Romantic Singapore Escape

A honeymoon in Singapore begins the moment you land. Few cities in the world greet you as gracefully as this one: an airport that feels more like a garden than a terminal, roads lined with rain trees and bougainvillea, and a skyline that glows over the water at night. Five nights here give you time to enjoy it as a couple, with sightseeing in the mornings and plenty of slow evenings by the bay, on the river and under the stars.

Singapore is two and a half hours ahead of India, so put your watches forward as the plane comes in to land. Before you fly, each of you should submit the SG Arrival Card online, which is free and must be done within three days before you arrive, and keep your visa approvals on your phone. Immigration at Changi is usually quick, with automated lanes for many travellers, and the whole process often takes only a few minutes.

Our representative will be waiting in the arrivals hall, and your transfer to the hotel is private, so you can sit back together and watch the city unfold. The drive takes around half an hour, and as you near the centre, the towers of Marina Bay rise ahead, with the three tall columns of Marina Bay Sands and the great ship-shaped deck balanced across the top. It is a sight that tells you straight away that you have arrived somewhere special.

If you land early, take a little time at Jewel Changi Airport, the dome of glass and steel connected to the terminals. At its heart, the Rain Vortex pours from an opening in the roof, falling some 40 metres into a pool below, the tallest indoor waterfall in the world. It is surrounded by the Shiseido Forest Valley, a terraced indoor garden of trees, ferns and walking trails, and the mist and the sound of the water make it a surprisingly romantic place to begin a trip. After dark, the waterfall is lit with a light and sound show.

At the hotel, tell the reception that you are on your honeymoon. Many hotels in Singapore like to mark the occasion, sometimes with a small cake, flowers or a note in the room, and we will mention it when we make your booking. If you would like something more, such as a room with a view of Marina Bay or the city skyline, a suite, or a few nights at a beach resort on Sentosa, we can arrange an upgrade at extra cost, subject to availability.

Standard check-in is usually from 2 or 3 PM, so if you arrive in the morning, leave your bags with the hotel and have a leisurely brunch nearby. Then rest for the afternoon. Many city hotels have rooftop pools with views over the skyline, and an hour by the pool is the perfect cure for an overnight flight.

As evening falls, walk to the Marina Bay waterfront. A promenade runs all the way around the bay, about three and a half kilometres, linking the Esplanade theatres, with their spiky domes often compared to a durian fruit, the Merlion, the Fullerton Hotel, the curving Helix Bridge and the shops and restaurants of Marina Bay Sands. The air is warm, the water reflects the lights of the towers, and the whole city seems to slow down. It is one of the loveliest evening walks in Asia, and it costs nothing.

For dinner, Singapore offers every kind of setting, from casual hawker stalls to candlelit tables with a view. Restaurants along the bay and the river serve Indian, Chinese, Malay, Italian and Japanese food, and vegetarian dishes are easy to find. If you would like a special first dinner, ask us to suggest a restaurant with a view; booking ahead is a good idea for the most popular places, especially at weekends.

Singapore is one of the safest cities in the world, and you can walk together late at night without worry. It is also a fairly conservative society, so holding hands is perfectly normal, but more open displays of affection are best kept for private.

Singapore's weather is warm and humid all year, with temperatures around 30 degrees by day and short, heavy showers that pass quickly. Pack light cotton or linen clothes, comfortable sandals and a light layer for the air-conditioned malls and restaurants, which can feel chilly after the heat outside.

Rest well tonight. Tomorrow you see the city's highlights and spend the afternoon among the flowers and clouds of Gardens by the Bay.

Included today: private arrival transfer from Changi Airport to your hotel, hotel stay.

Good to know: each traveller must submit the free SG Arrival Card within 3 days before arrival. Room upgrades and honeymoon extras are at extra cost and subject to availability. Read our guide to the SG Arrival Card and the Singapore visa for Indians.

After breakfast, your shared coach collects you from the hotel lobby for a half-day tour of the city. The pickup time is fixed and confirmed the evening before, so be ready in the lobby a few minutes early. The tour is a good way to get your bearings on your first full day, with a guide who points out the landmarks and neighbourhoods you may want to come back to later on your own.

The tour usually includes Merlion Park, where the half-lion, half-fish symbol of the city spouts water into the bay, a photo stop at the Singapore Flyer, a visit to a temple in Chinatown and a stop at a duty-free shop. As you drive, look out for the colonial buildings around the Padang, the old cricket field at the heart of the civic district, and for the National Gallery, housed in the former Supreme Court and City Hall, two grand buildings joined by a glass roof.

