Singapore City, Sentosa & Universal Studios

Singapore is a city that rewards curiosity. Two hundred years ago, it was a small fishing settlement at the tip of the Malay Peninsula; today, it is one of the richest, cleanest and most efficient cities on earth, a crossroads of Chinese, Malay, Indian and European cultures packed onto an island smaller than Delhi. This trip is planned for first-time visitors who want to understand that story while enjoying its most famous sights, one big experience a day, with time in the evenings to discover the city at your own pace.

Flights from most Indian cities take between four and six hours, and many land at Changi Airport early in the morning or late at night. Singapore is two and a half hours ahead of India, so set your watch forward as you descend. Indian passport holders need a Singapore tourist visa before travelling, and every visitor must also submit the free SG Arrival Card online within the three days before arrival. It only takes a few minutes on the official website or app, and it saves time at immigration, where most travellers now pass through automated gates.

Changi is often voted the best airport in the world, and it is worth a few minutes of your time before you leave. If you land at Terminal 1, or have time to walk across from Terminals 2 and 3, step into Jewel, the glass-domed complex in the middle of the airport. At its heart, the Rain Vortex, the tallest indoor waterfall in the world, pours 40 metres from an opening in the roof into a pool below, surrounded by the terraced gardens of the Shiseido Forest Valley. It is a spectacular first sight, and a fitting introduction to a city that likes to grow gardens wherever it builds.

Our representative meets you in the arrivals hall, and your private transfer to the hotel takes about 25 to 30 minutes along the East Coast Parkway, with glimpses of the sea, the ships waiting offshore and the skyline of Marina Bay rising ahead. Singapore's port is one of the busiest in the world, and the line of tankers and container ships on the horizon is a reminder that trade has always been the city's lifeblood.

Standard hotel check-in is usually from 2 or 3 PM. If you arrive earlier, the hotel will hold your bags while you have lunch nearby. Singapore hotel rooms can be compact, especially in the city centre, but they are spotlessly clean, well run and close to the MRT, the city's excellent metro system.

Getting around on your own is easy. The MRT is fast, air-conditioned and signposted in English, and you can simply tap a contactless Visa or Mastercard at the gates, so there is no need to buy a separate ticket. Buses use the same system, and taxis and ride-hailing apps such as Grab are reliable and metered. Singapore's rules are famously strict: no littering, no eating or drinking on the MRT, no chewing gum brought into the country and no smoking except in marked areas, and fines are real. Tap water is safe to drink everywhere.

For your first evening, head out to eat, because food is the best way into Singapore's culture. The city's hawker centres, open-air food courts with dozens of small stalls, were added to UNESCO's list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2020, recognising the way they bring every community together over cheap, delicious food. Try Hainanese chicken rice, laksa, char kway teow, satay, roti prata or a plate of nasi lemak, and finish with a glass of sugarcane juice or teh tarik, the frothy "pulled" milk tea. Lau Pa Sat in the financial district, Maxwell Food Centre in Chinatown and the Tekka Centre in Little India are all good places to start.

Indian visitors will feel very much at home in Little India, where the streets around Serangoon Road are full of sweet shops, textile stores, flower garland sellers and restaurants serving everything from South Indian thalis and dosas to North Indian curries and Gujarati snacks. The Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, built by Tamil labourers in the 19th century, is one of the oldest Hindu temples on the island.

If you still have energy after dinner, take a stroll along the Singapore River at Clarke Quay or Boat Quay, where old warehouses have become riverside restaurants and bars, or ride the MRT to Marina Bay to see the skyline lit up at night. Otherwise, rest well: tomorrow is a full day of sightseeing.

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

Good to know: apply for your Singapore visa well before travel and submit the free SG Arrival Card within three days of arrival. Keep your hotel address handy for immigration. Read our guide to the SG Arrival Card and the Singapore visa for Indians.

