SINGAPORE MALAYSIA DIY TRAVEL GUIDE – These Southeast Asian nations are two of the most visited countries in the world. And for good reasons, even the lack of natural resources particularly in Singapore, its renowned picture-perfect skyscraper architecture, modern designed buildings, and exciting theme parks, all of these attract thousands of foreign tourists to the country. With its luxurious five-star hotels, tons of shopping mall selection, boutiques and souvenir stalls, and mouthwatering local cuisines plus traveling to Malaysia or Singapore is much easier these days because of its visa-free to all ASEAN nations.
Fortunately, last June of 2018, after only a month of planning our first international travel with my girlfriend. We were able to explore the country, see its iconic landmarks and multicultural residents, experience some of their local cultures and the most exciting yet scary part is the border crossing. Here’s our Singapore Malaysia DIY travel guide to help you prepare on your future trip!
Traveling To Singapore: Getting Started and Preparations
You see, if you’re traveling to a foreign country, you better be prepared with everything and anything. This might sound too much causing you to panic especially if it’s your first time like us. But having your passport ready, booking your hotel in advance as well as your city activities (BOOK DISCOUNTED SINGAPORE ACTIVITIES TICKETS HERE), and printing them together with your itinerary and flight ticket can really make a difference.
Also, if you’re employed it would be best to have a company id, certificate of employment, other valid ids and other travel documents, credit card or bank balance certificate, and enough cash (whether in peso or other currency) for your entire trip (ranging from $70-$120 per day). Most importantly when you’re at the Immigration area be confident, polite and answer their question directly to prove that you’re entering the country for tour and leisure only. (Also dress up decently as we’ve read from social media that some travelers were sent back to their country and their attire could be one of a few reasons.)
2023 Things To Be Ready When Traveling Singapore
- Back/Forth flight ticket
- Hotel Accommodation booking confirmation
- City Tour Activities
- Vaccination Certificate
- Travel Itinerary
- Travel Insurance ( We booked it via Chubb Travel Insurance for only ₱466)
- Singapore Arrival Card ( Submit your SG Arrival Card within three (3) days prior to the date of arrival in Singapore )
- Company ID / Certificate of Employment / Other Valid ID
- Passport: Should not expire within 6 months. Check Singapore Immigration Website, for more visa information and entry requirements.
Best Time To Visit and How Many Nights Needed To Enjoy Singapore
Singapore I would say a family-friendly year-round travel destination, which means any month would be good to visit. However, be aware of the country’s weather which is hot and dry months usually in May-July while in November-January has more frequent rain. Also, the peak seasons are usually the months of January-February, June-July, and September. Indeed it’s really best to book your accommodation in advance. Lastly, 3-5 days in the city is enough to see Singapore’s top travel destination.
Where To Stay in Singapore
Spacepod@lavender -111J King George’s Avenue, Kallang, Singapore, Singapore, 208559
Regent Singapore – A Four Seasons Hotel – 1 Cuscaden Rd, Singapore 249715
Book via AGODA | BOOKING.COM
If you’ve read our previous post, you’ll know that we only stayed in a backpacker’s hostel. Not only that we’re on a tight budget, but also Singapore accommodation as we’ve already known is really expensive compared to other South-East Asian nations. Popular budget places to stay are in Lavender, Kallang, Clark Quay, Bugis, Chinatown, and Little India. See the link below for our suggestions.
Travel tip: For convenience and to maximize your time in the country, when you book your hotel online it would be best to ask them in advance if you can early check-in and if they have a charge for this.
Must Read: SINGAPORE ACCOMMODATION: Cheapest Backpackers Inn, Hostels, Inns, Lodges, Capsules and more
Changi Singapore Arrival: Embarkation Card, WiFi, Money Exchange, MRT and etc.
A few minutes before landing in Changi, the airline staff gave us a piece of paper they called the Embarkation card. This arrival card will be needed to fill-up by foreign travelers who enter the country with their personal and trip information such as their flight, accommodation details, and more. If your airline does not provide one or you’ve lost it somewhere, these are just available in the airport before the Immigration area. As of October 4, electronic arrival cards for visitors have been used as posted on the Singapore Government website.
Changi has free Wi-Fi you can use. Ask airport staff to locate the machine where your passport will be scanned and the password will be shown. I suggest you download the Changi App to help you get around the airport: restaurants, souvenir shops and boutiques, MRT location (Terminal 2) and terminal transfers as well money changers and ATM machines, and more.
Note: Exchanges rates at the airport are the lowest so best to exchange only a few bucks you need for transportation to the hotel and food. Better rates money changers are in the city itself and almost all currencies are accepted so you don’t have to worry that much about this.
Stay connected in the city by RENTING A POCKET WIFI for your group (connects up to 8 devices) or purchase a SINGAPORE 4G TOURIST SIM CARD and get 100 GB of data for free. Claim it upon arrival at Changi Airport.
Transport in Singapore: Getting Around
BY BUS/MRT
Singapore’s Bus system and their renowned MRT (Mass Rapid transit) system is the cheapest and probably the fastest way to get to the main attractions of the country. Though you can buy single ticket trips, the most economical and hassle-free way for your Singapore exploration is to purchase the Singapore Tourist Pass (STP) – which allows you to unlimited travel to MRT and basic bus for one day ($10), two days ($16) or three days ($20) plus there’s a refund when you return the card on your the last day in Singapore.
