Fun things to do near me cheap

Yessss, you’ve finally decided to plan that trip you’ve been day dreaming about! But you’re kinda also on a budget, so you probably need to know if there’s things to do in Singapore for free.

But then you’re like, wait – Singapore is super expensive isn’t it? I’ve heard it is. How much money am I going to have to spend there anyway?

Are there even things to do in Singapore on a budget? 🤔

The answer to your questions, is YES.

It’s no secret that Singapore is known as an expensive place – and sure, it can be.

It can truly be as much as you want it to be, but you’ll be thrilled to know that there are also plenty of cheap things to do in Singapore on a budget too! And these are like, good things.

Related Post: The Best Things To Do In Singapore In 24 Hours

People usually think that backpacking in Singapore is a no go as well. Yes, understandable, I get it – but that’s so not true!

They don’t even bother looking in to it because of the high cost that it’s known for. But don’t make the mistake of missing out! Because really, it is most definitely doable.

There are sooo many places to go in Singapore without spending money – AT ALL and accommodation can be surprisingly reasonable.

It’s entirely possible to go backpacking in Singapore on a budget, okay? Don’t just count out seeing this amazing little country without looking into it first!

Looking for affordable places to stay? Find Singapore hotel deals here.

So get planning and read on below for my super in-depth list of the top things to do in Singapore on a budget!

(PS: If you’re a local, you might even discover some new things to do in Singapore for free!)

Table of Contents

1. These Are The Top 24 (Free) Things To Do In Singapore On A Budget
   1. 1) Gardens By The Bay
   2. 2) Spectra – A Light and Water Show
   3. 3) Singapore Botanic Gardens
   4. 4) Supertree Grove and Garden Rhapsody
   5. 5) Merlion Park
   6. 6) Take In The Views At Ion Sky
   7. Budget Friendly Accommodation
   8. 7) For The Art Lovers
   9. 8) Explore Chinatown
   10. 9) Walk Through Little India
   11. 10) Esplanade Theatres On The Bay
   12. 11) Watch Movies For Free
   13. 12) Art Science Museum
   14. 13) Jurong Lake Gardens Central
   15. 14) Henderson Waves Bridge
   16. 15) Hike The Southern Ridges
   17. 16) Sentosa Island
   18. 17) For The Ladies
   19. 18) Treetop Walk and the MacRitchie Nature Trail
   20. 19) The Singapore Really Really Free Market
   21. 20) Singapore Symphony Orchestra
   22. 21) Singapore Walking Tours
   23. 22) Museum Hopping
   24. 23) Get Your Sweat On
   25. 24) Changi Airport Tours And Changi Airport In General

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These Are The Top 24 (Free) Things To Do In Singapore On A Budget

1) Gardens By The Bay

With its lush greenery and tropical climate, it’s only natural that there are lots of gorgeous gardens in Singapore. If you’re interested in seeing some of these pretty places, the entry fee for most of them is free!

One of the best places to visit in Singapore for free beautiful gardens is, Gardens by the Bay in Marina Bay.

Comprised of 13 different gardens and attractions within the gardens themselves, Gardens by the Bay is huge. Although there are a few paid attractions here as well, 10 out of the 13 are free for all to enjoy.

There are 6 outdoor gardens located at Gardens by the Bay, including a garden for children complete with a water park.

The five other gardens all have different themes, from desert plant life to tropical to a rock sculpture garden and all are free for you to stroll through daily.

For those who appreciate art, there are interesting sculptures scattered throughout Gardens by the Bay to search for.

Bay East Garden is located right along Marina Bay with the city as the backdrop, it’s currently a park with tons of green lawn to chill out on.

Click here for a map and description of the art sculptures.

There are several scenic lakes you can check out along the boardwalk and of course, one of the best free places to visit in Singapore is the awe inspiring Supertree Grove.

You can find the 173 foot tall Supertrees all around the Gardens but most of them are located in Supertree Grove.

