Categories > Guides and Tips
Best Half-Day Tours In Singapore For When You’re On A Tight Schedule
- Let’s Go Tour’s Bike and Bites Bicycle and Food Tour
- Singapore River Cruise
- Let’s Go Bike’s Historical Singapore Bike Tour
- Singapore Changi Airport’s Free Singapore Tour
- WithLocal’s Pasir Ris Nature Walking Tour
- MINT Museum of Toys tour
- Joo Chiat & Katong Food Walk Tour with Betel Box
- Kampong Gelam Walking Tour with Monster Day Tours
- WithLocal’s Experience World War II as a Soldier
You know what grinds my gears when it comes to travel plans? Finding what to do when you have only a few hours to spare.
As the designated travel planner in my family, I get lots of requests to squeeze in as many activities as possible within a short time frame.
Thanks to my experience coming up with last-minute travel itineraries and plans for busy people, I compiled the best half-day tours in Singapore below. Trust me, these tour options are jam-packed with activities that anyone will enjoy!
Let’s Go Tour’s Bike and Bites Bicycle and Food Tour
Address: Block 462 Crawford Ln, #01-57
Contact Details: +65 9004 4332
Duration: 3 hours
Cost Per Person: $99
What’s a half-day tour in Singapore without discovering the best of the city’s food scenes? The Bike and Bites Bicycle and Food Tour of Let’s Go Tour takes you around the city’s best spots to try local fare across different districts!
Whenever my friends from abroad visit Singapore, I always make sure they hop on this tour. The routes start at Chinatown, then to Kampong Glam, then lastly, Little India all on your bikes that you can rent from the Let’s Go Tour Bike Shop.
These three ethnic districts are packed with eateries serving Chinese, Indian, Malay, and Mediterranean cuisines. Plus, you can stuff as much food as you want because you’ll probably burn the calories as you bike through the city!
| Tips: The bike tour may change depending on the current weather conditions. The tour usually runs between 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm when the sun is out. The tour requires a minimum of two people to participate, but if you’re riding solo, Let’s Go Tour can schedule another tour date for you with a companion! |
Singapore River Cruise
Address: Clarke Quay Jetty
Contact Details: +6563366111
Duration: 40 minutes
Cost Per Person: $28 per adult, $18 per child
Operating Hours: Monday to Thursday, 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm, Friday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 9:00 pm
From Merlion Park, I recommend heading straight into the Quays and hopping on a riverboat cruise along the Singapore River. The cruise takes you around the city’s three main quays (Boat Quay, Clarke Quay, and Marina Bay) from a traditional bumboat.
The cruise runs for about 40 minutes, so it won’t take up too much of your time if you still want to explore other parts of Singapore. Ticket prices start at $28 per adult and $18 per child, but if you’re a Singaporean, your tickets will be discounted.
A tour guide will be there to talk about Singapore’s history as a trading port and fishing village, as well as give insights into the city’s colonial past. My friends always enjoy going on a riverboat cruise, so I never forget to add this to the plans!
| Tip: The Singapore River Cruise tours are available starting at 1:00 pm on weekdays. If you’re planning an early half-day tour, I suggest doing this cruise on a Friday or Saturday in order to get slots as early as 10:00 am. |
Let’s Go Bike’s Historical Singapore Bike Tour
Address: Block 462 Crawford Ln, #01-57, Singapore 190462
Contact Details: +65 9004 4332
Duration: 4 hours
Cost Per Person: Starting from $80 per person
Operating Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 7:00 pm
Another way you can enjoy a half-day tour in Singapore is to explore the city on a bike! Bike tours are fairly popular among tourists, and locals like me equally enjoy them instead of hopping from train station to train station.
My recommendation is to book a bike tour from Let’s Go Bike or Let’s Go Tour to get a guided tour around Singapore’s best landmarks based on your time preference. Most bike tours last for about 4 hours, which is enough time for tourists to explore the city.
