4 DAYS IN SINGAPORE FOR ONLY LESS THAN P11,000 (ALL-IN)

Travelling solo is one in my bucket list. I chose Singapore as my destination for my first solo travel because of its status as one of the safest and cleanest country in the world.  In addition, Singapore offers a lot of activities to do and various attractions to see, although many will agree that it is an expensive city. But fret not! Yes, it may be expensive, but with prudent planning and alertness for promos (be it with airfare, attraction tickets and accommodations), travelling on a budget in this classy city is not impossible.

So here’s how I enjoy Singapore for 4 days and 3 nights for only less than P11,000, All in! (Airfare, travel tax, terminal fee, accommodation, transportation, food and attraction ticket)

Airfare

Airfare is a major consideration in your budget so you must keep an eye for seat sales. I got my round-trip ticket to Singapore from Cebu for only 20 getgo points + P1,700.00 during the 10 point sale of Cebu Pacific last March 2017.

Tips: Book in advance. Follow major airline’s social media accounts to keep you updated with their seat sales and promos.

Accommodation

Singapore offers lots of accommodations for different types of travelers. Since hotels are expensive in Singapore, and if you spend most of the time outdoors and not planning to have a staycation, staying in a backpackers hostel is a good option. Aside from its affordable prices, you will get a chance to meet new friends.

As for me, I chose a single bed in an 8 bed female dorm type room in Beary Best Hostel, located in Chinatown, just opposite of Chinatown MRT Station Exit F. I booked my accommodation with TRAVELOKA app for only P2,063.00. It already includes free breakfast, free wifi and free coffee, tea, hot choco or cold milk all day.

Tips:

• In choosing accommodation, do consider its cleanliness and safety.  Make sure it is budget friendly and has good location or easy access to public transportation. Read reviews to help you decide.
• Booked your accommodation online via Agoda or Booking.com or through Traveloka app for cheaper prices and promos.
• Towels and toiletries are not included when you stay in a budget hostel so better bring one.
• Always bring your own lock and a spare lock for your locker and a universal power adapter.
• Choose accommodation with free breakfast to cut costs on meals.

Getting Around

With its excellent and efficient public transportation, getting around Singapore is easy- breezy. You can pay your ride on buses, MRT and LRT trains with standard ticket or with EZ-Link Card or Singapore Tourist Pass.

Singapore Tourist Pass is a special stored-value card which will allow you unlimited rides on bus, MRT and LRT for one day (SGD10), two days (SGD16), or three days (SGD20). STP is subject to SGD10 rental deposit which will be refunded when you return the card upon its expiration. For more details about STP, you can refer to this site.

But during my stay, I chose an EZ Link Card rather than the Singapore Tourist Pass. An EZ Link Card can be bought in MRT Station or in 7-Eleven stores for only SGD12 which composed of SGD5 nonrefundable cost of the card which you can use for 5 years and SGD7 consumable amount of fare. The card is reloadable but take note that minimum top up or reload is SGD10. For more details about EZ Link Card, click here.

But aside from their public transportation, the cheapest mode to explore the city is by foot. Be up for a walking challenge and prepare your feet for long walks that are worth remembering.

Tips: Download the MRT/LRT System Map to help you navigate the subway and know the appropriate routes of buses to your intended destination. Download also Maps.me, a mobile application that provides an offline map.

Where and what to eat

In this so-called expensive country, finding a scrumptious yet affordable meal is not that difficult. Just go to Chinatown Foodstreet, Bugis St. or Hawker Centers and eat Singapore’s must try foods like Hainanese Chicken Rice, Laksa, Satay, Kopi, Honey Chicken Chop and more. Food prices ranges from SGD3 and up.

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Tips:

• Take advantage of the free breakfast in your hostel.
• Always bring water bottle and just refill it in your hostel or from drinking fountains.
• Bring snacks like biscuits or chocolates.
• If Universal Studios is part of your itinerary, buy your ticket in Klook as this includes a SGD5 meal discount voucher.

