15 truly local things you must try in Singapore

A beautiful city with a fantastic transport system and food worth all the antacids in the world, Singapore blends world-class architecture, colourful cultures and quirky habits you have to love. To really get into it like a local, be sure to try any of these activities for a real feel of life in the Lion City.

Chope-ing – Singlish (Singapore English) for “to reserve” – is a fine art most often executed in hawker centres, especially during busy meal times when empty tables are rare commodities. Join us in slapping a packet of tissue paper onto the required number of seats to mark your turf, then go gather your street food banquet. Trending in the Central Business District: business cards for a chope upgrade.

Try it at: Almost any casual eatery or food court, especially during the lunch rush

In Singapore’s past as a trading port, bumboats or tongkangs as they were known in Malay and twakows in Chinese were essential for moving cargo from ships moored harbour to the warehouses along the riverbank. They were initially propelled using oars and long “punt poles” and eventually became motorised. The river cleanup in the 1980s resulted in their decline as trade transport, but they soon became popular as a river cruise, now using sustainable, electric motors. The bumboats are known for their iconic “eyes”, painted on their bows which are believed to help the boatmen see ahead.

Try it at: There are three jetties along the Singapore river where you can get on a bumboat. They are located at Clarke Quay, Bayfront South, and Clifford Pier.

Way before rainbow treats became an Instagram sensation, Singaporeans’ rendition of the classic frozen confection involves sandwiching ice cream between a slightly sweet, fluffy slice of bread coloured with pastel swirls, in our rendition of the classic frozen confection. The ice cream uncle and his pushcart are as iconic to Singapore streets as hot dog vendors are elsewhere, a handheld antidote for year-round tropical heat.

Try it at: The ice cream pushcarts located in front of Ngee Ann City on Orchard Road

Piccolo, macchiato, cortado or marocchino have nothing on the Singaporean style of ordering hot beverages: kopi-o-kosong-peng, teh-C-siu-dai, Milo dinosaur and kopi-gao are just a few buzz-words for getting your caffeine on in a kopitiam (coffee shop).

Try it at: Check out local favourites like Ya Kun Kaya Toast, Killiney Kopitiam or Chim Mee Chin Confectionary for some vintage vibes.

That pungency piercing through the air marks the onset of yet another durian feast unfolding on a Singapore sidewalk, rickety stools and all. A combination of wanting to eat the fleshy fruit straight from its spiky husks and the fact that durian aromas linger indoors for days is why many locals take this indulgence outside.

Try it at: Durian stalls in Geylang

We literally take our national beer ice cold in a slender glass mug filled with ice cubes. This chilling hack serves the dual purposes of staving off the humid swoon, and also pairs perfectly with our line-up of spicy heritage dishes.

Try it at: Any coffeeshop or hawker centre

A public park filled with larger-than-life dioramas of statues and tableaux depicting Chinese folklore, legends and superstitions, Haw Par Villa is a wonderland of intricate carvings in technicolour tones. The infamous 10 Courts of Hell exhibit, interpreting Taoism’s morality stories for every misdeed, is a rite of passage for setting most local children straight.

Nearest MRT station: Haw Par Villa

If you didn’t take a selfie while dipping in the 150m-long infinity pool 57 levels high on the Marina Bay Sands rooftop, have you really been to Singapore? It’s the only such pool of that altitude in the world – and bonus points if you score one at sunset with our dazzling skyline in the background.

Nearest MRT station: Bayfront

Mustafa department store in Little India is as superlative as shopping gets in Singapore: more than 300,000 items across 400,000sq ft spread over six floors, open 24/7/365. Savvy customers come for everything from kitchen appliances and toys to saris, spices and major bling between midnight and 6am, when they don’t have to jostle with as many as 15,000 other bargain hunters during the day. Mustafa also boasts some of the best foreign currency exchange rates in the country.

Nearest MRT station: Little India on the North East line.

Singapore dining etiquette is simple: do not start eating until everyone at the table has snapped pictures of magnificent noodles, simmering curries, colourful desserts and more. Find them all via popular hashtags such as #sgfood, #sgeats and #burpplesg.

Try it at: Any eatery; be it a hawker centre, cafe or Michelin-starred restaurant

With five parks to choose from (and more on the way) a visit to Mandai Wildlife Reserve allows you to explore, encounter and interact with animals in habitats designed to mimic their natural homes. The Singapore Zoo first opened in 1973 and remains a popular weekend jaunt for Singaporeans. Along with River Wonders, Bird Paradise, Night Safari and the newly opened Rainforest Wild, the Zoo is a great place for families, visitors and animal-lovers to visit. Visiting the Malayan tigers, red macaques, giant pandas, mouse deer and crocodiles across all five parks will take more than a day, so guests can consider a night at the new Mandai Rainforest Resort as well.

Try it at: Mandai is located in Singapore’s north and can be accessed by dedicated bus from the city

Once notorious as Singapore’s red-light district (which, to be fair, is still very safe), Geylang is a bustling, late-night smorgasbord of great eats. There is so much to try in the area, from the aforementioned durian, to crispy chicken nasi lemak (coconut rice) and famed Lor 9 Beef Kway Teow (a savoury rice noodle dish with thick gravy and succulent beef slices) and they’re all opened past midnight.

Try it at: Get on the MRT and alight at either Geylang Bahru on the Downtown line or Aljunied on the East-West line

Rent a bicycle and explore Singapore through its Park Connector network, a series of walking paths and trails that will take you all around the island. Some routes will take you all around the island, and give you opportunities to stop and explore Singapore’s lesser-known flora and fauna. Also part of these routes is the Rail Corridor, a railway track to transport goods from Singapore to Malaysia. Worth a trip of its own, it’s now been transformed into a community space and wildlife preservation area.

Try it at: All over the island! Pick your entry point here.

Singapore’s heat can be oppressive and a trip to Gardens by the Bay is the ideal way to cool off while still immersing in nature and enjoying the giant, domed structures filled with interesting plants and evolving displays. Besides being Instagram-worthy at every turn, Gardens by the Bay also implements a range of sustainability measures in order to keep the plants (and everyone else) cool. This includes minimising solar heat gain through special glass for the domes and generating carbon-neutral electricity on site. For a more traditional way to cool off, families should head to the Far East Organisation Children’s Garden where a flower-themed water play awaits. In the cooler evenings, be sure to visit the PropNex Family Zone and Active Garden which features an inclusive playground and community garden.

Try it at: Visit Gardens by the Bay from Bayfront MRT on the Downtown line.

Translated from Malay to mean night market, you can find these roving collections of food and shopping stalls in many of Singapore’s neighbourhood areas. While many stalls are open during the day, these markets come alive in the evenings, when families head out to spend time together and sample trendy foods and shop (always a favourite Singapore past time).

The most famous of these is the Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar which happens during the month of Ramadan, which is usually in the later half of February and is worth a visit for the copious amounts of food and festive Hari Raya clothing.

Try it at: The Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar can be access from the Payar Lebar MRT station on the East-West line

Feature image: Daniel Wong/ Unsplash

Photos by Singapore Press Holdings unless otherwise stated.

This article was originally published by Singapore Press Holdings and written by Desiree Koh. It was updated in August 2025.

For more information on Singapore Airlines’ flights to Singapore, visit singaporeair.com.