Best Road Trips in Singapore

By Dom Bewley
Published: July 18, 2024
Best Road Trips in Singapore

Driving. Sometimes, going for a drive can be a frustrating experience. For instance, no one enjoys the long commute to work. Stuck in traffic, screaming silently into your steering wheel as another idiot fails to merge correctly. Idiot! How dare someone drives on your streets and doesn't even know the laws of the road! Ahem. Even if the commute is smooth, you still end up at work. And let's be honest, you'd probably rather be anywhere else.

But sometimes, taking a drive can be a liberating experience. Just you and the open road, no holes barred. You can go anywhere and do anything. The horizon beckons you to adventure - do you answer the call? So, if you're looking for the latter, you'll find great drives in Singapore. It's a beautiful place full of futuristic architecture, beautiful tree lines, and a disarming coastline. But what are the best road trips in Singapore? Get in, start your engine, and read on.

Including:

  • Mount Faber
  • Lim Chu Kang Road
  • Mandai Road
  • Ocean Drive
  • Bayfront Avenue
  • and more!
Image of Fun, Vacation, Person, Road Trip, Boy, Child, Male, Adult, Female, Woman,

Ocean Drive

And the sky is so blue, the sun's gonna shine on everything you do. So says the hit 90s track from stalwart luminaries The Lighthouse Family, and yes, we're definitely showing our age. Age aside, the lyrics are definitely appropriate for Ocean Drive, one of the best road trips in Singapore!

Ocean Drive is the road's name, so you should know what to expect.

You'll be passing by the ocean and getting some of the best views on the planet. On your way, you'll spot some truly massive mansions and other unique buildings, so keep an eye out. And best of all, at the end of it, you'll find Sentosa, Singapore's premier relaxation destination. So why not stop by and check out the Giant Swing and Skybridge while you're there?

Lim Chu Kang Road

If you want to see the more historic parts of Singapore, take a drive on Lim Chu Kang Road. It's touted as one of the five Heritage Roads in the state, thanks to the many indigenous trees that line it. When you see them, you'll know exactly why they're protected!

Angsana, Broad Leaf Mahogany, and Rubber trees will all pop up on your cruise, so be sure to snap some pictures of them as you pass. Maybe get a passenger to do it or stop your car before snapping - we wouldn't want your Singapore vacation to come to an abrupt end!

Image of Car, Vehicle, Road, Freeway, Highway,

Mount Faber

Singapore might not be known for its mountains - it has scarce few of those. However, if you want the next best thing, then a drive up Mount Faber might be one of the best road trips in Singapore!

Thanks to the narrow, traffic-free roads, you'll forget you're in Singapore at all! As you get higher, you'll catch a glimpse of Singapore's skyline down in the distance, before you end the first leg of your journey up at Mount Faber Park, a delightful green space where you can easily spread out for a picnic to drink in the view.

Mandai Road

Another of Singapore's Heritage Roads, Mandai Road is a delightfully green stretch of highway that's well over 150 years old. So, as with Lim Chu Kang Road, expect to see plenty of protected natural beauty as you drive.

The old trees form a canopy above you as you go, eventually ending as you reach the Upper Seletar Reservoir, where you'll find a serene lake to explore.

Image of Accessories, Sunglasses, Baby, Person, Adult, Male, Man, People, Head, Face, Photography, Portrait, Fun, Road Trip, Vacation,

Bayfront Avenue

For a more modern drive, take Bayfront Avenue and drive right through Singapore's envious Central Business District. If you're looking to tick off some tourist hotspots on your itinerary, then it's one of the best road trips in Singapore!

Gaze out of the window, and you'll pass recognizable landmarks of Singapore's skyline, like the Helix Bridge, the Fullerton Hotel Singapore, Marina Bay Sands, and the Singapore River. Leave when the sun goes down to see the Central Business District in all its neon-soaked glory!

Kampong Lorong Buangkok

Fancy seeing the startling differences between the Singapore of old and the Singapore of today? Then you'll want to take a drive down to the last remaining village on Singapore's mainland - Kampong Lorong Buangkok.

Passing Buangkok's modern metropolis, you'll find Kampong Lorong Buangkok. Having foregone the modern marvels of metropolitan life, this village is a peek back to the past. Only a handful of families call Kampong Lorong Buangkok home, so it's understandable that they've all remained very close through the generations. If you do decide to take this fantastic drive, just be on your best behavior when you pass. While the residents might not mind the odd photo, you don't want to pry too much into their happy lives by doing a social media dance or some other heinous action while visiting.

