If you’re gonna be backpacking through several countries in Southeast Asia, chances are you’re gonna find yourself in Singapore. It’s an international hub for several low cost airlines so a lot of backpackers find themselves here. Singapore stands out among the other countries in Southeast Asia. For one thing it’s a very progressive country. The minute you land in the country, you’ll be very impressed. The infrastructures are incredibly modern and you can go anywhere with remarkable ease. This is in complete contrast with other countries in the region. All these come at a price— literally. If you plan to leave the airport on a long layover, prepare to spend a lot of money. I’ve heard comments from many travelers that traveling in any country in Europe is cheaper than traveling in Singapore.

First off, it’s perfectly fine to spend your entire time at the airport during a long layover. It’s a huge and modern airport with lots of amenities, and there are lots of things you can do there. There are even  movie theaters and swimming pools inside the airport, would you believe. If you need some rest, there are a number of free sleeping areas and they are quite comfortable. There are so many places to eat too, and there’s free high speed Wi Fi all throughout. There’s a free city tour for long layovers during the day time though. Since you’re already in the country, you might as well explore a bit unless you’re feeling incredibly tired or lazy.

If you’re not keen on joining the free tour and would rather explore on your own, getting to the city center is easy. The fastest way is to take the Metro, and it would cost about SGD 2. You have to make a transfer at the Tanah Merah Interchange though. Also take note that trains from Tanah Merah to the city center don’t have facilities for luggage. That’s something to consider if you’re carrying huge luggage especially during rush hour.

Public buses cost about the same, though they are slower. They also don’t have space for huge luggage. If you’re carrying huge bags a better option would be the airport express shuttles, and you only pay SGD 9 per person. These shuttles also take you straight to your hotel. If you really want to do a lot of exploring during your stay, those tourist passes offer a great deal. For only SGD 10, you can have unlimited access to public buses and trains for 24 hours. 3 day passes cost SGD 20. I’m not sure if that’s such a good deal since 2 days is enough to see the whole country because it’s so small. Heck even one day is enough if you rush things.

There are several attractions of note. A lot of them are clustered in the areas near Marina Bay. The most famous one I guess is the Marina Bay Sands hotel, that behemoth with an infinity pool on top. Rooms are really expensive and access to the pool isn’t open to the public. Folks who aren’t staying at the hotel could go to the observation deck though for SGD 23. Along the bay you’ll also find the Merlion— one of Singapore’s iconic structures.

A better attractions for me is the Gardens by the Bay. It’s a huge botanical garden with lots of different plants and trees. A huge part of the complex is free so you don’t have to shell out cash. It’s a great place to relax and get away from the humidity in Singapore. There are two green houses in the complex and you have to pay SGD 29 to enter. The bigger one houses lots of flora from all over the world. The taller one houses the so called “cloud forest”. Inside you’ll find a huge indoor waterfall. The effect is pretty cool once you experience it first hand.Outside you’ll find the Super Tree Grove, and it looks really beautiful at night when they turn on all the lights. One of those trees has a bar on top. It’s a good place to chill during the evening.

As for other attractions, the country has their own Universal Studios theme park. If you’ve been to the one in Hollywood though, you won’t be impressed. It would seem like a smaller version of that theme park. There’s also Sentosa nearby if you prefer to relax on a beach. Breathtaking beaches in other countries are in close proximity though. If you’re heading elsewhere in Southeast Asia, I’d suggest skipping this place. I wasn’t particularly impressed so I didn’t even bother taking pictures.

For nightlife, the center of activity seems to be in Clarke Quay. There are lots of restaurants and bars in the area, and the place is bustling especially on weekends. Just keep track of your spending. As I’ve mentioned Singapore is not a cheap place to visit, you could easily spend a fortune on a night out. If you want something different to do at night, check out the Night Safari. Yeah it’s basically just a zoo, but it’s quite different since you see nocturnal animals at night when they are most active. Tickets cost SGD 45.

If you’re passing by Singapore for a connection or two, I highly recommend exploring a bit. It may be a small country but it does have some interesting sights. But since its neighboring countries have so much more to offer at only a fraction of the cost, I wouldn’t recommend making Singapore your primary destination in the region.