An Unexpected 48 Hours in Singapore

Last Updated on August 7, 2025 by Charlotte

My time in Singapore was only supposed to be a 24-hour layover en route to Borneo. But I enjoyed this city so much that I extended my trip an extra day. Before this trip, I’d only been exposed to Singapore through the movie Crazy Rich Asians. While this city is known for its luxury shopping and futuristic architecture, my backpacking experience was far from the opulent. I was captivated by how Singapore’s abundant green spaces were easily accessible by the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) or taxi, offering perfect escapes from the tropical heat. From the affordable, mouth-watering meals to the spectacular free shows, Singapore was an unexpected highlight of my journey. In this blog post, I’ll share my 48-hour itinerary perfect for nature lovers visiting Singapore.

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Day 1: Orchids by Day, Supertrees by Night

I woke up surprisingly refreshed, for someone running on zero sleep. The night before, I had arrived at Changi Airport late, and woozily took the MRT train to my hostel. As an espresso enthusiast, I was excited to learn that Singapore has a vibrant specialty coffee roasting scene. It felt like there were trendy cafes and roasteries on almost every corner. With too many cafe options to choose from, I started my day with a cappuccino at Common Man Coffee Roasters.

The roast was lighter than I was used to at home. However, the aroma and depth of flavor of the espresso has had me dreaming of it ever since. Despite the reputation as an expensive country, I found the coffee and food scene in Singapore to be quite affordable. Jazzed on caffeine, I walked back to the MRT and hopped on the train and rode a few stops to the Singapore National Botanic Gardens vistors center.

Singapore Botanic Gardens

As a botany and arboretum enthusiast, the Singapore Botanic Gardens and the National Orchid Garden were at the top of my list to visit. Located in the heart of the city, this 82 hectare green space originated as a botanical experiment garden in 1822. Since then, it has blossomed into a site for botanical research and conservation. In 2015, it was recognized for its contributions to the rich cultural landscape of Singapore and designated as a UNESCO Heritage Site. Shortly after entering the park, it felt like the heat of the morning ebbed away.

I didn’t have a plan for exploring the park, and instead chose to wander.

On my walk, I passed giant lily pads in reflecting pools, and wide open grassy spaces where children giggled and played. The lawns were interspersed with flower beds overflowing with tropical plants.

Before I knew it, I found myself at the entrance to the National Orchid Garden.

The National Orchid Garden

Home to over 1000 species of orchids, the National Orchid Garden could be considered the crown jewel of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. This area of the gardens has a small but well worthy admission fee.

Throughout the National Orchid Garden, paths wind through areas of different climates. The “Tropical Montane Orchidetum” which simulates walking through a tropical Montane forest. The “Cool House”, which emulates a 1,000 m to 2,000 m higher elevation montane forest.

I’ve seen a lot of orchids in my day, but I was entirely overwhelmed by the sheer number and diversity of orchids in this section of the park.

My favorite section was the “VIP Garden”, a small area that houses the most outstanding specimens. As these orchids gained notoriety in the 1950s, the Singaporean Government began naming the orchids after state visitors and other famous people. Over 120 orchids in this garden have been dedicated to VIPs as of today. I found this section so hilarious because of the “Duke Duchess of Cornwall” orchid. Somehow, the flower seemed to perfectly encapsulate Kate Middleton, if she were a flower.

After spending a couple of hours admiring the orchids, the tropical heat (and my jet lag) finally caught up with me.

I made my way back to the MRT station, grabbed a quick lunch from a hawker stall, and headed back to my hostel for a much-needed afternoon nap. I set my alarm for 6 PM, to leave plenty of time for travel by MRT to the Gardens by the Bay.

Gardens by the Bay

At the first sight of the supertrees, my jaw hit the floor. Standing as high as a sixteen story building, these “supertrees” are both architectural marvels and vertical gardens that house over 200 species of plants, including bromeliads, ferns, and orchids.

At nightfall, visitors flock to the Gardens by the Bay region of Singapore to see the spectacular supertrees and light shows. Each night at 7:45 pm & 8:45 pm, the trees come alive with a “Garden Rhapsody” of lights and music. Admission to the light shows is free, and the theme and music change throughout the seasons. I arrived 30 minutes before the 7:45 PM show to get a good spot. At the time of my visit, the theme was “Opera in Gardens”.

While I had never really been a fan of the opera, the rainbow colored lights that moved in sync with the music brought a tear to my eye. All around me, people watched and listened in awe.

Spectra – A Light & Water Show at Marina Bay Sands

After enjoying the supertrees, the night was still young. I wandered through the gardens, and headed toward the Marina Bay Sands, an iconic landmark in Singapore.

