The Very Best Free Things to Do in Singapore
For a city essentially known for being expensive, Singapore certainly offers a lot of free things to see and do! When we visited Singapore for the first time, we definitely did not have the budget to indulge in Singapore’s luxuries and were quite worried as to whether we would still be able to experience the city to the fullest.
If you are in the same boat, fret not, because as it turned out, it is definitely possible to travel Singapore on a budget! In this post specifically, we will show you just how many activities in Singapore are actually free and how you can explore the cities’ many facets without spending a single dollar!
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Best Free Attractions in Singapore
This post covers, in our opinion, some of the best free things to see and do in Singapore! From the most popular attractions to lesser known sights, we provide a varied selection of activities – so you may choose your personal favourites for your upcoming trip to Singapore!
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1. Explore Singapore’s colourful Chinatown
Singapore’s Chinatown is certainly a colourful and vibrant place. Filled with great food and beautiful murals, Chinatown holds a historical and cultural significance and is definitely one of Singapore’s quarters that we would consider a MUST-VISIT.
Don’t miss:
🏮 Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. A stunning Buddhist temple.
🐉 Chinatown Street Market. Great place to do some souvenir shopping!
🥡 Maxwell Food Center. In our opinion one of the best spots for cheap food in all of Singapore!
🛕 Sri Mariamman Temple. The oldest Hindu temple in Singapore.
2. Marvel at the Jewel at Singapore’s Changi Airport
Probably one of the most well known attractions in all of Singapore is the airport’s Jewel! The latter contains the world’s tallest indoor waterfall also known as the Rain Vortex, surrounded by a stunning terraced tropical forest!
Know this before you visit the Jewel!
🗺️ While located at the airport, the Jewel complex is outside of the transit area! So, ideally head to the Jewel before going through customs on the day you fly out of Singapore.
🕙 The Rain Vortex is not always on! Visit between 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. (Mon - Thu) or 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. (Fri - Sun) to see it!
3. Stroll around Kampong Glam – Singapore’s stunning Muslim quarter
Kampong Glam is Singapore’s Muslim quarter and you might have seen pictures of it before due to it being the home of the stunning Sultan Mosque. The latter has a gilded dome and sits at the heart of Kampong Glam, surrounded by a number of colourful streets, housing restaurants, cafés and shops.
Don’t miss:
🕌 Masjid Sultan. Stunning Mosque with a gilded dome.
🌆 Busssorah Street. Street leading up to the Sultan Mosque.
🎨 Haji Lane and Arab Street. Popular streets lined with shops, restaurants and awesome murals!
4. Explore the Singapore Botanic Gardens
The Singapore Botanic Gardens are essentially a huge park that has become one of the most important botanical gardens in Asia. So much so, that it is considered to be the most visited botanical garden in the world and was registered as Singapore’s very first UNESCO Heritage Site in 2015.
Apart from the National Orchid Garden, all 74 hectares of this park are free to enter and explore!
5. Get lost in Little India
After visiting Singapore’s Chinatown and Muslin Quarter, your trip to Singapore would not be complete without paying at least a quick visit to Little India as well! Immerse yourself in Indian culture and sample a few Indian dishes while strolling past shops selling beautiful Indian clothing and decor!
A quick side note: maybe try to avoid visiting Little India on a Sunday as it can get really packed! We did not know about this and visited on, well, a Sunday and ended up being a little overwhelmed! A quick research afterwards confirmed that indeed Sundays are best avoided here if, like us, you are easily overwhelmed by big crowds!
Don’t miss:
🍛 Tekka Center. A food market and court, also housing a number of clothing shops. Great place to sample Indian dishes from all over India.
🛕 Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple. A stunning Hindu temple.
🏠 Former House of Tan Teng Niah. Building with beautifully coloured front.
6. Find the most Southern Point of Continental Asia
This next activity will get you a little further outside of Singapore’s city centre, namely to Sentosa Island. The latter is an island that is quite well known as sort of an entertainment hub for Singaporeans and foreign tourists alike. As such Sentosa Island is home to e.g. Singapore’s Universal Studios, Aquarium and Madame Tussaud’s among many other things.
However, there are a number of free activities here as well. Our favourite one is the Southernmost Point of Continental Asia on Palawan Island, which can be reached via a bridge from Palawan Beach. From here you can climb a small viewing platform and get a great view over hundreds of ships on their way to Singapore’s harbour.
Don’t miss:
🏖️ Palawan Beach and Siloso Beach. Beautiful tropical beaches to spend a relaxing afternoon on.
🔭 Southernmost Point of Continental Asia. Lovely viewpoint on Palawan Island right in front of Palawan Beach.
🌴 Fort Siloso Skywalk. An 11-stories-high treetop walk that connects Siloso Beach to Fort Siloso.
🪖 Fort Siloso. A coastal fort from WWII. Especially interesting if you want to know a little more about Singapore's history.