The tour includes trips to local markets, kopitiams (coffee houses), a scenic ride along the Singapore River, the Central Fire Station, the Sir Stamford Raffles statues, colonial buildings in the Civic District, and then finally, the Formula One track!
| Tip: The Let’s Go Tour bike tours are also available for night excursions if you prefer a half-day tour in the evening. These guided tours must be booked in advance, though, and only run for two hours as compared to the four hours during the regular day tour. You can book a night tour here. |
Singapore Changi Airport’s Free Singapore Tour
– From lindahikessouthafrica
Address: Singapore Changi Airport, Terminal 2, Level 2, Departure Transit Hall (Near Gate F50), or Terminal 3, Level 2, Departure Transit Hall (Near Gate A1-A8)
Contact Details: +65 6595 6868
Duration: 2.5 hours
Cost Per Person: Free
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday, tour timings may vary, refer to the website for more details and accurate tour schedules
Here’s a hack I never fail to tell friends if they’re only passing by Singapore for a few hours before their next flight. Did you know that the Singapore Changi Airport actually offers transiting passengers a free bus tour around the city?
That’s only if your next flight isn’t due for boarding in the next 5 hours or so. To be eligible, you’ll need to show proof that you’re only a transiting passenger of at least 5.5 hours and that your baggage has been checked in for your next flight.
The free bus tours run for about 2.5 hours and take you through sites like Merlion Park, Supertree Grove, Jewel Canopy Park, Chinatown, Kampong Glam, and the East Coast of Singapore. Tours start as early as 7:30 am, so choose a slot accordingly!
| Tips: The Singapore Changi free bus tour is only available for transit passengers who have not cleared their arrival at any immigration booth. If you need assistance with booking a slot for the tour, you can approach any tour booth located at the transit areas of the airport. If you have a hotel booking at a non-transit hotel, you will not be allowed to book a slot for the Singapore Changi bus tour! |
WithLocal’s Pasir Ris Nature Walking Tour
Address: Meetup point starts at Pasir Ris MRT Station, 10 Pasir Ris Central
Duration: 3 hours
Cost Per Person: Around $90
Operating Hours: Tour timings may vary, refer to the website for more details and accurate tour schedules
If you’re staying near Singapore’s East Coast, a walking tour around Pasir Ris is a good half-day tour idea I can recommend, especially if you prefer exploring the city on foot. The half-day tour runs for about 3 hours and includes a private local tour guide.
Pasir Ris is located on the northern-east coast of the island and is filled with nature parks. The walking tour involves walking along Pasir Rish beach, bird-watching atop the Pasir Ris Bird Watching tower, and enjoying the gardens around Pasir Ris Park.
The last stop is a stroll along the famed mangrove boardwalk, which is a highlight for many tourists with kids. It’s one of the largest mangrove forests on the island, and is packed with wildlife, so catching sight of otters and mudskippers is common!
| Tips: The Pasir Ris walking tour can be booked on the website above and will be guided by Richard, a local guide licensed by the Singapore Tourism Board. He only gives the tour in English, though! The walking tour fee doesn’t include transport fares to the meeting point and budget for food and snacks, so make sure to bring extra cash with you in case you need to buy drinks and snacks along the way! |
MINT Museum of Toys tour
Address: 26 Seah St
Duration: 4 hours
Cost Per Person: Around $94 (private tour), $55 (direct booking with museum without workshop)
Operating Hours: Tour timings and workshop hours depend on the MINT Museum of Toy’s operating hours (Tuesday to Sunday, 9:30 am to 6:30 pm)
Website (MINT Museum of Toys)
For toy enthusiasts, I highly suggest the half-day tour at the MINT Museum of Toys. While guided tours are available through their website, opting for a private guide adds a personal touch to your experience (plus, the tour guide is a toy expert himself!).
If you book a private tour, the itinerary includes a tour of the museum and then a toy-making workshop afterwards. The fee already includes admission fees, tour guide fees, and the workshop materials you’ll need to make toys.
Booking a tour directly with the museum doesn’t include the workshop, so it’s shorter and focuses more on Singapore’s toy history and exhibitions of vintage toys. You’ll have plenty of time to explore the museum at your own pace, though!
| Tips: The private tour and workshop in the MINT Museum of Toys will be spearheaded by Peter, a verified local host under With Locals. You can book the excursion with him in either English or Mandarin! The MINT Museum of Tours guided tours will only cost you $55 per adult and allow for a maximum of 6 people per tour. If you wish to join a workshop, you’ll need to book a slot in advance and pay additional fees for the materials (this is why I recommend doing the tour with Peter if you have extra time and cash to spare!). |
Joo Chiat & Katong Food Walk Tour with Betel Box
Address: Meeting point starts at Betel Box Tours, 200 Joo Chiat Rd, #02-02
Duration: 4.5 hours
Cost Per Person: Around $100
Operating Hours: Tour timings may vary and change per day. Refer to the website for more updated info about tour schedules
I love going on food walk tours around Singapore. For foodies out there like me, I recommend booking a Joo Chiat and Katong Food Walk Tour with Betel Box to get a half-day’s worth of good food and great stories about Singapore’s food culture.
