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Singapore - A City Transformed

Part 3/3 – 5 Weeks through Thailand, Central Vietnam & Singapore · 03/2026

By Beyond All Maps - Portraits of our Planet by Thorsten Mehret

July 26^th, 2026

Welcome

This travel story is separated in three parts, use the links below to the other parts

--> Go to Part 1: Thailand - Pattaya and Koh Chang

--> Go to Part 2: Central Vietnam

--> This is Part 3: Singapore

Motivation - Why to Go?

Singapore is certainly not the main destination of this trip. In fact, my first visit back in 1996 didn’t leave much of an impression. It was clean, efficient and easy to explore, but somehow lacked the spark that made other Asian cities memorable to me.

Nearly three decades later, however, curiosity gets the better of me. Singapore has changed dramatically, with iconic landmarks like Marina Bay, Gardens by the Bay and Jewel Changi completely reshaping the city. A stopover on the way back from Vietnam to Germany is therefore the perfect opportunity to see how much this once rather forgettable city has reinvented itself.

Sometimes a second chance is all a destination needs.

Climate and Best Travel Time

Thanks to its location almost exactly on the equator, Singapore enjoys a warm, tropical climate year-round, with temperatures typically ranging between 26°C and 32°C. Humidity is consistently high, and short but heavy rain showers can occur in any month.

There is no true dry season, but February to April generally offers the sunniest weather and is considered one of the best times to visit. Regardless of when you come, lightweight clothing, sunscreen, and an umbrella are all part of the recommended packing list.

Facts and Figures

Size: ~734 sq. km (one of the world’s smallest countries)
Population: ~5.9–6.0 million (2025 estimate)
Capital and biggest city: Singapore – the entire country is essentially one highly urbanized city-state
Ethnic groups: Chinese ~74 %, Malay ~13–15 %, Indian ~8–10 %, Others (including Eurasian and expatriate communities) ~2–3 %
Languages: English (administrative and working language), Malay (national language), Mandarin Chinese, Tamil
Currency:
Singapore Dollar (SGD)

Singapore in one Sentence and 5 Fun Facts

Singapore is a a compact, ultra-modern city-state where everything, from street food stalls to skyline views, feels tightly packed, highly organised, and slightly futuristic, yet still culturally layered in a way that makes each district feel like its own small world.

1. A country that is also a city

Singapore is a full country that is basically one highly organised city-state. In Singapore, you can cross from futuristic skyscrapers to jungle-like parks to hawker centers in under 20 minutes, without ever leaving the city limits.

2. One of the strictest “clean cities” on Earth

Singapore is famously clean, partly thanks to strict regulations (yes, chewing gum used to be tightly controlled). The result is a place where you instinctively hesitate before even thinking about dropping a wrapper.

3. Hawker centers are Michelin-level street food

Some of the world’s cheapest Michelin-starred meals can be found in Singapore’s hawker centers. Plastic chairs, fluorescent lighting, and world-class food all coexist in a beautifully unpretentious way.

4. It’s a melting pot that actually works

Chinese, Malay, Indian, and international cultures don’t just coexist, they are woven into daily life. This shows up everywhere: food, architecture, festivals, and even how neighborhoods like Chinatown, Little India, and Kampong Glam sit side by side.

5. Nature and skyline are oddly best friends

Despite its dense urban look, Singapore is surprisingly green. You can go from rooftop infinity pools to rainforest walks in minutes. Even the futuristic Supertrees in Gardens by the Bay combine technology with nature in a way that feels slightly like science fiction, but very real.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in the afternoon, first walk around Chinatown
Day 2: Marina Bay, Cloud Forest & Flower Dome, Sky Garden at CapitaSpring
Day 3: Chinatown, The Pinnacle@Duxton, Little India, Kampong Glam, Gardens by the Bay, Spectra
Day 4: Parkroyal Collection, Former General Post Office, Fort Cannings Park, Formula One Circuit, Millenia Walk, Raffles Hotel, Keppel Bay, Clarke Quay
Day 5: Jewel Changi, Departure

A Smooth Arrival in the Lion City

After almost four weeks travelling through Thailand and central Vietnam, Singapore couldn’t feel more different from the moment we land. Immigration is astonishingly efficient. An automated passport scanner replaces the traditional immigration counter, there isn’t a single person ahead of us, and less than five minutes later our luggage is already circling the baggage belt. If every airport worked like this, travelling would be a far less stressful experience.