After breakfast, the coach collects you from your hotel for a half-day city tour. The tour is shared with other guests and runs on fixed pickup times, so be ready in the lobby a few minutes early. Your guide will tell the story of Singapore as you go, and it is a remarkable one.

In 1819, Sir Stamford Raffles of the British East India Company landed at the mouth of the Singapore River and saw the potential of the island's sheltered harbour, sitting on the shipping route between India and China. Within a few decades, the trading post had become a thriving port, drawing merchants and workers from China, the Malay world, India and beyond, each community settling in its own quarter of the town. After the Second World War and a brief union with Malaysia, Singapore became an independent nation in 1965, and in a single lifetime, it transformed itself from a crowded port into the gleaming city you see today.

The first stop is usually Merlion Park, facing Marina Bay. The Merlion, with the head of a lion and the body of a fish, was designed in the 1960s as a symbol for the tourism board, and the statue was unveiled in 1972. The lion recalls the legend that gave Singapore its name, Singapura, the "lion city", and the fish recalls its humble beginnings as a fishing village. Across the water rise the three towers of Marina Bay Sands, linked by the boat-shaped SkyPark, the lotus-shaped ArtScience Museum and the gleaming towers of the financial district, one of the great urban views in Asia.

The tour continues with a photo stop at the Singapore Flyer, a giant observation wheel 165 metres high, opened in 2008, which overlooks the bay and the Marina Bay Street Circuit, home to the night-time Formula One race. It then heads to Chinatown, where narrow streets of brightly painted shophouses surround busy markets, temples and restaurants. The tour usually includes a visit to one of Chinatown's temples, such as the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, built in the style of the Tang dynasty, or Sri Mariamman, Singapore's oldest Hindu temple, founded in 1827, with its tall, colourful gopuram tower, a sign of how closely the city's communities have always lived together. A stop at a duty-free shop rounds off the morning.

After lunch, at your own cost, the tour continues to Sentosa, the resort island just off Singapore's southern coast. Sentosa has a surprising past. Until 1972, it was called Pulau Blakang Mati, and it was a British military base, guarding the approach to the harbour with coastal guns. Fort Siloso, on the island's western tip, still preserves its tunnels and gun emplacements, and tells the story of the fall of Singapore in 1942. When the island was handed over for tourism, it was renamed Sentosa, a Malay word meaning "peace and tranquillity".

You reach the island in the most scenic way, by cable car, gliding high above the harbour and the cruise ships with views back over the city and out to the islands of Indonesia. On the island, you have three rides each on the Luge and the Skyride. The Luge is a wheeled cart that you steer yourself down a winding track through the forest, using a simple handlebar to brake and turn, and it is enormous fun for all ages. The Skyride, a chairlift, carries you back up the hill, with lovely views over the beaches and the sea, especially as the sun begins to set.

In between rides, take time to explore. Sentosa's beaches, Siloso, Palawan and Tanjong, are lined with palm trees and beach bars, and a suspension bridge from Palawan Beach leads to a small islet that the island describes as the southernmost point of continental Asia.

Singapore's heat and humidity are constant through the year, with temperatures around 30 degrees and short, heavy showers that pass quickly. Dress in light, breathable clothes, carry a small umbrella that doubles as shade, and keep a bottle of water with you; Sentosa has plenty of refill points and cafés.

In the evening, the day ends with Wings of Time at 7:40 PM, an outdoor show on the beach that tells the story of a friendship between a young boy and a mythical bird through water jets, lasers, flames, projections and music, against the backdrop of the sea. The coach then takes you back to your hotel.

Included today: half-day city tour on a shared basis, Sentosa combo with one-way cable car, three rides each on the Luge and Skyride, and Wings of Time at 7:40 PM, shared transfers, breakfast.

Good to know: wear comfortable shoes and carry water and a light umbrella. Lunch and dinner are at your own cost, and pickup times are fixed. Read our Sentosa Island guide.

