Things to Do in Singapore in Autumn

By Alex Birungi
Published: July 18, 2024
Singapore Skyline

By Mia Russell

Glitzy and glamorous, sleek and sophisticated, Singapore has it all. Take a peek behind the shimmering skyline and you’ll find a wealth of incredible things to see and do in Singapore in Autumn. From spectacular green urban spaces and awe-inspiring architecture to out-of-this-world shopping and a world-class culinary scene, Singapore will steal your heart.

Why visit Singapore in the autumn?

Autumn in Singapore runs from September through November and the rain and humidity tend to increase over this time. Temperatures are still very hot during autumn with averages of 30 °C (86 °F) during the day and the humidity begins to rise towards the middle of October.

This may not sound like the most comfortable weather for exploring the city, but it's nothing a good umbrella can’t handle. The rain and humidity tend to keep tourists away in autumn, so you’ll find some great deals on airfares and hotels around the city.

Autumn is also the best time to hit Singapore’s incredible art galleries and museums, which are air-conditioned and cool, and a saving grace from the rain. This is also the time to shop until you drop into the myriad shops and stores that make Singapore a world-class shopping destination.

 

Explore the city’s outstanding museums

Things to Do in Singapore in Autumn

Escape the rain and heat and while away the day in a few of Singapore’s award-winning art galleries, top-notch museums, and one-of-a-kind cultural institutions.

The National Museum of Singapore is the oldest and largest museum in the city and should be your first port of call. Opened in 1887, the museum is housed in a stately 19th-century Neo-Palladium-style building with a beautiful glass rotunda. Take a moment to admire the exquisite architecture – it’s a work of art in itself.

If you’re a lover of contemporary Asian art, the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) is a treat! The museum exhibits artworks in multiple spaces, including a satellite space at Tanjong Pagar Distripark, and the main building along Bras Basah Road. This is the one you want to visit not only to marvel at the beautiful architecture of the heritage buildings but to see some impressive art, too.

Next on the list is the Asian Civilisations Museum, a captivating journey through Asia’s cross-cultural connections.

If you are an art-lover, head to the National Gallery Singapore to admire an incredible collection of Singaporean and Southeast Asian art. Brave the Changi Museum & Chapel to learn the stories of POWs and held Changi Prison during the Japanese occupation of Singapore.

Another luminary in Singapore’s art world, the National Gallery Singapore is huge! The largest visual art gallery of its kind in the city, it's packed with the world’s largest collection of Southeast Asian art from the 19th century to the present. And there are interactive installations and exhibits for the kids too, so make a day of exploring this glorious behemoth.

Celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival

Things to Do in Singapore in Autumn

Singapore comes alive when the Mid-Autumn Festival rolls around. Also known as the Moon Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrates the end of the autumn harvest on the Chinese calendar and has been observed since the early Tang dynasty.

The city lights up with spectacular lantern displays and families gather to walk with lanterns and gaze at the moon. There is a vibrant atmosphere with mid-autumn festivities and performances around the city. Sweet treats abound with mooncakes taking center stage. These traditional round cakes are filled with salted egg yolk as the yolk is said to represent the full moon and reunion. They are both eaten and presented as gifts to families and friends.

One of the best places to view the fantastic lantern displays is Chinatown and the Gardens by the Bay in Marina Bay. One of the city’s most spectacular green spaces is lit up with the soft light of lanterns, creating a breathtaking display.

While you are there, wander around the park and marvel at the towering high-tech trees that also light up at night, the whimsical sculptures, and the misty biodomes. Use your pass to get free access to the Cloud Forest and the Flower Dome.

Spend the day at Sentosa Park

Things to Do in Singapore in Autumn

Sentosa Island is the perfect place to spend a rainy day. The all-ages playground is packed with things to do from an aquarium and a casino to some amazing theme parks.

Hop on the Singapore Sky Cable with your pass for a thrilling ride to Sentosa Island from Mount Faber on the mainland. Take in the amazing views on the way and spend the day enjoying all the attractions on the island.

Make your first stop Sentosa 4D AdventureLand. Use your pass to get into this amazing fantasy land where you can ride a super log through ravines and valleys and dive into crocodile-infested water. Zoom into a haunted old mine on a thrilling rollercoaster ride or saddle up and let your inner cowboy out as you go after the bad guys.

Other fantastic attractions you can use your pass to enjoy at Sentosa Island include SEA Aquarium, Universal Studios, and the exhilarating SkyHelix Sentosa.