Singapore

About Singapore

Singapore may be one of the world’s smallest countries, but it packs an astonishing amount of diversity into its 730 square kilometres. Futuristic skyscrapers rise beside colourful heritage districts such as Chinatown, Little India, and Kampong Glam, while lush parks and nature reserves have earned the city its reputation as the “Garden City.”

Often regarded as one of the cleanest, safest, and most efficient cities in the world, Singapore is also a true cultural melting pot. Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Western influences shape everything from its architecture and festivals to its world-famous hawker cuisine.

Although it is considerably more expensive than most destinations in Southeast Asia, Singapore offers a unique blend of modern innovation, multicultural heritage, and outstanding food, making it one of Asia’s most fascinating city destinations.

The New Kids on the Block

A Grab takes us directly from the airport to Kinn Studios in the heart of Chinatown. The contrast with Vietnam is immediate, not just in architecture and atmosphere, but also in prices. Singapore operates in a completely different league. Our simple but spotless hotel room costs around €500 for four nights, which, by local standards, is actually considered quite reasonable. Fortunately, the excellent location more than makes up for the modest room size.

After dropping our bags, the new kids on the block do what every newcomer should: head out to inspect the neighbourhood. Chinatown doesn’t disappoint. Beautifully restored shophouses glow beneath colourful lights and hawker centres tempt us with irresistible aromas. Within minutes, we’re already feeling at home.

Our first stop is a steaming bowl of laksa. Rich, creamy, and wonderfully spicy, it feels like the perfect welcome back. As we continue wandering through the lively streets, it becomes clear that Singapore never really slows down. Modern skyscrapers may dominate the skyline, but here in Chinatown, heritage, street food, and everyday life combine to create one of the city’s most vibrant neighbourhoods.

Marina Bay – A Skyline That Never Gets Old

We set out before sunrise, when Marina Bay still belongs to the early risers. The skyline reflects almost perfectly in the calm water as Singapore slowly begins to wake. Joggers take advantage of the cooler morning air, office workers trickle towards the financial district, and the first rays of sunlight gradually illuminate the towering glass skyscrapers. Dominating the scene is the unmistakable silhouette of Marina Bay Sands. It’s a wonderfully peaceful atmosphere, hard to imagine that, in just a couple of hours, this tranquil waterfront will be buzzing with thousands of people.

No visit to Singapore is complete without saying hello to the Merlion, the city’s half-lion, half-fish mascot. I can’t help wondering how much water the poor creature has been spitting into Marina Bay since 1972. At least it never has to worry about staying hydrated.

One of the first things we notice during our early morning walks is just how many Singaporeans start their day with their dogs. While joggers circle Marina Bay, dog owners stroll along the waterfront before the tropical heat takes over. Even more impressive are the professional dog walkers, calmly managing packs of six, seven, or even eight dogs at once. Somehow, both the walkers and their four-legged clients seem perfectly organised, a scene that feels very Singapore. It’s another reminder that even in one of the world’s most futuristic cities, everyday life still revolves around simple pleasures like a morning walk with man’s best friend.

What impresses me most is how green the city feels despite all the steel and glass. Trees, parks and gardens are woven into the architecture everywhere, making Singapore feel surprisingly alive rather than just another concrete jungle.

A Walk Through Prehistoric Gardens

Our next stop takes us into the Gardens by the Bay conservatories. The Flower Dome is beautiful, but it’s the Cloud Forest that steals the show.

Inside, mist rises around waterfalls, lush vegetation climbs the mountain-like structure, and suddenly… dinosaurs appear. Not small decorative ones, but impressively lifelike giants hidden among the jungle. They move, roar and blend perfectly into the rainforest setting, making the whole experience feel like stepping onto the set of Jurassic Park.

For a brief moment, my inner eight-year-old completely takes over. Fortunately, no tourists are eaten during our three hour visit.

Face to face with a T-Rex. Stumbling across a life-sized Jurassic World T. rex in the middle of the lush vegetation is a surprise we certainly don’t see coming. With realistic movements and an earth-shaking roar, it’s impossible not to stop for a photo. For a brief moment, our survival instincts kick in… then we remember the dinosaur is electricity-powered. Hopefully.

As mist rises through the lush vegetation, the whole scene takes on an almost prehistoric and eerie atmosphere.

Who doesn't remember this cute and stubborn fellow from the Jurassic Park movies.

