Singapore is not boring. In fact, we’re far from that. There’s a whole list of unconventional experiences to partake in, and local recreations of hawker food to try. But no visitor’s itinerary is ever complete without a couple of tourist attractions for the “been there, done that” factor.
We have one of the best zoos in the world, and Battlestar Galactica at USS is pretty darn kickass. But beyond these attractions touted on guidebooks is an underrated bunch that has opened quietly without us knowing. Here’s shedding light on the ones that have slipped under the radar! Here are 15 Singapore Attractions to discover,
It sounds a little crazy that you can snowboard in our tropical climate, but you can! The first of its kind on our sunny island, Urban Ski is one of those establishments that quietly opened recently.
Unlike a real snow slope where you have to take a cable car to ascend again, Urban Ski is like a giant conveyor belt that allows you to ski endlessly and tame your balance while at that. Whether you’d like to try the sport for the first time, or get started ahead of that upcoming Korea trip, there’s no better place to so.
You don’t have to start digging for your winter gear either – it’s not actual snow! The terrain you’re skiing on is synthetic turf with the same properties. With adjustable speeds and angles, the difficulty level can be customized. Even if you’re a rookie, the instructors will be there to teach you the basics too.
Address: Millenia Walk 9 Raffles Boulevard #01-46/47/48/49
Price: $77 Onwards
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 11am to 9pm (Last session to commence at 8pm) | Saturday & Sunday 10am to 10pm (Last session to commence at 9pm)
Here’s something for those who want to get their fitspo on but can’t stand the heat. Head over the PAssion WaVe @ Marina Bay – the coolest CC in Singapore’s history of CCs! Who says there’s nothing more to the city center than shopping?
Located at Rhu Cross opposite Benjamin Shears Bridge, it’s the first of its kind to offer both land and water-based activities. No, this does not include swimming.
For just $15, you can see the Marina Bay waterfront in a different light on a 2-seater kayak with your bff. Alternatively, you can learn from the pros and winsurf solo to increase your badassery, or rent an entire sea raft for you and your kakis. It’s perfect for those who want alternatives to conventional water sports.
Why run on a treadmill in the gym when you can work out on a scenic cruise down the river?
Find out more about the activities at PAssion WaVe @ Marina Bay here.
Fun fact: did you know we have 63 small islands surrounding Singapore? When it comes to getting in touch with nature and away from the concrete jungle, the closest option is usually Pulau Ubin. Not anymore, though.
Why go through all the trouble of traveling to Changi Ferry Terminal when you can leisurely cycle to Coney Island on a hipster bicycle?
The newly-opened island off Punggol has given Northeast siders a defense against the “Punggol so ulu, nothing to do one lah.” remark. It’s often complained that Singapore lacks untouched nature and raw landscapes, but that is everything you’ll find at Coney Island.
With trees and forestry that look like they came out of a Hayao Miyazaki film, there’re plenty of photo opportunities. To satisfy the curious explorer in you, also explore the secret beaches A to D, and this abandoned Haw Par Beach Villa created by the legendary Tiger Balm brothers.
End your excursion with a sumptuous dinner at Punggol settlement, or a visit to the Lorong Halus wetlands.
Here’s the only Coney Island guide anyone needs to read before visiting it for the first time.
Price: Free
Opening Hours: 7am – 7pm daily
Website
For locals, this is your secondary school class chalets and gatherings on steroids. For travelers, this is an idyllic stay within one of Singapore’s most serene heartlands, unlike any hotel experience you’ll get in the city.
Sitting on what used to be our beloved Escape Theme Park, this resort is where you can unwind and explore Eastern Singapore while reliving your childhood memories. It’s very much like a resort you’ll find in Bali or Phuket, except you have the entire Downtown East in your backyard.
That includes Wild Wild Wet’s newest ride – The Torpedo:
Whether you’re a couple looking to relax over a weekend, or a family getting together over the festive season, there are enough room options to spoil you for choice:
We had the pleasure of staying at D’Resort for a night, read more about our experience here.
If you live life verging on the deviant, would you dare to cross a terrain where wildlife treads? We’re not asking you to scale the forest. Instead, venture into the Eco-Link @ BKE – Southeast Asia’s first wildlife crossing.
Unknown to many, the 62m link had just been opened to the public on 21 November 2015. This overhead bridge for animals connects the Central Catchment Nature Reserve and Bukit Timah Nature Park. It was constructed to end accidental roadkills of endangered species like the Sunda Pangolins.
The best thing is you can sign up for a guided tour and have a chance of wildlife sightings without the cages and glass enclosures. Some species that have been spotted here include the common palm civet and glossy horseshoe bat.
Tours happen every month, so keep your eyes peeled for registration here.