Katong-Joo Chiat is the island’s largest conservation district and houses some of the richest Peranakan architectural, cultural, and culinary heritages. That’s why a food walk tour here with Betel Box is one of my top recommendations for foodies!
The tour includes a sampling of over 30 local dishes across several local restaurants and hawker stalls, a stroll around beautifully preserved Peranakan houses in Joo Chiat, lectures about Singaporean history, and visits to prominent museums in the district.
| Tips: The Betel Box Joo Chiat and Katong Food Walk Tour requires a minimum of 4 people. I suggest calling Betel Box to ask if you can join a group that’s lacking the minimum tour group requirement. The tour fee doesn’t include transport fares such as transfers from the airport or your hotel, plus entrance fees to galleries or museums within the Joo Chiat and Katong districts. Meals during the food sampling portion of the tour, however, are included in the fee. It’s best to keep some extra cash with you to cover the extra expenses just in case! |
Kampong Gelam Walking Tour with Monster Day Tours
Address: Meeting point at Lavender MRT Exit B, 50 Kallang Rd, Singapore 208699
Duration: 2.5 hours
Cost Per Person: Free
Operating Hours: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, starting at 9:30 am
If you love heritage neighbourhoods, then my next recommendation is the Kampong Gelam walking tour with Monster Day Tours. This walking tour is shorter than the other walking tours I mentioned on this list, but it’s completely free to join!
Kampong Gelam is Singapore’s Malay ethnic neighbourhood and is famous for housing the majority of Muslim, Javanese, and Arab immigrants on the island. The district is also known for its textile stores, trendy cafes, spicy Indian and Malay cuisine, and street art.
The tour, led by an English-speaking local guide, explores Kampong Gelam, highlighting eateries and shopping spots. It also visits two iconic landmarks: the Sultan Mosque and the Istana Kampong Gelam, once the Sultan of Johor’s palace in Singapore.
| Tips: While this walking tour is free of charge, tipping the tour guide is encouraged by the organiser. A little goes a long way to support the tour guides of Monster Day Tours! The free walking tour is designed for small groups (around 5 people), but if you’re booking a tour with a group of more than 5, I suggest calling Monster Day Tours for better arrangements on tour schedules. Walk-ins are accepted, but tourists who booked in advance will be prioritised. It is tantamount that you book in advance if your group includes someone who needs wheelchair assistance or any kind of walking assistance (since the tour involves lots of walking). |
WithLocal’s Experience World War II as a Soldier
Address: Meeting point at Pasir Panjang MRT Station, 119 Pasir Panjang Rd
Duration: 4 hours
Cost Per Person: Around $80
Operating Hours: Tour timings may vary and change per day. Refer to the website for more updated info about tour schedules
Whenever my uncle visits Singapore with his family from the United States, I’m always left in charge of booking a historical tour for them. One of my favourites is a tour around Singapore’s major World War II military defence sites and landmarks.
I’ve mentioned Peter from WithLocals earlier on this list, and he makes another worthy appearance for his guided tours around Fort Canning, Fort Siloso, and Fort Pasir Panjang. It runs for about 4 hours and involves a lot of walking (again!).
Within those 4 hours, Peter will take you on a walking tour around the three forts (or just two of them, if your schedule is tight), plus a stroll along the coast of Sentosa’s beaches.
| Tips: If there’s still time, Peter can also take you for a round of laser tag at the very end of the tour. Entry tickets are separate from the tour fee, and participating is completely optional, so let Peter know before the tour ends so he can arrange it for you. The tour includes a ride on the monorail connecting the main island of Singapore to Sentosa, so prepare extra cash for transport fees. The tour involves climbing a low hill to visit one of the major forts, so if you need wheelchair assistance, contact Peter from the website right away. This way, anyone who needs assistance can still join the tour, albeit customised for easier transport from one landmark to another. |