Exotic plants from around the world fill the entire Cloud Forest.

No Jurassic adventure would be complete without velociraptors, the breakout stars of the Jurassic Park films.

Seen from above, the sanctuary feels like a lost world hidden beneath its glass dome.

A World in Bloom

The Flower Dome is like taking a botanical trip around the world without ever leaving Singapore. Home to thousands of plants from Mediterranean and semi-arid regions, the conservatory changes its floral displays throughout the year, ensuring that no two visits are exactly the same. It’s a peaceful contrast to the dramatic Cloud Forest.

Singapore’s Most Famous Lunch

By lunchtime we head to Maxwell Food Centre, home to one of Singapore’s culinary institutions: Among Singapore’s countless hawker stalls, Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice has achieved almost legendary status. Its reputation is built on deceptively simple perfection: incredibly tender poached chicken, fragrant rice cooked in chicken stock, and a well-balanced combination of chilli sauce, ginger, and dark soy sauce.

The stall gained international fame after celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain praised it as one of the world’s great hawker experiences, and even a friendly “chicken rice rivalry” with Gordon Ramsay further cemented its reputation. Today, long queues are part of the experience, but fortunately, the line moves quickly, and the first bite makes it easy to understand why people are willing to wait.

The Price of Driving in Singapore

One thing quickly becomes obvious in Singapore: despite its size, the streets are remarkably free of traffic jams. That’s no coincidence. Owning a car here is deliberately expensive. Before buying a vehicle, residents must first obtain a Certificate of Entitlement (COE), a permit that alone can cost well over S$100,000, often more than the car itself. Add import taxes, registration fees, insurance, and road charges, and even an ordinary family car can easily cost several times what it would in Europe.

The result is exactly what the government intends. Most people rely on Singapore’s outstanding public transport system, while owning a car remains largely a privilege for the wealthy. Judging by the number of Bentleys, Porsches, Ferraris, and Lamborghinis we spot cruising through the city, those who can afford a car often make sure everyone knows it.

Fresh Juice at the Push of a Button

One small detail we quickly come to appreciate in Singapore is the abundance of freshly squeezed juice vending machines. Instead of reaching for another sugary soft drink, we simply press a button and, within seconds, a machine fills a cup with freshly squeezed orange or apple juice. In the tropical heat, these affordable, refreshing drinks become our favourite way to cool down. It’s a simple idea, but one we wish more countries would adopt.

Blue Hour Above the City

Late in the afternoon we make our way to the Sky Garden at CapitaSpring. Best of all: admission is completely free.

As the sun slowly disappears behind the skyline, Singapore transforms from a busy financial hub into a sea of glowing lights. From above, the contrast between modern skyscrapers and the preserved historic shophouses becomes even more striking. Watching the city change from daylight into blue hour is easily one of the photographic highlights of our stay.

City lights from the ground.

A late night scene, somewhere in Singapore.

Satay, Smoke and the Perfect Ending

The day ends at Lau Pa Sat, where Satay Street comes alive every evening.

The air is thick with smoke from dozens of charcoal grills, the scent of marinated meat drifts through the street, and people weave between packed tables carrying endless bundles of satay skewers. We order a generous selection together with peanut sauce and cold beer, joining locals and visitors alike in one of Singapore’s most atmospheric dining experiences.

It’s the perfect finale to a day that somehow combines futuristic architecture, prehistoric dinosaurs, world-famous street food and one of Asia’s most spectacular skylines, all within just a few kilometres.

Singapore may be one of the smallest countries in the world, but it certainly doesn’t think small.

Chinatown – Where the Past Meets the Skyline

Our second full day in Singapore begins in Chinatown, and it immediately becomes clear that this city refuses to fit into a single stereotype. Restored colonial shophouses glow in the warm morning light while sleek glass skyscrapers tower above them like silent guardians of global finance. It feels as if history and modern ambition have reached a peaceful compromise.

The streets are still waking up. Locals gather over kopi in traditional coffee shops, while colorful Chinese signs compete for attention with trendy cafés and boutique hotels. Every corner seems to offer another perfect composition where old Singapore meets the new. For photographers, it’s impossible not to stop every few minutes.

The Best Skyline Bargain in Singapore

One of the day’s biggest surprises costs just 6 Singapore dollars.

