina Bay
Put on some sunscreen, and bring along a hat. It’s time to start seeing the Marina Bay area.
Some of Singapore’s most famous attractions are located in Marina Bay – that’s why we recommend starting your Singapore 3 day itinerary here. Many of Marina Bay’s attractions are focused on the city’s world-class attractions skyline. For example, Sands SkyPark is situated at the top of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. It is one of the best places to capture panoramic views of Singapore.
Singapore Flyer is another top-rated attraction in Marina Bay. It is one of the world’s largest observation wheels. The views here are fantastic, and it’s possible even to eat a 4-course meal while riding on the Flyer.
A trip to Singapore is not complete without a visit to Merlion Park. An iconic symbol of Singapore, the Merlion, is a statue featuring both a lion and a mermaid. It prominently overlooks Marina Bay and is an extremely popular photo-taking spot in the city. It gets really hot and crowded here later in the day, so visiting the Merlion early is a wise decision.
Walk around Marina Bay and cross Helix Bridge. You will be beside Marina Bay Sands – one of the most photographed buildings in all of Asia.
Depending on your energy level and how much time you want to spend in the Marina Bay Area, check out the Artscience Museum and/or the Red Dot Design Museum.
Both of these museums are located only one or two minutes away from Marina Bay Sands.
Day 1: Afternoon
Eat lunch at a mall around Marina Bay
After walking around Marina Bay, you might want to enjoy a nice air-conditioned meal at one of the malls in this area. The most convenient one is probably The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. It features numerous celebrity-chef restaurants and a food court for more thrifty visitors. This is a beautiful mall that is physically connected to Marina Bay Sands Hotel.
A couple of other shopping malls within walking distance of Marina Bay include:
Marina Square
Millenia Walk
Suntec City
Before you head to another area, spend a bit of time shopping in the cool air-conditioned environment to avoid Singapore’s intense afternoon heat.
Take the MRT to Chinatown, Little India or Kampong Glam
After lunch, continue on with your Singapore 3 day itinerary. Ride the MRT to one (or more) of these nearby areas:
Chinatown
Little India
Kampong Glam
Chinatown is particularly popular with locals and visitors in Singapore. It features numerous streetside markets, delicious food, temples and excellent shopping. Chinatown is also one of the best areas to book affordable accommodation in Singapore.
Most accommodation here is in the form of boutique hotels, traditional hostels and capsule (pod) rooms.
You might enjoy simply just walking through Chinatown. But before you leave, be sure to visit a few markets and take some photos of Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. Souvenirs tend to be cheap in Chinatown – especially if you buy in bulk!
After Chinatown, continue your Singapore itinerary with a quick visit to Little India or Kampong Glam. Both of these areas are accessible by MRT with attractions minutes from relevant stations (Little India Station and Bugis Station (for Kampong Glam).
Little India is a colourful and bustling area of Singapore. It has some of the cheapest stores in the city. It also has some delicious restaurants that serve traditional dishes.
Over the years Kampong Glam has become more popular due to its culture, shopping and dining experiences. It features some beautiful shophouses and photogenic points of interest such as:
Arab Street
Haji Lane
Sultan Mosque
Foodies love Kampong Glam. Lebanese, Turkish and Malaysian food is popular here.
Relax before Diner
Singapore has tons of things to do at night. Therefore, make sure that you get some much-deserved rest before you adventure out for a fun night in the city.
Singapore gets very hot from 11 am through until 4 pm. So head back to your hotel, have a nice shower and even hit up a spa. Re-energize and reflect on your first day in the city.
Day 1: Evening
Enjoy dinner at ‘Quay’ along the Singapore River
If you are staying in Singapore for only 3 days, try to eat at various places.
What kind of ambiance do you like and how much do you want to spend?
If possible, try to eat along the Singapore River for one of your dinners.
Technically, there are three popular areas along the river for dining and socializing:
Boat Quay
Clarke Quay
Riverside Quay
When we stay in the Marina Bay area, we usually prefer to eat at Boat Quay. It has a series of riverside seafood restaurants that allow you to select your lobster or crab, guaranteeing a fresh, delicious meal.
Alternatively, you might want to eat out at one of Singapore’s sky restaurants’.
Finish off with some Nightlife?
Your first day in Singapore would not be complete without enjoying some nightlife!
Singapore is a great nightlife city. It hosts tons of international artists so concerts are popular. Live entertainment venues are popular and a few in the Marina Bay area include the Esplanade and Sands Theatre.
These theatres have Broadway-level production shows regularly throughout the year.
If you want to party then you might want to head to Clarke Quay. This is a popular area for after our drinks and live music.
Alternatively, if you are feeling lucky you might want to gamble. In this case, visit Sands Casino.
Singapore 3 Day Itinerary – DAY 2: Morning
Visit Sentosa Island
On day two of your 3-day itinerary of Singapore, venture early out to Sentosa Island.
Sentosa Island or Sentosa for short, is an extremely popular destination in Singapore. It offers guests a massive selection of action-packed activities for families, couples and solo travellers. Admittedly, it is challenging to visit everything Sentosa has to offer in only 1 day. But, you can definitely visit a few of the most popular attractions on the island.