Singapore calls itself a "City in Nature", and today you see that idea at its most ambitious. In the 1960s, the city's first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, launched a campaign to turn Singapore into a "Garden City", planting millions of trees along its roads and parks, and the vision grew into one of the greenest cities in the world. Gardens by the Bay, opened in 2012 on reclaimed land beside Marina Bay, is its showpiece, and few places on earth combine architecture and nature so boldly.

After breakfast, the shared coach collects you for a tour that usually takes four to six hours. The gardens cover more than 100 hectares, and the most famous parts are two enormous glass conservatories, the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest, which rise from the waterfront like giant seashells. They are cooled using clever, energy-saving technology, so they are pleasantly cool inside even on the hottest day, a welcome break from Singapore's tropical heat.

The Flower Dome is one of the largest glass greenhouses in the world, without a single pillar to support its roof. Inside, it recreates the cool, dry climate of the Mediterranean and other semi-arid regions, with ancient olive trees, giant baobabs, bottle trees and succulents, and a central flower field whose displays change with the seasons and festivals, from tulips in spring to themed displays for Deepavali, Christmas and the Chinese New Year.

The Cloud Forest is even more dramatic. As you step inside, you are met by a towering waterfall, one of the tallest indoor waterfalls in the world, cascading from a mountain covered in orchids, ferns, mosses and pitcher plants. A lift takes you to the top, and you walk down along elevated walkways that wind around the mountain and through the mist, past displays explaining the fragile ecosystems of the world's tropical highlands.

Your ticket also includes the Jurassic World experience, which brings lifelike, moving dinosaurs into the gardens, with sound effects and interactive displays. It is especially popular with children, but adults enjoy it too, and it makes a fun contrast with the calm of the domes.

Outside, the Supertree Grove is one of the most photographed sights in Singapore. These eighteen vertical gardens, between 25 and 50 metres tall, are covered in more than 160,000 plants, and some collect rainwater and solar energy for the gardens. They look extraordinary by day, but they are best after dark, when they light up and seem to come alive.

The tour then crosses to Marina Bay Sands, the hotel and resort that has defined the Singapore skyline since it opened in 2010. Its three 55-storey towers are linked at the top by the SkyPark, a structure shaped like a ship that stretches out beyond the north tower. From the observation deck, about 200 metres above the bay, the view is breathtaking: the financial district, the Singapore River, the domes and Supertrees of the gardens, the Flyer, and the ships at anchor in the strait, stretching all the way to the islands of Indonesia on a clear day. The famous infinity pool is reserved for hotel guests, but the deck has the same views.

Your entry is for non-peak hours, so timings will be confirmed with your vouchers. The light is softest in the late afternoon, and the city looks wonderful as it glows in the haze.

Gardens by the Bay is also a lesson in sustainability. Horticultural waste from the gardens is burned to generate electricity for the cooling systems, and the lakes around the gardens act as natural filters for the water flowing into Marina Reservoir, which supplies part of the city's drinking water. The Marina Barrage nearby, built across the mouth of the bay, turned the old harbour into a freshwater reservoir and is worth a short visit for its rooftop park and views.

In the evening, stay in Marina Bay for two free shows. At the Supertree Grove, Garden Rhapsody, a light and sound show, begins at 7:45 PM and 8:45 PM, and the best way to watch it is lying on the ground beneath the trees, looking up. Across the bay, at the Event Plaza in front of Marina Bay Sands, Spectra is a show of water, lights, lasers and music that tells Singapore's story, usually at 8 PM and 9 PM, with an extra show on Friday and Saturday nights. Satay by the Bay, the hawker centre at the edge of the gardens, or the Makansutra Gluttons Bay food stalls near the Esplanade are good places for dinner.

Included today: Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands combo with the Cloud Forest, Flower Dome, Jurassic World and SkyPark observation deck at non-peak times, shared transfers, breakfast.

Good to know: the domes are cool, so carry a light layer. The infinity pool is for hotel guests only. Lunch and dinner are not included. Read our Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands guide.

