Maxwell Food Centre →
A hawker meal alongside a Chinatown walk
Choose it for a hawker meal before or after exploring Chinatown.
Visit details & sources
- Try
- Chicken rice, or compare the other stalls when you arrive
- Find it
- 1 Kadayanallur Street
When to visit.
December · JanuaryThese are typically rainy months. Keep the National Gallery as an indoor option and leave outdoor walks flexible.
FebruaryFebruary is usually relatively dry, but rain remains possible. Use the Botanic Gardens entrance that suits your MRT route.
MarchEarly March is often drier; thunderstorms become more common later in the month. Keep a garden walk flexible.
April · MayExpect hot afternoons and possible afternoon or evening thunderstorms. Put garden walks earlier and keep an indoor alternative.
June · July · August · SeptemberShort afternoon showers are common; morning squalls are also possible. Check the forecast before choosing an outdoor stretch.
October · NovemberAfternoon and evening thunderstorms are common. Pair a flexible Chinatown walk with an indoor option.
Compare monthly weather
Historical monthly weather
Select a month to plan your visit.
WarmestMar · 88°F (31°C)
WettestNov
Best windowFeb–Apr
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Bar height: daytime high.Green underline: best window. Square outline: selected month.
Select a month for temperature, rainfall and modelled sunshine.
Weather data & source
2018–2023 averages, not a forecast. Wet days estimate days with at least 1 mm of rain or snow using a calibrated ERA5 threshold. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (AWS Open Data, CC BY 4.0). Sunshine measures daylight only. Open-Meteo
A first trip4 nights
Two nights allow a first look at the centre and its food districts; four leave room for neighbourhood walks and separate garden and museum visits.
Your baseChinatown
Stay near the food streets and heritage sights for a walkable introduction to the city.
Stay length, neighbourhoods & sources
Two nights allow a first look at the centre and its food districts; four leave room for neighbourhood walks and separate garden and museum visits.
Stay near the food streets and heritage sights for a walkable introduction to the city.
Explore sample itineraries →What to see
Start with the sights.
Start with Chinatown’s temples, then make time for the food centres.
01What to seeSingapore Botanic GardensExplore →
The Singapore Botanic Gardens is a tropical garden located at the fringe of the Orchard Road shopping district in Singapore.
02What to seeSingapore RiverExplore →
The Singapore River is a river that flows parallel to Alexandra Road and feeds into the Marina Reservoir in the southern part of Singapore.
03What to seeMerlionExplore →
The Merlion is the official mascot of Singapore.
04What to seeMarina Bay Street CircuitExplore →
The Marina Bay Street Circuit is a street circuit around Marina Bay, Singapore, encompassing the planning areas of Downtown Core and Kallang.
05What to seeSingapore FlyerExplore →
The Singapore Flyer is an observation wheel at the Downtown Core district of Singapore.
Where to eat
Where to eat in Singapore
Ya Kun at Far East Square →
Kaya toast with butter on China Street
Choose it for a toast breakfast; check the Far East Square branch rather than another Ya Kun outlet.
Visit details & sources
- Try
- Kaya Toast with Butter
- Find it
- 18 China Street, #01-01
- Before going
- Check this branch’s hours; it closes earlier on weekends and public holidays
Candlenut →
A Peranakan meal at Dempsey
Choose it for a sit-down Peranakan meal you can reserve.
Visit details & sources
- Menus
- Compare the current à la carte and Ah-ma-kase menus
- Try
- Chef’s Mum’s Chicken Curry
- Find it
- 17A Dempsey Road
Kampong Glam Bussorah Pedestrian Mall (Night)
Singapore, photographed in 2023
Make a plan
Before you go.
Transport, fares & local advice
Getting there
SIN (main international gateway): Taxi to the city centre, about 30 minutes. Changi’s approximate journey estimate; the destination and road conditions affect the ride.
Getting around
Use MRT trains and buses for longer trips, then walk within each neighbourhood. Check the journey planner for connections.
Cloud Forest
An indoor waterfall, planted mountain and aerial walkways
Requirements & visit details
- Admission
- Paid attraction; check what your selected ticket includes
- Before booking
- Check the maintenance calendar: Cloud Forest closes once a month
- Current experience
- Jurassic World: The Experience includes loud sounds and flashing lights
Singapore Botanic Gardens
A free garden walk with a separately ticketed orchid garden
Requirements & visit details
- Admission
- The gardens are free; National Orchid Garden admission is charged
- Tanglin entrance
- Use Napier MRT on the Thomson–East Coast Line
- Bukit Timah entrance
- Use Botanic Gardens MRT on the Circle or Downtown Line
National Gallery Singapore
An indoor art visit near City Hall MRT
Requirements & visit details
- Admission
- Check which exhibitions your ticket includes; some spaces are ticketed
- Gallery closure
- UOB Southeast Asia Gallery is closed and expected to reopen in late 2027
- Bags
- Store bulky bags and umbrellas in the Basement 1 lockers
Changi by train
Change at Tanah Merah or Expo for city connections
Requirements & visit details
- East–West Line
- From Changi Airport, change at Tanah Merah for trains towards Tuas Link
- Downtown Line
- Alternatively, change at Expo for trains towards Bukit Panjang
- Late arrivals
- Check the last train for your connection: MRT and most bus services do not run all night
Paying for MRT and buses
Use the same card or device at both ends of each ride
Requirements & visit details
- Tap in and out
- Tap when boarding and leaving buses, and entering and leaving train stations
- One payment method
- Use the same physical card, or the same card in the same mobile wallet on the same device, for both taps
- Foreign cards
- Foreign-issued Mastercard and Visa cards incur an administration fee; your bank may add fees
Know before you go
- Eat at hawker centres, cheap and superb.
- Fines are real: no gum, no jaywalking.
- Tap an EZ-Link or contactless card for the MRT.
Planning sources · checked 2026-10-18
Stay length is a Trailwind editorial estimate. Transfer times are approximate.
- 3-Day Singapore Food Guide | Self-Guided Food Trail · Accessed 2026-10-15
- Chinatown: A Walking Guide | Singapore Tourism Board · Accessed 2026-10-15
- LTA | Getting Around · Accessed 2026-10-15
- Changi Airport Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) · Accessed 2026-10-15
- Leaving Changi Airport: Transport Options · Accessed 2026-10-15
- Explore Chinatown in Singapore: Top Things to Do · Accessed 2026-10-18
- Climate of Singapore · Accessed 2026-10-18
- Cloud Forest · Accessed 2026-10-18
- Opening Hours & Closures · Accessed 2026-10-18
- Visitor Information · Accessed 2026-10-18
- Visitor Information | National Gallery Singapore · Accessed 2026-10-18
- Maxwell Food Centre · Accessed 2026-10-18
- Find Us · Accessed 2026-10-18
- Toast · Accessed 2026-10-18
- Candlenut · Accessed 2026-10-18
- Leaving Changi Airport: Transport Options · Accessed 2026-10-18
- SimplyGo | FAQs for Contactless Bank Cards · Accessed 2026-10-18
- SimplyGo | Terms · Accessed 2026-10-18
Questions
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Singapore?
The best time to visit Singapore is Feb–Apr, in Singapore.
Where is Singapore?
Singapore is in Singapore. The nearest major airport is Singapore Changi (SIN).
What is Singapore known for?
A hyper-efficient city-state where every cuisine has a hawker stall.
More places to explore
Explore these places for a longer trip. Distances are straight line; check the route and travel time before planning an outing.
Beyond the city
