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After two more magical months living in Bali, we packed our bags (all of them!) and flew into Singapore for the very first time as a family. We had no idea what to expect—but let’s just say Singapore didn’t disappoint. Clean, green, futuristic, and packed with history, this city had us hooked from the start. And we created a whole video on our first day in Singapore here:

Arrival Adventures (and Airport Drama)

We flew from Bali to Changi with KLM and landed at Changi Airport—a must see destination in itself—and hit our first travel hiccup: overweight luggage. Thanks to KLM’s strict policy on individual bag weight, we had to unpack and reshuffle everything right there in the terminal. Stressful? Absolutely. But we got it sorted without blowing our budget on excess fees. Use our flight checker below to get the cheapest flight prices.

Where We Stayed

We splurged big time on our stay at the Dorsett Hotel, trading our usual budget accommodations for a bit of luxury. With two rooms for four nights at £920, it cost more than a whole months rent in Bali (like I said we blew the budget!). But the location (right next to MRT, Chinatown, and Duxton Park), rooftop pool, and epic skyline views made it worthwhile—especially with kids in tow - and especially for a city break treat. And this was a treaty stay (not like our usual budget day-to-day travel life).

We found accommodation in Singapore to be expensive for South East Asia, but the quality to be much better for the price point of say a Western city like London. Prices are much cheaper than London and the standard/quality far far higher. That said there are also many hostel options if on a budget as a solo traveller or couple where you can stay in a hostel for around £25 per night (but for a family of 4 hostels don't work out the best option as we're big in number). We are better of staying in a hotel for a similar cost and have the luxuries of a gym and pool.

First Impressions: Clean, Calm, and Green

Singapore really surprised us. The air smelled fresh. The streets were spotless. Crossing the road didn’t feel like a life-or-death decision (anyone who’s spent time in Bali will understand this).

The city is filled with wide-open green spaces and shaded parks—perfect for families needing to let little legs run wild.

Exploring Tiong Bahru

On day one, we wandered around Tiong Bahru, the oldest districts in Singapore, a charming neighbourhood full of art deco buildings, artisan shops, and the best pastries in town at Tiong Bahru Bakery (where I'm told they bake fresh every 2 hours!). And very good coffee and fresh pressed juices. May I recommend to you their flaky croissants with Pastrami (perfection!) and our whole trip in Singapore was marked by these amazing pastries and carbs. And if you watch our Singapore videos it looks like all we ate was baked goods... I promise you we ate so many wonderful things in Singapore, but loved a lunch or brunch at one of the amazing bakeries because after almost a full year of SE Asian food (which we love) we have soooo missed our breads and cakes and all things bakery. And so everyday when in Singapore you must sample one of the many amazing bakery / coffee shops for the best outside France!

No visit to Tiong Bahru is complete without a visit to the famous market. We loved Tiong Bahru and don't miss this Guided Tour of Tiong Bahru where you'll see Art Deco architecture, murals and local artisan stores and learn about the area's history by someone that truly knows the hidden gems. As you explore, you'll get a glimpse of the lifestyle and embark on a food crawl to try local flavours as well.

The market is very cool, quirky, and steeped in history. It has beautiful flower markets and stalls downstairs. Be sure to go upstairs at the market for budget-friendly local eats—definitely the smarter option for future breakfasts, because these coffee shop breakfasts are killing any budget that we had marked out for Singapore. May I suggest this 6:35am early sunrise experience of Singapore where you'll visit the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site The Singapore Botanic Gardens at sunrise with a local guide, and then enjoy a local breakfast at a famous Hawker Centre, followed by experiencing the morning buzz in Tiong Bahru on this half-day walking tour to explore the quaint alleyways and experience the old world charm of Tiong Bahru with its bustling wet market, heritage street art, Art Deco architecture, disused bomb shelter, and more than a century old Monkey God Temple. A must if in Tiong Bahru!

Local Life, Local Food

From Tiong Bahru, we made our way into Chinatown and hit up the hawker markets for dinner. Here, we found Michelin-star-level dishes for just a few dollars, and meals for our entire family (drinks included!) came to just $25. Eating street food shoulder-to-shoulder with locals was a cultural experience in itself. This is how you should eat as a family on a budget in Singapore. And by gosh you will be spoilt for choice for the best food ever! We found a slow pace by just rambling around the streets of China Town and we liked it that way. But it's easy to miss things and next time we plan to go on this Chinatown and Little India Guided Walking Tour that sadly we just didn't have the time for this time around.

Culture and Connection

One standout moment? Visiting the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, a sacred site in the heart of Chinatown. Watching monks in silent meditation while explaining the significance to our kids felt like one of those unforgettable homeschool wins—real learning, right in the moment. So much so that myself and Si returned the following day to meditate during the Awakening of The Tooth Ceremony (a daily opening ceremony that you can watch when the temple opens to the public) and a chance to take in the quiet as the city awakens. You may visit the temple on your own or join a guided tour like this one which incorporates a visit to the temple plus a guided tour around The China Town Complex for the best food we had above.

Singapore’s Charm

In just 72 hours, we fell hard for Singapore. It’s one of the most family-friendly cities we’ve explored—organised, walkable, filled with amazing food, and brimming with learning opportunities. And Get Your Guide Offers so many tours here that will make your trip easy and memorable.

Coming up next: More on Singapore’s incredible neighbourhoods, exploring Gardens by the Bay, and how to experience this city on a budget (even with kids!). And why we plan to come back to Singapore in 2025 to live for one whole month in a quieter neighbourhood outside the city to get a feel for the real Singapore.

Want help planning your Singapore adventure? Let me know in the comments & I can help you create the perfect itinerary for you. I hope you found this post helpful. In the meantime keep up with our daily updates below and use our Singapore Planning Tools Below to get best flights, hotels and more:

On YouTube:

💡HELPFUL PLANNING TOOLS FOR YOUR SINGAPORE TRIP 💡

✈️ - FLIGHTS - We use this flight checker to search cheap flight tickets for our Singapore trip and got flights from Bali to Singapore for just £33 each! Amazing. Use to check dates and flight costs to Changi Airport Singapore now or go to our Flight Planning Page fore more

🏨 - ACCOMMODATION - We use this hotels checker to search hotels and accommodation for our Singapore trip. Use to check dates and costs to hotels and hostels in Singapore now or go to our Accommodation Planning Page for more

🧭🗺️👣 - SINGAPORE TOURS & GUIDES - We use Get Your Guide for all of the trips in Singapore. But we also love Klook too. TIP: Use both to compare offerings.

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