Singapore: 4 Days in the Lion City

The line at the arrival hall at Singapore Changi Airport crawled slowly towards the Immigration desks. Minutes turn into hours and I find myself gradually growing restless. Eventually, I reach the Immigration Officer, who proceeds to interview me about the purpose of my visit.

She is friendly and welcomes me to the country with a smile once she confirms my documentation is in order. By the time I make it through, my bag is making another trip on the baggage carousel. I grab it once it circles back to me and make my way to see the HSBC Rain Vortex.

But I arrive one hour after closing time and miss the chance to see the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. Next time, maybe, I tell myself as I proceed to find my way into the city.

Between waiting in line for over an hour after a long day of travel and discovering that my main travel card had been blocked by my bank, prompting frantic calls to Mark, I arrived at my hotel tired and worn out. But hey, I was in Singapore now and my adventure was about to begin!

Where to Stay in Singapore

I chose to stay at Lyf Funan Singapore, a hotel on Hill Street, which proved to be an excellent base for my 5-night stay in the city.

Within short walking distance from the hotel were metro and bus stations, Fort Canning Park, the colourful Old Hill Street Police Station, Merlion Park, and the vibrant Clarke Quay area, amongst other attractions. I am also able to reach Marina Bay on foot on my first day.

Things to Do in Singapore – Day 1

My first activity is a photoshoot experience with a resident. I meet up with Stephen at a 7-Eleven store in the Marina Bay MRT station, and together we explore the area, taking several photos along the way.

By the end of it, I have gotten priceless images of my time, seen the Gardens by the Bay and its supertrees up close, and also learnt a little more about life in Singapore from a resident’s perspective.

Upon his recommendation, I head into the MBS shopping mall to get a breakfast of Kaya toast, served with soft-boiled eggs and a cup of tea. It is delicious and I return to the food court in the evening for a tasty dinner.

Later on, I wander around without any particular plans and end up at the ArtScience Museum. The exhibitions are interesting and fun but I am not convinced that this is the best place for a solo traveller to end up at.

In the evening, I return to the area, this time to watch the Garden Rhapsody – a light and sound show of the Gardens by the Bay. It proves to be a fantastic way to end my first day in the city.

Things to Do in Singapore – Day 2

I begin my second day bright and early at Fort Canning Park. A bridge links the mall that houses the hotel to the park, making it super convenient to visit. The park is tranquil upon my arrival, with only a handful of visitors and I enjoy the time I spend here.

I head back to grab breakfast at the mall before visiting Merlion Park on my way to Singapore Botanical and National Orchid Gardens.

Then I make my way over to Chinatown, where I spend my time strolling through the maze of narrow roads. I stumble upon the Buddha tooth relic temple and several interesting murals drawn on the walls. With the mid-day heat becoming somewhat unbearable, I duck into the nearest restaurant I can find.

Nomiya Izakaya & Sake Bar turns out to be a great find! The restaurant is air-conditioned, to the point where I need to drape my pashmina over my shoulders. The food is tasty and the service is excellent.

I return to my hotel afterwards to find a bonding event being hosted by the staff. There’s lots of food and drinks and both long and short-term residents along with the staff of the hotel use the opportunity to interact with each other.

Things to Do in Singapore – Day 3

I decide to spend my third day in Singapore as one should when they’re on vacation. I let the time pass slowly and stay in bed a little longer. Eventually, my feet grow restless and they take me to Little India, Arab Street, and finally the Lau Pasat Hawker’s centre.

I end my day back at MBS to catch the Spectra Show. After the show, a band in a restaurant performs Bon Jovi’s hit song “It’s My Life” to diners and spectators that have now gathered outside the restaurant to listen to them. The song couldn’t be more fitting and they get a well-deserved rousing ovation when it ends!

Things to Do in Singapore – Day 4

Finally, my last day in Singapore arrives and I choose to spend it on Sentosa Island. This island is Singapore’s adventure hub but what I am looking to do really, is just spend some downtime on the beach.

As I prepare to leave the island, I see the iFly Singapore building and decide on the spur of the moment to try out indoor skydiving. Luckily, it’s not a busy day and I get a spot immediately. I opt for a single flight but upon seeing that the flight lasted only 45 seconds – seriously, 45 seconds – and the instructor kept you at waist level, I pay for a second flight to go higher.

The second flight is worth the experience (and its steep price point) for me. It seemed to last longer than 45 seconds – thank goodness – and we go higher and freefall for a while. (I have a video under my IG highlights :)).

With that, I wrap up my stay in Singapore and head on to my next destination – Malaysia!

Let me know if you enjoyed reading this post! If you haven’t been to Singapore, is it a country on your travel wishlist? And if you have been, what was your experience like?

I have so much more to write about my visit – I’d like to share about my first and overall impressions of Singapore and Malaysia, as well as a cost breakdown for this trip. I’ll do so in the coming weeks, so look out for the posts or an early preview on my Buy Me a Coffee page. 🙂