Today is pure fun. After breakfast, the shared coach takes you back to Sentosa for a full day at Universal Studios Singapore, the only Universal theme park in South-East Asia. It opened in 2010 inside Resorts World Sentosa, and it remains one of the most popular attractions in the region, so it is worth arriving early and having a plan.

The park is laid out in seven themed zones around a central lagoon. You enter through Hollywood, a street of 1950s glamour with shops, cafés and the famous Universal globe at the entrance, which makes the classic photo of any visit. Next comes New York, with its brownstone streets and theatre shows, and then Sci-Fi City, home to two of the park's biggest rides: the Battlestar Galactica twin roller-coasters, one seated and one suspended, which race and duel at high speed, and Transformers: The Ride, a thrilling 3D motion ride through a battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons.

In Ancient Egypt, Revenge of the Mummy is an indoor roller-coaster in the dark, full of surprises, and Treasure Hunters is a gentle jeep ride for younger visitors. The Lost World brings Jurassic Park to life, with the Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure, a river raft ride past dinosaurs that will get you wet, and the Canopy Flyer, which swoops through the treetops. Far Far Away is the land of Shrek, with a castle, a 4D film and family rides, and Minion Land, the park's newest zone, is a colourful world of Minions with rides, games and plenty of photo opportunities.

A little strategy makes a big difference. Arrive before the gates open and head straight to the most popular rides, such as Transformers, Battlestar Galactica and the Mummy, while the queues are shortest, then visit the shows and gentler rides in the middle of the day. Check the park app or the map for show times and character meet-and-greets, and plan your day around them. If you would rather skip the queues, an Express Pass can be bought at extra cost, and it is especially useful at weekends and in school holidays.

Universal Studios is busiest at weekends, on public holidays and during the Indian and Singaporean school holidays in May, June, November and December. If your dates are flexible, a weekday visit, especially from Tuesday to Thursday, makes for shorter queues and a more relaxed day.

Children and adults alike love meeting the characters who wander the park through the day, from the Minions and Shrek to Transformers and classic Hollywood stars, and the staff often announce photo times near the main squares. In the late afternoon, the queues for the big rides usually shorten again, as families with young children start to leave, so it can be worth returning to your favourite ride before closing.

Some rides have minimum height limits, and the biggest roller-coasters are not suitable for anyone with back, neck or heart problems or during pregnancy, so check the signs at each ride. Lockers are needed for bags on some rides and are available nearby. The Jurassic Park Rapids will soak you, so a light poncho or a change of clothes is a good idea.

There is plenty to eat inside the park, from burgers, pizzas and Asian noodles to themed snacks and ice creams, and vegetarian options are available, though choices are more limited than in the city. Prices are higher than outside, as in any theme park. You may bring a bottle of water and small snacks, and there are free water fountains to refill.

Singapore's weather can change quickly, with short, heavy tropical showers, especially in the afternoon, and some outdoor rides close briefly during lightning. Carry a small umbrella or poncho, sunscreen and a hat, and use the indoor attractions and shows when it rains.

Remember that your ticket is valid for one day only, so plan to make the most of it, and keep your mobile voucher ready on your phone at the entrance.

When you leave the park, there is more to see in Resorts World Sentosa. The S.E.A. Aquarium, one of the largest aquariums in the world, is next door, at extra cost, and the Lake of Dreams, a short walk away, puts on a free light and fire show in the evening. Many visitors also stroll along the waterfront at the cable car station or the boardwalk to VivoCity, the large shopping centre on the mainland, where the food court is a good place for dinner.

The coach brings you back to your hotel in the evening. If you still have energy, Orchard Road, Singapore's famous shopping street, is open late, with department stores, malls and food courts under a canopy of trees.

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

Good to know: some rides have height and health limits. Express Pass, lockers, meals and the S.E.A. Aquarium are not included. Bring a poncho for the water rides. Read our Universal Studios Singapore guide.

