Christmas in Singapore

Christmas in Singapore

By Dom Bewley

It's the same every year. Horned animals, jolly red fellows, and gifts wrapped in paper start appearing on TV. Those songs clog up your favorite radio stations - you know the ones. And you hear the distant scream of your bank account as it prepares to be drained of all its savings. Yes, that's right. It's Christmas. The most wonderful time of the year.

So if you're considering visiting Singapore this winter, you might want to know what Christmas is like in the city. Well, don't worry; we've got all answers down below, as well as suggestions to amplify your merriment! Read on, and discover Christmas in Singapore.

Including:

  • How do they celebrate Christmas in Singapore?
  • Is Christmas in Singapore good?
  • Is Christmas a big holiday in Singapore?
  • Christmas cheer at Gardens of the Bay
  • Christmas at Universal Studios
  • and more!
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How do they celebrate Christmas in Singapore?

In such a multicultural city, it's no surprise that Christmas is handled in a rather traditional sense. Shopping malls are wrapped in tinsel and fairy lights, Christmas trees spring up from nowhere, and stockings adorn many a shop window. So, really, it's probably just like your home town. Only in Singapore, so the weather's much better!

Is Christmas in Singapore good?

It is! You'll find plenty of Christmas activities to enjoy in and around the city, as well as Christmas shopping savings, markets, and plenty more. But we'll get to that.

Is Christmas a big holiday in Singapore?

Even though there's a relatively small Christian population in Singapore - around 19% identify as Christians - Christmas is still a big holiday in the city. Much like many of the other religious holidays and festivals celebrated in Singapore, Christmas gets a similar treatment.

Now that we've got your burning questions out of the way, let's talk about the best things to do over Christmas in Singapore!

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Christmas cheer at Gardens of the Bay

If you're visiting Singapore, you've probably already heard of Gardens of the Bay. Thanks to its beautiful SuperTrees, it's one of the most recognizable green spaces on the planet. With millions of plants, multiple biomes, and even an Avatar movie crossover found within, there's plenty to do and see for every visitor.

But what of Christmas? Well, you've got a few choices.

First is Christmas Wonderland. Arguably Singapore's biggest Christmas extravaganza, visitors will be treated to the kind of light show one expects at Garden Rhapsody - just extra Christmasy. But that's not all; you can also meet Santa and snap a pic, play carnival games, explore the Mistletoe Alley Christmas market, and even hop on some rides. All-round yuletide fun for one and all, just like Santa always wanted. This one runs throughout December, so if you're visiting Singapore over Christmas, you should be just fine.

The other is Poinsetta Wishes, a massive display of delightful Andalucian flora that gets a Christmas glow-up every winter. Every year, a different Christmas theme takes over the Flower Dome. Last year it was Nordic-inspired Christmas treats like gingerbread reindeer and a giant hollowed-out apple adorning Santa's sleigh. 2022/23's display hasn't been announced yet, but keep an eye out online to find out. Typically, the Christmas display at the Flower Dome runs from the end of November to the beginning of January.

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Joy to the world at Universal Studios

Universal Studios is every cinephile's ideal theme park. With tons of rides dedicated to some of the planet's biggest film franchises, it's fun for kids and bigger kids alike. One moment, visitors will be dodging dinos at the Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure; the next, they'll be riding alongside Optimus Prime as the Transformers battle the Decepticons.

But over Christmas, it transforms into a winter wonderland. The halls are firmly decked with boughs of holly, carols bellow out around the park courtesy of your favorite universal characters, and you can hop on the Universal Rocking Railway to catch a glimpse of trees inspired by Shrek, Minions, and plenty of others. You can also post a letter to Santa and watch as the Postmaster Elf drops it off at the North Pole Postal Service. And when you're overcome with hunger from all the Christmasy activity, head to the Festive Market to pick up some Christmas twists on Singapore favorites.

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Pick up some cheer at a traditional Christmas market

We've already talked about Gardens by the Bay's Mistletoe Market and Universal's Festive Market. But what other markety delights can you find in Singapore?