Itinerary

Here are the tourist spots I visited in my 4 day-itinerary.

Day 1

• Chinatown

Since my hostel is in Chinatown, I started my itinerary by exploring this neighborhood. Chinatown is known for its heritage, striking temples, hawker centers and street stalls best for souvenir shopping.

Stall streets selling souvenir items

Chinatown Foodstreet

Colorful shops in the street

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

Sri Mariamman Temple, an oldest Hindu Temple

Sri Mariamman Temple

After exploring Chinatown, I decided to have a walking tour to modern side of Singapore. I walked from Chinatown to Gardens by the Bay with the help of the free maps that I got from the airport. (Just follow the trail from South Bridge Road to Stamford Road to Esplanade Road)

Here are the attractions I saw along the way:

• Boat Quay
• Parliament House
• National Gallery Singapore
• St. Andrew’s Cathedral
• War Memorial Park
• Esplanade Road
• Esplanade Theaters on the Bay

Boat Quay

Parliament House

Parliament House

St. Andrew’s Cathedral

National Gallery of Singapore

 

• Merlion Park and Marina Bay Sands

After hours of walking, I found myself here in Merlion Park where the iconic Merlion (half-fish and half-lion) resides. You can also marvel at Marina Bay Sand and Arts Museum. Or you can just rest for a while and wait for the sunset or if you’re lucky, you can witness a show in the esplanade.

• Gardens by the Bay

From Esplanade, I walked my way to Helix Bridge down to Gardens by the Bay and stood in awe of the supertrees. I waited for the Garden Rhapsody (Light and Sound Show) where the entire area was filled with coordinated light and music. It was so amusing.  Just find a good spot where you can watch the show. (Schedule of show: Daily – 7:45 pm and 8:45 pm)

And if you have extra bucks, you can also visit the two conservatories: Flower Dome and Cloud Forest and if you like to get up close with the supertree grove, you can stroll along OCBC Skyway, an elevated walkway but for a fee also. For operating hours and admissions, please refer to this site.

After the show, I decided to have my dinner in Satay by the Bay. If you have time, catch the Spectra, a 15-minute outdoor light and water show (dancing water fountains and other effects). It is best viewed at the Event Plaza in Marina Bay Sands. (Schedule of show: Daily – 8:00 pm and 9:00 pm. There is an additional schedule every Friday and Saturday which is 10:00 pm) 

View of Gardens by the Bay from Marina Bay Sands

Supertree Grove

A view of Singapore Flyer from Gardens of the Bay

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Day 2

• Universal Studios

If you want to experience thrilling rides, amazing shows and attractions, or meet the minions and Bumblebee, Universal Studios Singapore is for you. This is located in Sentosa Island. There are seven-themed zones which you can enjoy namely Madagascar, Far Far Away, The Lost World, Ancient Egypt, Sci-Fi City, New York, Hollywood .

Far Far Away

The Lost World: Jurassic Park

Ancient Egypt

Bumblebee in SciFi City

Meet and greet the minions

Battlestar Galactica:Human vs. Cyclone

With the famous universal globe

Cast of characters of the live show performance in The Lost World

The Lost World

My newfound friends from Davao (Hershey, Jumna, Kim, Edgs and Wheng). I met them in front of the famous Universal Studios globe. I asked them to take a picture of me and they asked if I’m alone and that I can join them. ☺

How to get there: Go to Harbourfront Station by following North East Line (Purple Line) or Circle Line, take the exit going to Vivo City, find signs pointing you to Sentosa Boardwalk. Walk to Sentosa via Boardwalk for free. Or you can also ride the monorail express going to sentosa for 4SGD or by cable car for 29SGD.

