{"id":5700,"date":"2026-09-23T12:05:21","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T02:05:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.carnival.com.au\/behind-the-seas\/?page_id=5700"},"modified":"2026-09-23T12:05:21","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T02:05:21","slug":"singapore-shore-day-things-to-do-between-gardens-by-the-bay-and-the-merlion","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.carnival.com.au\/behind-the-seas\/cruise-destination\/singapore-shore-day-things-to-do-between-gardens-by-the-bay-and-the-merlion\/","title":{"rendered":"Singapore Shore Day: Things to Do Between Gardens by the Bay and the Merlion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Few port days pack in as much variety as Singapore. Tucked at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, this compact island city somehow fits soaring Supertrees, centuries-old temples, a hawker stall with a Michelin star and a rooftop infinity pool into a place you can cross by train in under an hour. On a Carnival cruise, things to do in Singapore range from futuristic gardens to heritage shophouses, and a little planning goes a long way toward making the most of a single day ashore.<\/p>\n

Arriving at Singapore’s cruise port<\/h2>\n

Most Carnival calls to Singapore dock at Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore (MBCCS), a purpose-built terminal on the southern edge of the city that puts you within easy reach of the skyline before you have even cleared the gangway. A taxi or rideshare from the terminal to Gardens by the Bay takes around fifteen to twenty minutes, and the Merlion and Marina Bay waterfront are a similarly short ride away.<\/p>\n

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On a typical Singapore port call, you will usually have somewhere between six and eight hours ashore, which is enough time for one major garden or cultural district, a wander along the Marina Bay waterfront, and a proper hawker lunch, though it rarely stretches far enough to cover everything on this list.<\/p>\n

Singapore rewards a bit of planning, simply because there’s so much packed onto one small island.<\/p>\n

Gardens by the Bay: Singapore’s futuristic centrepiece<\/h2>\n

No list of things to do in Singapore gets far without Gardens by the Bay, the sprawling waterfront park where towering, tree-like structures called Supertrees rise up to sixteen storeys above the gardens below. The outdoor gardens, including the Supertree Grove, are free to wander any time, while the domed conservatories, Cloud Forest and Flower Dome, run on ticketed, timed entry from 9 am to 9 pm daily, with last admission around 8 pm to 8.30 pm.<\/p>\n

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Cloud Forest houses a 35-metre indoor waterfall inside a misted mountain enclosure, while Flower Dome, the world’s largest glass greenhouse, rotates seasonal floral displays throughout the year. For a free option that still delivers, stick to the Supertree Grove and the elevated OCBC Skyway walkway between two of the tallest trees, then time your visit around Garden Rhapsody, the free light and sound show at the Supertrees that runs nightly at 7.45 pm and 8.45 pm.<\/p>\n

The Marina Bay waterfront: Merlion Park, Helix Bridge and the skyline<\/h2>\n

Gardens by the Bay and the city’s most photographed icon, Merlion Park, sit on opposite sides of the same bay, connected by one continuous waterfront promenade. Budget twenty to twenty-five minutes of unhurried walking between the two, crossing the Helix Bridge, a free, 24-hour pedestrian bridge with a curved, DNA-inspired structure that is worth pausing on to take in the skyline views as you cross.<\/p>\n

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Merlion Park is home to Singapore’s national mascot, a statue with the head of a lion and the body of a fish that has been spouting water into the bay since 1972. Entry is free, and most visitors spend thirty to forty-five minutes here for photos and skyline views across to Marina Bay Sands.<\/p>\n

If your day ashore stretches into the evening, this stretch of waterfront is also where Spectra, the free light and water show at Marina Bay Sands’ Event Plaza, runs nightly at 8 pm and 9 pm, with an extra 10 pm show on Fridays and Saturdays. Arrive fifteen to thirty minutes early to secure a decent spot on the waterfront or watch from the Merlion side of the bay for a broader, less crowded view of the same show.<\/p>\n

For those wanting the view from above, the Marina Bay Sands SkyPark Observation Deck on the 57th floor looks out over the entire bay, including the very Supertrees and Merlion you have just walked between.<\/p>\n

Chinatown Singapore: temples, shophouses and street food<\/h2>\n

A short MRT ride from Marina Bay, Chinatown Singapore packs an outsized amount of culture into a few city blocks. The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, a striking five-storey Tang Dynasty-style building, houses what is believed to be a sacred tooth relic of Buddha on its fourth floor, along with a museum, meditation spaces and a rooftop garden. It is free to enter, as is the nearby Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore’s oldest Hindu shrine, with its ornately sculpted entrance tower.<\/p>\n

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Wander the market lanes of Pagoda Street and Trengganu Street for souvenirs, then follow your nose to Maxwell Food Centre, a hawker hall famous for Tian Tian Hainanese chicken rice, one of Singapore’s most celebrated Michelin Bib Gourmand stalls.<\/p>\n

Little India Singapore: colour, spice and Tekka Centre<\/h2>\n

A world away in atmosphere but only a short ride from Chinatown, Little India Singapore is a riot of colour, incense and spice-shop aromas centred on Serangoon Road. The Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, one of the city’s oldest Hindu temples, is dedicated to the goddess Kali and welcomes visitors during morning and evening prayer sessions, provided shoulders and knees are covered.<\/p>\n

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Tekka Centre is Little India’s answer to a hawker hall, part wet market, part food court, and home to Michelin-recognised stalls serving biryani and North Indian curries alongside stacks of fresh produce and fabric on the upper floor. Give yourself an hour or two to wander the surrounding lanes, including Campbell Lane’s Little India Arcade, before continuing on to your next stop.<\/p>\n

Hawker centres: where Singapore actually eats<\/h2>\n

If there is one thing worth building your entire day ashore around, it is the hawker centres.<\/p>\n

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These open-air food halls, found in nearly every neighbourhood, are where Singapore’s multicultural food scene lives, and several hold Michelin recognitions despite plates costing just a few Singapore dollars.<\/p>\n