Couples often love Chinatown. Its streets of restored shophouses, painted in soft pastel colours with carved wooden shutters, are full of tea houses, traditional medicine shops and small restaurants, and the lanterns that hang across the streets are especially pretty in the evening. If a temple visit is part of your tour, remove your shoes where asked, dress modestly and speak softly inside.

In the afternoon, the tour continues to Gardens by the Bay, the city's spectacular waterfront garden, where your combo ticket covers the two great conservatories and the Jurassic World experience. Start with the Flower Dome, a vast glass greenhouse filled with the plants of the world's cooler, drier regions: ancient olive trees from Spain, baobabs from Africa, succulents and cacti, and a central field of flowers that changes with the seasons, from tulips in spring to chrysanthemums in autumn. The air is cool and fragrant, and it is a beautiful place for a slow, hand-in-hand stroll.

Next door, the Cloud Forest recreates the misty mountain slopes of the tropics. You enter to the roar of a tall waterfall tumbling down a mountain covered with orchids, ferns, mosses and pitcher plants, then take a lift to the top and walk down through the clouds on aerial walkways that wind around the mountain. Every couple of hours, a fine mist is released, wrapping the whole dome in white, and it feels wonderfully otherworldly. The Jurassic World experience brings life-sized animatronic dinosaurs to the gardens, a playful surprise among the plants.

Your ticket also includes the Marina Bay Sands SkyPark observation deck, high above the bay. The views stretch over the Supertrees and the gardens to the ships waiting in the Singapore Strait, and back across the bay to the towers of the financial district. If you can, time your visit for the late afternoon, when the light turns golden over the water, but remember that your ticket is for non-peak hours, so check the time printed on your voucher.

After the tour, stay in the Marina Bay area for the evening, because two of the city's best shows are free. At the Supertree Grove, the giant steel trees covered in climbing plants light up to music in Garden Rhapsody, usually at 7:45 and 8:45 PM. Lie back on the ground or find a bench, look up, and watch the lights dance across the canopy above you. Then walk across to the Event Plaza in front of Marina Bay Sands for Spectra, a show of fountains, lasers and music on the water, usually at 8 and 9 PM, with an extra show on Friday and Saturday nights. Show times can change, so check before you go.

Gardens by the Bay is also a quiet place to linger after the crowds leave. The Dragonfly and Kingfisher lakes, at the edge of the gardens, have shaded boardwalks and benches facing the water, and the Bay East Garden, across the water, has some of the best views of the Supertrees and the Marina Bay Sands skyline.

Carry water and an umbrella, as afternoon showers are common, and the walk between the domes, the SkyPark and the Supertrees is partly outdoors.

For a special dinner, Marina Bay has some of the most romantic restaurants in the city, including rooftop bars and restaurants with views over the bay and the gardens, at your own cost. For something simpler, Satay by the Bay, inside the gardens, serves grilled satay and local favourites under the trees.

Included today: half-day Singapore city tour on a shared basis, Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands combo with Cloud Forest, Flower Dome, Jurassic World experience and SkyPark observation deck at a non-peak time, shared transfers, breakfast.

Good to know: the domes are cool inside, so carry a light layer. Lunch and dinner are at your own cost, and the evening light shows are free. Read our guide to Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands.

Today begins on the water. After breakfast, you make your way to the Singapore River for a cruise of about 40 minutes aboard a bumboat, a traditional river boat once used to carry goods from the ships in the harbour to the warehouses along the banks. Today, the boats are painted in bright colours and fitted with comfortable seats, and they glide slowly along the river from the old quays to Marina Bay.

The river is where modern Singapore began. For more than a century, its banks were crowded with godowns, the warehouses where merchants stored rubber, spices, tin, rice and cloth, and with the shophouses of traders from China, India and the Malay world. Lighters and bumboats packed the water so tightly, it was said, that you could walk across the river from boat to boat. In the 1970s and 1980s, the government cleaned up the river, moved the cargo trade to modern ports, and restored the old buildings, which are now restaurants, bars and hotels.

As you cruise, you pass Clarke Quay, with its colourful warehouses and covered walkways, and Boat Quay, where a row of old shophouses faces the gleaming towers of the business district. Look out for the old bridges, some more than a century old, and for the statue of Raffles at the spot where he is said to have landed. The cruise then opens into Marina Bay, with the Merlion, the Esplanade and Marina Bay Sands spread around you. It is a gentle, unhurried way to see the city, and a lovely moment to share.

In the afternoon, a shared coach takes you to Sentosa, the island resort just off the southern coast. Your combo ticket includes a one-way ride on the cable car, which floats high over the harbour, with the cranes and ships of one of the world's busiest ports on one side and the green hills of Sentosa on the other. If you can, sit facing the island as the cabin crosses the water, and take photographs through the glass.

