Singapore is a melting pot of culture, architecture, and culinary richness. And as a travel gateway to many other destinations in Asia, it was the perfect location for a 24-hour layover on our recent trip.
Here’s our guide to spending an action and food-packed day in this vibrant city, from landing at the crack of dawn to tucking into bed for our first evening on vacation.
Tip: If your flight lands first thing in the morning like ours did, follow these two hotel tricks to help jumpstart your day:
1) Message the hotel beforehand or leave a note on your reservation, hotels may prioritize cleaning your room if they know you’re arriving early and the room vacates
2) Ask if there are other room types that are available for check-in and what your upgrade options are – we paid about $30 more for a night and checked in at 8AM, which was pretty worth it for us!
First Stop: Singaporean Breakfast
By the time we freshened up at our hotel at Andaz Singapore and stepped out onto the streets, it was 9AM and we were ready to load up on breakfast. Our goal was to get kaya toast paired with soft-boiled eggs, a traditional Singaporean breakfast.
Kaya jam is made from coconut milk, eggs, and sugar, and has a custard-like texture which pairs well with eggs and kopi (coffee). Most spots will offer toast with kaya jam and a slab of butter, which we loved, but you can also find peanut butter, french toast, and other variations with or without kaya.
Speaking of coffee, there are so many ways to take kopi in Singapore. From kopi-o (coffee + sugar) to kopi-c (coffee+sugar+evaporated milk) to kopi peng (coffee+ice+condensed milk), there are so many different variations of the drink!
Off we went, and a quick metro ride away was Heap Seng Leong. It’s a breakfast stall that carries exactly the type of options we were looking for, and we loved how their bread is toasted over a charcoal grill. You’ll need to line up to order in the back, and then grab a seat at the tables to eat. We paired our toast and eggs with kopi peng, though many visit to try the kopi butter as well.
The stall is also adjacent to a curry puff stand which we couldn’t resist trying on our way out!
Other popular breakfast spots:
- Ya Kun Kaya
- Toast Box
Stop #2: Hawker Stalls
And then the eating continued! We had a couple of hawker stalls we wanted to try, starting with Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle. This was just around the corner from breakfast and the perfect follow up.
Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle has a Michelin star and can get crowded. There are two lines, one on each side of the seating area, so both lines lead to stalls serving the same famous bowl of noodles. We arrived just before 9:30AM and there was not much of a wait on the left side stall.
We ordered dry noodles which lived up to the hype. The noodles come with minced pork, mini dumplings, crackling, and even liver, which we stirred together to create a perfectly balanced bite. It also came with a satisfying clear soup to drink.
Next we headed to Maxwell Food Centre. There you’ll find rows and rows of stalls carrying any kind of food you can imagine, as well as coffees and fruit-based drinks.
Our first stop was Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, which already had a line forming at 10:30AM. They run an efficient operation and once you order and pay at the window, you’re shuffled down to grab your tray of glistening chicken rice.
They make an incredibly tender chicken and if you love the skin, you’ll be in for a real treat. It’s truly melt-in-your-mouth tender and melds with the delicate, fragrant rice for a perfect bite. Afterwards, we wandered the hawker center for a bit, picking up a fresh coconut and more coffee.
Tip: We noticed that depending on the time of day, certain stalls will be open or closed. Definitely do your best to plan accordingly, but we found that Google did not always accurately display operating hours.
Stop #3: Gardens by the Bay
After lots of eating, it was time for sightseeing. Gardens by the Bay is an impressive nature park that spans 250 acres and is made up of multiple attractions.
They have paid indoor exhibits at the Cloud Forest and Flower Domes, or you can walk around and admire the iconic Supertree Grove. Tickets for Gardens by the Bay can be purchased online or at the ticketing window on site. However, different attractions have different ticket windows.
We opted for the Cloud Forest and Flower Dome entry, and loved the escape from the heat. It was also so cool to see the creative architecture and a mind-blowing array of plants from around the world!
Check out our more in depth guide to Cloud Forest and Flower Dome here.
Tip: One of the exits to Gardens by the Bay is through Marina Bay Sands. The iconic structure is a must-see, and you can walk right through the interior of this famous hotel via a skybridge.
Stop #4: Merlion Park
Once you emerge from Marina Bay Sands you’ll be a short walk away from the bay. However across the water is where the iconic Merlion statue sits, and a perfect place to watch the sunset.
We liked this view because you not only get to see the famous statue up close, but it offers a sweeping view of Marina Bay Sands in the distance! Inside the park there are also cafes, snacks, and plenty of seating.
Stop #5: Chili Crab
For dinner, we had to get the famed Singaporean chili crab. It’s a dish that is served with shell-on crab smothered in a thick gravy that’s sweet, savory, and spicy. It has an intense flavor with a tomato-ey base.
We chose to dine at KEK Seafood, which has an almost banquet-like open air space. Lots of families come here together and a reservation is highly recommended. When we were there, we heard the host telling walk-in customers that the crabs could only be ordered by tables with a reservation!
While you’re there, also try their Shrimp Paste Chicken which is chicken fried in a shrimp paste batter. The chicken was insanely juicy, and the batter had both a satisfying crunch and amazing umami flavor.
Stop #6: Nightcap
For cocktail enthusiasts, Singapore offers so many renowned bars to choose from. We settled on Nutmeg & Clove, which has ranked on the World’s 50 Best Bars and Asia’s 50 Best Bars lists. It’s a sleek yet colorful space, and the drinks are known for utilizing local ingredients such as different teas, salted egg, or pandan.
After drinks, we were thoroughly ready for bed. At this point the jet lag was kicking in strong and we had taken a whirlwind of a day through some of Singapore’s greatest hits.
Bonus: Rain Vortex at Jewel Changi
Since this mind-bending waterfall is at the airport, it’s a good option to view it after you land or before a flight. They have luggage storage on site, and some airlines even offer early check-in if you want to walk around the structure unburdened.
For us, taking the skytrain through the back of the waterfall was enough, so we checked in first at the regular airline counter, and then took the air-side skytrain between T2 and T3. The train runs every couple minutes, and the ride itself between terminals didn’t take more than 10 minutes.
For our final moments in Singapore, we took to roaming the airport in search of a last bite to eat. Changi Airport is definitely stunning and spacious, so there is no shortage of things to do if you arrive early.
Overall, our 24 hours in Singapore left quite an impression, and the food always holds a special place in our hearts. Whether you’re in town for a quick layover, or you make a longer tip out of it, the city truly has something for everyone.
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