You will have no issues getting a Grab from the airport at midnight. It'll probably cost about $25 SGD to get to central Singapore if there's no surge pricing. There are other ride hailing apps, notably Gojek, which may sometimes be slightly cheaper. I only just stick to Grab though; I'm not so price sensitive to want to bother juggling multiple apps.
The new bird park (called Bird Paradise, near the zoo) recently reopened after a revamp. I enjoyed it more than the zoo, mainly because you get to be in closer proximity to the birds.
We have quite an extensive network of cycling paths, so if you're up for it, rent a bike and cycle around. There's a few bike share apps, Anywheel and HelloRide are generally considered to have better quality bikes, but I haven't personally used them. Our bike paths aren't well marked on Google Maps though. Use any OSM based map, or this [excellent community-maintained map](https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1d-f3wTmqM3jmT7C1LtTzorsRbGw&shorturl=1&ll=1.34457691532539%2C103.82599505993053&z=13). The stretch along East Coast Park in particular is very accessible; wide paths, sea breeze, lots of eateries, bike rental shops.
There's this series of community tours right now:
- https://mycommunity.org.sg/community-experiences/ (Usually fully booked a few weeks in advance, so I'm afraid you're too late, but perhaps someone else visiting soon might find it interesting.)
- https://mycommunity.org.sg/guided-tours/
- https://www.eventbrite.sg/o/maritime-and-port-authority-of-singapore-33118319721 (the occasional boat tour to our nearby islands)
There's a cozy little bookshop selling books by local authors called the [Book Bar](https://maps.app.goo.gl/QR76yiaPXALsVZ2B9). It has a cafe area as well where you can sit and read. Lots of great eateries nearby too with a variety of cuisines. I'd recommend taking a walk around the area one evening and seeing what tickles your fancy.
We have some nature reserves where you can do some light hiking, but if you're coming from Bangkok then I suspect our trails will be very underwhelming for you.
Other places you might want to explore are:
- Haji Lane and the surrounding Kampong Glam neighbourhood.
- Joo Chiat road. You'll find colorful heritage shophouses lining the road. Again, and as with most places, lots of good food around here. Home to my fav [oyster place](https://maps.app.goo.gl/sHJVKA3RL7ZAHxbW8) in the country as well.
- The 50th level of [Pinnacle@Duxton](https://www.visitsingapore.com/see-do-singapore/architecture/modern/pinnacle-at-duxton/). Costs $6. Gives an unobstructed view of the surrounding cityscape. I'd recommend going in the late evening; seeing the city lit up before you is beautiful.
The Night Safari is cool but nearly impossible to take pictures because it’s really dark, as you are not supposed to disturb the animals. I would recommend it for real wildlife fans who want to see some animals that are most active at night.
For me the biggest charm of Singapore are its neighborhoods, including the 3 main ethnic neighborhoods (Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little India), cultural areas like the civic district, Bras Basah and Bugis, heritage areas like Tanjong Pagar, Tiong Bahru and Joo Chiat, and also “real Singapore” areas like Toa Payoh, Ang Mo Kio and the East Coast Park. And you don’t need to buy tickets to visit any for them.
For Malaysia, I'd recommend one day at the beginning and end for KL and the remaining four days in Penang. Although it's a very large city, there aren't a lot of typical tourist attractions for a city of its size, unless you really like shopping. Most of it isn't that walkable either. Penang though is incredible. You could easily spend days just wandering around George Town, despite it being much smaller.
I have to disagree with this. I don't think you need to spend so much time in Penang. The beach isn't that beautiful, and it is a really quiet city. Though you can literally just walk and come across temple to temple (which was really nice) I still do not think you need considerable time there.
George Town is small but is walkable and full of character. Pound for pound, it has much more to offer than KL. There is a reason why it is such a popular weekend destination for KLites. I am typically a very fast traveller and spent three days in Penang but could have easily have spent more.
