10 of the best budget-friendly activities in Singapore

Looking to explore Singapore on a budget? From free gardens to Michelin-star hawker meals, here are 10 activities that won’t break the bank. Photo / 123rf
Clio Wood rounds up 10 of the best activities in Singapore for travellers on a tight budget.
Singapore is a fantastic city – skyscrapers, history, beaches and shopping coupled with world-class attractions are some of the many reasons that keep visitors coming back again and again. But it’s also one of the world’s most successful and richest cities. So it’s not known as the cheapest of destinations. What can you do to keep costs down but still get a taste of Singapore’s vibrant culture?
READ MORE: How to experience Singapore like a local
There’s no need to spend hundreds of dollars on a fancy Michelin-starred meal in the Lion City because three of its thousands of hawker (street-food) vendors have been awarded a coveted Michelin star and many more are listed in the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand tier. Check out Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle on Crawford Lane, the only one currently still holding a star. You can also check out the Michelin website for a full up-to-date list of the most decorated hawker stalls.
You’ve probably heard about Gardens by the Bay, and its temperate biodome with (of course) indoor waterfall, skywalks to take in the views across the city, restaurants at the top of ‘giant tree’ installations and much more. But these paid-for activities are not all that’s on offer. Entry to the Gardens is actually free and you can find yoga pavilions, brilliant winding paths (that kids will love to explore), bridges and boardwalks, lakes, an excellent children’s splash playground and stunning flora and fauna (we hung out with some wild chickens during a rest stop). All of which you’ll find on the huge site that doesn’t require spending a dollar.
While Singapore might be known for its soaring skyscrapers, its more humble and eclectic beginnings can still be seen in the cultural areas of Chinatown and Little India. Stop by low-rise buildings and narrow, pedestrian-friendly streets to pick up some of the varied ethnicities of food that Singapore is known for. You’ll also be able to visit temples and old shophouses, buy a souvenir or three and admire how Singapore’s many cultures and backgrounds live side by side in harmony.
The Art Science Museum is part of the Marina Bay Sands development (alongside the famous hotel, casino and mega mall) so you can sign up for the Sands Lifestyle membership for free to get 30% off tickets for this fabulous and engaging museum. Tickets can still be expensive for the roster of world-class and time-limited exhibitions (there’s no permanent collection) but our kids spent hours in one of the current exhibitions Future World: Where Art Meets Science, interacting with the light displays, clambering through tunnels, whizzing down slides and climbing over obstacle courses. Perfect Instagram fodder.

If you visit the Art Science Museum in the early evening, grab a bite to eat in the Food Court or one of the restaurants at the Shoppes at Marina Bay Sand Mall opposite, before strolling along the beautifully manicured waterfront. The evening is a great time to admire the river and the lights of the city in the cooler temperatures, and at 8pm and 9pm you can enjoy a free 15-minute sound, light and water show called Spectra telling ‘the story of Singapore in four acts’.
Take a (slow) hike up the hill to Mount Faber to cross the water to the smaller island of Sentosa by cable car, which offers both a fun activity and mode of transport as well as excellent photo opportunities. On the way, you might come across some wild monkeys hanging out in the greenery by the side of the path. Visit on a weekday and you’ll avoid the crowds that can gather over the weekend and have more chance of spotting some new animal friends (don’t feed them!). Mount Faber Park is also part of the Southern Ridges Trail, offering 10km of parks and trails linked by bridges, leading from the Harbour Front to Kent Ridge Park.
Singapore’s goal is to be not just a garden city, but a ‘city in a garden’ and evidence of the success of this mission is all around you. Many parks, gardens and park connectors crisscross the island and one of the original (and best) of these is the East Coast Park.
Built on reclaimed land and with man-made beaches, sports pitches, fishing spots and (of course) hawker centres, East Coast Park is perfect for a day out on two wheels. Grab a bike rental from one of several bike hire places in the park itself or even bring a street bike like Anywheels – Singapore’s homegrown bike-sharing service – from the city to pootle along the 15km of coast, enjoying the sea breeze.
Singapore might be bustling, but it’s also surrounded by tiny island sanctuaries with beautiful beaches. Hop on a short ferry ride to Lazarus Island (via St John’s Island and a short walk) or Kusu Island to hang out in a quiet desert island oasis with white beaches, palm trees, jungle and a break from the buzz. Kusu even has a turtle sanctuary, home to hundreds of turtles. A welcome contrast to the bustling downtown skyscrapers in Singapore itself. Catch the ferry from Marina South Pier, which you can reach by MRT.
Can’t afford to stay in the famous Raffles Hotel? This icon of Singapore’s colonial architecture and history is worth stopping by. Head to the Long Bar, where the famous Singapore Sling cocktail was invented and have a cooling drink in the old-school surroundings. The Long Bar is quite possibly the only place in the country where littering is encouraged – customers are invited to brush their peanut shells straight on to the floor.
Singapore is known as The Lion City (in Malay ‘singa’ is ‘lion’ and ‘pura’ means ‘city’) and its symbol is the merlion – half lion, half fish. The story goes that in 1299, the emperor of the Srivijayan Empire, which included Malaysia, Singapore and all of Sumatra, wanted a new capital for his empire and set out to find one by sea. He landed after some difficulties in Singapore and saw a lion in the jungle, which he took as a good omen and renamed what was previously known as Temasek (sea town in old Javanese) Singapura, or Singapore. See the famous statue at the mouth of the Singapore River at Merlion Park.
GETTING THERE
Fly non-stop from Auckland to Singapore with Singapore Airlines in about 11 hours.
DETAILS
visitsingapore.com/en