7. Visit Fort Canning Park & the Civic District
Located on Fort Canning Hill, you will find the remnants of a fort that was built by the British around 1860. However, it is believed that this hill used to be an important site even way before the British, more precisely in the 14th century where the Malay Kingdom of Singapura thrived in this area.
Today the hill is home to a lovely park, frequented by many locals and regularly used as a location for a variety of events. The park houses numerous sights and activities and most are free.
At the foot of Fort Canning Hill you will find Singapore’s Civic District. This quarter is filled with buildings from the colonial period which now function among other things as museums and art galleries.
In our 3-Day Singapore Itinerary, you will find a self-guided walking tour that we specifically designed to take you on a scenic route past all the most amazing buildings and sights in this area of Singapore!
Our favourites:
🏰 Fort Wall. Remnants of the old British fort.
🌳 Fort Canning Tree Tunnel. Stunning circular staircase leading down towards Orchard Road.
⛲ Sang Nila Utama Garden. Peaceful little garden within Fort Canning Park.
🎨 Old Hill Street Police Station. Building famous for its colourful window shutters.
⛪ St. Andrew’s Cathedral. Beautiful cathedral finished in 1861.
8. Do the TreeTop Walk
If you crave a little more adventure in nature and would like to explore Singapore’s tropical forests some more, you might be interested in doing the TreeTop Walk. The latter is located in MacRitchie Nature Reserve and consists of a 250 meters long suspension bridge that allows for some awesome views over the nature reserve’s forest canopy!
The TreeTop Walk can be reached, e.g. via a trail from Windsor Nature Park that is 7 kilometres long (round-trip). For more information on this trail, here is a link to an official detailed guide on the TreeTop Walk, which is provided by a Singapore Government Agency.
9. Take a picture with Singapore’s iconic Merlion
The Merlion is a mythical creature with the body of a fish and the head of a lion. And, it also happens to be the mascot of Singapore! Its statue can be found at quite a scenic spot on the edge of Singapore’s Marina Bay Area, spouting water into the bay.
Since the Merlion is quite popular among tourists, you might have to fight for a picture with the creature. However, we think that a trip to Singapore would not be complete, without at least dropping by for a quick glance at the cities’ mascot!
10. Walk over the stunning Helix Bridge
Quite literally on the opposite side of the Marina Bay (from the Merlion), you will glance Helix Bridge. This stunningly designed pedestrian bridge connects a part of Singapore’s downtown area to the famous Gardens by the Bay.
Crossing the Helix bridge will grant you amazing views over the Marina Bay and its surrounding areas. Also, it will get you exactly where you need to be for the next three free activities on this list!
11. Stroll around the famous Gardens by the Bay
If you have seen pictures of Singapore before, we are very certain that you have seen glimpses of the Gardens by the Bay. Located right behind the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel, the Gardens by the Bay are home to the equally as iconic Supertrees!
While the Gardens by the Bay contain a number of paid experiences such as the Cloud Forest, Flower Dome and OCBC Skywalk*, entry to the general area is free.
Within the park you will find a few themed squares known as the Heritage Gardens that are free to roam around. Also, you can get close up to the Supertrees inside the Supertree Grove for free as well!
12. Marvel at the Garden Rhapsody Show
Twice every night, the Supertrees put on a beautiful light show named the Garden Rhapsody Show. Come either at 7:45 p.m. or at 8:45 p.m. to marvel at the 15 minutes long colourful spectacle!
Our Tip: Head to the Marina Bay Overpass Viewing Point for a great view of the show! Or alternatively go to the Supertree Grove for a more immersive experience!
13. Experience Spectra – A Light & Water Show
Right after the Garden Rhapsody Show, make your way to the other side of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. Here you can marvel at yet another free light show! This one is performed by numerous fountains located in Marina Bay, right in front of the Marina Bay Sands Shopping Center.
When? At 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., this show is 15 minutes long as well!
14. Take in Singapore’s colourful skyline at night
Staying on theme with the previous activities, this last one is also best enjoyed at night. Singapore’s downtown area is usually pretty lively at night and, honestly, views are simply awesome!
A lot of buildings are illuminated, often in different colours and the bay area is home to numerous pedestrian walkways that are just perfect for an evening stroll.
Don’t miss:
Boat Quay. An area filled with restaurants and bars alongside the Singapore River.
Cavenagh Bridge. Both ends of the bridge are surrounded by quite stunning buildings and areas.
Clifford Square and Pier. Great spot to marvel at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel from the other side of the bay.
Jubilee Bridge. A pedestrian bridge that allows for some great views on Marina Bay.
Final Thoughts on all Free Things to do in Singapore
This completes our list of free things to see and do in Singapore. As you can see, there are quite a few free attractions within the city. And, we are sure this list does not even cover all of them.
Often when solely relying on free things to see and do, you might feel like you are missing out on a lot of stuff. But, Singapore is truly one of those places where you can be absolutely content with mostly sticking to free activities.
For more tips on travelling Singapore on a budget, head to our separate post on the topic! But, before you do, save this post for your upcoming trip to Singapore. And finally, as always: Happy Travels!
