My first female solo travel to Singapore

Is it your dream to solo travel as a female traveler? Did you know that Singapore is one of the safest destinations for solo female travelers?

I lived in Tamil Nadu, India for 21 years before I moved to the US. Singapore is only a 4-hour flight from Trichy, the city that I grew up in. Interestingly, Singapore is one of the three countries in the world to make Tamil an official language. A trip abroad is not something that many people could afford back then and my first ever flight experience was the one that I took to the US from India to study on a student loan with a hefty interest rate of 13%.

I enjoyed an incredibly happy childhood regardless of all the travel that was missing from my life because family and friends made sure that we lived it to the brim. Fast forward to 2023 and 7 years of having lived in the US, I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to travel. I have had many valid excuses to be frugal such as student loans, visa stamp expiration and the barrier of getting a tourist visa on an Indian passport but 2022 was my year when all these came together and worked out for me.

I chose Singapore for many reasons. It is considered one of the safest places for female solo travel, I had some credits left from a flight that I had to cancel during the pandemic, I only had a few vacation days left and the public transportation system there is great! Above all I knew a few people in Singapore that I was lucky enough to meet during my trip and found great flight deals in the month of September.

You can check whether you need a tourist visa and other entry requirements here.

Best Time to Visit Singapore

Singapore has a fairly warm weather around 76°F to 89°F and high humidity throughout the year.

March – August have less chances of rainfall.
September – February have more chances of rainfall but that also means you might find cheaper flights.

I decided to travel towards the end of September and a couple of days during my stay it did rain but the clouds cleared mid morning and I was able to get out and go around the city. One of my friends advised me to always carry a hat, a pair of sunglasses and an umbrella in Singapore because the weather can be unpredictable during rainy months.

Landing and getting around in Singapore

The first thing to do when you arrive at the airport is to buy a tourist SIM card if your network provider does not offer roaming at a reasonable price. These can be purchased at any Singtel shops (please check store timings prior to arrival) located in the airport at Terminal 3. You can use the sky trains to move between the terminals.

Singapore has an extensive bus and MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) network both of which are affordable ways to tour the city instead of using a cab service. You can pay for your trips using an EZ link card (also available in Singtel shops) and any desired amount can be loaded into the card at various places such as Seven Elevens. You can also pay using VISA cards on the bus.

Accommodation in Singapore

Singapore has good accommodation options for travellers of all budgets.

Stays under 40 USD per night

One of the best ways to save on accommodation is to stay at Hostels in Singapore. This is a great idea for solo female travelers who want to meet new people and stay in more touristy areas of the country. You will find a lot of dorm beds under 40 USD in Hostelworld and many of them have good reviews. There are also private rooms available if you book ahead of time. There are female-only and mixed dorms as well. Do keep in mind that in a shared accommodation, you might have to try and fit your luggage under the bed so avoid carrying oversized bags.

Many of these Hostels are found in the Little India, Chinatown and Bugis area which are closer to many tourist attractions in the city.

Stays under 150 USD per night

You will quickly realize that Singapore is not as cheap as many other parts of Asia and hotels can get pretty expensive. Booking in advance will definitely save you some money.

If you are looking for hotels in this range, consider the following neighborhoods.

Little India (MRT and Bus access)
Rochor (MRT and Bus access)
Chinatown (MRT and Bus access)
Kampong Glam (MRT and Bus access)
Kallang (MRT and Bus access)
Katong/ East side (Bus access)

I decided to stay at Katong to experience Singapore a little away from all the buzz and I got a good deal at Village Hotel Katong for 40 USD per night less than their usual price. I was initially skeptical of staying at a place without MRT access but the bus connections were great and I loved taking the bus ride from here everyday with the locals while people watching (not in a creepy way of course!) The East Coast Rd which is a two minute walk from the hotel has a lot of shopping malls, grocery stores, restaurants and boutique stores so I enjoyed having everything at an accessible distance from my hotel.

Stays over 150 USD per night

This opens up a lot of options including luxury hotels such as Marina Bay Sands, Shangri-La, Raffles, Capella etc.

Best places to visit in Singapore

You will need 4 – 5 days to tour the following neighborhoods at a relaxed pace. It can be done in 3 days but that can get exhausting.

Chinatown
Little India
Katong
Sentosa
Marina Bay
Jewel at Changi

4 day itinerary in Singapore

Day #1 Chinatown, Tanjong Pagar and Spectra Lights Show

On day 1 head to explore Chinatown. This place is buzzing with people and gets a lot of tourists. Be prepared to walk a lot, admire the various walls filled with art, eat your favorite Asian foods, sip on some bubble tea and take it all in. Visit the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Sri Mariyamman Temple.

You can take the MRT to Tanjong Pagar station and maybe get some lunch at Maxwell Food Centre, checkout Thian Hock Keng Temple and relax at Pinnacle@Duxton‘s 50th storey sky bridge (there is a nominal fee for this) while savoring beautiful views of Singapore. In the evening head to the Spectra Lights Show by taking the Downtown line to Bayfront to watch a gorgeous lights and water show and it is an excellent way to end your first day in Singapore. The first show for the evening starts at 8pm. You can find the showtimes here. Going at least an hour early will get you space at the front since it gets very crowded.

Day #2 Merlion Park, Fort Canning and Little India

My father told me that back in the days, a mandatory photo with the Merlion is the way to prove that someone had really been to Singapore! This place is super packed with people so if you want some quiet time, you might want to consider visiting very early in the day. You can also get beautiful views of Marina Bay Sands from here.

You can either head to Little India directly or spend some time in Fort Canning, visit the Fort Canning Tree Tunnel and Singapore Plaza and go to Little India from there. Having some comforting food at Komala Vilas is a must. Being in Little India made me feel like I was transported to my hometown. Try some freshly made South Indian sweets when you are in the area.

Day #3 Katong, Kampong Glam and Marina Bay

On day 3 go to Katong to grab some breakfast along the East Coast Road and take a short walk to view the Peranakan Houses in Joo Chiat. Katong became a residential suburb by the beginning of 20th century. It became populated by Peranakans (which means local-born). The vibrant neighbourhood’s heritage shophouses are still left over and are a sight to behold.

Visit the Sultan Mosque and take a stroll along Haji Lane admiring the art that surrounds you. Then head over to Marina Bay to Gardens By the Bay – Cloud Forest and get lost among the soothing plants and waterfall sounds. Visit the modern urban forest observatory filled with Supertrees and catch the Garden Rhapsody at 7.45pm before heading out for a nice dinner. This show will be one of the most magical things that you will see in Singapore.

Day #4 Sentosa

On day 4 head to Sentosa Island and enjoy a relaxed beach day. Taking the Cable car to Sentosa is a fun way to commute to the island. If you want to explore your inner child, visit the Universal Studios. I decided to instead enjoy swinging above the coconut trees and the sandy beach on a Zipline and it was amazing! I also got to do it together with another solo female traveler from Australia who was there to watch Formula 1.

If you have more time, there are a few other recommended places to explore such as Changi Village, Pulau Ubin etc and don’t forget to see the Jewel at Changi when you either arrive at or leave from the airport.

I hope you enjoyed this guide to touring Singapore. Hope you get to plan your female solo travel adventure soon and have loads of fun! Please comment if you have any thoughts or questions!