On the island, your ticket includes three rides each on the Skyline Luge and the Skyride. The Skyride is a chairlift that carries you slowly up the hill with views over the trees to the sea, a calm few minutes together above the forest. The luge carts are small enough for one adult each, so it is a chance for a friendly race down the hill; the winner chooses where you go for dinner.

Sentosa has three main beaches, and they are perfect for a lazy afternoon. Siloso, on the western side, is the liveliest, with beach bars and volleyball. Palawan, in the middle, is calmer, and a small suspension bridge leads from the sand to a tiny islet with two wooden observation towers, said to mark the southernmost point of continental Asia. Tanjong, at the eastern end, is the quietest of all. Find a spot under the palms, buy a fresh coconut, and watch the ships at anchor in the strait.

As the sun goes down, the sky over the sea turns orange and pink, and the beach bars light their lanterns. Many couples count this as one of the most romantic moments of the trip. Stay on the beach for Wings of Time at 7:40 PM, an outdoor show performed over the sea, with water fountains, lasers, flames and music that tell a story of friendship and courage. It lasts about 20 minutes, and the setting, with the sea and the sky as a backdrop, is magical.

If you would like a more private evening, ask us about a sunset sail around the southern islands or a beach dinner on Sentosa, both at extra cost. Couples who want to stay on the island for longer can also upgrade to a beach resort for a night or two, with the sea only steps from the door.

The cable car also has a second line on the island itself, linking Siloso Point with Imbiah and Merlion stations, and a dining experience in a private cabin, both at extra cost, if you would like to see the island from above once more.

Sentosa means peace and tranquillity in Malay, a name chosen in the 1970s when the old military island was turned into a resort, and in the quiet corners of its beaches, you can see why.

For dinner, Sentosa has many restaurants, from beach shacks to elegant dining at Resorts World Sentosa, at your own cost. Your shared transfer takes you back to your hotel after the show.

Included today: Singapore River Cruise of about 40 minutes, Sentosa combo with one-way cable car, Skyline Luge and Skyride with 3 rides each, Wings of Time show at 7:40 PM, shared transfers, breakfast.

Good to know: wear comfortable shoes and carry water, sunscreen and a light umbrella. Height and age rules apply on the luge. Lunch and dinner are at your own cost. Read our Sentosa Island guide.

Today is a day to play. After breakfast, a shared coach takes you back to Sentosa for a full day at Universal Studios Singapore, the movie theme park that opened at Resorts World Sentosa in 2010 and has been one of the city's most popular attractions ever since. You may think of theme parks as being for children, but couples often say this is one of the most fun days of their honeymoon, full of laughter, screams and silly photographs.

The park is laid out in themed zones around a lagoon, and each feels like stepping into a different film. Hollywood, at the entrance, is a boulevard of art deco facades and palm trees, and New York recreates the streets of Manhattan, with neon signs and old brownstones. Sci-Fi City is a futuristic metropolis, Ancient Egypt has pyramids and obelisks, The Lost World is a jungle of dinosaurs and volcanoes, and Far Far Away is home to Shrek's fairy-tale castle. The newest zone, Minion Land, is a bright, cheerful world of yellow characters, with rides, shops and treats.

For couples who love a thrill, the most famous rides are in Sci-Fi City. Battlestar Galactica is a pair of duelling roller coasters, one seated and one suspended, which race each other at high speed through loops and corkscrews; choose the seated Human track or the suspended Cylon track, or ride both. Next door, Transformers: The Ride is a 3D motion ride in which you join the Autobots in a battle through the city, with heat, wind and water effects. In Ancient Egypt, Revenge of the Mummy is an indoor coaster in the dark, with sudden drops, flames and a few surprises, best enjoyed holding hands.

There is plenty for those who prefer something gentler. The shows are excellent, with stunt performances, live musicals and character parades through the streets at set times during the day. Far Far Away has a 4D film starring Shrek and Donkey, and the Lost World has a river rafting ride through the jungle that may leave you a little wet. Keep the daily show schedule on your phone and plan your day around the performances you want to see.

A few tips help you make the most of the day. Arrive close to opening time and head for the most popular rides first, as queues grow during the day, especially at weekends and in school holidays. Express Passes, which let you skip the main queues, can be bought at extra cost and are worth considering on busy days. Some rides have height and health limits, and loose items must go in lockers before the coasters. Wear comfortable shoes, carry a light umbrella or raincoat for tropical showers, and drink plenty of water.

