Some honest pros and cons to visiting this futuristic city state
WHY YOU SHOULD NOT VISIT?
Singapore can be a love-it-or-hate-it place.
It’s highly developed, spotlessly clean, and meticulously planned and architected — a far cry from the congestion, noise, and erratic development seen in many other Asian capitals.
But while many backpackers and cultural travelers bemoan a lack of ‘soul’, if you approach Singapore from a different angle it can be a fascinating destination — not to mention very easy and hassle-free.
I’ve been to Singapore a few times, usually on a 1- or 2-day layover. I also once stayed for a week to visit a friend, which gave me some more time to look around. If you’re trying to decide whether to visit Singapore, here are what I’d consider its different pros and cons.
Singapore is maybe NOT worth visiting if…
You are on a shorter trip in Asia
You want a chaotic place like Bangkok
Singapore is utterly civilized, controlled, and predictable. That can make it a breath of fresh air or a disappointment, depending on your perspective.
If you can accept that Singapore is not a chaotic place, it can be very interesting in ways that are different from other Southeast Asian capitals, as we’ll get into later.
You’re on a tight budget
Singapore is an expensive place — and it’s best enjoyed with a wallet to match. At least USD $100 per day per person is a good estimate to use if you want to enjoy it to its full potential.
It can be hard to be Singa-poor in Singapore, though transportation and food are luckily very cheap, so even a backpacker can survive just fine (and on a much smaller daily budget). These top hostels in Singapore let you save money on accommodation too.
You can definitely visit on a tight budget and get around cheaply and easily and eat very well. It’s just that you might miss out on certain aspects if you’re doing Singapore on the cheap.
You crave cheap and rowdy nightlife
In this respect, Singapore also isn’t like Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City. The city is much more about polite cocktails than all-night ragers. Keep in mind that alcohol is taxed heavily in Singapore, which has a way of restraining the bar scene.
But there is still plenty of nightlife in Singapore if you seek it. Clarke Quay is one of the main nightlife areas.
I once ended up at a karaoke bar at 6 a.m. singing Eye of the Tiger while surrounded by a group of off-duty flair bartenders we’d met throwing bottles around our booth. But crazy nights are definitely more of a thing in other Asian cities.
You don’t like humidity
On a bad day, Singapore can be more humid than a steam bath. Since it’s located in an equatorial climate, you should be prepared for it to get sticky sometimes.
WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT ?
You want an easy place to start an Asia trip
Thanks to its amazing airport as well as being so safe, well-organized, and mostly English-speaking, Singapore makes for a perfect launching pad into Southeast Asia
You love street food (but wish to be cautious)
About Singapore being such a great introduction to Asia… a huge part of this is the food.
While Singapore banned street food vendors many decades ago, they gave them officially sanctioned places (known as hawker centers) to continue their business.
You appreciate the futuristic urban design and parks
Singapore is sometimes accused of being overly sanitized. With its major financial center and meticulously kept spaces that can certainly be the case.
However, Singapore often succeeds in being very creative with its parks and public spaces. You can easily appreciate Singapore for the architectural and urban design wonder that it truly is.
The city-state has some very eye-catching architecture, including the Marina Bay Sands, the PARKROYAL hotel which looks like a high-tech garden, and the Butternut Hotel, with its wooden inner pavilion. Singapore also has some spectacular urban parks, most notably the Gardens by the Bay.
Singapore is the third most densely populated country and yet, quite miraculously, it doesn’t feel like that at all.
But space is at such a premium that sometimes they’ll straight up tear a bunch of perfectly fine buildings down just because they’ve figured a better use. Seeing how perfectly configured Singapore has become out of pure necessity is one of the interesting aspects of exploring it.
You have some money to spend
While it’s possible to enjoy Singapore on a budget, it’s a much better experience if you can splurge. The city not so much about slumming it in the dorms and more about sipping Singapore Slings by the infinity pool.
If you’re into a hotel/drink/eat type of stay, you’ll surely love Singapore more than those traveling on a tight budget.
You want commercial/family entertainment
With a very large zoo, the resort island of Sentosa, several golf courses, and a Universal Studios park, there are all sorts of family outings you can plan. This type of leisure and entertainment can be harder to find in less developed parts of Southeast Asia.
You’re on a layover
If you’re passing through Singapore anyway, and especially if you’re on a longer Asia trip with a bit of time to spare, then it makes it less of a worry whether or not you should check out Singapore. In this case, it’d be a shame not to see it.
Singapore is perfect for a layover, too. Changi Airport just keeps winning awards for the best airport in the world. It’s so good that it’s truly a bit of a destination in itself.
Oh, and this botanical butterfly garden inside a greenhouse in Singapore is really cool too.
Psych! This is the airport.
Yep, the airport literally has a butterfly garden. And a giant indoor waterfall. And a cinema. And a sculpture exhibit. Changi is honestly the kind of airport where you’d almost want your flight to be delayed.