The Best Day Trips From Singapore

A day trip from Singapore means travelling to a nearby island or country. From gorgeous beaches to all-you-can-eat food tours, this list will leave you utterly spoilt for choice.

One of the greatest things about Singapore is the location. As the hub of Southeast Asia, it’s an ideal starting point for day trips to neighbouring countries. There’s nothing like spending a Saturday or Sunday outside Singapore to help you feel refreshed and ready to face Monday morning. Here are some of the best destinations for a day trip.

Sentosa Island, Singapore

Sentosa is Singapore’s best-known island and the easiest day trip from the mainland. Don’t let Sentosa’s reputation as a busy place put you off; there are some lovely hidden gems and ways to escape its commercialisation. First of all, abandon transport. Instead, enjoy a walk along the newly renovated Sentosa Boardwalk. It’s free, you’ll avoid the queues and you can choose whether to walk under the sheltered path or in the sunshine. For more inspiration, check out Culture Trip’s guide to the best islands in Singapore.

Sentosa Island, Singapore

Pulau Ubin, Singapore

Singapore’s second most well-known island is Pulau Ubin and it couldn’t be more different from Sentosa. Home to Singapore’s last surviving traditional village, Pulau Ubin is best known for its picturesque bike paths, the Chek Jawa wetlands and abandoned quarries. Spend a day here and you’ll feel like you’ve spent a day in Singapore’s past. Boat tickets to Pulau Ubin cost $3 per person and you can catch the bumboats from the Changi Point Ferry Terminal (NOT the Changi Ferry Terminal).

Pulau Ubin, Singapore

Intertidal boardwalk at Chek Jawa, Singapore

Bintan, Indonesia

Bintan offers two very different getaways from Singapore. A 45-minute ferry will bring you to Bintan Resorts where you’ll find expensive hotels, soft sandy beaches and immaculate golf courses. The other option is a 90-minute ferry to Tanjung Pinang, the town on Bintan. There are beaches here as well and, although the sand is not quite as soft, they feel a lot more authentic.

Bintan, Indonesia

Batam, Indonesia

Batam, an hour-long ferry ride away from Singapore, has a limited collection of coastal resorts and golf courses. This smaller island is much more popular for entertainment. Expats working in the shipping and oil industries live on the island and there are many bars, restaurants and other services there to meet their needs. For Singaporean tourists, the main attractions of Batam are cheaper shopping, casinos and lively nightlife.

Batam, Indonesia

Aerial view of Ship on Batam Island, Indonesia

Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Johor Bahru, or JB, is the place to go when you want to go on a shopping spree on a budget. JB was only designated a city in 1994. Now, after rapid expansion, it is Malaysia’s third largest city. You can travel Singapore to Johor using a variety of transport methods but plan carefully as going through immigration can be a nightmare during busy periods. There are many beautiful mosques and temples in JB but it is certainly a long way from being a tourist destination.

Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Malacca, Malaysia

The coach journey from Singapore to Malacca takes approximately four hours, but the extra distance is worthwhile if you’re planning to do more than shop. Think of Malacca as the undiscovered version of Penang’s Georgetown or Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh city. Like those two cities, it was previously under colonial rule as can be seen in the mix of architectural styles across the city. Besides architecture, the other thing to discover in Malacca is the food – the city serves up its own distinct style of Peranakan and Malay dishes with Portuguese influences. In 2008, the Malacca was recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Malacca, Malaysia

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

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