The park is wonderful for photographs. Stop at the huge revolving Universal globe at the entrance, the castle in Far Far Away, the colourful streets of New York and Hollywood, and the giant dinosaurs of the Lost World. Many characters appear throughout the day for photographs, and the staff are always happy to take a picture of the two of you together.

Food inside the park ranges from burgers and pizza to Asian dishes, with vegetarian options at most outlets; prices are higher than in the city, as in any theme park. There are also restaurants just outside the gates at Resorts World Sentosa, which has a good choice of cuisines.

Universal Studios is a good place to be silly together. Buy matching Minion ears or wizard hats, try the carnival games along the streets, and send a photo of the two of you on the roller coaster to your families back home; it will probably become one of the favourite pictures of your honeymoon.

If you have energy in the evening, the Skyline Luge on Sentosa also runs night rides on a lit track, and the beach bars along Siloso stay open late, with music, lanterns and a warm breeze off the sea.

The weather in Singapore can change quickly, and short tropical showers are common in the afternoon. Most rides keep running in light rain, but outdoor coasters may pause during thunderstorms, so use the time for an indoor show or a long lunch and return when the sky clears.

When the park closes, stay on Sentosa for the evening. Resorts World Sentosa has restaurants, cafés and shops, and the waterfront is pleasant for a stroll. Your shared transfer takes you back to the hotel at the end of the day, tired and very happy.

Included today: Universal Studios Singapore standard admission, shared transfers, breakfast.

Good to know: Express Passes, lockers and meals are at extra cost. Height and health rules apply on some rides. Opening hours vary by day, so check the time on your voucher. Read our Universal Studios Singapore guide.

After four busy days, today begins slowly. Enjoy a long, lazy breakfast, sleep in if you like, and spend the morning doing whatever you wish, because the main event is in the evening. This is a good morning for a couple's spa treatment; Singapore's hotels and day spas offer massages, body scrubs and facials inspired by Asian traditions, from Balinese and Thai to Chinese and Ayurvedic, at extra cost.

If you would rather explore, the Singapore Botanic Gardens is a beautiful place for a morning walk together. Founded in 1859, it was the first site in Singapore to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its lawns, lakes, rainforest trails and bandstand are especially peaceful in the cool of the morning. Inside, the National Orchid Garden displays more than a thousand species and two thousand hybrids, and its VIP Orchid Garden features orchids named after visiting heads of state and celebrities, a tradition that began in the 1920s. Entry to the orchid garden is a small extra cost.

Kampong Glam, the old Malay and Arab quarter, is another lovely place to wander, with the golden dome of the Sultan Mosque, the colourful murals of Haji Lane, shops selling perfumes, carpets and fabrics, and cafés serving strong coffee and Middle Eastern sweets. For shopping, Orchard Road has department stores, malls and luxury boutiques along a tree-lined avenue, and it is a good place to pick up gifts for your families.

In the late afternoon, return to the hotel to rest and change, ready for the evening. Your shared transfer takes you to the Mandai Wildlife Reserve in the north of the island, about 30 to 40 minutes from the city, where the Night Safari opened in 1994 as the world's first nocturnal wildlife park.

Before you go, check the weather: the Night Safari is open in light rain, and ponchos are sold at the entrance, but the tram may pause during heavy storms. It is open every evening of the year.

Your evening begins with dinner at The Courtyard, included in your package, at the entrance to the park. As the sun sets and the sky darkens, the sounds of the forest change around you, and there is a real sense of anticipation. After dinner, you set off into the park, which is lit with a soft light, like moonlight, so that you can watch the animals without disturbing them.

The Night Safari is home to around 900 animals from more than 100 species, many of them nocturnal and most active after dark. Your ticket includes a tram ride, a guided journey of about 40 minutes through the park's regions, from the Himalayan foothills to the African savannah and the forests of Southeast Asia. Along the way, you may see Asian elephants, rhinos, tigers, lions, hippos, giraffes, striped hyenas and herds of deer and antelope, often surprisingly close to the tram.

The animals at the Night Safari are kept in open, natural enclosures separated from visitors by hidden moats and barriers rather than cages, an approach pioneered by the Singapore Zoo next door. It gives the feeling of watching animals in the wild, and some, such as the mouse deer and porcupines, wander freely in walk-through areas.

After the tram, take time to explore the walking trails, where the paths lead through the forest past fishing cats, flying squirrels, leopards, pangolins and slow lorises. The Leopard Trail and the Fishing Cat Trail are especially atmospheric, and walking them together in the soft darkness, with the sound of insects and the occasional call of an animal, is quietly romantic. The Creatures of the Night show, performed at set times in an amphitheatre, introduces some of the park's nocturnal residents and is entertaining for all ages.