Shop until you drop

Things to Do in Singapore in Autumn

Rainy days are made for shopping and there is no better place to shop until you drop than Singapore! Singapore’s shopping scene is world-renowned, and people visit the vibrant city just to shop. The tiny island state is home to an impressive range of shopping malls, high-end boutiques, brand-name stores, and hidden gems. You can find everything from appliances to apparel and the choice of places to get them is nothing less than mind-boggling.

The best place to start your shopping spree is the epochal Orchard Road. Mega malls line the two-mile stretch of street and whatever you are looking for from budget clothing to state-of-the-art electronics, you’ll find it here. For something extraordinary, head to the Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, where you do some window shopping while taking a relaxing gondola ride around the mall. You’ll also find some outstanding restaurants here when you start getting ‘hangry.’

 

Take a culinary journey around the world

Things to Do in Singapore in Autumn

Singapore is foodie heaven! This multicultural city is renowned for its incredible cuisine and whether you want to eat like a local or dine at the finest restaurants in the city, Singapore has it all.

The best place to get a taste of Singapore is on the street at the legendary hawker centers. From eye-wateringly hot Indian curries to melt-in-your-mouth murtabak, the city’s culinary scene has every dish conceivable. Be sure to try delicious local dishes like laksa, a spicy, coconutty noodle soup, and chicken rice with a twist.

If you prefer French champagne and foie gras, the city is home to several Michelin-star restaurants that offer out-of-this-world dining experiences. The top of the list is Odette. Located in Singapore’s National Gallery, this exceptional restaurant is helmed by Chef Royer brings French and Japanese cuisine together to create sublime plates. Try the Foie Gras terrine with kumquat marmalade.

For mouthwatering Italian cuisine, head to Garibaldi where Executive Chef Roberto Galetti cooks traditional Italian dishes like handmade pasta with caviar and snow crab. Sip some of the finest Chianti in the world.

 

Dance the night away

Things to Do in Singapore in Autumn

When the sun goes down, Singapore changes from flats to heels and really puts on a show. Trendy restaurants, buzzing bars, and glitzy nightclubs all vie for attention, while chic rooftop bars draw the cool crowd.

Kick off the evening with a complimentary Singapore Sling at the famous Raffles Long Bar – present your pass for your free drink. Then head out into the night and experience Singapore’s electric nightlife.

Start at Zouk, Singapore’s longest-running nightclub. Renowned for propelling the dance music movement throughout Asia, Zouk attracts some of the biggest names in the industry and you can party the night away to the sounds of Paul Oakenfold and The Chemical Brothers.

Another memorable nocturnal carnival experience can be found at MARQUEE. This massive club has three floors, sky-high ceilings, and a giant indoor Ferris wheel!

 

Make the most of your trip with a Singapore Pass. Save while you sightsee all of the best Singapore attractions.  

Alex Birungi
Go City Travel Expert

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A collared kingfisher in the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Singapore
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Singapore in July

