Free Things to Do
Eighteen ways to spend S$0 in one of the priciest cities on earth.
Singapore's best-kept secret is how much of it is free: two nightly light shows, a UNESCO garden, rainforest bridges, temples, a mosque, a beach and an indoor waterfall. Show times can change, so check before you go.
0/18 · Fresh off the plane
1. Spectra Light & Water Show
Sight · Marina Bay · Free · MRT Bayfront (CC34/DT16)
Sun–Thu 20:00 & 21:00; Fri–Sat 20:00, 21:00 & 22:00 (check before you go)
Fifteen minutes of fountains, lasers and orchestra on the bay. Free, nightly and shamelessly dramatic.
💡 Sit on the Event Plaza steps 15 min early. Check before you go: shows can pause for weather or events.
2. Garden Rhapsody at Supertree Grove
Sight · Marina Bay · Free · MRT Bayfront (CC34/DT16)
Daily shows 19:45 & 20:45 (check before you go)
The Supertrees put on a free concert of lights and music right above your head. Twice a night.
💡 Shows at 19:45 and 20:45; times shift on festive dates, so check before you go. Arrive 15 min early.
3. Merlion Park
Sight · Marina Bay · Free · MRT Raffles Place (EW14/NS26)
Hours unknown, check before you go
8.6 metres of national mascot facing the bay. Yes, you will take the mouth-catching-water photo.
💡 Go before 9am or after dark; midday is hot and packed. The jetty in front gives the cleanest shot.
4. Helix Bridge
Sight · Marina Bay · Free · MRT Bayfront (CC34/DT16)
Hours unknown, check before you go
A 280-metre footbridge built as a double helix and lit up at night. Science never looked this good in a selfie.
💡 Use the viewing pods that stick out over the water for skyline shots. Best at blue hour.
5. Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
Sight · Marina Bay · Free · MRT Esplanade (CC3)
Daily 08:00–23:30
The spiky twin domes locals call the Durian. Free live shows most evenings, plus a roof terrace with a view.
💡 Check the free programmes list, then take the mall lift to the Level 4 Roof Terrace for the skyline.
6. Marina Barrage
Sight · Marina South · Free · MRT Gardens by the Bay (TE22)
Open 24 hours (gallery 09:00–18:00, closed Tue)
A dam with a lawn on top the size of four football fields. Kites, picnics and the full skyline.
💡 Bring a mat and snacks for sunset. It is a breezy walk from the Gardens by the Bay Supertrees.
7. Singapore Botanic Gardens
Nature · Tanglin · Free · MRT Napier (TE12) / Botanic Gardens (CC19/DT9)
Daily 05:00–00:00
Lawns, lakes and a patch of real rainforest in the middle of town. Joggers, swans and monitor lizards included.
💡 Enter at Tanglin Gate, exit by Botanic Gardens MRT. Go before 9am; by noon you will be soup.
8. Fort Canning Park
Nature · Civic District · Free · MRT Fort Canning (DT20)
Open 24 hours
A leafy hill of old gates, spice gardens and wartime bunkers. Also home to the famous tree tunnel photo.
💡 The tree tunnel staircase is at the Penang Road end; the queue is shortest before 9am.
9. Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
Sight · Chinatown · Free · MRT Maxwell (TE18)
Daily 07:00–17:00
Four storeys of red lacquer and gold, with a stupa upstairs and a quiet roof garden most people miss.
💡 Cover shoulders and knees. Take the lift to the rooftop garden first, then work your way down.
10. Thian Hock Keng Temple
Sight · Telok Ayer · Free · MRT Telok Ayer (DT18)
Daily 07:30–17:00 (last entry 16:45)
Built by sailors thanking the sea goddess, back when this street was the shoreline. Not one nail in it.
💡 Free and calm on weekday mornings. Look up: the carved roof beams are the real show.
11. Sultan Mosque (Masjid Sultan)
Sight · Kampong Glam · Free · MRT Bugis (EW12/DT14)
Sat–Thu 10:00–12:00 & 14:00–16:00; closed to visitors Fri
Singapore's landmark mosque. Look closely: the base of the gold dome is ringed with glass bottle ends.
💡 Visitors enter from Bussorah Street, Sat–Thu, in two short windows. Dress modestly; no tourists on Fridays.
12. Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple
Sight · Little India · Free · MRT Little India (NE7/DT12)
Daily 07:00–12:00 & 18:00–21:00
A gateway tower stacked with colourful gods on Serangoon Road. Loud, fragrant and alive at prayer time.
💡 Shoes off, dress modestly, and aim for the evening prayers. It is shut through the afternoon.
13. Koon Seng Road Shophouses
Street · Joo Chiat · Free · MRT Marine Parade (TE26)
Hours unknown, check before you go
A row of 1920s houses in pink, mint and blue, with tiles and plasterwork to match. Peak Singapore pretty.
💡 People live here, so stay on the pavement and keep your voice down. Morning light is best.
14. East Coast Park
Nature · East Coast · Free · MRT Marine Parade (TE26)
Hours unknown, check before you go
Kilometres of beach, bike path and sea breeze. This is where Singapore goes to exhale on weekends.
💡 Rent a bike and ride east with the sea on your right. Sunset here is the classic local evening.
15. Henderson Waves
Nature · Southern Ridges · Free · MRT Telok Blangah (CC28)
Hours unknown, check before you go
A rippling timber bridge linking two jungle hills, 274 metres long. The city's best free walk.
💡 Start from Mount Faber and walk west. It is lit from 19:00 and brutal at midday, so pick your hour.
16. TreeTop Walk, MacRitchie
Nature · Central Catchment · Free · MRT Upper Thomson (TE8)
Tue–Fri 09:00–17:00; Sat, Sun & public holidays 08:30–17:00; closed Mon
A free-standing suspension bridge above the treetops. You earn it: it is a proper hike in and out.
💡 One-way only and closed Mondays. Allow about 3 hours return and carry water. Do not feed the monkeys.
17. Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Nature · Kranji · Free · MRT Kranji (NS7), then bus 925
Daily 07:00–19:00 (last entry 18:30)
Mangroves, mudskippers, migratory birds and the occasional crocodile. The wild north most visitors never see.
💡 Go early with insect repellent and stay on the boardwalk; the crocodiles are not a marketing gimmick.
18. Jewel Rain Vortex
Sight · Changi · Free · MRT Changi Airport (CG2)
Daily 10:00–22:00; light shows 20:00 & 21:00 (plus 22:00 Fri–Sun)
A 40-metre waterfall pouring through a glass doughnut next to the airport. Absurd, and free to stare at.
💡 The water runs 10:00–22:00 only. The free view from the Level 1 forest floor is the best one.
Unofficial · not affiliated with TOKEN2049. Hours and prices change; check before you go.