Well, there's the Chinatown Christmas Market, which appears at the end of December, from Dec 19-20th, and then again from Dec 26-27. See Chinatown adorned in decorations, and prepare to pick up some great bargains on food, knickknacks, and decorations if you're behind on your Christmas schedule.

Then there's the Christmas Fair at Crane Club. From Dec 4-5, you can pick up some great gift ideas, all made by local businesses. From clothes to homeware and plenty of chocolate to boot, you'll find something for everyone at this brilliant Christmas spot.

Or, try I'mable Gift Market, a conscientious Christmas Market that not only offers sustainably-made products, but they're also made by people with disabilities. And no matter what you pick up, you'll know that your purchases help the community and disability services. Does it get much more Christmasy than that? Not in our book.

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Let loose at a Christmas Village

And finally, we'll end our exploration of Christmas in Singapore with a visit to Changi Festive Village. From November 4 - Jan 2, you'll be able to attend one of Singapore's best-kept winter secrets. Located onsite at Changi Airport, this wonderful village provides with a myriad of activities on offer.

Hop on a go-kart and race around a circuit, jump into the dino-themed bouncy castle, lay your eyes upon a huge 50+ foot Christmas tree, and top it all off with some Christmas bites. Brilliant.

And there ends our guide to Christmas in Singapore! Wherever you choose to spend your winter holiday, have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year! If you're wondering what else to get up to on your Singapore vacation, check out Go City. With our Explorer Pass and All-Inclusive Pass, you can pick and choose the best of Singapore for one low price. That way, you can get your fix of Christmas cheer and make the most of the rest of your stay!

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Marina Bay in the morning
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Things to do in Singapore in the Morning

With the sun rising over the Garden City around 7AM, there’s plenty of time for getting up early and exploring Singapore’s many wonders, from mighty nature reserves and atmospheric local neighborhoods to major attractions like Marina Bay, Singapore Zoo, and the Sentosa cable car. Jump out of bed and into our guide to all the best things to do in Singapore in the morning…
Stuart Bak
Things to do Alone in Singapore
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Things to do Alone in Singapore