The public skybridge on the 50th floor of The Pinnacle@Duxton delivers one of the city’s most spectacular panoramic views. Access is a bid hidden in Blog 1G. Below us, Chinatown stretches toward the harbor while endless rows of public housing blend into glittering office towers and the famous skyline beyond.

In a city where rooftop bars charge four times more for a single cocktail than this entire experience, the skybridge feels like discovering Singapore’s best-kept secret. Sometimes the greatest viewpoints aren’t the most famous ones.

Little India – A Different Country Without Leaving the City

A short metro ride later, Singapore changes personality completely.

Stepping into Little India feels less like entering another neighborhood and more like crossing an invisible international border. The streets become louder, brighter and infinitely more colorful. Bollywood music drifts from shops, flower garlands hang outside temples, spice merchants perfume the warm air, and restaurants tempt us with every imaginable curry.

The district feels wonderfully authentic and alive. It isn’t polished for tourists, it simply goes about its daily life, and visitors are invited to become part of the spectacle.

Kampong Glam - Heritage with a Stylish Makeover

Our next stop introduces yet another version of Singapore.

Around the magnificent Sultan Mosque, Kampong Glam blends Malay and Arab heritage with fashionable cafés, boutique stores and colorful street art. Compared to Little India, the atmosphere feels noticeably more curated, but that is part of its charm.

The golden dome rises above palm trees and beautifully restored shop houses, creating one of the city’s most photogenic streetscapes. It is lively, elegant and perhaps just a little too aware that nearly every visitor has a camera in hand.

What fascinates us most isn’t any individual neighborhood, but how dramatically Singapore transforms within a few metro stops. In the space of a single day we move from Chinese heritage streets framed by financial skyscrapers, to bustling Indian markets overflowing with spices and flowers, before ending up among fashionable cafés beneath the golden dome of Sultan Mosque.

Few cities reinvent themselves so completely while remaining unmistakably Singapore.

Gardens by the Bay After Dark

As sunset fades, the city saves one of its greatest performances for last.

The towering Supertrees rise into the night sky like enormous glowing organisms from another planet. When the free Garden Rhapsody light show begins, music fills the gardens while thousands of lights pulse across the futuristic structures. Around us, people lie flat on the ground to admire the spectacle above, a surprisingly common sight in one of the world’s cleanest cities. It’s theatrical, slightly surreal, and impossible not to enjoy.

Spectra – Singapore’s Nightly Grand Finale

From the gardens we stroll back to Marina Bay for Singapore’s second nightly ritual.

The Spectra light and water show turns the bay into an open-air stage. Dancing fountains, lasers and projections fill the humid evening air while the illuminated skyline forms a backdrop that almost looks computer-generated in its perfection.

After wandering through three distinct cultural worlds before ending beneath glowing artificial trees and choreographed fountains, our minds are pleasantly overwhelmed.

Singapore manages to feel Chinese, Indian, Malay and unmistakably futuristic, all in the space of a single unforgettable day.

PARKROYAL COLLECTION – Where a Hotel Becomes a Vertical Garden

Our 3rd morning begins with one of Singapore’s most remarkable buildings. The PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering looks less like a hotel and more like an oversized jungle that someone carefully wrapped around a skyscraper.

Layer upon layer of concrete curves overflow with tropical plants, trees and hanging gardens. It’s a bold statement of what Singapore likes to call its “City in Nature” vision. The architecture feels futuristic without being cold, proving that glass, steel and greenery can actually coexist rather beautifully.

PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering. Singapore

Just around the corner stands the beautifully restored Old Hill Street Police Office, instantly recognizable by its rows of colourful shutters.

The building is wonderfully symmetrical, almost begging for a perfectly centered photograph. The pastel windows brighten an otherwise elegant colonial façade, giving it a playful character that perfectly reflects Singapore itself, a city where tradition rarely stays boring for long.

Old Hill Street Police Station, Singapore

Fort Canning Park’s Instagram Celebrity

Fort Canning Park offers a welcome break from the city’s skyscrapers, but we quickly notice that one particular attraction has become almost as famous as the park itself.

The spiral staircase leading up through the famous tree tunnel has become one of Singapore’s biggest Instagram hotspots. Dozens of people queue up, waiting patiently for their turn before capturing the iconic view looking up through the circular opening toward the tree canopy.

Normally, I'm not the biggest fan of social-media-famous locations. But occasionally they’re famous for a reason.

