As we know all too well, Singapore is expensive city to live in. But there are actually tons of (non-cheesy) things to do in the city for under $50. Here are some of our favorites
L’Entrecote
LESS THAN $50
1. Unleash your inner painter
Tea cafe and arts studio Arteastiq has daily three-hour painting sessions that go for $48. WIth that you get a free canvas, an unlimited supply of acrylic paint, painbrushes and sponges, as well as a drink. Plus, you get to take your painting home afterwards.
2. Stuff your face at a buffet
If steak doesn’t catch your eye, maybe a Japanese buffet will. Shin Minori is basically an institution in the Singapore dining scene and their buffets start at $34 for lunch and go up to $39 for dinner. Load up on sashimi, sushi, rolls and all manners of fried, grilled and cooked dishes.
3. Eat a fancy steak dinner
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Or try a treetop obstacle course
Bedok Reservoir isn’t just a picturesque park. It’s got something for the adventurous types, too. Head to Forest Adventure for a treetop obstacle course where you’ll be challenged to walk on tightropes, hop on suspended planks and even free fall into a safety net—all while harnessed, of course. There are varying levels of difficulty but the two-and-a-half hour long Grand Course ($46/person) is where all the fun is at.
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4. Try a new water sport
5. Have a picnic
The city is full of great picnic spots, and they’re all free to enter. But if you’re too lazy to pack your own basket, head to the Botanic Gardens and pop over to Casa Verde—the cafe provides picnic baskets filled with thin-crust pizza, nuggets, fries, water and a mat for $30. For more ideas on where to picnic, head here.
Forest Adventure
LESS THAN $30
6. Catch some comedy
7. Explore the surrounding islands
You don’t have to charter your own yacht to get to the Southern Islands. Singapore Island Cruise provides ferry services between Singapore and Kusu, St. John and Sisters’ Islands for $18 round trip. Just pack your own picnic basket. Oh, and you can visit the idyllic Lazarus Island through a bridge that connects from St. John’s.
8. Try your hand at catching prawns
Head to the 24-hour prawning pen at Orto where hourly rates are $20. Here, you can try your hand (and patience) at catching big head prawns and yabbies. The same park also has fishing ponds ($12/hour) where you can catch tilapia, sea bass and big head carp.
9. Spend a day in Sentosa
Walk there and entry is free this year, but if you decide to take the monorail, it’ll cost about $4. Most attractions in Sentosa are under $50 so take your pick between places like Madame Tussauds ($39), the Skyline Luge (from $17) and the S.E.A Aquarium ($38), among others. For more ideas on things to do in Sentosa, head here.
10. See Singapore from above
Who cares if it’s a little touristy? Head to ION Orchard’s lesser-known (and free) 56th floor ION Sky for views that stretch beyond Orchard Road. If not, head to Marina Bay Sands’ SkyPark for $23 where you can see views of the CBD. If you like cocktails, then head to New Asia where you can get free entry as long as you order a drink or two.
11. Play an escape room game
There are a bunch of escape room games in town, each with different themes and puzzles to solve. Xcape has eight different themed rooms of varying difficulty and scare factor, with prices starting at $22 per person. Trapped, on the other hand, has only five rooms of varying themes with rates also starting at $22 per person.
12. Play a game of mini golf
Try your hand at putting through obstacle courses at Lilliputt for $19.20. The 18-hole mini golf course, which has different miniature Singapore landscapes like the zoo and hawker centers, is actually pretty challenging. Plus, it’s indoors.
13. Watch indie films
If blockbusters aren’t your thing, there are a ton of indie film screenings around town. The Projector plays well curated indie flicks and cult hits with tickets usually going for $13. Other places like Screening Room or The Arts House also have their own film schedules, some of which are free to enter as long as you head to their website first.
Cycling in Ulu Sembawang Park Connector
LESS THAN $15
14. Escape the heat on skates
Relive your childhood by donning a pair of skates and heading to The Rink in JCube. A two-hour skate session goes as low as $14 and skate rentals are only $3.50. The place also has regular disco on ice nights on Fridays and Saturdays, just in case you’re looking to switch things up.
15. Or climb some walls
Head to the biggest rock climbing arena, Onsight Climbing. You can strap on and climb walls for as low as $11, provided you’re a member. There are different types of walls catering to different climbing abilities, as well as bouldering walls and abseiling walls.
16. Cycle (or rollerblade) around the island
If you’ve got your own bike, then head to scenic cycling loops like the Western Adventure or Northern Explorer paths (for the full list, head here). But if you’re in need of a bike to rent, head to East Coast Park and take your pick from the many different bike rental shops that start at $3 per hour, while rollerblades start at $10 per hour.
17. Bounce around on trampolines
There are a few trampoline parks around like AMPED, which has outlets in River Valley and Jurong. The expansive space is lined in wall-to-wall trampolines so you can show off your trick jumps or simply bounce around and into the foam pits. Rates start at $10/hour in Jurong and $12/hour in River Valley.
18. Grab cheap drinks with friends
Skip the fancy cocktail bars and head to a good old fashioned dive bar. No. 5 Emerald Hill is a great place for their day-long happy hour deals where 45ml house pours go for $8, wines for $9 and martinis after 9pm go for $21 for two glasses.
19. Go museum-hopping
There are five museums in Singapore where Singaporeans and PRs get free entry, including the Asian Civilisations Museum, National Museum, Peranakan Museum, Reflections at Bukit Chandu and Our Museum at Taman Jurong. But if those places aren’t your thing, most other museums have entry fees below $50, including ArtScience Museum (from $8), Singapore Art Museum (from $5) and the Singapore Pinacotheque de Paris (from $6.50).