Just a 13-minute walk from the Supertrees Grove, the Marina Bay Sands is both a high-end hotel and a shopping mall, and the home to the Spectra Light and Water Show. Twice nightly at 8 PM and 9 PM, the Spectra Light Show is a dazzling display of choreographed fountains, lasers, and mist projections set to music. Inside the mall, I easily found the Event Plaza, which is one of the viewing locations for the light show. The Event Plaza wasn’t too crowded, and I got a great spot to watch along the rail facing the water.

I went into the light show with low expectations. I didn’t think that this show could surpass the Supertrees. But, I was pleasantly surprised by how cool this experience was in person. The music and the feel of the lights were totally different. At Spectra, projections were cast on fountains of water making neat geometric shapes as if one was looking through a kaleidoscope.

I was so glad that I’d been able to see Spectra too. After the show ended, I spent the rest of the evening wandering around the inside of the mall. The inside has some curiosities like an indoor river with boatmen that will ferry you around, and neat chandelier displays.

Tired out, but feeling like there was still more to see in Singapore, I headed back to my hostel, and bumped my flight to Borneo out another day.

Day 2: Treetop Adventures, Culture, and Curry

After my spectacular first day, I woke up early at my hostel, enjoying the simple pleasures of free nutella toast and instant coffee while planning my route to MacRitchie Reservoir. Having splurged a bit on Day 1’s adventures, I was mindful of my backpacker budget today. Singapore has an impressive network of nature reserves that are completely free to visit, making it perfect for travelers watching their wallet. Armed with my water bottle and comfortable walking shoes, I split a rideshare with a group of girls from my hostel toward what would become one of my favorite hiking experiences in Singapore.

TreeTop Walk and Suspension Bridge

A half hour later, our cab driver dropped us off at the entrance to MacRitchie Central Catchment Nature Reserve. Despite it still being morning, the humidity wrapped around us like a wet towel as we set out on our trek toward the park’s star attraction: the TreeTop Walk, a 250-meter suspension bridge that connects the reserve’s two highest points. The trail meandered through dense tropical vegetation.

We hadn’t walked more than ten minutes before excitement rippled through our group. Long-tailed macaque monkeys swung effortlessly through the branches overhead. These cheeky primates are just one of many species that call this reserve home—the park houses over 500 animal species and more than 1,000 flowering plants, from exotic rattans and ferns to colorful orchids and gingers.

After about an hour of hiking and taking a copious amount of monkey photos, we finally reached the suspension bridge.

Suspended 25 meters above the forest floor, the bridge is a one way swaying walk with a birds eye view of the forest canopy. We paused midway across the bridge, hoping to spot some of the reserve’s more elusive residents. While we didn’t have binoculars to identify the specific birds calling from the canopy, I later learned that lucky visitors might glimpse native species like the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo or the Olive-winged Bulbul.

As we completed the crossing and continued our loop back toward the park entrance, I found myself grateful for this pocket of untouched nature thriving in the heart of such a modern city. Sweaty, tired, but thoroughly satisfied with our morning adventure, we headed back toward urban Singapore, already planning our next stop.

Haji Lane in Kampong Glam

After a quick shower and change of clothes at the hostel, I joined my German bunkmate for an afternoon exploration of Haji Lane in the historic Kampong Glam district. This narrow, pedestrian-friendly street lies in what was once Singapore’s Muslim Quarter, an area rich with Malay and Middle Eastern heritage that dates back to Singapore’s colonial times. As we approached, the stark contrast between the modern highrises of downtown and this brightly muraled indie enclave unfolded.

Haji Lane is like an open-air art gallery, with almost every storefront and wall space transformed by vibrant street art. The street buzzed with activity: a mix of locals, expats, and tourists browsing the eclectic collection of independent boutiques, vintage shops, and trendy cafés. As budget backpackers, we mostly window-shopped the fashionable clothing stores and quirky homeware shops, and price tags that made us collectively wince and laugh. Near the end of our stroll, we joined the steady stream of Instagram enthusiasts and took photos posing against the colorful backdrops.

Dinner in Little India

For my final dinner in Singapore, I head to the “Little India” enclave of Singapore in search of an authentic curry dinner. With so many restaurants to choose from, I was completely overwhelmed by the options. On a whim, I asked a for table at a random spot and settled in. The curry was out of this world, and the vegetable samosas were flakey and perfectly spiced.

As I savored my last meal in Singapore, I reflected on how this unexpected layover had turned into one of the highlights of my Southeast Asian journey. From a city that seamlessly blends ultramodern architecture with abundant green spaces, to this perfect curry, Singapore had completely defied my expectations. As I rode the MRT back to my hostel, I knew I’d made the right choice to extend my stay.

Was it worth the trip?

100% Yes! I truly enjoyed the time that I spent in Singapore and I hope to visit again someday.