Formula One

Only in Singapore can an ordinary afternoon stroll suddenly turn into a walk down a Formula One race track.

Outside race weekend, parts of the Marina Bay Street Circuit are surprisingly accessible. Standing in the pit lane and looking down the start-finish straight feels surreal without the screaming engines and packed grandstands. Instead of racing cars, only a few curious visitors wander across the empty asphalt.

For Formula One fans, it’s impossible not to imagine the lights going green.

F1 Pit Building Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore

Millenia Walk

Singapore rewards anyone who remembers to occasionally look up.

Inside Millenia Walk, the colourful geometric ceiling transforms what could have been just another shopping centre into an unexpected architectural attraction. Light pours through the giant skylights, bathing the interior in soft shades of blue, yellow and green. Sometimes the most interesting photos are found in places you weren’t planning to photograph at all.

Raffles Hotel – The World’s Most Expensive Cocktail Queue

No visit to Singapore feels complete without stopping by the legendary Raffles Hotel, birthplace of the famous Singapore Sling. Unfortunately, so does everyone else.

The queue for the Long Bar is long, and paying premium prices for a cocktail suddenly feels slightly less tempting in the tropical heat. Instead, we admire the beautifully restored colonial architecture and watch countless visitors staging elegant photo shoots in the hotel’s picturesque courtyard.

Apparently, Instagram is complimentary, even if the cocktails aren’t.

Keppel Bay – Luxury on the Waterfront

In the afternoon, we escape the city centre and head for Keppel Bay.

Luxury yachts gently rock in the marina while striking residential towers rise behind them like futuristic sails. Everything feels calm, polished and meticulously maintained. Even the waterfront seems designed with photographers in mind.

From here we also enjoy views toward Singapore’s enormous container port. Giant cranes dominate the horizon, a reminder that beneath all the glamour lies one of the busiest trading hubs on the planet.

As the sun slowly sinks behind the ships, the industrial skyline turns surprisingly beautiful in warm golden light.

One Last Evening at Clarke Quay

We take a Grab to the city center to our final stop at Clarke Quay, where the city begins to glow after sunset.

Historic riverside buildings, brightly illuminated bridges and the towering financial district create one final reminder of what makes Singapore so fascinating. Everywhere we have walked today, colonial architecture has stood beside futuristic skyscrapers, lush parks have appeared between busy roads, and ordinary streets have unexpectedly turned into world-famous photo locations.

By the time we finally head back to the hotel, our feet are exhausted, our memory cards are almost full, and Singapore has once again proven that this tiny island somehow manages to pack more variety into a single day than many countries do in an entire journey.

One Last Wonder Before Takeoff

Every great journey deserves a memorable finale, and Singapore certainly knows how to deliver one. Before checking in for our flight home, we make one last stop at Jewel Changi Airport. Calling it an airport hardly seems fair. It’s part shopping mall, part tropical rainforest, part architectural masterpiece, and somehow still a functioning airport.

At its heart lies the spectacular Rain Vortex, the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. Water plunges 40 meters through the glass dome while the airport’s Skytrain glides gracefully across the scene, creating one of Singapore’s most iconic sights. Around it, thousands of tropical plants transform the terminal into a lush indoor forest where it’s surprisingly easy to forget you’re only minutes away from boarding an airplane.

It feels like the perfect summary of Singapore itself: ambitious, impeccably designed, and just a little bit unbelievable. Most airports make you want to leave as quickly as possible. Changi somehow makes you wish your flight were delayed, just this once.

As we finally head toward the departure gates, we leave Singapore with full memory cards, sore feet, and the feeling that this remarkable city has once again managed to turn even saying goodbye into an attraction.

Final Verdict – A Reinvented City

Returning to Singapore almost thirty years after my first visit in 1996 feels like discovering a completely new city. Futuristic landmarks like Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay and Jewel Changi have transformed the skyline, while spotless streets, excellent public transport and abundant greenery make it one of the world’s easiest cities to explore.

What impresses me most is how efficiently everything works. Yet, that perfection also makes Singapore feel a little more curated than spontaneous. I sometimes miss the beautiful chaos and unpredictability that give many Asian cities their unique character.

For me, two or three days are ideal to experience Singapore’s highlights. It’s an outstanding stopover destination and a fascinating city, but it doesn’t leave quite the same lasting impression as Bangkok, Seoul or Hong Kong. Those cities simply feel a little more vibrant and unforgettable.