15 Things to Do in Singapore

The three-towered hotel with a 150-metre rooftop infinity pool is Singapore's defining image. Gardens by the Bay next door contains 18 Supertree structures and two climate-controlled domes — the Cloud Forest's waterfall inside a glass mountain is one of the world's most spectacular indoor spaces.

UNESCO-recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage — Singapore's open-air hawker centres serve Chinese, Malay and Indian food side by side, with Michelin-starred dishes costing S$3. Maxwell Food Centre, Old Airport Road and Lau Pa Sat are the legendary addresses. The chicken rice alone is worth the flight.

Singapore's leisure island — Universal Studios Southeast Asia, S.E.A. Aquarium (the world's largest), cable car rides, beach clubs and Adventure Cove waterpark on one connected resort island. A full two-day itinerary if you have children, a fun half-day if you don't.

A UNESCO World Heritage site and Singapore's lungs — 74 hectares of tropical garden with the world's largest outdoor orchid display. Free entry to the main gardens; the National Orchid Garden charges a small fee for its 1,000 species and 2,000 hybrids.

Singapore's ethnic neighbourhoods feel like cities within the city. Chinatown's Sri Mariamman Temple sits steps from a Buddha Tooth Relic Temple; Little India's Tekka wet market overflows with Tamil food and jasmine garlands at dawn. Both are best experienced on foot, early in the morning.

The world's first nocturnal wildlife park — Singapore's Night Safari lets you encounter over 900 animals in their natural nocturnal behaviour by tram and walking trails. The fire show at the entrance and the creatures along the moonlit paths make it unlike any zoo experience.

The 150-metre rooftop platform connecting MBS's three towers contains the world's largest rooftop infinity pool — non-guests can access the observation deck (SkyPark Observation Deck) for the same panoramic view without staying there. The view at sunset, with the CBD skyline and Gardens by the Bay below, is extraordinary.

The 18 vertical gardens (Supertrees) are lit up every night in the Garden Rhapsody light show — 20 minutes of music and light that draws crowds to the outdoor amphitheatre. The Cloud Forest dome, with its indoor waterfall and mist-shrouded mountain, is the world's most impressive climate-controlled garden space.

UNESCO-recognised hawker culture — Singapore's open-air food courts serve four cuisines side by side, with Michelin-star quality at street-food prices. The essential itinerary: Maxwell Food Centre for Tian Tian chicken rice, Lau Pa Sat for satay, Old Airport Road for carrot cake and Chomp Chomp for BBQ seafood.

One of the world's most innovative zoos — open-concept habitats with no visible cages. The Night Safari is the world's first nocturnal wildlife park, with 900 animals viewable by tram and walking trails after dark.

Singapore's resort island — Universal Studios, S.E.A. Aquarium, beach clubs, cable cars and Adventure Cove waterpark in one connected leisure precinct accessible by cable car, monorail or foot.

Singapore's Malay-Arab quarter — the golden-domed Sultan Mosque, rattan and textile shops on Arab Street, and some of the city's best Middle Eastern and Malay food in Bussorah Street's outdoor restaurants.

A 10km elevated park connector linking Telok Blangah Hill, Kent Ridge and Labrador Nature Reserve through forest canopy — Singapore's best free outdoor experience, with the Henderson Waves bridge as the highlight.

Singapore's most photogenic lane — narrow shophouses painted in murals, indie boutiques, vintage clothing and Middle Eastern cafes in a 200-metre lane that somehow contains an entire subculture.

Singapore's waterfront nightlife strips — Clarke Quay's converted riverside warehouses house bars, clubs and restaurants that stay busy until 3am; Boat Quay's colonial shophouses are the more atmospheric option for riverside drinks.