As per Singapore’s Tourist Pass website, you can purchase the card at any of the following MRT stations – Changi Airport MRT Station (Terminal 2 and 3) near the Transitlink Ticket Office, Orchard, City Hall, Raffles Place, Bayfront, Tanjong Pagar, Harbourfront, Chinatown, Farrer Park, Bugis, Lavender, Jurong East, Kranji, Woodlands, Ang Mo Kio―or at the Concession Card Replacement Office at Somerset station.
BY TAXI
If you don’t want to walk that much or you’re location is not accessible by bus or MRT and you don’t have a problem with your budget, taxis and private car (through Grab) are also very comfortable and relaxed. Cabs here are metered and heard surcharging depending on what company taxi your board.
BOOK SINGAPORE CITY BUS TOUR VIA KLOOK: Singapore Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Tour (Open-Top)
OUR 6D/5N SINGAPORE MALAYSIA DIY TRAVEL GUIDE: ITINERARY
Day 1: ARRIVAL IN SINGAPORE, RIVER WALK TOUR, CHINATOWN, GARDENS BY THE BAY, MARINA BAY SANDS
10:30 am – Check in: Hostel/Hotel, Dinner/Lunch/Snack, Rest
02:00 pm – Singapore River Walking Tour (Sightseeing: Fullerton, Merlion Park, Esplanade, Makansutra, etc)
03:30 pm – Gardens by the Bay, Chinatown Heritage Walk, Dinner
07:00 pm – Marina Bay Sands, Explore SG Nightlife, Back To Room
Day 2: KAMPONG GLAM, SENTOSA ISLAND
08:00 am – Breakfast / Kampong Glam Walk
10:00 am – Universal Studios Singapore
05:00 pm – Explore the rest of Sentosa, Dinner, Explore SG Kallang Nightlife, Back To Hostel
Day 3: ORCHARD ROAD, ST. ANDREWS CATHERDRAL, BUGIS, TO KL
08:00 AM – Breakfast / Orchard Road (Shopping),
12:00 PM – St. Andrews Cathedral, Bugis, Little India
03:00 pm – Dinner, Back to Hotel Check out, Then Explore nearby attractions in Terminal
09:00 pm – Golden Mille Complex Terminal to KL (Berjaya Time Square – Drop off)
Day 4: KUALA LUMPUR, PETRONAS TOWER, BATU CAVES, CITY CENTRE
07:00 am – ETA to KL (Berjaya Time Square), Head to Hotel leave our baggage, Breakfast, Batu Cave, City Centre, Explore City, Lunch
03:00 pm – ET to check in, Rest, Explore Hotel Amenities, Central Park
07:00 pm – Dinner, Kuala Lumpur at Night, Petronas Tower, Back To Hotel, Rest
Day 5: Back To Singapore, Legoland Malaysia
07:00 am – Breakfast, Enjoy hotel amenities, Pack things ready to back to SG (Optional: Pasalubong Centres/Mall)
9:30 am – Ready for departure from KL (Berjaya Time Square – Pick up) to Legoland Malaysia
03:30 pm – ETA in Legoland Malaysia, Back to SG ( Golden Mile Complex – Drop off)
07:30 pm – Dinner nearby the Terminal, Back to Hotel (Late Check-In), Rest
Last Day In Singapore
07:00 am – Breakfast, Little India Walking Tour, Pasalubong Centers/Mall, Back to Hotel
12:00 pm – Check out, Lunch before going to Changi Airport, Explore nearby attractions, Pasalubong
06:00 pm – Back To Hotel/Hostel, Get Bag/Luggage, Dinner
07:00 pm – Head To Changi Airport / Flight Back to PH
Note: We booked our bus transportation from Singapore Golden Mile Complex to Kuala Lumpur (Back/Forth) online via Easybook – The Largest Bus, Train, Car, Tour, and Ferry ticket website in SE Asia.
You can book your transportation here (Change the travel date and select your preferred Departure Time and Provider – In our case, we booked via StarMart Express): Singapore To Kuala Lumpur | Kuala Lumpur To Singapore | Kuala Lumpur To Legoland | Legoland to Singapore |
BUDGET: TRAVEL EXPENSES
PLANE TICKET: ₱ 6,200
FOOD: ₱ 3,000
ACCOMMODATION SG/KL: ₱3,500
TRANSPORTATION: STP CARD & BUS TO KL (B/F): ₱3,500
CITY ACTIVITIES: ₱3,000
SOUVENIR: ₱2,500
TOTAL: ₱21,700
Traveling to Singapore-Malaysia doesn’t have to mean you’ll be spending your entire year savings. You can stick to your budget without missing the fun in the country. Watch out for promo tickets and seat sales by various low-cost airline companies in your country, book your Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Singapore accommodation online as well as your city activities in advance. And most importantly, planning ahead and having a detailed itinerary for your entire trip could totally make a difference to your expenses.
Note: We cannot guarantee the information written here is correct and accurate all the time. If you want to add information or you spot something that needs correcting, please let us know in the comment section below.
– Last Update: October 30, 2022 –
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