The best free things to do in Singapore at night

Wander around Haji Lane and Arab Street in Kampong Gelam at night with a camera in hand, and you'll be pleasantly surprised by the vibrant culture and lively scenes you can capture. These colourful streets are brimming with quirky boutiques, eye-catching street art, and a buzzing nightlife. Locals and visitors gather at the corners of this narrow lane to enjoy drinks, groove to live music, and simply have a good time soaking in the fantastic vibes.

If you're in the Marina Bay area, don't miss the nightly multimedia show Spectra – A Light & Water Show. This free outdoor display happens over the water at Event Plaza, where a four-part story unfolds in a symphony of fountain jets, dazzling visual projections, laser shows and lava and mist effects set to an orchestral soundtrack. It's just 15-minutes long, but worth catching every once in a while before you go on your way for more shopping and dining at The Shoppes. 

Love live music? There's no need to shell out for an expensive concert or festival all the time – not when The Esplanade runs free music performances right on the Esplanade Concourse. This January 2022, while your nights away with the likes of urban soul singer YAØ, homegrown rap artist Sambal Snake, emo and math rock band CURB, indie-pop and R&B artists Aldo Tasbur and singer-songwriter Dreebsby. There's a full calendar of live gigs happening throughout the year – stay updated on The Esplanade's official website. 

Siloso Beach illuminates every weekend from 7.30pm to 10.30pm with the immersive light and sound show Magical Shores. The multi-sensory experience also invites you to interact with light art on the sandy beach, inspired by diverse elements ranging from water flow to marine creatures. Whirl around and see the striking visual effects change on the sand, or take a breather and soak up the light and sound symphony which accentuates the beauty of Sentosa's landscape. Remember to book a time slot online before heading down.

Note: Magical Shores is temporarily closed due to maintenance works

There's nothing like taking a refreshing walk through the majestic, gargantuan gardens, surrounded by exotic foliage at Gardens by the Bay. But take it from us – it gets even more magical at sunset when the Garden Rhapsody light show comes on. The popular light and sound show at Supertree Grove spotlights the illuminated Supertrees, which change hues in time to a musical soundtrack as if they are "dancing" along to it. There are two full-scale shows, twice every evening at its original 7.45pm and 8.45pm timing.

Hop on your two-wheeler and whizz through the 60-kilometre Rower’s Bay. It’s part of the first phase of the Round Island Route, a continuous 150-kilometre park connector that circles the island. Connecting Yishun to Punggol, the boardwalk allows you to see the city in the dark with the breeze in your hair as you zoom by the edge of the Seletar Reservoir. There’s also a lookout pavilion, swales and a wetland area for you to soak in all of mother nature come dusk. 

If you’re making your way to Seletar Aerospace Park, there are shelters with charging points as well as vending machines selling bike equipment and a self-help repair station, just in case your bicycle decides to act up.

What’s more relaxing than a seaside stroll under a blanket of stars, complete with the sea breeze and calming sounds of the crashing waves? Start at Changi Creek in the east before traversing the 2.2-kilometre stretch which looks out to neighbouring Johor. At sundown, the path is illuminated with pretty lights. In the day, you can catch bumboats taking day-trippers out to Pulau Ubin, and some wildlife as you pass by Changi Beach. It also makes a great vantage point of the stunning sunset (or sunrise).

Located along the Changi Airport Connector is the city’s largest permanent outdoor display of life-sized dinosaurs. Open 24 hours, Jurassic Mile is home to over 20 different prehistoric, colossal creatures including the tyrannosaurus rex, velociraptors, and parasaurolophus – the tallest standing at about five-metres high. While you explore the grounds, look out for the baby dinos hatching from their massive eggs, and try to spot all nine species along the one-kilometre cycling and jogging path.

Besides over 280 dining and retail options housed under one majestic dome, Jewel Changi Airport is also home to HSBC Rain Vortex, the largest indoor waterfall in the world. You can say that it’s the crown jewel of, well, Jewel Changi Airport. The 40-metre-tall beauty takes centre stage with a futuristic design, in which the shower starts from the edge of the circular opening in the centre of the mounding glass-roof and ends at the plunge pool in the basement – that’s 10 storeys worth! The first half of the waterfall is also surrounded by a four-storey terraced tropical forest.

Prior to the circuit breaker, the HSBC Rain Vortex transforms into a canvas for a light and sound show from 7.30pm to midnight. There’s a high chance it’ll return soon, but for now, it remains suspended.

Get a bird's eye view of the cityscape at Skyville@Dawson, where there's a rooftop garden perched atop the 47th floor. Unlike Pinnacle@Duxton, there's no entrance fee and you can enjoy the panoramic views to your heart's content. The tranquil rooftop garden has plenty of seating and sheltered spots for you to take a breather and reflect on the day’s events. While you stroll around Skyville@Dawson, be sure to look out for the wall murals depicting Queenstown's heritage by comic artist Troy Chin too.

Besides being a great spot for picnics, Marina Barrage’s wide open space is arguably the most popular location on the island for flying kites. Rookies needing advice on kite selection and other tips can hit up Barrage Cove, a kite shop on the ground floor, and approach one of the friendly staff. While you’re at it, pick up an LED kite that illuminates the night sky with colourful neon lights.

Even if you haven’t prepared a shopping list, a trip to Mustafa Centre is always a treat. The shopping behemoth in Little India opens till 11.30pm (24 hours pre-circuit breaker), and is the perfect spot for high spenders, budget buyers and window shoppers. Here, you can find almost anything from frozen food, imported teas from India, electronics, textiles, jewellery and more at a steal. But nothing beats counting the number of weird finds like a section dedicated to all things London, a whole aisle of Pink Himalayan salt and racks of ugly, ironic jumpers.

At 5,000-square-metres, it’s the biggest outlet in Singapore yet. The sporting goods store packs more than just equipment, gear and everything you need to be living your best sporty life. The best part of this sprawling store is the interactive test zones located around the store, allowing visitors to try the products out themselves (and squeeze in some fun and exercise) before making the purchase. It also hosts workshop services like bike servicing, free member-exclusive events like yoga classes, and free-to-play areas like outdoor basketball and futsal courts. It's currently open until midnight on Friday and Saturday, and 11pm from Sunday to Thursday (24 hours pre-circuit breaker).

No doubt, alfresco restaurants and bars are great for unwinding under the stars. But when it comes to catching astronomical wonders, it’s best to take it to Upper Seletar Reservoir. The highlight of this 15-hectare space is its 18-metre-tall lookout tower which looks like a rocket ship. Burn some calories with a quick cardio workout by climbing up the tower's winding stairs and be awarded with an aerial view of the park's water body, surrounding greenery and the starry sky come nighttime.

Situated 36-metres above Henderson Road, this pedestrian bridge – incidentally the highest in Singapore – is the perfect spot to escape the city. It’s one of the best places to observe flora and fauna from above, as well as stunning views of the island especially at sunrise and sunset. At sundown, the bridge is lined by LED lighting that turns it into a romantic setting. The hidden recesses and shell-like ridges also make it a popular spot for groups to hang out or for canoodling couples to sneak in a smooch.