Singapore
Singapore is clean, fast and one of the easiest cities in Asia. I stopped here for three days in January 2025 at the end of a long Asia trip.
What I did
Spent a short stopover in Singapore in January 2025.
Used it as a reset between Southeast Asia and the flight back to the US.
Where to stay
Marina Bay: the skyline and the big sights, best for a first visit.
Chinatown: central, great food, and an easy MRT ride anywhere.
Kampong Glam: Arab Street and Haji Lane, with a heritage feel and good cafes.
Tiong Bahru or Joo Chiat: low-rise, relaxed and cafe heavy.
Getting there and around
Changi airport: the MRT East West Line reaches downtown in about 30 to 45 minutes. A Grab takes 20 to 30 minutes.
In the city: the MRT is fast and covers almost everything. Tap your card to ride.
Leaving: get to Changi early and spend time at Jewel and its Rain Vortex waterfall.
What to eat
Hainanese chicken rice at a hawker centre such as Maxwell Food Centre.
Chili crab or black pepper crab.
Laksa, especially the Katong style.
Char kway teow, Hokkien mee and satay at any hawker centre.
Kaya toast with soft-boiled eggs for breakfast. Ya Kun and Killiney are the classic spots.
What to drink
Cocktails: the Singapore Sling. The Long Bar at Raffles is the tourist original, and rooftop bars around Marina Bay Sands give you the skyline with your drink.
Beer: Tiger is the local lager, best ice cold at a hawker centre. Craft breweries like Brewerkz are an option too.
Coffee: kopi, strong local coffee with condensed milk. Order kopi O for black with sugar, or kopi C with evaporated milk.
Tea: teh tarik, the pulled milk tea, and teh C for a lighter version.
Juices: fresh sugarcane juice is the best answer to the heat.
Don't miss
Gardens by the Bay and the Supertree light show at night.
A hawker centre crawl: Lau Pa Sat, Maxwell and Chinatown Complex.
Chinatown and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.
Sultan Mosque and Haji Lane in Kampong Glam.
Jewel Changi and the Rain Vortex before your flight out.
Marina Bay Sands for the skyline or a rooftop drink.
Day trips and side trips
Pulau Ubin by bumboat for old village life and cycling.
Sentosa Island for beaches.
A day trip to Johor Bahru in Malaysia by train or bus.
Festivals and events
Chinese New Year: Chinatown, usually in late January or February. Lantern displays, street markets and a big river celebration.
Singapore Grand Prix: Marina Bay, usually in September or October. A night race around the city.
Deepavali: Little India, usually in October or November. The streets are lit up.
Hari Raya Puasa: Geylang Serai, in spring, with the dates set by the lunar calendar. A large festive bazaar.
Marina Bay Countdown: usually on December 31, with fireworks over the bay.
ZoukOut: Sentosa, usually in December. A long-running beach dance music festival.
Mid-Autumn Festival: Chinatown, usually in September. Lantern displays and mooncakes.
Music and dance
Pop and Mandopop: heard everywhere, from malls to concert halls at the Esplanade.
Indie and live bands: small venues around Clarke Quay, Haji Lane and Kampong Glam.
Electronic and clubs: Clarke Quay and Marina Bay host DJs most weekends.
Cultural music: Chinese orchestras, Malay gamelan and Indian classical, often at festival time.
Dance: lion dances at Chinese New Year and Indian classical dance at the Esplanade are the traditional highlights.
Going out: for dancing, head to the clubs around Clarke Quay and Marina Bay, or to ZoukOut on Sentosa in December.
Photography spots
Marina Bay at blue hour from the Merlion side or the Helix Bridge.
The Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay during the light show.
Sultan Mosque and Haji Lane in Kampong Glam at golden hour.
Joo Chiat's pastel shophouses in soft morning light.
Drones: heavily restricted, with permits required. Tripods are also limited at some attractions.
My experience
Singapore was a clean, easy reset after weeks in the rest of Southeast Asia. Three days is short, but it is enough to eat well and see the skyline. I would recommend it as a stopover or a first taste of Asia.
Cost of living
Overall: Singapore: $$$$, about 15% cheaper than New York.