Seeing the unique Supertrees is free – which makes this one of the top things to do in Singapore on a budget.

While this area doesn’t cost anything to check out, it also consists of the OCBC Skyway and a bistro that sits at the top of one of the Supertrees.

At 22 metres high, the OCBC Skyway is an awesome place to take in sweeping views of the gardens if you like but you’ll have to pay. The admission is only $8 SGD though, so it’s still one of the relatively cheap things to do in Singapore.

Opening Hours:

– The Sun Pavillion (desert garden) 9am-9pm

– Far East Organization Children’s Garden – hours vary, see webpage for more information.

– Supertree Grove 5am-2pm, OCBC Skyway 9am-9pm daily (Skyway peak hours 5pm-8:30pm)

– Bay East Garden open 24 hours

– All other gardens including Dragonfly and Kingfisher lakes 5am-2am

2) Spectra – A Light and Water Show

If you’re wondering what to do in Singapore at night, include this in your plans!

Every evening at the Event Plaza in front of the Marina Bay Sands is where you can catch the free Spectra show. It’s entertaining to watch and a fun thing to do in Singapore whether you’re on a budget or not.

The Las Vegas-like water show features 15 minutes of dancing fountains, music, lasers and visuals projected on water spray.

If you’ve ever seen the fountains in front of the Bellagio in Vegas – Spectra is kind of like that but way more elaborate.

The show is mesmerizing and plays out the journey of Singapore becoming what it is now, although it’s pretty abstract. Through all the visuals, a beautiful soundtrack of orchestra music plays.

You can find the best views to watch the The Spectra Light and Water Show from the stands at the Event Plaza or from across the bay. It’s definitely one of the best things to do in Singapore at night and best of all – it’s free!

Hours:

– Sunday-Thursday 8pm and 9pm

– Friday-Saturday 8pm, 9pm and 10pm

Read Next: 22 Things To Do While Social Distancing So You Don’t Go Crazaaay!

3) Singapore Botanic Gardens

With more beautiful gardens to see, one of the best free places to visit in Singapore are the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

These sprawling gardens are 160 years old and just became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015.

Spanning 82 hectares, the botanic gardens are actually the oldest gardens in Singapore. They were established in 1859 and over the years evolved into a place where some of the world’s major crops were launched, so they’re kind of a big deal.

Orchids are one of the major crops and there are over 1000 species to see in the National Orchid Garden with a small entrance fee. (In the wild, there are approximately 60 native species that still grow in Singapore but long ago there used to be over 220).

The rest of the gardens are free and even with the $5 SGD admission to the Orchid Garden, the Singapore Botanic Gardens are one of the top things to do in Singapore on a budget.

There’s even a Ginger Garden to see with hundreds of different species of flowering gingers on display.

Experience one of the most beautiful places in Singapore by walking the trails that weave through the gardens. If you go on a Saturday, they even offer free guided walks that are led by volunteers. You can find the guided tour schedule on their website here and trail walking maps here.

BONUS: Singapore Symphony Orchestra holds regular free concerts here!

– Hours are from 5am – midnight daily, for directions to Singapore Botanic Gardens click here.

– The National Orchid Garden is open from 8:30am – 7pm daily.

– There’s also a children’s garden open from 8am – 7pm, closed on Mondays.

4) Supertree Grove and Garden Rhapsody

Although I touched on Supertree Grove at the beginning of this post, it’s a standalone attraction itself. It really is something special, especially at night and has got to be one of the most unique things to do in Singapore for sure.

You’ll know when you’ve arrived at Supertree Grove.

It’ll be obvious when you find yourself surrounded by gigantic, futuristic looking trees that stand as tall as 53 metres high.

These interesting looking Supertrees are made of steel and concrete and the trunks are covered in thousands of different plants.  Some of the Supertrees were even smartly built with environmentally sustainable functions and that is very cool, Singapore.

When the day turns to night though, is when Supertree Grove really comes to life.  