Image of Photography, Accessories, Sunglasses, Adult, Female, Person, Woman, Face, Head, Portrait, Grass,

Kranji

If you're looking to add a little outdoor adventure to your road trip, then definitely put Kranji at the top of your list. Singapore's countryside is full of farms where you can buy fresh produce, and see some animals while you're at it.

But if you want to stretch your legs and see some of Singapore's stunning natural beauty up close, then you'll need to leave your car, put on your walking boots, and explore some of the awesome trails you'll find nearby. Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Kranji Reservoir Park, and Kranji Marshes deserve the foot traffic.

Mount Pleasant Road

And finally, we'll end on another Heritage Road drive up above sea level. Mount Road Pleasant is its name, and historic buildings is its game.

You'll pass beautiful black and white bungalows that predate the Second World War, you'll smell fig, palm, and cinnamon from the local flora if your window's wound down, and you'll enjoy the whole thing no matter the weather. If you want the perfect mix of views, architecture, and nature, Mount Pleasant Road is one of the best road trips in Singapore!

And there ends the return journey on our exploration of the best road trips in Singapore! Looking for more non-car-based fun to fill out your Singapore vacation? Check out Go City! With our Explorer Pass and All-Inclusive Pass, you can book your spots way in advance and get the best prices around.

Dom Bewley
Go City Travel Expert

Continue reading

Children at SEA LIFE Malaysia
Blog

Around SEA LIFE Malaysia: 8 Free Joys for Every Traveler

Aquarium tickets sorted? Here’s where to fill the rest of your day—with zero entry fees in Johor Bahru.
Woman studying a map in front of a pagoda-style building in Seoul.
Blog

