Singapore being an open city, has been home to many Filipinos for many years already. Many are either working professionals or have migrated there for good with their families. Singapore has also become a staple tourist destination as well given its proximity to the country and its numerous tourist spots to explore.
By spending 3 hours and 45 minutes via plane, you’ve already landed in the famous Changi International Airport or the Changi Budget Terminal. So if you happen to find yourself looking for a quick weekend getaway, let’s book a flight to Singapore and let’s see what 3 days and 2 nights can get us. Shall we?
Depending on where you’ll be staying, either in a friend’s apartment or at a hotel, you can use public transport to go everywhere in Singapore. One of the more popular hotel spots in Singapore is located in Bugis, which is situated in the Eastern part of the country. So let’s start here.
Day 1: Bugis Street Market and Orchard Road
Your first full day in Singapore starts on a Saturday morning waking up to the hustle and bustle of Bugis Street Market. Landing Friday night, you made your way via cab to your Bugis hotel and woke up famished and craving for some local delights. Bugis is a local food paradise, with hawker centers lining up the Bugis Street Market stretch. Yay for breakfast time!
One of Singapore’s most well-loved breakfast is local beehoon, with your choice of meat siding. You can choose from Chinese sausages, luncheon meat, fish balls, or chicken wings. You can alternatively choose Youtiao, a Chinese fried dough bread, which goes perfectly with Kopi-C – Singapore’s local coffee with evaporated or condensed milk.
To burn those breakfast buns away, you now make your way for a full morning of shopping at Bugis Street Market and Bugis Junction. From clothes, shoes, local food and souvenirs, Bugis’ famous street market pretty much has everything. Don’t forget to try the fresh fruit juice kiosks selling freshly squeezed dragonfruit and lime juices when you get thirsty. Or take a quick break while munching on Walls’ $1 ice cream wafer sandwich.
To continue the full Singapore shopping experience, jump on the MRT Green Line and head downtown via City Hall Interchange. The interchange will allow you to change to the MRT Red Line and alight at exactly three stops away.
Orchard Road is the shopping mecca of Singapore and is home to some of the popular and luxurious shopping malls like Ion Orchard, Takashimaya, Tangs, 313@Somerset and Plaza Singapura.
By now you are hungry and craving for some sumptuous local lunch. Head over to the iconic Ion Food Hall and take your pick from local delights like Hainanese Chicken Rice, Curry Fish Ball Noodle Soup, Shrimp Laksa, Mixed Veggie Rice or Chinese Chicken Chop.
Ion Orchard Shopping Mall gives you high-end brands – from Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Miu Miu, Longchamp and make-up heaven Sephora. Shopping in Singapore is simply heavenly.
Your day of shopping and strolling downtown can take you back to City Hall Interchange spend your night walking along Esplanade – Singapore’s iconic Theatres on the Bay located in Downtown Core near the mouth of the Singapore River. Named after the nearby Esplanade Park, it is a must-see tourist spot.
You are just in time to continue your food adventure at Makansutra Gluttons Bay, which is Esplanade’s famous hawker stalls that offers you more of Singapore’s dinner staples like Cereal Prawns and Satay while downing some good ‘ol TIger Beer. What a nightcap it will be.
Day 2: Sentosa Island and Universal Studios
Sunday in Singapore greets you with the excitement of spending a whole day exploring Sentosa Island and Universal Studios Singapore. While these may seem like activities for children, both tourist spots have captured the hearts of many city guests as they boast theme park activities that are truly enjoyable.
When you’ve had enough of the theme park rides, you can visit Universal Studios’ candy stores like the all-time favorite M&M World, Cocoa Trees, and Candylicious. Go bag some of those chocolates and sweets that your families and friends back home will surely love.