When it turns dark outside, the lights come on and you’ll feel as though you’ve stepped into another world – it reminds me of Avatar.

Twice every evening there is a free music and light show that plays called Garden Rhapsody. The trees are all lit up with the lights changing colours and moving in time with the music.

You have two opportunities to see the show every evening but if you miss it, don’t worry. The lights stay on and continue to change colour throughout the night and are stunning to see.

A visit in the evening to Supertree Grove is at the top of the top free things to do in Singapore at night and shouldn’t be missed! (and don’t forget to see it in the daytime too for a completely different experience!)

Hours:

– Supertree Grove 5am – 2am

– Garden Rhapsody Show 7:45pm, 8:45pm

5) Merlion Park

No trip to Singapore can be complete without seeing the country’s iconic mythical symbol, the Merlion.

The Merlion statue shoots water from its mouth into Marina Bay and stands 8.7 metres tall. It’s one of the more popular things to do in Singapore on a budget but it’s also just popular and tours stop here frequently.

Go early and you should be able to avoid the crowds.

Merlion Park is a must see in Singapore for famous landmarks. You can take in the views of the bay with the Marina Bay Sands hotel in the background too and it looks awesome no matter what time of day.

Apparently, there are 7 to 10 Merlion statues in Singapore all in different places. Although only 5 of them are considered “official”, you could try to find them all as you make your way through the day. It’s something free to do after all.

6) Take In The Views At Ion Sky

Heading to Orchard Road for some shopping? (it’s really close to the Singapore Botanic Gardens and is one of the best places to go in Singapore for shopping).

Free panoramic views can be had from the 55th floor at the ION Orchard Mall – with a catch.

If you’re shopping anyway though, all you have to do is spend $20 in Ion Orchard for one free admission ticket valid for 30 days.

Access to ION Sky is daily between 2pm – 8:30pm

Budget Friendly Accommodation

Have you ever stayed in a capsule hotel? These Singapore capsule hotels are budget friendly, have free wifi and are highly rated!

Circular House is centrally located and within walking distance from lots of things to do in Singapore on a budget. Breakfast is included in the rate and they have private rooms too.

MET A Space Pod @ Arab Street is located right in Kampong Glam and not far from Little India. It’s legit spacey, sci-fi looking so not for everyone, but it also happens to be one of the least expensive capsule hotels to stay at. Breakfast is included.

Wink Capsule Hostel @ Downtown is in a great location in Chinatown and close to free temples and Gardens by the Bay. Breakfast is included in some rates.

7) For The Art Lovers

There are a number of places to visit in Singapore where you can see great art without paying a thing.  There’s public art dotted all around – you can even find a sculpture by Salvador Dali located near Raffles Place.

Orchard Road Art Trail – Not just for shopping, on Orchard Road there are 13 art installations you can see, along the road and close by.  Check out this map and guide for the locations.

ION Art – With a focus on modern and contemporary art and design, ION Art hosts exhibits in the gallery as well as installations scattered throughout ION Orchard mall.  Find the ION Art gallery on level 4 of the ION Orchard, open 10am – 10pm.

Ritz-Carlton Millenia – This hotel is home to one of the largest contemporary art collections in Southeast Asia.  Art installations are located throughout the lobby and in the halls, even artwork from Andy Warhol can be found in this art hotel.

Poetry In The Rain – If you’re looking for instagrammable places in Singapore, you’re going to have to wish for rain. You’ll also want to keep your eyes glued to the ground. In an effort to promote poetry, Sing Lit Station is a local non-profit group that paints invisible lines of poems on the sidewalks in the art districts. When the sidewalks get wet, they reveal the lines of poetry. Pretty clever, right?

Little India and Chinatown – These two destinations are filled with public art and are some of the best places to visit in Singapore, especially for murals. You’ll find them on walls, sides of buildings, on main streets and down alleys. Don’t forget your camera!

Haji Lane – This narrow road is a super popular hipster hangout in Kampong Glam. A big draw to this street are the colourful, eccentric murals painted everywhere, as well as some very cool shops and cafes.