Operating hours: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm

Tips:

• Buy your discounted ticket in Klook to skip the line in ticket counter and this includes a SGD5 meal discount voucher.
• Be early.
• Get a free map of USS and check the schedule of shows in different zone so you can manage your time and you can’t miss shows especially the show in Waterworld.
• Try all the rides if you can.
• Bring raincoat or extra shirt as there are rides that can get you wet.
• If you are traveling solo, there are single rider lane that helps you skip the long queue.

After enjoying USS, we went to our next destination which is Bugis. One of Singapore’s shopping destination. This is a place for travelers who are looking for something as souvenirs, be it keychains, tshirts, ref magnets and many more. And if you’re good in bargaining, this is a place for you. You can also see lots of street foods here.

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Day 3

• Singapore Zoo and River Safari

These two are both located in Mandai Lake Road and are located next to each other. Singapore Zoo is the home of thousand of animals like elephants, giraffe, white tiger, kangaroo and many more while River Safari is a river-themed zoo and aquarium. It is also where the Giant Panda Forest is located where you can meet the adorable pandas: Kai Kai, Jia Jia and the red panda.

Looks like the elephant is smiling 🙂

Sleeping beauty

For more details about how to get there, admission fees and operating hours, please go to this link.  I also included some tips there.

• Orchard Road

After a day in the zoo, I decided to go to Orchard Road. I rode Bus 138 going to Ang Mo Kio MRT Station, alight to North South Line ( Red Line, platform going to Marina South Pier) and stopped in Orchard Station and find my way out to ION Orchard.

Orchard Road is a major shopping belt or most famous shopping street in Singapore. This looks like a shopper’s paradise. Here lies the boutiques of major brands like Louis Vuitton and Prada. You can walk around this exquisite street with all its glittering lights.

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Day 4

• Little India

I started my fourth day in Little India.  This is the heart of the Indian community in Singapore which is known for its colorful shophouses, hindu temples, restaurants offering Indian foods and variety of Indian souvenirs. I was not able to fully explore Little India. I have only visited the house of  Tan Teng Niah and the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, one of the oldest Hindu Temple along Serangoon Road.

Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple – one of Singapore’s oldest Hindu Temple along Serangoon Road dedicated to the goddess and destroyer of evil, Sri Veeramakaliamman or Kali.

House of  Tan Teng Niah – the only surviving Chinese villa in Little India

• Haji Lane and Arab St.

Haji Lane and Arab St. is just in the same vicinity. You know you’re in Arab St. already if you saw Sultan Mosque or Masjid Sultan, the prominent mosque in Singapore.

Sultan Mosque or Masjid Sultan

Haji Lane is a narrow alley admired for its charming ambiance.This street is bounded by adorable cafes, distinctive shops and artsy walls. Every corner is instagrammable.

When you’re in Haji Lane, don’t miss out a unique cafe called Selfie Coffee where your selfie is printed on top of your coffee. (Amazing, right?)

And by the way, I got myself another new friend (Engr. Maricar) who is from Quezon City. I met her in the hostel where I’m staying. My check out date is her check in date there. She accompanied me in my last day itinerary.

After a quick tour in Little India and Haji Lane, we went back to Chinatown to buy some souvenirs. Then went to my hostel to get my things and off to the airport to wait for my flight back to Cebu.

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BREAKDOWN OF EXPENSES
*I exchanged my peso bills to singapore dollar here in the Philippines. (For Cebuanos, you can exchanged it in Alco Credit and Foreign Exchange in Raintree Mall, Ramos, Cebu City.)

** As for my Universal Studios ticket, I got it as a birthday gift from a very Sweet friend of mine. Usual price in Klook is around P2,500.

*** I didn’t include above my expenses for pasalubong. (Tips: Ref magnets, keychains, ballpens and stationaries are cheaper in Chinatown. I saw a set of 42 pcs of keychain for only 10SGD. Chocolates are cheaper in Value Dollar store in Bugis and Chinatown Point) 

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That’s it! Hope this will help you in your future travel. Singapore may be a small country but this city in a garden has lots to offer. You will be astonished with its diversity and with the discipline of its citizens. I was left in awe. 🙂