1-day Singapore itinerary to explore the country
She’s not just a little red dot – she’s Singapore. Yes, we’re only about 736km², and rank number 20 on the list of smallest countries in the world, but there’s so much more to see and do than the official travel guides recommend for a Singapore itinerary.
Whether you’re a tourist who’s here on a layover, or a bored Singaporean looking for new adventures locally, here are 3 variations of a 1-day Singapore itinerary that’s sure to keep you on your toes – for the foodie, the culture and history buff, and for the adventurous friend.
Do note that some activities are only available at selected times on specific days – make sure to check the websites for more information and book your choice of activities ahead of time.
Table of Contents
– The foodie’s 1-day Singapore itinerary –
Breakfast with the locals in Toa Payoh
Image credit: Eatbook
Start your day in the Singapore heartlands at none other than Toa Payoh West Market & Food Centre, where you’ll breakfast with the locals and have a pick of some real famous names in the hawker scene. Think Tian Tian Lai Hokkien Mee, AKA Come Daily Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee, and Chey Sua Carrot Cake, which dishes up absolutely crisp-edged white carrot cake.
Image credit: @bbjiaksimi via Instagram
There’s also Grandpa Homemade Cheung Fun, with their striking pink rolls of steamed rice noodles, made with stone-milled rice flour, which you can wash down with freshly made tau huey and soya milk at Pure Soya Bean.
Toa Payoh heritage walk & viral chilli ban mian
@cafe.debunkers 📍Wanglee Cafe 旺利茶室 92 Lor 4 Toa Payoh, 01-274, Singapore 310092 💬 @auntiekongfoodie on Instagram shared about this place so we are here to try it out ! 📝 Unbiased Review + Chilli Pan Mee [$6.80] pretty good chilli ban mian with great flavours and noodles that remained saucy and non clumpy throughout. Great variety of textures with the ikan billis, tau kee , veggies and minced meat. Nothing particularly stood out to make it memorable, just a well executed bowl of noodles. + Homemade Kaya Butter Toast [$2.80] super well executed with light crispy thin toast. The kaya although light in colour, provided the perfect smooth pandan-coconut fragrance. + Volcano Kopi/ Teh C [$3.50] pronounced flavours with a light airy froth that makes it so addictive to drink. Kopi leans strong and sweeter, Teh C is an off menu item that we requested, and it makes the drink lightweight and very fragrant. • Expect a queue during weekday lunch ⭐️3.5/5 (Great place for affordable quality food in an air conditioned space, kaya butter toast is impressive and the volcano drink is popular amongst diners here.)
Take a walk around the historic Toa Payoh, which was established as the first town centre in Singapore. Look for the iconic Dragon Playground – built in 1979, and immortalised in many a Singapore memorabilia. If you’re feeling peckish, Wang Lee Cafe serves up some TikTok-viral kaya toast and a mean bowl of chilli ban mian.
DIY ang ku kueh
Image credit: Ji Xiang Confectionery
We’re heading next to Bugis, where you can try your hand at making ang ku kueh at none other than Ji Xiang Confectionery. Pop into Bugis Street, or stroll down Haji Lane while you’re in the area – don’t miss Tarik, whose teh tarik might be one of Singapore’s best.
A traditional tea break
Desserts at Yuen Yueng Desserts.
Image credit: Eatbook
For some respite from the city, step into Tea Chapter in Chinatown. They’re Singapore’s oldest teahouse, and you could attend a tea appreciation workshop here, or simply have a cuppa. Alternatively, check out Yuen Yeung Desserts for HK-style desserts both classic and modern, and get Singapore’s first traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)-inspired BBT at Amacha to go.
Private Peranakan museum tour & nosh
Then, head east to Joo Chiat, where – if your stomach has room – you should definitely pick up a Peanut Butter Coffee ($5.50) or Coconut Coffee ($5.50) at Bee Hoe Coffee, which is hidden down a back alley. With that, it’s off to The Intan House, an actual residence that’s been dedicated to Peranakan artifacts. Join a private tour of the collection, led by the collector himself, and combine it with a traditional Nyonya tea session, lunch, or dinner.
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Visit a rooftop farm
Image credit: @thesundownersg via Instagram
Hop over to The Sundowner, housed in yet another conservation shophouse, to join their Rooftop Farm Experience, or any of their other workshops including a Kill Your Own Dinner experience, where you’ll learn how to harvest honey and respectfully kill aquatic livestock, then make your own pasta for dinner, paired with bespoke cocktails.
Dine on a kelong
Image credit: Eatbook
For a truly memorable dining experience, head to Smith Marine Floating Restaurant, which involves a short 10-minute ferry ride from Changi Point Ferry Terminal to a floating kelong. Here, you’ll get to feast on the freshest seafood, and even try your hand at catching your own dinner from the surrounding waters.
Of course, if this is a little too off-the-beaten-track for you, there are loads of other unique dining experiences in Singapore that you can consider.
– The history & culture buff’s 1-day Singapore itinerary –
SG’s oldest surviving dragon kiln
Image credit: @tkpotteryjungle via Instagram
Start bright and early in western Singapore, at Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle – home to one of Singapore’s oldest surviving brick-built kilns, AKA a dragon kiln. Built in the 1940s, this wood-firing kiln bellows with fire reaching temperatures of up to 1,300°C, resulting in pottery that has an entirely different look than those fired in gas or electric kilns. Besides shopping their unique pieces, you could even try your hand at creating your own clay bowl too.