8) Explore Chinatown

Chinatown in Singapore is full of cultural sights and is easy to reach by public transport.

It’s also a fantastic place to find beautiful street art by many artists but the work by Singaporean artist Yip Yew Chong is particularly incredible to see.

He’s painted over 25 public murals around Singapore but he’s a part time artist, pretty much only painting his murals on the weekends. Find his work on Mohamed Ali Lane, Everton Road, Spottiswoode Park Road and on the back of Thian Hock Keng Temple on Amoy Street.

There are some beautiful temples in Chinatown as well to see, like the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum. The temple is open from 7am – 7pm daily and the museum hours are 9am – 6pm. Admission is free and they also put on free guided tours but you have to pre-register. Please be respectful and remember to cover up your shoulders and knees.

The Chinatown Street Market with red lanterns draped above is filled with hundreds of stalls and so many things to look at.

The market is open from 9:30am – 8pm but it’s best to come at night when everything is all lit up. It’s one of the most popular places to visit in Singapore for free, so it’ll be busy no matter what time of day you choose.

When you get hungry, Chinatown Food Street is where to go. It’s located in the Chinatown Street Market on Smith Street and you can stroll down to find excellent, authentic and inexpensive food. There are also lots of cool bars to check out in this area too.

9) Walk Through Little India

There is no other place more colourful in Singapore than Little India.  

This is one of the best places to come for great food that’s also inexpensive to buy.  

Located east of the Singapore River, aside from the delicious smells and sounds there are some beautiful temples you can visit for free (but donations are always welcome of course). Visiting Little India is one of the top things to do in Singapore on a budget.

The Tekka Centre in Little India is a hawker centre, a shopping mall and wet food market. The hawker centre serves mostly Indian food (yum) and the prices are decent (yay).

There are plenty of instagram worthy places in Singapore – and Little India is definitely one of them.

You’ll find TONS of photo opportunities everywhere you look. There are ornate, colourful buildings, eye-catching food displays and brilliant works of art and murals painted around town. Click here and here to find the locations and descriptions of public art in Little India.

Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple is one of the oldest in Singapore, built by migrant workers who came over from India back in the day.  Having the temple helped them to feel at home in a new land as the goddess it was dedicated to is a destroyer of evil. The temple was also used as a refuge during the second world war and protected those inside from the bombings.

Hours are: Morning 8am – 12:30pm and evenings 4pm – 8:30pm

The Temple of a Thousand Lights or Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple was started by a Thai monk in the 1920’s. The temple gained fame from the Buddhist statue inside that stands 15 metres tall.  The statue is surrounded by lights that are lit at night and gave the temple its name. It’s one of the most visited Buddhist cultural spots in Singapore.

Hours are: 8am – 4:45pm

Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple is a temple dedicated to Vishnu of the Hindu faith and dates back to the 1850’s.  Long ago, a stream actually flowed into the temple and served as an important place for worshippers to cleanse themselves beforehand.

Hours are: Morning 6:15 – 12pm and Evenings 6 – 9pm

10) Esplanade Theatres On The Bay

Esplanade is a not for profit arts centre and apparently one of the busiest art centres in the world.  The centre is housed in a super unique looking building on Marina Bay. You can’t really miss it with its spiked domes, resembling a durian fruit.

In addition to their regular events there is always some kind of free thing going on at Esplanade, from yoga to visual art to dance performances.

Check out their schedule for upcoming events and showings to see what’s happening while you’re in Singapore.

Only have one day in Singapore? Read this post!

11) Watch Movies For Free

Like to watch movies?

Some of the best places to go in Singapore without spending money are to movie screenings, but not all are free. There are several places where you can catch a free movie though, usually once or twice a month. That’s good news for you if you’re looking for things to do in Singapore on a budget.

Movie Mob – Every month Movie Mob puts on a free movie screening at a different outdoor location. It’s family friendly but also a cute thing for couples to do in Singapore. Bring your blanket and snacks but they give out free popcorn too! Find out when and where the next screening is on their Facebook page.