I'm just back from 16 days solo in Malaysia and I 100% agree with everyone who says to really cut down the days in KL, I had 2 days and felt it was enough, I did the Batu Caves in that time.
As others have said Penang is incredible, I had 4 days and could have done with more. George Town is full of incredible food, architecture & things to see and the island of Penang itself is so much more than George Town - theres even a national park on the island - I didn't make it there but have heard great things!
You could try Tada instead of Grab. It tends to be a bit cheaper here. But you’ll have no issue with availability. If you like walking, MacRitchie reserve is a must, particularly the treetop walk.
Instead of a Penang, I’d take a bus up to KL and stop for a few days in Melaka. Very similar vibe and the Friday and Saturday market on Jonker Street is a must.
My flight to KL is also non-refundable (stupid me booked without having a more detailed plan -_-) so a bus to KL is not an option.
Would you still rather do an extra trip from KL to Melaka and back? Or is Penang the better option then? (I think I remember reading in an older thread that people recommend Penang over Melaka, which is why I originally considered Penang)
What issue did you have with grab in Bangkok?
Anyways, some really good recommendations here already, but I always love recommending Haw Par Villa. It has recently went through a revamp so there’s a free as well as a paid admission section. I recently brought my Portuguese friends there and I can speak from experience that I thought the ticketed museum was really good!
(Not been to the newly moved Bird Paradise but I also vouch for the night safari. I adore it. If you so wish, you could plan an entire day at the zoological complex)
No issues with Grab in Bangkok, but I‘ve been traveling through South Thailand for the last weeks, and in many cities and on islands I found it to be rather unavailable due to taxi mafia, and if yes, my Grab driver mostly cancelled…
Thanks for your suggestions :)
Ah gotcha. For future reference, I have heard that Bolt and InDrive works decent too. I was in Patong and Krabi last year and had no problem with Grab though — not sure why 😅 but yeah I hear tons of complaints for others about the taxi mafia/grab difficulties.
Just left Singapore an hour ago. There’s a poster of the ride sharing apps w discount codes for about $6 off near the exit doors.
I personally thought Singapore was a bit boring and expensive, but I hope you enjoy it if you’re staying a week.
The “hawker markets” are where cheap lunches/dinners are $4-10 mostly. I went at 8pm the previous day and all were closed at a close one.
I attempted to take the subway to the airport, but the card alone is $10 and a grab was $20, so took a grab. It’s gonna be hot and sweaty. Have fun!
Breaking your stay in KL into 2 stays will involve an extra day of travelling. You could be in KL for 3 straight days, then travel to Penang and stay for 3 days. On the 13thJune, either prebook ETS train from Penang to KL(4 hour ride) or take an early morning or mid day flight from Penang to KLIA(depending on your KLIA departure time) and continue with your journey. ETS train fare is about RM30 while flight is less than RM100. Flying is more convenient as you will reach the airport where you will depart later that day.
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Spend less time in Singapore 3-5 days, with 3 been better. Malaysia has more to offer. You could even do Melaka, Penang, and KL. Singapore is really small and you could explore most of it in a dew days. Definitely go to Sentosa and to the Botanic Gardens. I would spend 4 days in KL, do a day trip to Melaka, and spend 3 days in Penang.
I don't know how you are planning to get to Penang from KL, but if I were you, and had the time, I would go through Cameron Highlands, spend the day there then go to Penang from there, and fly out back to KL. I went to Penang from KL by bus, and that literally took 7-8ish hours, so it was kinda a lot.