Singapore to Seoul

For a heady mix of cultures, terrific and varied pan-Asian cuisine and a list of weird and wonderful attractions as long as your arm, Seoul and Singapore are second to none. Frequent direct flights between the two mean doing the Singapore to Seoul (or indeed Seoul to Singapore) double on your Asian vacation couldn’t be easier. Read on for our bite-size city guides and discover the best ways to get from one city to the other. Seoul: the Lowdown Split through its middle by the wide Han River, Seoul is a densely populated megalopolis of some 10 million people, its futuristic towers, bridges and skyscrapers set among ancient mountains and plains in the northwest corner of South Korea. Attractions here are many and varied with several ancient UNESCO sites, including the regal gardens and pagodas of Changdeokgung Palace and the royal tombs of the Joseon dynasty, which ruled over Korea for 500 years from the 14th to the 19th centuries. More modern pursuits include a visit to Seoul’s tallest building, the skyscraping 123-story Lotte World Tower, and its sprawling amusement park namesake on (and around) Seokchon Lake. Then there’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza, a space-age architectural marvel packed with shops, bars, restaurants, exhibitions and even a sensory playground for kids. And the achingly photogenic oasis that is leafy Nami Island, a mere 90 minutes from the city center. Seoul is dry and icy-cold in winter and very hot and humid in summer, with a monsoon season that runs between June and September. The relatively short spring and autumn seasons are therefore the best times to visit, when you can expect mild weather and clearer skies but also – as inevitably as night follows day – higher hotel rates. On the plus side, there’s accommodation here to fit most budgets, though visitors should remain conscious that a week in Seoul can be eye-wateringly expensive wherever you end up staying. As a general rule, downtown districts including Jongno or Euljiro are likely to be cheaper than Myeong-dong and Gangnam, while longer-term visitors might want to consider rented accommodation in student neighborhoods like Sinchon and Hongdae. Wherever you choose to lay your hat, you’ll find getting around Seoul a breeze thanks to its superb metro system, which has a whopping 300+ stops within the city’s relatively compact nine-mile radius. Just download the Seoul Subway Metro Map – an interactive route-planning app – pick up a T-money card (and add some credit) and you’re good to go. Handily, your T-money pass is valid for use on metros, buses and even taxis across South Korea. Save a bit of cash with Go City when you buy an All-Inclusive or Explorer pass to multiple major Seoul attractions. Singapore: the Lowdown There’s a whole world of fun awaiting in Singapore, from splashing around in the world’s biggest rooftop infinity pool (57 stories up atop the Marina Bay Sands Resort, fact fans) to gorging on chili crab and sticky pork satay in one of the wonderful hawker centers here. Then there’s the soaring Singapore Flyer observation wheel, authentic Singapore Slings at Raffles Hotel (where the iconic cocktail was invented), the Instagram-tastic Gardens by the Bay, and the island playground that is Sentosa, its myriad attractions – Universal Studios, the S.E.A. Aquarium and several of Singapore’s finest palm-lined beaches – easily reachable by monorail or cable car. In fact, getting around Singapore is remarkably straightforward in general, largely thanks to the super-efficient (and mercifully air-conditioned) mass transit system, or MRT. Six lines and close to 150 stations ensure good coverage of most of the island, but you’ll likely spend most of your time here in and around the downtown circle line which calls at many of the main attractions. Pick up a Singapore Tourist Pass (STP) for unlimited use of the network for 24–72 hours or simply pay as you go by tapping in and out of stations using your contactless debit or credit card. There’s also a decent cycling infrastructure here, and plenty of green space to explore – they don’t call Singapore the Garden Island for nothing, you know! Rent a bike and cruise your way around the epic Park Connector Network and beyond. The climate in Singapore is hot, humid and wet, with temperatures in the high 80s year round. Monsoon seasons between December to March and June to September all but guarantee daily downpours, but also make for some of the most competitive accommodation rates at these times of year. We’re speaking relatively, of course: Singapore is notoriously expensive, but you may just about be able to afford a stay at luxury icons like Raffles and Marina Bay Sands during the monsoons without the need to mortgage a kidney. Cheaper alternatives are of course available, with plenty of good budget and mid-range options available in the likes of Chinatown and even around the high-end shopping mecca of Orchard Road. Save a bit of cash with Go City when you buy an All-Inclusive or Explorer pass to multiple major Singapore attractions. Singapore to Seoul by Air and Rail Direct flights between Singapore and Seoul depart several times daily and take a shade over six hours each way. Carriers serving the route between Singapore’s Changi Airport and Incheon Airport in Seoul include Korean Air, Singapore Airlines and Asiana, with a one-way trip starting from around £300. Express trains from Incheon to downtown Seoul depart every 20–40 minutes and take 40 minutes; the slower, more regular trains make several stops along the route but still only take an hour to the center of town. At half the price and five times the frequency, these are probably the better bet, assuming you’re not in a crazy hurry. And if you’re really in no rush, you could even consider making the epic voyage from Singapore to Seoul by rail. Not for the faint of heart, this method takes you up through Malaysia, and across across Thailand and Laos (with a bit of bus travel required here), then onwards through Vietnam and China before finally catching the ferry from Qingdao in North Korea to Incheon in South Korea – because you can’t cross the North/South Korea border by land. If spending several days traveling 7,000 kilometers through unfamiliar countries on public transport sounds like an utterly absurd idea, that’s because it probably is. But adventurous souls with time on their hands could make it a reality, experiencing amazing coastal vistas, jungle trails, supercities, traditional villages and a mix of wildly different cultures along the way. Or, you know, go as far as Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok and catch your onward flight from there – both also epic adventures with plenty of fun to be had along the way! Save on attractions and activities in Singapore and Seoul Save on admission to Singapore and Seoul attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
The bandstand in Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Blog