Movies At Sentosa – If you’re visiting Sentosa Island, you might be able to catch a movie under the stars while you’re there. The free movie series is hosted by the beach on Palawan Green on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays depending on the weather. Click here to find out when the next movie screening is and what is playing.

Be My Kaki Bus – The Kaki Bus is an actual bus that travels around neighbourhoods in Singapore. It’s a cool concept put on by the Peoples Association of Singapore to promote communities getting together. At different locations, they set up the Kaki Bus with a screen on its side to play movies for free. Check their Facebook page to stay up to date on the screening dates, locations and what’s playing.

Our Tampines Hub Free Movie Night – Tampines is a newer town that’s located close to Changi Airport and Our Tampines Hub is a community place for residents and visitors led by the Peoples Association. The organization holds free outdoor movie nights regularly at their plaza space complete with seating. Follow their Twitter to see when and what the next movie they play will be.

Changi Airport Movie Theatres – Although this is only for people who are in transit through Changi Airport, it’s free none the less. The theatres are open 24 hours a day so while you’re waiting for your flight you can pass the time watching a film. They are only in terminals 2 and 3 though, click here for the movie schedules and location.

12) Art Science Museum

So the exhibits at the Art Science Museum do cost money to see, but occasionally the museum puts on free exhibits too.

If nothing free is currently showing, the ticket price for the main shows aren’t overly costly at around $18 SGD. On a rainy day, this is probably one of the better indoor activities in Singapore for adults and kids.

The exhibits at the Art Science Museum are fun and interactive and will keep everyone entertained for hours.

When we were there, I loved Future World and would recommend it for sure. It’s also a great way to escape the heat during the daytime. If you decide it’s not for you, the lotus shaped building is still a beautiful piece of architecture to see.

Check their website for info on what’s currently showing.

13) Jurong Lake Gardens Central

Visiting beautiful gardens are perfect free activities to do in Singapore and there are plenty of them to see.

Within Jurong Lake Gardens, there are three main areas. A Chinese garden, Japanese garden and lakeside garden to enjoy.  The Chinese and Japanese gardens are connected by the beautiful Bridge of Double Beauty.

The Chinese Garden in Singapore spans 13.5 hectares and includes beautiful architectural features like the statues, bonsai trees, ponds and a gorgeous seven story Chinese pagoda.  

The Japanese Garden was made to feel like the traditional gardens you would actually find in Japan. Some of its features include stone lanterns, arched bridges and Japanese style Pagodas.

The gardens at Jurong Lake are supposed to be fantastic places for birdwatching, with a variety of water birds found here.  

During Chinese New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival it must be one of the most beautiful places in Singapore to be. When the cultural events are taking place, the gardens are lit up with hundreds of glowing paper lanterns.

Click here for directions to Jurong Lake Gardens.

Hours:

– Chinese Garden 5:30am – 11pm

– Japanese Garden 5:30am – 7pm

14) Henderson Waves Bridge

The architecture in Singapore is absolutely stunn-ing and this island nation is full of it. Henderson Waves Bridge is no exception and is one of the best places to go in Singapore to escape the city.

The bridge is located high in the hilltops of the Southern Ridges, 36 meters up from the road below it to be exact.

It’s the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore and has some of the best panoramic city views.

Henderson Waves Bridge is part of a 10 kilometre trail that winds through the Southern Ridges. It can also be accessed from the street by a staircase though, if you’re not doing the trail.

You can get there pretty easily by public transit too, making it great if you’re travelling to Singapore on a budget. The interesting wave shape allows it to have plenty of different seating areas and shady spots.

15) Hike The Southern Ridges

Okay, so technically it’s not really a hike in my opinion, but there are some stairs to climb. It’s more like a nice walk through the trees following paths and crossing bridges.

That doesn’t make it any less appealing though and is a nice place to go get a dose of nature.

