It's been almost a year since Singaporeans stopped international travel – and most of us are already feeling burnt out. But here's your reminder that you need to take a break and step away from work from time to time. We may not be able to travel to faraway places, but there's so much to discover on our beautiful island.
Don't believe us? We've curated a five-day itinerary on how to have a vacation in Singapore to give you some ideas. Now all you have to do is apply for a week of work, pack your luggage, and take a break from everyday life.
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Take a break from the city lights and have a staycation at Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore – preferably, for two days. Singapore's latest luxury hotel is set across the lush grounds of Laguna National Golf & Country Club. It combines the brand's Thai heritage with local hospitality and more. Take it easy for the rest of the day – spend the afternoon lounging by the pool, get a rejuvenating massage at Devarana Spa or go for a game of golf.
Get up early in the morning and have breakfast at the hotel. After which, make your way to Changi Point Ferry Terminal, your gateway to the beautiful island of Pulau Ubin. One-way bumboat tickets cost $4 and the boats run on an irregular schedule. If you're bringing a bicycle along, that's an extra $2. However, there are various rental shops on the island for your adventure.
Experience kampung life on the island, where everything slows down. Have a leisurely bike ride around and spot wildlife at Chek Jawa Wetlands, marvel at a heritage Tudor-style house that has been awarded conservation status and paddle through mangroves.
If you need ideas on more things to do, check out our ultimate guide to Pulau Ubin.
Stay for sunset if you want to. After which, get back on a bumboat to Changi Village, a heaven for foodies. There are various food options at the famed hawker centre like Nasi Lemak at Mizzy Corner, grilled sambal stingray at Ah Nam BBQ Seafood and Guang Xing Original Taste Fish Head Bee Hoon. You can also find cafes in the surrounding area such as The Coastal Settlement and The Seagrill, a laidback seafood bistro bar by the sea.
Bid farewell to Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore and head to Wanderlust, The Unlimited Collection by Oakwood in Little India. Housed in a 1920s building in Little India, the hotel has undergone a complete transformation, merging old-world charm with essential modern-day comforts. This will be your home-away-from-home for two days and one night, making the perfect base to explore everything the cultural enclave has to offer.
Take in the intriguing sights, sounds and scents of the colourful neighbourhood. Don't miss the colourful kaleidoscopic House of Tan Teng Niah, get your cameras ready for mural hunting around Little India and pick up a fragrant garland and Jothi Store & Flower Shop.
And of course, what's Little India without a dizzying array of food options? Savour the best of Pakistani and Indian cuisine at Delhi Lahori, located at Tekka Centre; or head to Komala Vilas, a Little India institution.
For more, check out our ultimate guide to Little India.
The next day, pack up and head to Kranji, Singapore's rural countryside. This is where you'll spend the last two days of your vacation in Singapore. Make the most of your countryside trip with a staycay at the villas of Gallop Kranji Farm Resort. Off the beaten track, the farm resort offers a unique experience where you can live the kampung life away from the hustle and bustle of Singapore.
Leave your fast-paced lifestyle behind, clear your mind and spend a leisurely day exploring the grounds of the resort. Go on a beehive tour, kick it with a prawning session and more. The kids can also have their fun with pony rides, while mum and dad can relax at the resort's spa.
Rise and shine. It's time to head out early for Kranji Marshes. Home to 170 species of birds, 54 types of buttferflies and 33 different kinds of dragonflies, this nature reserve is the perfect recreation area to observe and enjoy the island's wildlife. At 57 hectares and with a range of natural and green habitats, Kranji Marshes is Singapore's largest freshwater farmland.
You can check out five unique things you can do at Kranji Marshes here.
After a whole day of hiking, it's time to refuel yourself. What began in 2000 as the brainchild of Ivy Singh and her husband Lim Ho Seng has since grown (pun intended) to one of the most beloved farms on the island. Known for more than just its organic produce, Bollywood Veggies has, over the years, expanded to include a culinary school and a museum. There’s even a bistro that uses fertiliser- and pesticide-free ingredients harvested from the backyard. It doesn’t get fresher than this.
You can't miss the place with its cheeky green and yellow signs and lush plants. Upon entering take some time to follow the trail around the farm where you'll see various fruit trees, vegetables, an irrigation pond, and plenty of banana trees (of different sorts!). Remember to be mindful of where you're stepping, you might just chance upon frogs and ants crossing (there really is a path for ants in the compound). At the end of the trail, take some time to sit by the beautiful lotus pond at the end of the trail for a pocket of peace.
When you're done walking around, cool down with some refreshing fig or lemongrass tea made from the produce in the farm. We'd also suggest getting a kueh platter for a treat – it comes with banana bread (made from the bananas on the farm), kueh kosui and kueh bingka. Pick up some groceries at the small mart area – there are bananas, mushrooms and assorted local vegetables from the farm – before you set off on your journey back to the resort.
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