Photography with flash is not allowed, as it disturbs the animals, so enjoy the experience with your eyes rather than your phone. Wear comfortable shoes and use insect repellent, as the park is set in natural forest.

The Mandai reserve is also home to the Singapore Zoo, River Wonders and Bird Paradise, which can be visited by day at extra cost if you would like to see more of the island's wildlife on a future trip.

Back in the city, if you still have energy after the Night Safari, end the evening with a drink at a rooftop bar overlooking the bay, or a late stroll along the quays, where the restaurants and bars stay open well past midnight.

Included today: Night Safari admission with tram ride, dinner at The Courtyard at Night Safari, shared transfers, breakfast.

Good to know: spa treatments, the orchid garden and shopping are at extra cost. Flash photography is not allowed at Night Safari. Read our guide to the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari and our places to visit in Singapore.

Your last morning in Singapore has arrived, and it is worth savouring. Wake early if you can and take a final walk together, perhaps along the river or around Marina Bay, while the city is still cool and quiet and the joggers are out along the waterfront. Or simply enjoy a slow breakfast and a last swim in the rooftop pool, looking out over the skyline you have come to know so well.

Checkout is usually at 11 AM or noon. If your flight is later in the day, the hotel will store your luggage, and you can spend a few final hours exploring. Late checkout is sometimes possible, subject to availability and usually at extra cost, and it is worth asking if you have an evening flight, as many honeymooners like to rest and change before the journey home.

A few gifts from Singapore are always welcome back home. Kaya, a sweet coconut and pandan jam, is a local favourite, along with Singapore's famous chocolates, tea from local tea houses, orchid-shaped jewellery and perfumes, and souvenirs from the museum shops. For something special to remember your honeymoon, look for a piece of Peranakan-style porcelain or beadwork, a tradition of the Straits Chinese community.

Tourists can claim a refund of the goods and services tax on eligible purchases from participating shops, as long as you spend above the minimum amount in one store. Ask the shop to issue an electronic tourist refund when you pay, and keep your passport handy. At Changi, use the self-service machines before you check in your bags if you need to show the goods, or after immigration for items in your hand luggage. The refund can be paid to your card or in cash.

Before you leave the room, look carefully in the safe, the bathroom and the wardrobe, and make sure passports, phones and chargers are in your bags. Keep valuables and any expensive purchases in your hand luggage, and remember that Indian customs has limits on duty-free goods and jewellery, so keep the bills.

At the agreed time, your private driver collects you from the hotel lobby for the drive to Changi Airport, usually 20 to 30 minutes from the city centre. Plan to arrive at least three hours before your international flight. At Changi, the departure halls have restaurants, cafés, lounges, gardens and a huge choice of duty-free shops, and if you did not visit Jewel on arrival, there is time to see the Rain Vortex before you check in.

As the plane lifts away, look down for one last view of the city: the towers of the financial district, the curve of Marina Bay, the green islands to the south and the ships waiting in the strait. In five nights, you have walked through the clouds, cruised the old river, watched the sun set on Sentosa, laughed your way through Universal Studios and dined under the stars before the Night Safari.

Singapore is also a wonderful starting point for a longer honeymoon. Many couples continue to Bali, Phuket or the Maldives, or take a short cruise from the city, and it is easy to combine with Malaysia. Whenever you are ready for your next journey together, we would love to help you plan it.

Changi has free Wi-Fi throughout, and there are gardens to relax in after immigration, including the Butterfly Garden in Terminal 3 and the Sunflower Garden in Terminal 2. Both make a peaceful last stop together before your flight is called.

Keep your phone charged for your boarding pass and messages home, and if your flight connects through another city, check the connection time and terminal before you leave the hotel.

Singapore also makes a wonderful place to return to for an anniversary, and many couples come back after a few years, often with children, to see how much the city has changed and to show them the places where it all began.

If you have any Singapore dollars left, spend them at the airport or keep them for your next visit; the exchange counters at Changi also give fair rates.

Before you go, take a moment to thank your driver and the hotel staff. Tipping is not expected in Singapore, as a service charge is usually added to bills, but a kind word is always appreciated.

Thank you for choosing Dreamland Vacations for your honeymoon. Our team will stay in touch until you are home safely, and we wish you a lifetime of happiness together. If you enjoyed your trip, a short review on Google means a great deal to our team.

Included today: private departure transfer from your hotel to Changi Airport, breakfast.

Good to know: choose a flight that leaves at least 3 hours after you reach the airport. Late checkout is subject to availability and may cost extra. Read our Singapore travel tips and the best time to visit Singapore.