Updated: 26 July 2021

Can a Singapore staycation be as satisfying as an overseas vacation? Yes, for sure! 

While international travel and social distancing restrictions are in place, you can plan for a staycation to rediscover the best places to visit in Singapore with family members and friends. In fact, there are many beautiful places in Singapore that you may not even know about. Why not explore our little red dot to the fullest, without large crowds in the way?

To complement your Singapore staycation experience, book a Singapore tour for locals. It’s a chance to get schooled on how some Singapore places of interest came to be, and to discover under-the-radar Singapore attractions that you didn’t have time for in the past. Best of all, it’s a way to show a little love to our country, by giving local tour companies some much-needed support. 

Our team at PARKROYAL on Beach Road, Singapore has put together a list of Singapore tour offers that you can enjoy. These domestic travel itineraries range from budget-friendly walks to themed tours that are worth splashing out on. Read on to find out what they are!

• Tours under S$50 per person

• Tours under S$100 per person

• Tours under S$150 per person

Monster Day Tours is best known for its pay-as-you-wish walking tours, which have been suspended during Covid-19. The boutique tour agency began as a pet project for founder TY Suen, who craved authenticity and connection in his own travel experiences. These elements spurred Suen to dream up his own tour itineraries. 

Have you stayed away from the Singapore DUCKtours because of tourist prices? Now’s the time to get on board! And if you’re wondering what a duck boat is, it’s a remodelled WWII war craft that can move on land and water, which offers a unique way to appreciate Singapore’s most prominent landmarks and the city centre’s gorgeous bay view. 

How would you like to “discover hidden nooks and crannies… unbeknownst to the average Joe?” and capture standout Instagram shots to elevate your social media profile? Take the two-hour Instawalk tour with Tribe Tours to explore the Bugis, Waterloo, and Kampong Glam districts. Learn what makes these neighbourhoods unique, and bring home memorable souvenirs—the best Singapore photos that will make you the envy of your followers. 

If you’re a Singaporean, chances are high that you live in public housing, so why go on a “Everyday Secrets of Singapore Public Housing HDB Tour?” Well, you may not be fully aware of the motivations behind our public housing policies, or how public housing design has evolved over the decades. 

Run by the Everyday Tour Company, this tour begins at Everton, where you can see one of the earliest public housing types in Singapore. Next, you’ll explore the Cantonment area, and finally, you’ll visit the ultra-modern Pinnacle@Duxton. Along the way, you can soak in street art and discover how local coffee is brewed. Do feel free to check with the organisers about customising the tour to fit your needs. 

Book a tour with Monster Day Tours

Book a tour with DUCKtours Singapore

Book a tour with Tribe Tours

Book a tour with Everyday Tour Company

Don’t think Singapore has much heritage to shout about? The “Picturing Places of Colonial Singapore” tour by Culture Curious could change your mind! 

Helmed by guides who have experience in arts and heritage education, this tour will regale you with historical and cultural insights that date back to Singapore’s Temasek (“Sea Town”) days—back when the island’s first settlements were established prior to the 1300s. Your guide will use public art, architecture, and evocative prints of early Singapore to narrate the city’s stories through the centuries. 

The tour begins at Telok Ayer and ends at the Civic District. It is usually priced at S$72 per person (with a minimum of two to start a tour). 

For a mini escape—passports not required—book a yacht tour to get acquainted with our offshore islands, including:

• Pulau Hantu (“ghost island”), which has a colourful legend behind its name

• Semakau Island, once merely a landfill, but today a beautiful island with rich biodiversity

• Sisters’ Islands, with the most pristine natural landscapes in Singapore

• St. John’s Island, formerly a quarantine and penal settlement

• Lazarus Island, well-loved for its tranquil (and usually deserted) beach

• Kusu Island, best known for its temple and tortoise statues

Yacht Cruise SG runs the 2.5-hour Southern Islands Cruise with a guided commentary. Contact the organiser to book, as well as to check on the minimum numbers to start a tour—this should be five for now, but it may change in accordance with social distancing guidelines.

Have you never hitched a ride in a Vespa vintage sidecar? Now’s a good time to try it, and you can bring a date too! Go on a joyful jaunt with Singapore Sidecars and enjoy the breeze blowing through your face!

If you’re undecided about which tour to pick, go for their bestselling “Joo Chiat + Katong” tour, where you can visit Singapore’s largest architecture conservation district, famed for its colourful shophouses and traditional food.

To be an explorer in your own city, look for ways to immerse yourself in novel experiences that will create a sense of anticipation and excitement. Why not unplug from your digital devices and immerse yourself in rustic tranquility?

The two-hour “Let’s Go Kelong” tour is a chance to learn about kelongs (offshore fishing platforms), understand more about sustainable fish farming, and try your hand at fishing too (extra charges apply). If you’re lucky, you’ll even spot wildlife, such as seabirds and wild boars—it’s a fun outing for families and friends alike. 

Book a tour with Culture Curious

Book a tour with Yacht Cruise SG

Book a tour with Singapore Sidecars

Book a tour with Let’s Go Tour

Think you won’t get spooked easily? Test your nerves on the three-hour “Creepy Tales of Singapore” tour, where you will:

• Walk along a bridge in a secluded and quiet hill, where, as rumour has it, many once lost their lives. If you dare, keep your eyes on your surroundings as you make your way to the top of the hill...

• Visit a coastal gun battery near a beach, a place where the Japanese possibly massacred thousands of innocent people during the "Sook Ching" operation to purge anti-Japanese sentiment. 

• Step into one of the world’s largest Chinese cemeteries, estimated to house over 100,000 tombs.

Run by Oriental Travel & Tours, this spine-chilling excursion will make for a memorable date night, and provides the perfect excuse for huddling together! Alternatively, pick friends with mettle for moral support. 

How would you like to join a Singapore tour that has been specially curated for Singapore residents? Such a tour would assume a basic knowledge of Singapore, allowing tour guides to delve deeper into the country’s history and culture. Hello! Singapore has launched three comprehensive tours to serve Singaporeans during this staycation season, and if you pick the 6.5-hour WWII tour—“When Singapore Surrendered”—you won’t need to plan anything else for the day! 

Visit their website for itinerary and pricing details. Do note that their tours also include visits to local businesses, in order to increase support for the local community.

Book a tour with Oriental Travel & Tours

Book a tour with Hello! Singapore

PARKROYAL on Beach Road is proud to be an SG Clean-certified establishment. This means that our hygiene and sanitation measures have been inspected by appointed assessors, and our associates are in good health. We have stringent precautionary measures to uphold good sanitisation and hygiene practices, which you can read about here. 

Have questions about your stay? Get in touch with our friendly team today!