As Singapore’s peak holiday season draws to a gentle close, July sees a slight let-up in the number of vacationers that have been thronging the hot, sticky streets for the last couple of months. But, while the crowds may have dissipated somewhat, the searing temperatures and frequent downpours of the southwest monsoon season show few signs of abating. Read on for the lowdown on what to expect when visiting Singapore in July. Visiting Singapore in July Temperature: 75–88°F • Average Rainfall: 19 days/month • Average Sunshine: 8 hours/day You’ll want to pack an umbrella along with your factor 50 for trips to Singapore in July. Thunderstorms and heavy downpours are absolutely guaranteed at this time of year, but what’s difficult to predict is when you might be about to get caught in one. A small umbrella in your backpack is the number one hack for such eventualities along with, ideally, rubber sandals or similarly waterproof footwear. In fact, most of July’s rain storms tend to arrive after dark, but afternoon showers are also still highly likely. Don’t forget loose-fitting cotton and linen clothes, too. Synthetics are a big no-no in these temperatures, unless of course you actively enjoy the feeling of polyester trousers clinging damply to your sweaty knees, in which case: you do you. Broad, floppy hats, UV sunglasses and a big water bottle should also be considered essential if you’re planning to do a lot of outdoor sightseeing. And, while there’s loads you’ll want to see and do that require you to be exposed to the sun, we’d advise mixing it up with a bit of air-conditioned action indoors, perhaps spending cooler mornings (after the nightly rainfall) ticking off the outdoor must-sees, before hitting the malls, hawker centers, museums and immersive attractions before the afternoon heat really starts to bite. Things to do in Singapore in July Singapore is a haven for all manner of wildlife. It’s not unusual, for example, to see traffic grind to a halt to allow a family of otters to cross the road, or to be deafened by the sound of thousands of roosting myna birds as you stroll beneath the trees that line the Orchard Road in the early evening. Sultry Singapore mornings in July are a great time to experience some of this garden island’s vibrant flora and fauna up close. Rent a bike to explore one of the many traffic-free routes that weave through wetlands, woodlands, nature reserves and more. The Rail Corridor – stretching from Chinatown all the way north to Kranji – is among the very best: 24 kilometers of rewilded railway line, along which you might well encounter monitor lizards, flying lemurs and colorfully crested bulbuls. A little over halfway along the route, you can take a diversion into Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, where an epic 400 acres of tropical rainforest awaits the intrepid explorer. There’s an even more varied bunch of critters to be found here beneath the canopy, among them reticulated pythons, macaques and endangered Sunda pangolins. The reserve is also home to the highest hill in Singapore. Rising to over 500 feet, it’s a moderately challenging climb that takes around an hour and rewards hikers with awesome 360-degree views across the treetops to the city beyond. The Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on Singapore’s northwestern tip is another fine option for wildlife-spotting, particularly for twitchers. Migratory species including the distinctive Pacific golden plover and the long-legged Asian dowitcher have been spotted here, and you might also clock mudskippers, monitor lizards, giant Atlas moths and even the occasional saltwater croc lurking among the mangroves. Take the reserve’s two-hour walking loop to get the most from your visit. Shopping and Dining in Singapore in July Looking for something a little more... indoorsy? The Great Singapore Sale (GSS) is in its final month in July, which makes it a fine time for a spot of air-conditioned retail therapy in Singapore’s mega-malls. Hit up the shopping mecca that is Orchard Road, a string of high-end malls seemingly designed specifically to empty your wallet and fill your home with shiny new gadgets, designer handbags and other expensive knick-knacks. It’s the cheapest time of year to do so as the annual bonanza that is the GSS means whopping great discounts of up to 70% (!!!) at hundreds of participating stores. Meanwhile, in-the-know souvenir hunters head to hip Kampong Glam, where colorful 19th-century shophouses contain no end of chic indie boutiques and Arab Street’s antique emporia yield the kind of unique gifts of which dreams are made. We’re talking hand-woven Turkish textiles, intricate mosaic lanterns, painted ceramics and more. After splashing the cash, tuck into some of the best nasi padang this side of Jakarta in the shadow of the Sultan Mosque, with its iconic golden dome. And if nasi padang and other South Asian favorites like chili crab and sticky peanut satay float your boat and tickle your tastebuds, you’re in luck! With over 100 hawker centers to choose from, you’re never far from your next plate of delicious, affordable street food in Singapore. Better still, many centers are now air-conditioned, meaning you get a little respite from the soaring temperatures outside, albeit you may end up pretty hot under the collar anyway, as you dive into spicy bowls of sambal-laced laksa, zingy chili crab (the national dish, no less) or red-hot rendang curries. Cool off with a refreshing glass of bandung - a sweet (and highly Instagrammable) cocktail of condensed milk and rose syrup served over ice. Yum! And, if you’re feeling particularly bold and adventurous on your July visit to Singapore, why not give some of the nation’s most out-there delicacies a spin. We’re talking pufferfish, fried pigs’ fallopian tubes in kung pao sauce and – very much for the non-squeamish – still-wriggling octopus tentacles that will, we kid you not, cling to your chopsticks and even your tongue in a bid to escape their fate. 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
Raffles Hotel
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10 Free Things to See and Do Near Raffles Hotel Singapore

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Woman in traditional floral cheongsam dress, holding a paper fan.
Blog