The Southern Ridges in Singapore are hills made up of 5 green spaces. They are: Kent Ridge Park, Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park, Labrador Nature Reserve and HortPark.

Your walk will take you on to several bridges and elevated paths like Forest Walk that reaches heights of up to 18 metres. You’ll literally be in the treetops of a secondary forest. In Labrador Nature Reserve there’s even a World War II fort that you can check out as well as the wildlife.

For a shorter walk that still gives you the experience, you can go from Kent Ridge Park to Mount Faber Park. You’ll walk along approximately 4 kilometres of elevated pathways and cross the architecturally impressive Henderson Waves Bridge. To complete the entire walk, it’s about 9 kilometres.

There are several entrances to access the Southern Ridges and they are fairly easy to get to with public transit. Mount Faber can also be accessed by the Singapore Cable Car for $33 SGD and includes entry into Sentosa as well.

16) Sentosa Island

Sentosa Island is a gorgeous, man-made island paradise located about 30 minutes away from the central business district.  

It’s probably one of the most beautiful places in Singapore that you can go.

You can easily access the island through multiple modes of transportation but to get there for free you can either walk down the Sentosa Boardwalk or cycle there.

You can reach the Sentosa Boardwalk from the waterfront promenade at VivoCity Shopping Mall.  From there it’s an easy walk along the garden themed boardwalk to Sentosa Island. It’ll take only about 15 minutes to walk there on the (mostly) covered boardwalk and there are people movers too!

The boardwalk is a prime spot to watch the sunset in the evening and chill out watching cruise ships come and go.

Sentosa Island has 3 awesome beaches to spend the day relaxing on and all come with a different vibe. Cross the rope bridge at Palawan Beach and you’ll find yourself standing on the southernmost tip of Asia.

There are walking and cycling trails to explore on the island and at Palawan Park you can catch movies FOR FREE on certain evenings. Check out the movie schedule here.

Every night at Resorts World Sentosa you can watch 2 complementary shows. A light and water show called Crane Dance can be seen on the waterfront every night at 8pm.  Later on at 11pm, it’s the fire and water show Lake of Dreams seen from the Festive Walk.

These shows are perfect if you’re planning things to do in Singapore and you’re on a budget.

Once you arrive on the island, getting around is free and I don’t just mean by walking! You can take the busses and trams to get you where you want to go and not pay a thing.

So you see, there are basically free places to visit in Singapore! That’s like a whole day of things to do right there.

Free entry for people arriving on foot to Sentosa Island is until December 31, 2020 and for cyclists until August 31, 2020. You can find a map of trails and attractions on Sentosa Island here.

17) For The Ladies

There are plenty of things to do in Singapore on a budget, but what about a fun night out clubbing?

This city is definitely known for being expensive but there are places where you and your girlfriends can get free drinks – just for being female! (and not in a creepy way)

Mostly held on Wednesday nights, Singapore is famous for its ladies nights. This means free cover, free drinks and sometimes free food!

So grab your girls and go out, this is probably one of the best things to do in Singapore at night! Some places will give you a certain amount of free drinks and deals on drinks and at others you can have free pour drinks ALL NIGHT LONG.

Check out below for a list of just some of the bars and clubs that have ladies nights.

CÉ LA VI Singapore – Wednesday nights after 10pm ladies get free entry and a glass of bubbles. If you’re with your guy, he gets in for $28 SGD that includes a glass of premium pour. BONUS: See the iconic Marina Bay infinity pool for free.

Canvas Club – Thursday nights after 10:30pm, free entry for the ladies and free flow cocktails. From 11pm-12am drinks are 1-1 meaning 2 drinks for the price of 1.

Get Juiced – Wednesday nights from 7pm-2am free flow house spirits and Long Island iced tea. 1am-3am free popcorn chicken and fries. They also do $5 drinks, all day, err day.

Baliza – Wednesdays after 10:30pm are free entry, free drinks, free lollipops and free ice cream!?