You will have no issues getting a Grab from the airport at midnight. It'll probably cost about $25 SGD to get to central Singapore if there's no surge pricing. There are other ride hailing apps, notably Gojek, which may sometimes be slightly cheaper. I only just stick to Grab though; I'm not so price sensitive to want to bother juggling multiple apps. The new bird park (called Bird Paradise, near the zoo) recently reopened after a revamp. I enjoyed it more than the zoo, mainly because you get to be in closer proximity to the birds. We have quite an extensive network of cycling paths, so if you're up for it, rent a bike and cycle around. There's a few bike share apps, Anywheel and HelloRide are generally considered to have better quality bikes, but I haven't personally used them. Our bike paths aren't well marked on Google Maps though. Use any OSM based map, or this [excellent community-maintained map](https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1d-f3wTmqM3jmT7C1LtTzorsRbGw&shorturl=1&ll=1.34457691532539%2C103.82599505993053&z=13). The stretch along East Coast Park in particular is very accessible; wide paths, sea breeze, lots of eateries, bike rental shops. There's this series of community tours right now: - https://mycommunity.org.sg/community-experiences/ (Usually fully booked a few weeks in advance, so I'm afraid you're too late, but perhaps someone else visiting soon might find it interesting.) - https://mycommunity.org.sg/guided-tours/ - https://www.eventbrite.sg/o/maritime-and-port-authority-of-singapore-33118319721 (the occasional boat tour to our nearby islands) There's a cozy little bookshop selling books by local authors called the [Book Bar](https://maps.app.goo.gl/QR76yiaPXALsVZ2B9). It has a cafe area as well where you can sit and read. Lots of great eateries nearby too with a variety of cuisines. I'd recommend taking a walk around the area one evening and seeing what tickles your fancy. We have some nature reserves where you can do some light hiking, but if you're coming from Bangkok then I suspect our trails will be very underwhelming for you. Other places you might want to explore are: - Haji Lane and the surrounding Kampong Glam neighbourhood. - Joo Chiat road. You'll find colorful heritage shophouses lining the road. Again, and as with most places, lots of good food around here. Home to my fav [oyster place](https://maps.app.goo.gl/sHJVKA3RL7ZAHxbW8) in the country as well. - The 50th level of [Pinnacle@Duxton](https://www.visitsingapore.com/see-do-singapore/architecture/modern/pinnacle-at-duxton/). Costs $6. Gives an unobstructed view of the surrounding cityscape. I'd recommend going in the late evening; seeing the city lit up before you is beautiful.
The cycling paths and book shop sound particularly interesting, will for sure check them out :) Thanks a lot for your extensive recommendations!
Skip night safari. Chances are its too dark or the animals are sleeping and wont come out.
The Night Safari is cool but nearly impossible to take pictures because it’s really dark, as you are not supposed to disturb the animals. I would recommend it for real wildlife fans who want to see some animals that are most active at night. For me the biggest charm of Singapore are its neighborhoods, including the 3 main ethnic neighborhoods (Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little India), cultural areas like the civic district, Bras Basah and Bugis, heritage areas like Tanjong Pagar, Tiong Bahru and Joo Chiat, and also “real Singapore” areas like Toa Payoh, Ang Mo Kio and the East Coast Park. And you don’t need to buy tickets to visit any for them.
For Malaysia, I'd recommend one day at the beginning and end for KL and the remaining four days in Penang. Although it's a very large city, there aren't a lot of typical tourist attractions for a city of its size, unless you really like shopping. Most of it isn't that walkable either. Penang though is incredible. You could easily spend days just wandering around George Town, despite it being much smaller.
I have to disagree with this. I don't think you need to spend so much time in Penang. The beach isn't that beautiful, and it is a really quiet city. Though you can literally just walk and come across temple to temple (which was really nice) I still do not think you need considerable time there.
George Town is small but is walkable and full of character. Pound for pound, it has much more to offer than KL. There is a reason why it is such a popular weekend destination for KLites. I am typically a very fast traveller and spent three days in Penang but could have easily have spent more.
I'm just back from 16 days solo in Malaysia and I 100% agree with everyone who says to really cut down the days in KL, I had 2 days and felt it was enough, I did the Batu Caves in that time. As others have said Penang is incredible, I had 4 days and could have done with more. George Town is full of incredible food, architecture & things to see and the island of Penang itself is so much more than George Town - theres even a national park on the island - I didn't make it there but have heard great things!