Best Places to get a Dress Made in Singapore

You know the feeling. You spend ages deliberating over the perfect dress for that big event and then someone else (with whom you inevitably have previous beef) turns up wearing exactly the same thing. Rather than being the belle of the ball, you’re the (red) face of your friends’ ‘who wore it best?’ memes for months afterwards. More deflating than a helium shortage at a foil balloon festival, it’s just about the worst thing that can happen at a party. Well, short of the vol au vents running out before you've even arrived. Solution: create your own party outfit with a little help from Singapore’s top designers and dressmakers. There are dozens of boutiques offering such services across the city, whether you’re in the market for a showstopping cocktail dress, sober interview suit, don’t-upstage-the-bride wedding outfit or classic silk cheongsam. Or, you know, something altogether more outlandish to suit your personality. We’ve rounded up six of the best places to get a dress made in Singapore. Read on for the lowdown... ***Note: all prices quoted are in Singapore Dollars (SGD)*** Time Taken to Make a Dress The very literal name of this couture dressmaker, located on the upper floor of a Kampong Glam shophouse, a stone’s throw from the Sultan Mosque’s glittering golden dome, belies the offbeat nature of designer-owners Letitia Phay and Jade Swee, for whom conformity is a dirty word. Setters of trends rather than followers of fashion, the duo – as the boutique name hints – like to take time over their creations, working closely with their clients to design and produce something spectacular and unique. Just think of them as fairy godmothers to your Cinderella. Be ready to pay more than Cinders could ever afford though: prices can reach five figures, depending on the fabric and level of detailing required, with complex projects taking up to six months to complete. Golden Scissors Cheongsam Looking to dazzle in a cheongsam? Golden Scissors deals exclusively in these traditional, figure-hugging Chinese dresses and has been doing so for four decades, so you can be reasonably sure resident seamstress Madam Li Qiying knows what she’s doing. You’ll find the shop at the towering People’s Park Complex in the heart of Chinatown, where the temptation to fill up on steamed pork dumplings immediately prior to a fitting is to be avoided at all costs. Step inside the boutique to discover a veritable cornucopia of off-the-peg options: beautiful cheongsams in all manner of different shapes, sizes, designs and colors. Pick one of these for a quick and easy win, or have the cheongsam experts rustle up something unique for you. Prices start at less than $100 for simple pre-made cotton designs, rising a little more sharply (but not restrictively so) if you opt for a bespoke silk piece. Bespoke designs are usually ready for collection within a week. Ong Shunmugam Known for their progressive Asian dress designs, Ong Shunmugam has two locations in Singapore: one in atmospheric Kampong Glam and a flagship branch in the trendy Chip Bee Gardens, west of the Botanic Gardens. But you can’t just pitch up at ateliers like these and expect to be allowed inside simply by pressing your nose hopefully against the window. No: fittings in these exclusive boutiques are by appointment only, which has the effect of making you feel simultaneously important and overwhelmingly anxious about how much it's all going to cost. But what price quality? Expect fine materials, meticulous craftsmanship and stellar designs to your precise specifications in exchange for your dollar. You’ll be cash poor but catwalk-ready before you know it. Love, Yu Cutesy name on the outside, serious bridalwear inside, ‘Love, Yu’ is a solid mid-range option for your nuptials, with prices starting from under $3,000 but creeping steadily upwards depending on how flamboyant you want the final product to look. Singaporean designer Eelyn Tang’s signature creations combine modern silhouettes with delicate fabrics such as silk, fine French lace and tulle, but if it’s great jewel-studded fairytale bustles and poofy sleeves that set your heart aflutter, then you can have that too – at a price. Either way, this boutique bridal shop strives to make your vision a reality for a day you and your betrothed will never forget. Jenny & Me Dressmaking Looking to grab a bit of red carpet pizazz without the movie star price tag? Look no further than Jenny Lim’s Holland Village boutique, Jenny & Me, in which the ‘Me’ is in fact... you. The name hints at the kind of personable, personalized experience you can expect here, where friendly service, affordable pricing and decades of dressmaking knowhow has seen Madam Lim become something of a stalwart on Singapore’s sartorial scene. Jenny does men’s clothing too, ideal if you’re looking for his’n’hers outfits that will have you feeling like prom king and queen at whatever party or event you plan to attend together. Lai Chan Goh Lai Chan is another specialist in cheongsams – or qipaos, as they’re known in Mandarin. His is a very modern take on the traditional high-collared, form-fitting look, built around a firm belief that these eye-catching garments should be worn all the time, and not just on special occasions. It’s a look that attracts a younger, more fashion-forward set than many of his contemporaries, with fans pairing his colorful creations with jeans, sneakers and other clobber more regularly associated with dress-down Fridays at the office. What you’ll also get with a Lai Chan cheongsam are his signature gemstone buttons, inspired by the jade buttons on the imperial garments worn by Chinese Emperors. So there you have it: literally fit for an emperor. You can mix and match with your other half here, too, with bespoke ‘man-paos’ available for the discerning modern gent. 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

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