Coffee: about $5
Local lunch: about $7 at a hawker center
Dinner for two at a nice restaurant: about $140
Beer or cocktail: about $10 / $18
Ride across town: about $12
Mid-range hotel: about $220 a night
Furnished one-bedroom in a good area: about $3,500 a month in Tanjong Pagar or River Valley
Daily budget: about $100 budget, $250 comfortable, $500+ luxury
Singapore is cheap if you eat at hawker centers and very expensive if you drink or rent. Alcohol is heavily taxed, and housing is the big cost. Prices are approximate in US dollars as of 2026.
Working remotely
Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi is among the fastest and most reliable in the world, often 500 Mbps or more. Cafes and hotels are excellent, and power cuts are essentially unheard of.
Coworking and cafes: Singapore is a single city, and the best areas to work are Tiong Bahru, Tanjong Pagar and Jalan Besar, with coworking at WeWork and The Hive.
Time zone: UTC+8, 12 hours ahead of US Eastern (13 hours when the US is on standard time).
Visa for longer stays: US citizens get 90 days visa-free. Singapore has no digital nomad visa, though the Overseas Networks and Expertise pass exists for high earners. Check current rules.
Nomad rating: 4 out of 5, safe, fast and easy, but expensive and a bit sterile for a long stay.
Good to know
Language: English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil are all official. English works everywhere, and you will hear Singlish phrases like lah and can.
Currency: Singapore dollar. Cards and contactless work everywhere.
Plugs: Type G, the UK three-pin, 230V. Bring an adapter.
Entry for US citizens: visa-free for tourist stays, with an online SG Arrival Card before you land. Check current rules before you fly.
Best time to visit: hot and humid all year. February to April is a bit drier, and November to January brings short heavy showers.
Getting around: the MRT, plus Grab and other ride apps.
Tipping: not expected. Restaurants add a service charge, and there is no tipping at hawker centres.
SIM/eSIM: Singtel, StarHub and M1 tourist SIMs at Changi, or an eSIM.
Apps: Grab, Gojek and TADA for rides, and GrabFood, Foodpanda and Deliveroo for delivery.
Water: tap water is safe to drink.
Useful phrases
English works everywhere. At hawker centres, you order and pay at the stall.
Thank you: thank you, or xie xie in Mandarin
Hello: hello, or selamat pagi in Malay
Nightlife
Singapore's nightlife is polished, safe and expensive. It runs on rooftop bars, riverside terraces and cocktail bars more than wild clubbing, and it feels more orderly than what most Americans expect.
When people go out: Bars fill from 7 or 8 and clubs peak after 11, typically closing around 3 or 4. Friday and Saturday are the big nights.
Where the action is: Clarke Quay and Boat Quay along the river are the busiest strips. Marina Bay has the skyline rooftops, and Chinatown, Tiong Bahru and Haji Lane have a more relaxed independent bar scene.
The music: Top 40, house and hip hop in the clubs, with jazz and lounge music in many hotel bars.
Good to know: Alcohol is heavily taxed, so drinks are among the priciest in Asia, and clubs may charge a cover that includes a drink. Smart casual is the norm, and closed shoes help at rooftop bars and clubs. It is very safe at night, but do not carry or use drugs, as penalties are severe.
Meeting people
Social scene: Singapore is easy and polite, and the expat community is large. Coworking spaces, run clubs along the Marina Bay waterfront and hawker center tables around Tiong Bahru and Chinatown are good places to start.
Apps: Bumble, Hinge and Tinder are widely used. Meetup, Bumble BFF and expat Facebook and Telegram groups are active.
Etiquette: A handshake and a smile are standard. Punctuality matters. Plans are usually made on WhatsApp. Splitting the bill is normal among friends.
Stay smart: Meet in public and keep to licensed taxis or Grab. Singapore is very safe, but watch your drink in bars like anywhere.
Staying safe
One of the safest cities anywhere.
Rules are strict. Fines apply for littering, jaywalking, and eating or drinking on the MRT, and vaping is illegal.
The heat is the main hazard, so drink water and take breaks in the air conditioning.