Singapore itinerary: 3 days for a first visit

Three days is the right amount of time for a first visit to Singapore. The city is compact, the trains are fast, and the main sights sit within a few stops of each other, so you can see the skyline, the old quarters and the gardens without ever feeling rushed. What takes time is eating, and Singapore is a city where meals are the main event.

This plan keeps each day in one part of town and leaves the middle of the day for the heat. It is hot and humid all year, with afternoon showers in any month, so start early, plan indoor stops for the hottest hours and always carry water.

Before you go: the short version

• How long: three full days. Add a fourth for Sentosa, Pulau Ubin or the zoo.
• Where to stay: Marina Bay or the Downtown area for the skyline; Chinatown for food and character; Kampong Glam or Little India for a livelier, more local feel.
• From the airport: Changi Airport has its own MRT station, and the centre is about 30 to 40 minutes by train, often with one change. A taxi is about 20 to 30 minutes outside rush hour. See from the airport to the city.
• Getting around: the MRT, buses and taxis. A contactless bank card or a transit card works on all of them. More in the Singapore travel guide.
• Book ahead: the conservatory domes at Gardens by the Bay, the Night Safari if you add it, and any weekend dinner in a restaurant. Check times and book ahead.

Day 1: Marina Bay and the Gardens

Morning. Start at the waterfront for the Merlion, the fountain statue that is the city's mascot, and cross the Helix Bridge for the view of the skyline and the three towers topped with a ship-shaped deck across the bay. It is quieter and cooler in the early morning, which is a good time for photographs. Walk along the water to the Singapore Flyer or the shopping malls under the towers.

Afternoon. Spend the afternoon at Gardens by the Bay, the park of giant artificial trees called Supertrees, with a walkway among their canopies. Two big glass conservatories hold a cool-air forest of flowers and a cloud forest with an indoor waterfall, which is a fine way to escape the midday sun. Check times and book ahead for the domes and the walkway.

Evening. Stay for the light show among the Supertrees at dusk; check times, as they change. Then walk back across the bay to the promenade by the shopping centre, where the towers and the river light up. For dinner, the Lau Pa Sat hawker market nearby is housed in a Victorian cast-iron building and turns into a satay street after dark.

Day 2: Chinatown, Tanjong Pagar and the river

Morning. Begin at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, a vast red and gold building in the heart of Chinatown, and the Sri Mariamman Temple, the oldest Hindu temple in the city, a short walk away with its carved tower of gods. Wander Pagoda Street, Smith Street and Temple Street, where old shophouses sit above shops. The Chinatown Heritage Centre has a good set of recreated rooms of the old quarter. Dress modestly and take your shoes off at the temples.

Afternoon. Eat lunch at a hawker centre. Maxwell Food Centre and the Chinatown Complex are well known and have stalls selling chicken rice, laksa, char kway teow and fried carrot cake. Go at an off-peak time and try a few dishes between you. Then walk to Telok Ayer Street, lined with old temples and mosques that served the early immigrants, and on to the cafes and bars of Tanjong Pagar.

Evening. Head to Boat Quay and Clarke Quay, the riverside districts of old warehouses turned into restaurants and bars. A river cruise on a bumboat shows you the skyline from the water, and the towers are best at dusk. Walk back along the river to the Merlion for a last look at the bay.

Day 3: Little India, Kampong Glam and the Botanic Gardens

Morning. Begin in Little India, with its flower garlands, spice stalls and temples. Visit the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, with its colourful tower, and wander through Tekka Centre, the food market where you can have a banana-leaf lunch or a dosa for breakfast. Walk to Kampong Glam, the old Malay quarter, and see the golden dome of Sultan Mosque; visitors are welcome outside prayer times, and you must dress modestly.

Afternoon. Wander Haji Lane and Arab Street, a maze of small shops selling fabrics, rugs and perfumes, painted with murals, with cafes in every doorway. When the heat peaks, take the train to the Singapore Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk among the old trees, around the swan lake and into the National Orchid Garden, where thousands of orchids are in bloom. The gardens are shady and breezy, making them the best place in the city to be in the afternoon.

Evening. Go to Orchard Road, the long shopping boulevard, if you want lights and shops, or head back to a hawker centre for the dishes you missed. For a final view, climb to the top of one of the rooftop bars along the river, and watch the skyline from a distance.

With more time

• A fourth day: Sentosa for the beaches and the theme parks, or the zoo and the Night Safari in the north.
• Pulau Ubin and the east: a short bumboat ride to an island of old kampong life, where you can cycle through the forest and mangroves. Katong, in the east, is known for peranakan houses and laksa.
• Further on: Kuala Lumpur is about an hour away by air, and the Singapore travel guide shows how to combine them. Plan a stop at Jewel at Changi before your flight, with its giant indoor waterfall.

Where to stay

• Marina Bay and Downtown: modern towers and skyline views, close to the Gardens, the MRT and the bay. The easiest first base.
• Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar: shophouses and temples with some of the best food within a short walk. Crowded by day but quiet at night.
• Kampong Glam and Little India: colourful, lively and walkable, with excellent food, and close to a number of train lines.
• Orchard Road: malls, hotels and plenty of air-conditioning, but the least local feel.

Hotel rooms in Singapore are small, and serviced apartments suit groups better. See where to stay with a group.

Getting around

The MRT is clean, cool and clear, with signs in English, and it reaches nearly everything on this itinerary. Tap in and out with a contactless card or a transit card, and keep your travel to quiet hours if you can. Buses fill the gaps, and taxis and ride-hailing are easy to find, which helps after a night out when the trains have stopped. Singapore is a walkable city, but the heat is a factor, so use the covered walkways and underground links between buildings.

The city has strict rules that visitors find unusual. Eating and drinking are not allowed on the MRT, chewing gum is restricted and littering carries fines, so follow the signs and ask if you are unsure.

Planning Singapore as a group

Singapore is a simple city for a group, because everything is close, and the main decisions are what to eat and where to meet. Choose a hawker centre where everyone can order their own stall and share a table, and plan a meeting place in the evening, since a big group is easy to lose in a food court. Book the Gardens domes and any weekend dinner for everyone at once. Keep the shared costs, like a taxi, a river cruise and the dishes you split, in one place so nobody has to remember who paid for what.

What to pack

Light, breathable clothes that dry quickly, a compact umbrella, and a thin layer for the cold air-conditioning indoors. Comfortable shoes for the walking, sandals for the heat and sunscreen and a hat. Bring modest clothing for the temples and mosque, with covered shoulders and knees, and a refillable bottle, as you can fill it at many places. The packing list for a city break covers the rest.