Privé CQ – Privé is a restaurant and on Wednesday nights from 9pm-12am the first 100 ladies get 5 free drinks when you sign up. They also do 1-1 happy hour everyday from 5pm-9pm.

F-Club – Wednesday nights – free entry for ladies after 9:30pm and get 10 free drinks.

Secret Lab – Wednesday nights from 6pm-11pm ladies pay $9.90 SGD for 5 hours of free flow drinks and guys pay $24.50. They also have plenty of deals for other days too!

McGettigan’s Clarke Quay – Wednesday nights after 7pm get 4 free drinks and 20% off food and more drinks for the rest of the night.

18) Treetop Walk and the MacRitchie Nature Trail

One of the most scenic places in Singapore is The MacRitchie Reservoir Park.

It has 20 kilometres of trails to follow and a suspension bridge called the TreeTop Walk that can be found by two different paths.  

A great way to get out and explore nature, the TreeTop Walk is totally free to cross but you have to get there before 5pm. If you’re unlucky and late, the gate will close and you’ll have to go back the way you came.

A round trip to the Treetop Walk and back is approximately 7-10 kilometres and takes the the average person 3-5 hours to complete.

The MacRitchie Park is a perfect place to go in Singapore without spending money.

Hours:

– MacRitchie Reservoir Park open 7am – 7pm daily

– TreeTop Walk open Tuesday – Friday 9am- 5pm

– Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays open 8:30am – 5pm

This link for directions

Bliss Hotel Singapore is decently priced, has great ratings and free wifi. It’s centrally located in Chinatown and close to lots of things to do in Singapore on a budget too.

19) The Singapore Really Really Free Market

Yup, this market in Singapore is really (really) free. The market is all about building and encouraging a giving, caring and sharing community. It’s also environmentally responsible, since what others may have thrown away is what someone else is looking for.

The Singapore Really Really Free Market is basically a flea market but everything is absolutely free.

Aside from giving away items, you can give or find free services too. People offer services like tarot card readings, music and teachings.

Don’t miss one of the best free events in Singapore! Check their facebook page to see where and when they will be next.

20) Singapore Symphony Orchestra

The Singapore Symphony Orchestra (try saying that 5 times fast) puts on beautiful classical music concerts regularly.

On some occasions the concerts don’t even cost a thing and are some of the best free events in Singapore to see. You can check out the calendar here to see where and when the next free concert is taking place.

21) Singapore Walking Tours

Want to learn the history of Singapore while seeing the sights? Would you rather tour Singapore as part of a group?

If either of these sound like you, then you’ll probably want to check out one of the free walking tours in Singapore!

There are a few different Singapore free walking tour organizations and multiple itineraries you can choose from. You will have the opportunity to be able to see and learn about areas like Kampong Glam, Little India and the Civic District.

A couple of the most popular Singapore free walking tour companies are: Monster Day Tours and Indie Singapore.

You’ll find that they offer tours several days of the week and at different time slots. Although these tours are technically free, the guides do really appreciate tips, so if you enjoyed the tour it would be nice to tip them at the end of it.

As far as things to do in Singapore on a budget go, the (free) walking tours are still a pretty good deal!

22) Museum Hopping

Did you know that many of the museums in Singapore are free of admission for Singaporeans and PRs? If you’re a visitor that doesn’t really help but here are some free museums in Singapore that are for visitors too.

The Parkview Museum – Along with rotating exhibits, the museums’ art collection includes over 10,000 pieces of contemporary Chinese art, a large amount of ancient bronze pieces and the biggest Salvador Dali collection outside Spain. The museum also offers free guided tours.

Free for everyone. Open Monday – Saturday 12pm – 7pm

The Singapore City Gallery – This gallery shows how Singapore has changed over the last 50 years through 40 interactive and explanatory exhibits. The gallery offers free, hour long guided tours led by volunteers to those who register.

