Singapore is a marvelous city, full of exciting nightspots, trendy restaurants, casinos, and other expensive places to spend your hard earned dollars. Let’s face it, living in Singapore is pricey. Most places to eat out cost an arm and a leg. Having a beer in a local bar can cost anywhere from $8 to $20 SGD. The cost of living in Singapore is projected to keep rising sharply, which means that it is going to be even more expensive to go out and have fun in the future.
But not to worry, it is possible have fun in Singapore without spending your life savings. If you have already visited the regular tourist spots and want something else to try on a budget, here are 7 things you can do in Singapore that are fun and cheap.
1. Go to the Park, at Night!
Singapore has lots of nice parks, but during the day it is much too hot to enjoy them. At night the parks are well lit, safe, and are the perfect place to go for a romantic stroll. Singapore has a very low crime rate, so it is quite safe to go for a walk at night. Taking a date to the park has been a real winner for me and I highly recommend it. Best of all – parks are free.
Here are my two recommendations for a night stroll:
Bishan Park: Features some nice scenery, well-lit bridges, and funky architecture. Just watch out for the joggers.
Fort Canning Park: Nice view of the cityscape overlooking Clarke Quay and the downtown area. Perfect to bring a date for a secret kiss far above the city.
Total cost for going to the park at night: $0
2. Go to the Beach
Singapore is not as famous for beaches than its surrounding neighbor countries, Indonesia and Malaysia. Singaporean beaches are generally small, or man-made. But they are great places to visit on a day trip or for a change from the city scenery. Let’s not forget that Singapore is one if the largest port cities in the world, so the water isn’t the cleanest for swimming. However, a Singapore beach is the perfect place to go sunbathing on a lazy Sunday.
East Coast Park: This park stretches alongside the ocean, and has a nice promenade along the beach. This is the kind of place that you might want to have a picnic or just go hangout, throw a Frisbee around with friends, enjoy the cool sea air, or ride a bike.
Total cost: $0
Sentosa Island: A manmade beach resort island where everything is artificial. On Sentosa you can find luxury hotels, casinos, and the Universal Studios theme park. Sentosa also has 3 beach areas that are worth visiting, and are of course free. While the beach itself is nice, the scenery of cargo freighters and offshore oil platforms lining the horizon is a bit of a turnoff. Regardless, I’ve seen many people take a dip in the waters at Sentosa.
Total cost for getting on Sentosa island: $3 SGD
3. Go for a Swim in a Public Swimming Pool
If you really want to swim, you are in luck. After all it’s hot and humid in Singapore! Swimming is definitely the best way to cool off after a scorching day. Luckily, Singaporeans love to swim so it is relatively easy to find a decent public pool in almost every corner of the country. A quick google search will reveal one near you. Most include deep and shallow areas, play parks for kids, and swimming lanes for adults.
Pools in Singapore are clean and fun for the whole family. Best of all, they are extremely cheap.
Total cost for a swim: Between $1-2 SGD
Click here to find one near you.
4. Beer and Food at a Hawker Center
Want to have a cold beer after a long day but don’t want to break open your piggy bank? Try one of the many hawker centers that can be found everywhere in Singapore. Just look for a place that has tables outside, and voila, you are drinking beer for half the price of getting it in a bar. Hawker centers are truly something to experience in Singapore.
Hawker centers are also a great place to try local foods, as well as more exotic dishes from other countries in the region.
Total cost for a meal: $3-5 SGD
Total cost for a large bottle of beer: about $5 SGD
5. Go to Pulau Ubin Island
From Singapore you are just a 10 minute ferry ride away from Pulau Ubin Island. The ride will costs you only $5.00 a head to and fro. This island is a great day trip. You can rent bicycles or take a walking tour to visit the many exotic tropical spots along the way, such as Marman Beach. I highly recommend having a BBQ on the beach there.
There are many activities you can partake in on the island. Visit the Wild Singapore website for a full list of activities.
Total cost for the ferry there and back: $5 SGD
6. Hit the Gym
If you are a health nut, you will be surprised to learn that gyms in Singapore are amazingly cheap. ClubFitt gyms are easily accessible in their numerous locations throughout Singapore. The equipment is top notch, however it is a bit crowded on the weekends. Also, don’t forget to bring a towel or they will make you buy one for an extra dollar.
Here is a complete list of their locations.
Total cost for hitting the gym: $2.50 SGD
7. Get out of Dodge – Take a Bus to J.B.
Ok, so you’ve seen the tourist spots, and you’ve visited all the parks and beaches – now it’s time to try something new. For the cost of almost nothing, you can travel to Malaysia’s closest city, Johor Bahru (“J.B.”).
Just take the Singapore-Johor Express Coach from Queen Street Station. In less than an hour you will arrive at the immigration office, get processed, and then cross the bridge to Malaysia.
Just make sure to take your bags and luggage with you when you transfer because you will likely end up on a different bus after crossing through immigration.
In J.B. you will have the opportunity to shop for cheap, try local dishes, and get a glimpse of Malaysian life. I also recommend trying sheesha in J.B., which is many times cheaper than in Singapore.
Total Cost for going to J.B. by bus: $2.50 SGD
As you can now see, it is possible to have fun in Singapore on a budget. Just remember to stay away from the Casinos!