Sometimes, you just need some time away from people. Interaction is great and all, but getting some space to be alone and clear your head is necessary once in a while. It's the same with vacations. Some may be fun to spend with friends and family, while others might be better off alone. So, if you're visiting Singapore this year by yourself and want to know what's good, we've got you covered. In this list of the best things to do alone in Singapore, we'll cover all of the city's best bits while riding solo. And who knows, you might even meet a special someone along the way. Including: City tours by bus, boat, or bike Gardens by the Bay Nature Kayaking Adventure at Pulau Ubin Virtual Reality Fighter Jet Experience Singapore Zoo and more! Image courtesy of Towfiqu ahamed barbhuiya/Shutterstock Big Bus Singapore If you're traveling alone, the thought of solo sightseeing probably fills you with giddy glee. Without the hindrance of human connection, you're free to soak up all the culture and landmarks with quiet contemplation and a keen ear. And where better to see all of Singapore's best bits than on a bus tour of the city? Thanks to the hop-on, hop-off nature of the tour, you can get off at any landmark, explore, and then hop on the next bus to move on. Your audio guide will fill you in on all the history of each stop, giving you insight into the era they were built. If you're interested in the melting pot of cultures present in the city, take the red line to see the likes of Chinatown, Little India, and Kampong Glam. Or, if you're in it for the spectacle, take the yellow line to see Singapore's most famous attractions like the Gardens by the Bay, Orchard Road, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore Art Museum, and Raffles Hotel. Historical Singapore Bicycle Tour If you prefer your sightseeing on two wheels with a dollop of adrenaline, then why not take a bike tour of the city instead? With your expert guide in tow, you'll visit many of Singapore's highlights, including Chinatown, the Singapore River, Boat, Clarke & Robertson Quays, Kampong Glam, The Museum District, and more. They'll make sure to keep you in the loop with the history, culture, and big events that have taken place in each area. And, over the course of the four-hour tour, you'll work up a nice sweat to boot - the perfect remedy to your calorific evening excursions! Singapore River Cruise And to round out our sightseeing portion of the day, if bikes and buses don't quite cut it, see the city from a different perspective on a Singapore river cruise! Board a traditional bumboat, and you'll float in style past famous sights like Old Parliament House, Raffles' Landing Site, Fullerton Hotel, Esplanade, The Merlion Park, and Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort. Just make sure your phones or cameras are at the ready - you'll want to snap dozens of pictures to the envy of everyone else. Gardens by the Bay One of the best things to do alone is to experience nature in its most peaceful form. And in Singapore, you've got the Gardens by the Bay, one of the most recognizable green spaces on the planet. Over 101 hectares and filled with 1.5 million plants from all over the world, you'll explore indoor and outdoor gardens, lakes, conservatories, huge sculptures, artwork, and more. Its beauty is so widely known that you might even recognize it - many films and TV shows have filmed scenes amid its luscious flora. Be sure to check out the Flower Dome, the world's largest glass greenhouse. Inside, you'll find displays representative of five continents, including 1000-year-old olive trees. And if you want to add a cinematic sheen to your visit, check out Avatar: The Experience at Cloud Forest. This immersive experience will transport you to Pandora and allow you to marvel at its cascading waterfalls, spiraling walkways, and fantastical creatures. Nature Kayaking Adventure at Pulau Ubin This is the second time on this list we'll be heading onto the water. But this time, you're free to go at your own pace. Well, to a degree. Ketam Island is one of the last villages in Singapore, so go exploring on this kayak adventure! You and a few others will join an expert guide as you roam the waters around Pulau Ubin, home to Ketam Island. Alongside the rustic village, you'll find plenty of untouched natural beauty, good vibes, and fresh air to fill your lungs with. And your guide will be happy to fill your withered brain with sweet, sweet knowledge about all the flora, fauna, and culture you'll find. If you're looking for relaxing things to do alone in Singapore, this kayak adventure should be top of your itinerary! Virtual Reality Fighter Jet Experience If you've ever wanted to take to the skies in a fighter jet, you can do the next best thing with this VR Fighter Jet Experience! Perfect for solo travelers, you'll get basic training from a qualified instructor. Then, you'll hop in the virtual cockpit and be pulling corkscrews, loops, and flashing past American landmarks like the Grand Canyon to the Golden Gate Bridge. All that without ever leaving the ground. Nice. Then, when you're done, you can attempt landing a multi-million dollar piece of tech. Good luck. Singapore Zoo And finally, we'll end our exploration of things to do alone in Singapore with a little visit to the animal kingdom. At Singapore Zoo, you'll have the chance to meet thousands of exotic animals from across the globe. If you like orangutans, lions, giraffes, cheetahs, crocodiles, monkeys, rhinos, and zebras, you'll be in your element. But this isn't any old zoo. It's more of an open concept, landing somewhere between a zoo and a safari. That means more space for the animals and happier animals as a result. And that's everything you need to know about things to do alone in Singapore! Looking for more fun things to do on your vacation? Check out Go City. With our Explorer Pass and All-Inclusive Pass, you can pick and choose the best of Singapore for one low price. Even things to do with others, if you happen to meet someone on your solo travels!
Dom Bewley
Orchard road Street sign
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Things to do in Orchard Singapore