Your last morning in Singapore is a chance to see one more side of the city before you fly home. Enjoy a relaxed breakfast, and if your flight is in the afternoon or evening, ask the hotel to keep your bags after checkout, which is usually at 11 AM or noon, so that you can go out for a few hours. Late checkout is sometimes possible, subject to availability and usually at extra cost.

If you enjoyed learning about the city's communities, take the MRT to Bugis and walk to Kampong Glam, the historic Malay and Arab quarter. Its centrepiece is the golden-domed Sultan Mosque, one of the most important mosques in Singapore, and the surrounding streets are full of textile shops, perfume sellers and cafés. Nearby, Haji Lane is a narrow alley of colourful shophouses, murals and independent boutiques, one of the most photogenic streets in the city. Arab Street is good for carpets, batik and fabric.

For a quieter final morning, visit the Singapore Botanic Gardens, the country's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 2015. Founded in 1859, the gardens played a key role in the history of South-East Asia, as it was here that rubber was first cultivated on a large scale in the region. Today, they are a peaceful place of lawns, lakes and rainforest, and the National Orchid Garden, at extra cost, displays thousands of orchids, including varieties named after visiting presidents, prime ministers and celebrities. Entry to the main gardens is free.

Singapore is a good place for last-minute shopping, though it is not a cheap city. Popular souvenirs include Merlion figures, orchid-shaped jewellery, kaya jam, Bak Kwa, a sweet barbecued pork, local tea and coffee, batik and fridge magnets of the city's shophouses. Mustafa Centre in Little India, open almost around the clock, is famous with Indian visitors for its huge range of electronics, gold, cosmetics and groceries at reasonable prices.

Tourists can claim a refund of the Goods and Services Tax on eligible purchases made at participating shops, usually above a minimum amount per receipt. Ask for an eTRS tax refund at the time of purchase, keep your receipts and goods with you, and complete the claim at the self-service kiosks at Changi before you check in your luggage, or after immigration for items in your hand baggage.

Before leaving the hotel, check your room carefully for passports, phones, chargers and anything in the safe. Pack liquids such as perfumes and sauces in your checked luggage, and keep passports, tickets and receipts for valuable purchases in your hand baggage. Remember that Indian customs has limits on duty-free goods, gold and electronics, so keep the bills.

At the agreed time, your private driver collects you from the hotel for the drive to Changi Airport, which takes about 25 to 30 minutes from the city centre. Choose a flight that leaves at least three hours after you reach the airport, as check-in, the tax refund and security all take time, especially in the busy holiday months.

Changi is a destination in its own right. Its terminals have gardens, including a butterfly garden in Terminal 3, free movie theatres, play areas, excellent food and one of the best duty-free shopping areas in Asia. If you did not visit Jewel on arrival, and you have time before checking in, its Rain Vortex and Canopy Park are worth a look.

As your plane climbs away over the Strait of Singapore and the city's skyline falls behind, you may be surprised by how much you have seen in four nights: a city that began as a trading post and became a nation, its temples and hawker centres, the cable car and the luge on Sentosa, the domes and Supertrees of Gardens by the Bay, and a day of thrills at Universal Studios. Many travellers return to add the Night Safari, the zoo or a few days in Malaysia.

If you have a little longer, the Peranakan houses of Joo Chiat and Katong in the east of the city, with their pastel-coloured facades and ornate tiles, tell the story of the Straits Chinese, whose blended Chinese and Malay culture produced some of Singapore's finest food, including Katong laksa and kueh, colourful rice cakes.

Thank you for travelling with Dreamland Vacations. Our team will stay in touch until you are home safely, and we would love to hear what you enjoyed most. Whenever you are ready for your next trip, we will be happy to help.

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, and allow time for the GST refund. Late checkout is subject to availability and may cost extra. Read our Singapore travel tips and Indian food in Singapore.