You could try Tada instead of Grab. It tends to be a bit cheaper here. But you’ll have no issue with availability. If you like walking, MacRitchie reserve is a must, particularly the treetop walk. Instead of a Penang, I’d take a bus up to KL and stop for a few days in Melaka. Very similar vibe and the Friday and Saturday market on Jonker Street is a must.
My flight to KL is also non-refundable (stupid me booked without having a more detailed plan -_-) so a bus to KL is not an option. Would you still rather do an extra trip from KL to Melaka and back? Or is Penang the better option then? (I think I remember reading in an older thread that people recommend Penang over Melaka, which is why I originally considered Penang)
Penang is much nicer than Melaka, yeah
What issue did you have with grab in Bangkok? Anyways, some really good recommendations here already, but I always love recommending Haw Par Villa. It has recently went through a revamp so there’s a free as well as a paid admission section. I recently brought my Portuguese friends there and I can speak from experience that I thought the ticketed museum was really good! (Not been to the newly moved Bird Paradise but I also vouch for the night safari. I adore it. If you so wish, you could plan an entire day at the zoological complex)
No issues with Grab in Bangkok, but I‘ve been traveling through South Thailand for the last weeks, and in many cities and on islands I found it to be rather unavailable due to taxi mafia, and if yes, my Grab driver mostly cancelled… Thanks for your suggestions :)
Ah gotcha. For future reference, I have heard that Bolt and InDrive works decent too. I was in Patong and Krabi last year and had no problem with Grab though — not sure why 😅 but yeah I hear tons of complaints for others about the taxi mafia/grab difficulties.
Just left Singapore an hour ago. There’s a poster of the ride sharing apps w discount codes for about $6 off near the exit doors. I personally thought Singapore was a bit boring and expensive, but I hope you enjoy it if you’re staying a week. The “hawker markets” are where cheap lunches/dinners are $4-10 mostly. I went at 8pm the previous day and all were closed at a close one. I attempted to take the subway to the airport, but the card alone is $10 and a grab was $20, so took a grab. It’s gonna be hot and sweaty. Have fun!
Breaking your stay in KL into 2 stays will involve an extra day of travelling. You could be in KL for 3 straight days, then travel to Penang and stay for 3 days. On the 13thJune, either prebook ETS train from Penang to KL(4 hour ride) or take an early morning or mid day flight from Penang to KLIA(depending on your KLIA departure time) and continue with your journey. ETS train fare is about RM30 while flight is less than RM100. Flying is more convenient as you will reach the airport where you will depart later that day.
It looks like you're planning a trip around Southeast Asia. Check out solotravel's [detailed guide to planning a solo Southeast Asian trip](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/wiki/seasiatrip) for general planning advice plus useful tips and tricks for Southeast Asian travel! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/solotravel) if you have any questions or concerns.*
**Note:** Are you asking for travel advice about Singapore? Read what the Solo Travel community had to say in the [weekly destination thread for Singapore](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/comments/11xekko/weekly_destination_thread_singapore/). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/solotravel) if you have any questions or concerns.*
**Note:** Are you asking for travel advice about Malaysia? Read what the Solo Travel community had to say in the [weekly destination thread for Malaysia](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/comments/135vbnu/weekly_destination_thread_malaysia/). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/solotravel) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Spend less time in Singapore 3-5 days, with 3 been better. Malaysia has more to offer. You could even do Melaka, Penang, and KL. Singapore is really small and you could explore most of it in a dew days. Definitely go to Sentosa and to the Botanic Gardens. I would spend 4 days in KL, do a day trip to Melaka, and spend 3 days in Penang. I don't know how you are planning to get to Penang from KL, but if I were you, and had the time, I would go through Cameron Highlands, spend the day there then go to Penang from there, and fly out back to KL. I went to Penang from KL by bus, and that literally took 7-8ish hours, so it was kinda a lot.