A few of the most popular attractions on the island include:
Universal Studios Singapore
iFLY Singapore
AJ Hackett Sentosa
Alternatively, if you want to save some cash, consider visiting one of Sentosa’s beautiful beaches. There are three beaches located along Sentosa’s southern shoreline:
Palawan Beach
Siloso Beach
Tanjong Beach
There are beachside cafes and watersports to enjoy. Also, take note that if you are bringing children Siloso Beach is popular with young kids.
Sentosa has a broad range of restaurants to choose from so there is no need to return to the city centre to find restaurants. Also, consider eating at VivoCity – a popular mall that is the main transit point for people heading to/from Sentosa.
Day 2 Afternoon
Shop along famous Orchard Road
After a busy morning on Sentosa Island and lunch, consider heading to Orchard Road for world-class shopping. As Singapore’s premier shopping area, Orchard is a great place to go during the hot afternoon hours. It is loaded with air-conditioned shopping malls and a surplus of food courts, you can find all kinds of products here.
If you are travelling with children, then no problem – just select a mall with indoor recreational activities for kids.
Although Orchard Road does have a wide range of luxury brands to choose from, there are also budget-oriented malls. The selection is impressive and the distance between the malls along Orchard is short. This makes for a convenient shopping experience.
Can you take the MRT to Orchard Road?
You will be happy to hear that the answer is, YES.
The two most popular MRT stations for shoppers heading to Orchard Road are:
Orchard Station
Somerset Station
You might want to access the Orchard area by using one of these stations and then exiting from the other one. This will help you see more malls and enjoy more shopping opportunities while you are in this corner of the city.
After buying some souvenirs and other products along Orchard Road, pick a spot to eat before heading back to your hotel.
Day 2: Evening
Travel north to Singapore Night Safari
A Singapore, 3-day itinerary, would not be complete without a visit to Singapore Night Safari and/or the Singapore Zoo. Unlike the other attractions mentioned above, these are both north of the main tourist areas in the city.
Both of these attractions have won tons of awards. They are considered to be two of the best experiences in Singapore. People of all ages love these attractions.
Keep in mind that both the Safari and the Zoo are not located right in the downtown area of Singapore. Therefore, you should plan your transportation plan ahead of time.
To help you with this you can read this comprehensive guide on how to get to Singapore Night Safari using the MRT. Other transportation options are available such as taking a bus and private vehicle.
The Night Safari is a solid way to end the second day of your Singapore itinerary. This is an extremely well-managed attraction and receives awards annually from tourism organizations in Singapore and abroad.
Do you still have energy…..?
Visiting Sentosa Island, Orchard Road and the Night Safari will be sure to have you exhausted. But, you still might want a few cold drinks before you head to bed.
If this is the case, consider going back to Chinatown or another vibrant area of the city.
A few drinks with some streetside hawker food is a memorable Singapore experience. Either Chinatown Street Market or Bugis Street Market might work for you!
Remember, Singapore is such a fascinating city because it is so modern yet so traditional. You can explore cutting-edge architectural wonders one minute and the next minute you may be eating out right on the street!
Singapore 3 Day Itinerary – DAY 3: Morning
Visit Gardens by the Bay and the Surrounding Sights
On day 1 of this itinerary, you visited Marina Bay, but you likely didn’t have time to visit word-class Gardens by the Bay.
This truly impressive, futuristic garden complex is one of Singapore’s most impressive areas to visit. It is located behind Marina Bay Sands on a stretch of reclaimed land.
When you are visiting Gardens by the Bay, it won’t take you long to notice that there are other attractions there that are worth checking out such as:
Flower Dome
Supertree Grove
OCBC Skyway
Cloud Forest
Simply walking around Gardens by the Bay is a fun activity without even checking out these attractions.
Afternoon
Enjoy lunch at a restaurant in Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands or at a restaurant within the Gardens. Then, head further southeast along the Bay to Marina Barrage.
Marina Barrage is one of our favourite places in Singapore. Although its main purpose is to convert salt water into drinking water, there are now recreational activities here such as cycling, kayaking and more.
The rooftop has also been converted into a ‘green zone’ which is just awesome for hanging out, exercising or taking photos of Singapore’s skyline.
You can travel across the reservoir on Marina Bridge to Marina East Park and Marina Bay Golf Course.
The Evening of Day 3
Cap off your 3-day itinerary of Singapore by capturing some skyline views. Sands SkyPark is a great choice (at the top of Marina Bay Sands Hotel) or another sky bar.
Be sure to enjoy a famous ‘Singapore Sling’ before leaving the city. Raffles Singapore is known for their Singapore Sling, but you may want to try a few around the city and be the judge!
If you have already captured night views of Singapore’s skyline, then head out for some market shopping in Chinatown, Bugis or another area of the city.
Any questions about this Singapore 3 Day Itinerary???
If you only have three days in Singapore then you can get a good introduction to the city, but you won’t be an expert.
For example, there are tons of museums and cultural centers scatted around the city that are not included in this itinerary. They are worthy of a visit. Singapore also has a pile of world-class golf courses that are popular amongst locals and visitors.
Singapore is an amazing city. Just remember to plan well in advance to make sure that your itinerary suits your budget. This starts by booking a room in a strategic location near an MRT station. That is the first step to making an efficient and affordable trip itinerary to Singapore.