I’m not a fussy eater, but if there’s a deal-breaker at dinnertime, it would be seafood that isn’t fresh. But because we don’t live by the coastal regions, we make do with what we have most of the time.
If you want a 100% legit experience, take a quick bumboat ride to Smith Marine – Singapore’s first floating kelong restaurant. With the philosophy of promoting the freshest seafood, your next meal will probably be still swimming in the sea, until you order it.
If you’d like some hands-on action, you can have a go at it with a rod and a bait! It doesn’t get any fresher than that. For $35, you can let the chefs work their magic and cook up a storm with your catch of the day. But if you prefer your mom’s recipe, bring it home for just $15!
Find out more here.
The Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum is Singapore’s best contender for The Night in the Museum. Located within the NUS campus, it showcases nature’s very own – from dinosaurs to critters from the deep sea.
Explore 16 themed zones that will open your eyes to the biodiversity and environmental issues that may affect their livelihood. Apart from the skeletons of an orang utan, dugong and pilot whales, you’ll also be surprised that Singapore is home to dinosaur fossils of our own.
Look out for the 3 diplodocid sauropod skeletons – Prince, Apollonia and Twinky.
Don’t just leave after exploring the museum space, head outside and check the Phylogenetic Garden out. Learn about the evolution of fauna species – and how they grow to dominate our garden city landscape today. The space is gorgeous and no one should leave without a picture!
Address: NUS, 2 Conservatory Drive
Price: $9 – $21
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday: 10AM – 7PM | Closed on Mondays
Website
Myth: Singapore Sports Hub is a super pretty stadium that we will only visit when 1) there is a rock concert and 2) we somehow wake up one morning and find ourselves in the body of a national athlete.
Little do people know that the sports hub isn’t just a place for performances and training, it’s a recreational spot for Singaporeans like you and I!
We don’t have huge waves at the coastlines of Singapore, but you can still surf at the Stingray of our sports hub! It is a half-pipe, man-made surfing facility; kinda like a downsized version of Wavehouse Sentosa – only more accessible and less inquisitive onlookers.
But if you prefer something less heart-racing, while your afternoon away on a donut float and cruise down the lazy river. This attraction is still pretty unknown, so you can enjoy the pool without bumping into a fellow floater once every 10 seconds:
If all that doesn’t pique your interest, what about scaling the heights of Singapore’s tallest rock-climbing wall ever?
Read our complete guide to the sports hub so you’ll make the most of your visit! Here’s our video tour of it!
Address: 2 Stadium Walk, S(397718)
Price: $2 – $40 (Depending on what rides you go to)
Opening Hours: Varied
Website
Opening on 24 November 2015, The National Gallery is built on where Supreme Court once stood. It houses 8,000 pieces of artworks, including the painting that graced our $50 bill. But it’s not just for the artsy folks – it’s for any curious soul with an appreciation for architecture.
Where else would you be able to see a law library where cases were cracked by top lawyers and judges? The Rotunda Dume was once out of bounds to everyone, but you can admire all its intricacies up-close now.
Also, the opportunity to be confined in a jail cell doesn’t arise every other day. See the inmate holding cells that held our nation’s most notorious murderers.
Before you leave, check out the time capsule buried in 1937, only to be opened in year 3000! Here’s our guide to 10 fun facts to look out for when you make a trip there.
Address: 1 St. Andrews Road, S(178957)
Price: Free Admission for Singaporeans and PR, $20 for Foreigners
Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday 10am – 7pm | Friday – Sunday 10am – 11pm
Website
I’m sure that we all have, or had dreams of becoming a pilot, right? So why let that just pass when you can do just that for a day at Flight Experience? Whether it’s flying past the London Eye or Sydney Opera House, you can choose over 24,000 airports to fly in and out of.
With HD and true-to-life visuals, be careful not to get too engrossed in the sights because you’ll be fully in-charge of controlling the fleet – from take-off to cruising and landing. Of course, there’ll be trained instructors to guide you along the way!
Address: Singapore Flyer, 30 Raffles Ave #02-06 S/G
Price: $175 Onwards
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday 10am – 10pm
Website
If you been to any F1 Grand Prix races, you can probably imagine the sense of rush and excitement behind the wheel. Thanks to The Karting Arena, Singapore’s very first electric karting circuit, you can now go from spectator to kart-racer and live life on the fast lane.
With faster acceleration and torque, make smooth swerves and fast drifts like how it’s done on the movie screens. If you have a driving license, good for you! Amp your speed up from 30km/h to 50km/h and unleash your inner gangsta’.
What’s a fast car on a circuit if there’s no competition? Things get intense on Tuesday nights, when it becomes a race track for practice and qualifying sessions, a preliminary race and the final showdown.