Those seeking out things to do in Orchard Singapore can tick all the boxes going. Dominated by the eponymous Orchard Road, the neighborhood may be small – at less than a kilometer in area – but it certainly isn’t short of attractions. Centrally located between the National Museum of Singapore to one side and Singapore Botanic Gardens to the other, Orchard is Singapore’s equivalent to London’s Oxford Street or New York’s Fifth Avenue. It rivals both as a place to spend your time. Long gone then are the days when it was lined by nutmeg, pepper and fruit trees, giving it its name. Instead, whether day or night Orchard is the de facto shopping and entertainment district, boasting glitzy hotel stays, unrivalled shopping opportunities and no shortage of options when it comes to food and drink either. Among all this you’ll also find a number of cultural treasures, from parks to museums. Here’s the Go City guide to all Orchard Road is famous for! Check out hundreds of stores Arguably Asia’s hottest shopping district, the 2.5 km length of Orchard Road has over 25 shopping malls to choose between. Offering something for pretty much every kind of traveler, from the budget-conscious to the budget-buster, their stores provide a potentially unending exploration of must-have items (as well as a respite from Singapore’s tropical climate). Remarkably, in a city where the old is often swept away to make space for the new, Orchard’s very first department store clings on at Tang Plaza. TANGS (as it’s styled) continues to maintain a significant hold over the latest trends, much like it has since its store first opened its doors in 1958 – when the British flag still flew over Singapore. For atmosphere, do away with the big department stores and malls for the likes of Lucky Plaza and Far East Plaza. Here you’ll discover everything from secondhand gems to souvenirs (and a few black-market knock-offs too). However, Orchard’s most exciting shopping destination is possibly ION Orchard, whose shapely glass exterior sits above Orchard MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) station. ION Orchard blends luxury names such as Cartier, Louis Vuitton and Tiffany with the work of local craftspeople. But should the spending spree threaten to become too much, there’s always ION Orchard’s very own art gallery. Located on the fourth floor, its collection includes contemporary artworks from sculpture to multimedia displays. There’s also the Great Singapore Sale, which sees stores right across Orchard slashing prices each June. Discover the history of Orchard Although on first glance it may appear like the area is all about shopping, there are many other things to do in Orchard Singapore if you know where to look. Just beyond Orchard Road’s eastern extreme stands the classically-styled building constructed for the National Museum of Singapore in 1887. One of Asia’s largest, it does away with the idea of a museum as a dark studious place where visitors can only talk in muffled tones. In contrast, its light-filled galleries help detail the history of the island without it feeling like a chore. Its treasures include the Singapore Stone, found on the banks of the Singapore River and etched with as-yet undeciphered writing potentially a thousand years old. Opposite Plaza Singapura shopping mall is Istana Park, a 13,000 square meter green space. Its 26-meter-high Festival Arch marks the official start of Orchard Road, while the Istana Heritage Gallery details the history of Istana Palace. This building was the home of the British governor before becoming the office of the president on independence. This history is told through archive imagery and some of the gifts given to Singapore’s presidents by foreign dignitaries. The palace itself is only open on special occasions, while a changing of the guard ceremony takes place on the first Sunday of the month (except in July and August). Roughly 60 times larger than Istana Park, Singapore Botanic Gardens is the only tropical garden in the world to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Over 150 years old, the mature gardens are a huge contrast to the area’s malls. Its attractions include a small area of rainforest, Ginger Garden, and National Orchid Garden. The latter contains approximately 3,000 different types of orchid, with many named after the great and the good of international affairs, from Nelson Mandela to Queen Elizabeth II. Sample Orchard’s culinary delights Although not as famous as the Raffles Long Bar, L’Espresso café is an excellent place to enjoy a traditional afternoon tea while experiencing a full-on Victorian fantasy at Orchard’s Goodwood Park Hotel. Neatly-cut sandwiches, tasty savory bites and desserts to die for can be sampled from around midday onwards. Alternatively, you could save yourself for a sundowner on the pool terrace come early evening. Head behind Centrepoint mall to Emerald Hill and you’ll not only take in some rare survivors of Chinese Baroque architecture (think colorful ceramic tiles, shuttered windows and brightly-colored fronts) but also a great selection of bars, coffee shops and restaurants. They often reside in the historic structures themselves, saving them for prosperity and ensuring they remain charmingly atmospheric at the same time. To experience the real Singapore, you’ll also want to dine at a food court at least once during your stay. Forget any thoughts you might have of sticky tabletops and nothing but fast food, Singapore’s food courts (also called hawker centers) serve up healthy, freshly-prepared dishes from right across the region at ridiculously good prices. Food Village Takashimaya inside Ngee Ann City Mall is a great place to start whatever you’re after and whatever the time of day. Save on admission to Orchard’s top attractions From stores with price tags running into the thousands to sumptuous meals for little more than loose change. From must-do ticketed events to free things to do in Orchard, this area of Singapore is one that cannot – and shouldn’t – be ignored. Explore the very best things to do in Orchard Singapore with Go City. Choose between our All-Inclusive Pass or Explorer Pass and you’ll get access to some of the city’s top museums, tours and attractions while making big savings on standard admission prices.
Alex Birungi

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