Singapore in May

As Singapore lurches towards the busy summer season, May presents one of the last opportunities to see the city in (relative) peace and quiet before the vacationing hordes descend. It’s also one of the hottest and most humid months of the year here but, again, it’s all relative on an island where the climate doesn’t really vary all that much from one end of the year to the other. Read on for our expert guide to visiting Singapore in May. Visiting Singapore in May Temperature: 77–88°F • Average Rainfall: 19 days/month • Average Sunshine: 9 hours/day Don’t let that scary-looking rainfall stat put you off: May is so hot and humid in Singapore that, believe us, you’ll be glad of the respite provided by those occasional brief downpours. These short thunderstorms are mere amuse bouches for the monsoon season proper, which arrives in June and doesn’t begin to peter out until September. There’s also sunshine in May, and lots of it, so prepare accordingly by donning massive Jackie O sunglasses, light cotton and linen clothing and the floppiest, widest-brimmed sun hat you can lay your hands on. Or make like the locals and pack a parasol for the midday sun and an umbrella for the afternoon downpour. Like the climate, hotel prices don’t vary much across the year in Singapore. But May, loosely speaking, is low season, so you’re more likely to find good deals now than, say, in June or July. Our advice? Book well ahead to take advantage of any early bird discounts that may be available. Things to do in Singapore in May May’s hot, humid weather means you won’t want to be outdoors all the time. Indeed you’ll likely find yourself sweatily seeking out air-conditioned malls, restaurants, hawker centers and, heck, even public transport, every hour or so, just to get a bit of respite. A great way to spend a sizzling May day is to get out and about early, discovering the kinds of fine outdoors attractions that have earned Singapore its ‘Garden City’ nickname before the heat really begins to bite around noon. Dodge the soaring temperatures with a few indoor attractions in the afternoon before seeking out a beach or rooftop bar for cocktails at sunset. Perfect. Singapore’s many gardens and forests are great fun for exploring, and have the added benefit of providing a bit of natural shade and temperature control on warm days. Hotfoot it to the spectacular Gardens by the Bay where the OCBC Skyway provides some fine aerial views from 22 meters up in the canopy of the park’s iconic Supertrees. Or stick to the trunks, where your morning stroll is absolutely gratis. Step inside the vast durian-shaped hothouses for ancient olive groves, a sky-high waterfall and carpets of colorful blooms that emit an intoxicating riot of perfumes. Across town, Singapore’s Botanic Gardens provide further opportunities to smell the roses. And orchids. And Rafflesia. This sprawling 200-acre oasis also has a picture-perfect bandstand and peaceful Swan Lake, ticking off your Instagram and picnic requirements in one fell swoop. Equally alluring are the Southern Ridges, where six miles of elevated walkways and jungle trails, weave along the island’s south coast, connecting Mount Faber Park and the Labrador Nature Reserve. Expect to see (and hear) a rainbow of native birdlife as you tiptoe through the treetops, including orange-bellied flowerpeckers, red-whiskered bulbuls and many more tropical critters. Don’t miss the decidedly more manmade structure that is Henderson Waves, an architectural masterpiece of steel that snakes across the trees and, at 36 meters above ground, is the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore. A little further north, MacRitchie Reservoir (pictured above) is a huge natural playground with, yes, another epic treetop walkway that links the park’s highest points, plus plenty of running and walking trails and, this being a reservoir, an abundance of water for kayak enthusiasts to explore, perhaps spotting the occasional monitor lizard or macaque along the way. Hazy May afternoons in Singapore are best spent over long lunches in air-conditioned hawker centers. Order a sweet and refreshing bandung (condensed milk and rose syrup over ice) and gorge on local specialities including chicken rice, chili crab and pork satay before hitting the (also air-conditioned) mega-malls for a spot of light retail therapy. As evening approaches, catch the cable car across the bay to the tiny resort island of Sentosa, where a cocktail at the beach bars or dip in the 85°F waters that lap palm-lined sands are the ideal way to top off your day as the sun disappears over the horizon. What’s on in Singapore in May? Vesak Day is celebrated on the 15th day of the fourth month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar. Which, for those paying attention at the back, generally means sometime in May. It’s a public holiday and precipitates an island-wide festival in celebration of the life of Buddha, usually manifested in various religious and cultural activities in and around Singapore’s many temples. Join the festivities at landmark beauties including the Insta-perfect Burmese Buddhist Temple and Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery, where you can also witness awesome candlelit processions at the end of the day. Culture vultures rejoice! For May is also the month of the Singapore International Festival of Arts, which showcases some of the finest in theater, music, dance and visual arts from Singapore and around the world. A wide and varied program includes ticketed performances as well as a number of free events around the city. But, if your idea of a great day out tends to involve giving your credit card a workout in chic boutiques, swanky stores and big-brand emporia stuffed with clothes, accessories, gadgets and toys, we also have something just for you. The Great Singapore Sale kicks off towards the end of May, bringing extended shopping hours and whopping great discounts (often as high as 70%!) to some of the city’s biggest retail outlets. Just don’t blame us when you get a fevered call from your bank manager the next morning! Save on attractions and activities in Singapore Save on admission to Singapore attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak

Have a 5% discount, on us!

Sign up to our newsletter and receive exclusive discounts, trip inspiration and attraction updates straight to your inbox.