Sign yourself up to clinch the champion title and bragging rights!
Address: 200 Turf Club Road, #01-01B, The Grandstand
Price: $25 Onwards
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 10pm | Closed on Mondays
Website
Unless you’re a pureblood hipster who stays away from all things mainstream, you would’ve been to Sentosa at least once. The next time you’re there, visit the Fort Siloso Skywalk, a new addition that opened earlier this year in July.
The elevated bridge is 11-storey high – a perfect vantage point to see Sentosa from above the canopy treetops. It’s a perfect spot for #OOTD shots, and a vantage point to watch the sunset with your bae after a day at the beach club. The best part? It’s all for free!
Speaking of which, the previously paid attraction, Fort Siloso, is open to the public for free now! Take a guided tour to explore the Fort while you’re checking out the skywalk.
Address: Siloso Rd, S(099981)
Price: Free Admission
Opening Hours: No official closing time, but lifts operate from 9am – 7pm daily
Website
I can’t be the only one who has gotten all excited about a great movie trailer online, only to realize it’ll never hit our local shores? Like me, you may find solace at The Projector. This indie film house is more than an outlet to watch curated films that don’t screen locally. It’s an alternative movie-going experience altogether.
Taking over 2 halls that used to be Golden Theatre, the space is polished and topped with enough new features to make you swoon, without stripping itself of the old school pizzaz. One of our favourites has to be the bean bag row of seats, where you can snuggle up and feel completely at home.
Also, where else can you bring booze into the cinema without getting judged?
We headed down to this hipster theatre earlier this year and wrote a complete guide on how to get there, what to expect, and all of the sweet deets! Check out our guide to The Projector.
Address: 6001 Beach Road Golden Mile Tower, #05-00
Price: $13 for adults, $11 for students and senior citizens
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Friday 6:30pm – 11:30pm | Saturday – Sunday 1pm – 11:30pm | Closed on Monday
Website
How to play baseball: call 9 people up, assembled a full-fledged baseball team, find another 9 people to form an opposing team.
Or you could just go to Homerun Baseball.
With automated shooting machines, you can go solo and perfect your aim without fretting about letting your other 8 teammates down. With the full sports gear provided, you need not worry about being injured by an incoming ball either!
Once you’re done with practice at batting, move on to the pitching cafe, where you will be pit against your friends to see who makes the neatest pitcher. There’s a points target too, so aim to get 9 points and rise the ranks on the scoreboard!
Address:200 Pandan Gardens #01-01/02/03/04, Singapore 609336
Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday: 1:00pm – 11:00pm | Friday – 1:00pm – 1:00am | Saturday – 9:00am – 3:00am | Sunday – 9:00am – 12:00am
Website
Spending a day exploring the sights and sounds of Little India can probably give you a preview to the vibrant Indian culture as a whole. But when it comes to the Singaporean Indians and their heritage, the Indian Heritage Centre is your best bet.
A hidden find that opened in May 2015, it is home to exhibits that each show a different side of its heritage. From the fashion trends that they donned in the 1980s to the political figures who helped shape our country’s government, it’ll open every visitor’s eyes and show them there’s so much more than Diwali and Thaipusam.
This doorway comprises 5000 detailed carvings!
Here’s a list of things to look out for at the Indian Heritage Centre.
Address: 5 Campbell Ln, S(209924)
Opening Hours: Tues – Thurs 10:00am – 7:00pm | Fri – Sat 10:00am – 8:00pm | Sun 10:00am – 4:00pm | Closed on Mondays
Website
2016 Update: The contest below has since ended, so please ignore it. However, you are welcome to share this list immediately with your friends! It’ll come in handy for the times you’re standing awkwardly in a cricle with your squad, not knowing what to do next.
What is exploring our city without a friend? Invite someone from Europe, the land down under, or anywhere in the world for that matter! With STB’s Singapore Invites contest, you can fly a friend over without paying a single cent for hotel or airfares, and have yourself a smashing staycation while at at that!
Here’s how 2 friends across the globe got to reunite thanks to Singapore Invites:
It’s an interesting thought to revel in, that there are parts of Singapore even locals don’t know about. But before you put on your explorer cap and embark on your journey, don’t forget to give your overseas friend a holla’!
To make things that much sweeter, you can invite up to 3 guests and submit as many invites as you want. But here’s a tip to increase your chances of winning – be creative! Once it’s uploaded to STB’s site, be sure to get all your friends to like it to increase your chances of winning. And of course, it doesn’t hurt to make sure the photo is well-taken, I mean, if you’re gonna do it anyway, why not take a stunning bomb-ass photo, right?
Start sending your invites now!
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This post was brought to you by Singapore Tourism Board.
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