Round trip to hell
Head south to Haw Par Villa, Singapore’s oldest theme park, which also happens to be the backdrop for their Hell’s Museum – journey through the 10 Courts of Hell, and visit with the more-than 1,000 statues and 150 dioramas from classic Chinese tales including Journey to the West and Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Journey back in time to defend Sentosa
Instead of visiting Universal Studios Singapore, go on a time travel adventure tour in the form of Attack At Fort Serapong!, an interactive tour of an abandoned fortress from which the British army defended Singapore during World War 2. You’ll need to put your thinking cap on, because there are missions to complete, and prizes to be won.
Learn about SG’s secret societies & gangs
For something more tame, head to Chinatown for the Triad Trails Tour, with first-hand accounts from ex-gang members themselves, who have now turned over a new leaf. This walking tour takes you around Chinatown, uncovering the history behind Singapore’s triads and secret societies, culminating in a meal with one of these former triad members themselves.
Tour Singapore’s red light district
Image credit: Mitzie Mee
Geylang might mean one of two things to a Singaporean: a seedy area to avoid, or a treasure trove of food and durian stalls. Take a walk on the wilder side with a Geylang walking tour that’ll open your eyes to the reality of life in this neighbourhood, and perhaps tug on your heartstrings with stories of inequality and stigma behind the glitz and glamour of our metropolitan city.
Visit SG’s last kampong
Image credit: @866l1181 via Instagram
A long time ago, Singapore was a sleepy fishing village, and you can time travel back to the 1950s when you visit Kampong Lorong Buangkok, AKA Singapore’s last kampong. Originally a patch of swampland, it was purchased by a traditional Chinese medicine seller who turned it into a little village – and it still stands today, with families still living here who pay incredibly low rents of up to $30/month.
If you prefer, join a Kampong Lorong Buangkok tour.
– The adventurer’s 1-day Singapore itinerary –
Explore a WW2 bunker
We’re starting the day strong with a trek through abandoned World War 2 tunnels in Marsiling. This adventurous trek takes you through bunkers that stood through British rule, the fall of Singapore, and underwent further expansion under the Japanese regime. Best to skip this tour if you’re afraid of the dark, creepy crawlies, and enclosed spaces.
Hop on a Vespa sidecar tour
Image credit: @singaporesidecars via Instagram
For a trip aboveground, go for a Vespa sidecar heritage tour and pick from one of 3 routes: around Joo Chiat and Katong, Kampong Glam and the CBD, or scoot around Singapore. Whichever you pick, you can be sure that you’re getting a view of the city that’s unlike any other – how many people do you know can claim to have sat in a Vespa sidecar?
Take a shot at Asia’s tallest catapult ride
Daredevils take note: Slingshot Singapore claims to be Asia’s tallest catapult ride that’ll launch you 70m into the sky at an eye-watering 160km/h. If you’d like things just a notch slower, there’s the GX-5 Extreme Swing that goes at a slightly tamer 120km/h. We’d advise against having a heavy meal before taking these rides.
Go on SG’s only bungee
If you’d like your freefalling to be less impeded, we’ve also got your back: cue the AJ Hackett Bungy Jump at Skypark Sentosa, also home to the Sentosa Giant Swing that hits speeds of up to 120km/h. But we digress – the AJ Hackett bungee lets you take that leap of faith off a 47m-tall platform with panoramic views of the island and sea.
You could even opt to bottom-out your plunge in a 3.5m-deep pool – if you so desired.
Skydive without getting on a plane
Image credit: @kedia_vidit via Instagram
Adrenaline junkies, there’s more in store for you – head over to iFly Singapore, AKA one of the world’s largest wind tunnels at 5 storeys tall. Experience all the thrill that skydiving has to offer, without having to get on a plane. Each session comes with 45 seconds of flight time – while this sounds incredibly short, trust us when we say it will feel like a lifetime in the wind tunnel.
Fish from a kayak
Image credit: Klook
If you’ve got some sturdy sea legs, head far east to Pasir Ris, where you can join a guided kayak fishing tour that’ll bring you around the Singapore coast, winding around Pulau Ubin and passing by some of our last remaining kelongs. The fun doesn’t end there: you’ll get a crash course in fishing with live bait, and souvenirs in the form of your literal catch of the day.
Tour Singapore on foot
Even if nothing on this list sparks your fancy, you can easily dedicate an entire day to exploring Singapore on foot, thanks to an abundance of walking and hiking trails catering to all difficulty levels – there’s a 150km trek if you’re game. There’s nothing like getting around on your two feet to get to know a country better, even if you’re Singaporean born and bred.
1-day Singapore itinerary for the foodie, history buff & adventurer
Singapore isn’t boring, as this list of activities proves. Feel free to mix and match things to do across all the categories – we’re sure your weekends will be packed with things to do for a good long while. And if you’re a visitor to our little island, you’ll find yourself with a Singapore itinerary unlike most other tourists’.
For more reads:
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- Cheapest return flights from Singapore 2025
- Best shuttle bus services in Singapore
Cover image adapted from: Ji Xiang Confectionery, Klook, Beyond Expeditions, @tkpotteryjungle via Instagram