Free for everyone. Open Mondays to Saturday – 9am to 5pm
Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays

Fort Siloso – It’s not technically a fort but is a gun battery that has been restored into a military museum. The fort was built to protect Singapore’s busy port when they became a British colony and there are lots of guns to see. A restored Surrender Chamber too, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Free for everyone. Open daily from 10am – 6pm.

23) Get Your Sweat On

Free activities in Singapore include health and exercise too.

You can take complementary fitness classes and sports put on by Health Hub Singapore on all different days of the week! From yoga to baseball to kickboxing, they offer variety of free programs for everyone.

If you have a hard time with self motivation, why not take a fitness boot camp class? Need some bonding time with your family? Learn a new sport with your kids, like archery. You and your co-workers are feeling stressed, why not take an evening fitness class together?

For information on the activities, times and dates see the Health Hub website.

24) Changi Airport Tours And Changi Airport In General

You’re either coming or going but if you’re looking for things to do in Singapore on a budget, Changi Airport has got you covered. Sound strange?

Airports are generally known for having expensive food that isn’t worth the price and are boring places to wait around. Well, the food might be expensive here but you can’t say it’s boring – there are tons of things to do at Changi Airport and pretty much for free!

First and foremost are the airport tours.

No, it’s not a tour of the airport itself…but actually two free guided tours of Singapore put on by Changi Airport! So if you’re on a layover of less than 24 hours but more than 6, this is for you.  

The free Singapore tour you choose will either take you through the more historic areas or to the newer Marina Bay area.

Both 2.5 hour long tours include short stops at two places so you can get out and see it on your own.  See this page on the Changi Airport website for all the details about how you can take advantage of the tours.

In the actual airport itself are some pretty cool things to do to pass the time too. They’re spread out in different terminals so you won’t get to do them all. That is, except for the attractions at the new Jewel Changi building.

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No matter what terminal you’re in, you can get to it and you can go there even if you’re not a passenger too. I won’t include them all but read on for the top free and cheap things to do in Singapore’s Changi Airport.

Butterfly Garden – Yup, that’s right. There is an actual butterfly habitat in the airport with butterflies, plants and even a waterfall.

You can find the garden in terminal 3, transit levels 2 & 3. Open 24 hours.

Kinetic Rain – It’s both a piece of art and entertainment. This mesmerizing installment of copper plated raindrops morphs into 16 different shapes and forms in perfect harmony. Very soothing.

Find Kinetic Rain in terminal 1, level 2. Open 24 hours.

Slide Down Four Stories – There’s a slide in the airport, it’s four stories high and you get one ride for free for every $10 you spend at the airport on a single receipt.

The slide is located in terminal 3, level 1. Open 12am – 10:30pm.

Sunflower Garden – Changi Airport has a sunflower garden on the roof. Sure, it might also double as a smoking area which is kinda weird, but the flowers sure are pretty.

The rooftop of terminal 2, level 3. Open 24 hours.

HSBC Rain Vortex and Shiseido Forest Valley – It’s only natural that the “world’s best airport” for 7 years in a row has the world’s tallest indoor waterfall right?

Not to mention the fact that it’s also environmentally sustainable, recycling rainwater into the vortex and plants. If that wasn’t enough, at night a light and sound show is projected onto the falling water. It seems like Singapore is pretty into these light and water shows but hey, I’m not complaining.

Surrounding the Rain Vortex are 4 walking trails taking you along thousands of plants, hundreds of trees and another beautiful waterfall.

Located in Jewel Changi, anyone can get to it from any terminal or even just as a visitor. The Rain Vortex is on from 8am – 12:30am and the Forest Valley can be accessed 24 hours a day.

Catch The Latest Flick – If you have a few hours to kill, one of the best things to do at Changi Airport is to watch a movie at the theatre. Does it even surprise you at this point that there are not one but two movie theatres at the airport? Oh and the movies are free.

Head to the cinema in terminals 2 or 3, both on level 3. Open 24 hours. Check out the latest movie schedule for T2 and T3.

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What is free in Singapore?

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