Singapore

Singapore is an absolutely fantastic city to visit. There is SO much to do and see, it's safe, clean and well organised. Pretty much all the attributes I love to hear when bringing kid(s).

If you want to see the absolute essentials only, you can do so in a quick 2-day stopover and then hop on to your next destination or home. But Singapore certainly has more to offer and can very easily fill a weeks vacation. So your pick, how much you and the fam want to see.

Also check out my tips for smooth travels in Singapore with your kids.

Peranakan shophouses

The essentials

The Bayfront

Obviously, right? Because if you have seen just one image of Singapore, it's most likely the skyline including the Marina Bay Sands towers.

Take the MRT to Raffles place or a taxi/grab to the Fullerton Hotel and explore from there: Most importantly the Merlion and the view over to MBS (Marina Bay Sands hotel) but also walk across the bridge to Victoria Theater and Esplanade park including Esplanade theaters (aka The Durian). You can walk around the small bay and include the MBS, thanks to two pedestrian bridges. It's a lovely walk but can be a bit of a stretch with kids, especially if you are not used to the heat.
A great alternative to walking is the River boat cruise. You get to see all the sights close up including live comments and frankly, a much quieter experience than ashore. There is also Duck Tours that does a land-water combo tour, offering the same views of the bay.

I recommend (early) evenings as the lights just bring some special magic and if you like, you can hang around for the light show. (Almost daily, confirm timings here)

2. Gardens by the Bay

On the other side of the bay (behind the Marina Bay Sands towers) you'll also find the Gardens by the bay with its must see: The Supertree Grove. It's a lovely tropical garden witMh two great playgrounds and if you want to cool down a little, consider visiting the Flower Dome.

Catch the free lightshow at 7:45pm or 8:45pm. An extraordinary experience all of our friends and family, small or big, have loved.

3. Chinatown

Vibrant, lively and so many great food options.
Wander along Pagoda Street and Smith Street to see the traditional shop houses, the many murals depicting various trades and potentially shop some curios and souvenirs.

Make sure to visit the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and the Starbucks on Smith Street: this one takes first place in the prettiest Starbucks buildings I've encountered so far.

For food, I avoid the very two mentioned streets and head more towards Upper Cross Street or Ann Siang Hill.
The Chinatown Hawker (food center) offers tons of very affordable food options. Just follow the queues to guess which stalls are famous/typical: the longer the queue, chances are, the stall is even Michelin recommended!
I will say though, this food center can be a bit more challenging with younger kids and Maxwell food center may be a better choice for you.

Tip: Hotels

With babies and kids, you want to choose the location of your hotel strategically. Check my suggestions for family-friendly hotels in the best neighbourhoods here.

Tip: Hop-on hop-off

You want to see a lot of the city, but your kids are not (yet) interested in sightseeing? My go-to solution are Hop-on hop-off tours: No negotiating about how much longer they need to walk, yet you get to see the interesting parts of the city including the most important facts. Pick one or two places of your interest to hop-off and explore in more depth, have some food and find a playground to get those little legs running.

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