Off the beaten path · Singapore · SIN
6 unusual places to discover Singapore
Pastel houses covered in ceramics, an Art Deco neighbourhood, a walkway above the jungle… Six places away from the crowds, beautiful to photograph and easy to reach from Changi.
The Singapore you do not see on postcards
Already seen Marina Bay? This layover is a chance to discover another city: historic neighbourhoods, wooded hills and little places where Singaporeans eat. All these places are free or nearly free.
A good habit: choose one place. Joo Chiat and Changi Village are less than twenty minutes from the airport, ideal for a short layover; the Southern Ridges and Haw Par Villa require more time.
Plan my layover with LAYOVOThe time shown runs from the terminal 2 or 3 exit to the destination, including the wait for the metro. Durations between stations are LAYOVO estimates; it is hot and humid, so allow extra time for walking.
01 · Street · photography · 35 min–45 min from Changi
Joo Chiat’s Peranakan houses
- A quick look
- 20 min–25 minKoon Seng Road
- Take your time
- 1 hr 15 minThe houses and a laksa in Katong
- Price
- FreeA laksa: around 6–8 SGD.
Candy pink, sea green, lemon yellow: on Koon Seng Road, Peranakan houses line up their façades decorated with ceramics and stucco, a legacy of the Chinese-Malay families of the early twentieth century.
Nearby Katong is also the birthplace of a famous laksa, a coconut-milk noodle soup. And it is just twenty minutes from the airport.
How to get there from Changi
GrabStraight to the door, no transfersEnter “Koon Seng Road” in the app · price shown upfront15 minOpen GrabTaxi or Grab≈ 18–25 SGD metered, + airport surcharge
02 · Neighbourhood · café · 55 min–1 hr 5 min from Changi
Tiong Bahru, tropical Art Deco
- A quick look
- 30 minThe Art Deco buildings
- Take your time
- 1 hr 15 minThe neighbourhood, market and a coffee
- Price
- FreeA coffee and pastry: around 8 SGD.
Built in the 1930s, Tiong Bahru is Singapore’s oldest public housing estate: white buildings with rounded corners and spiral staircases, like ocean liners resting among greenery.
Today, their ground floors house cafés, bakeries and a much-loved independent bookshop, beside the covered market where locals have breakfast.
How to get there from Changi
GrabStraight to the door, no transfersEnter “Tiong Bahru Market” in the app · price shown upfront30 minOpen GrabPublic transport≈ SGD 2 to 3
- 6 min
- 5 min → Tanah Merah
- 32 min–35 min → Tiong Bahru
- 8 min
DirectionsTaxi or Grab≈ 30–45 SGD metered, + 6 to 8 SGD airport surcharge
03 · Nature · panoramic views · 1 hr 10 min–1 hr 20 min from Changi
Henderson Waves, the walkway in the jungle
- A quick look
- 30 minThe Henderson Waves bridge
- Take your time
- 1 hr 30 minPart of the ridge trail
- Price
- FreeFree access to the trail.
At 36 metres above the forest, Henderson Waves undulates like a wave of wood and steel. It is Singapore’s highest pedestrian bridge, on the Southern Ridges trail connecting several wooded hills.
You may encounter monkeys, tropical birds and joggers, with glimpses of the port and Sentosa. A Singapore far removed from the glass towers.
How to get there from Changi
GrabStraight to the door, no transfersEnter “Henderson Waves” in the app · price shown upfront35 minOpen GrabPublic transport≈ SGD 2 to 3
- 6 min
- 5 min → Tanah Merah
- 30 min → Outram Park
- 4 min → HarbourFront
- 20 min
A taxi drops you at the foot of the bridge.
DirectionsTaxi or Grab≈ 35–50 SGD metered, + airport surcharge
04 · Nature · history · 40 min–50 min from Changi
Fort Canning, the hill of kings
- A quick look
- 20 minThe tree tunnel
- Take your time
- 1 hrThe hill and its gardens
- Price
- FreeFree access to the park.
In the heart of the city, this wooded hill was home to ancient Malay kings, then British headquarters. Walk among century-old trees, spice gardens and old tombstones.
Its tree tunnel, a spiral staircase framing the sky and foliage, has become one of Singapore’s most shared photos.
How to get there from Changi
GrabStraight to the door, no transfersEnter “Fort Canning Park” in the app · price shown upfront25 minOpen GrabPublic transport≈ SGD 2 to 3
- 6 min
- 4 min → Expo
- 22 min–25 min → Fort Canning
- 5 min
DirectionsTaxi or Grab≈ 30–45 SGD metered, + 6 to 8 SGD airport surcharge
05 · Culture · unusual · 1 hr 15 min–1 hr 25 min from Changi
Haw Par Villa, the park of legends
- A quick look
- 30 minThe main statues
- Take your time
- 1 hr 15 minThe whole park
- Price
- FreeFree park entry (to be checked).
Created in the 1930s by the inventors of Tiger Balm, this park brings together more than a thousand colourful statues telling Chinese legends and moral tales, sometimes with unexpected humour.
Its famous “Ten Courts of Hell”, which are more unsettling, should be avoided with young children. The rest of the park is a surprising, free walk that is rarely crowded.
How to get there from Changi
GrabStraight to the door, no transfersEnter “Haw Par Villa” in the app · price shown upfront35 minOpen GrabPublic transport≈ SGD 2 to 3
- 6 min
- 5 min → Tanah Merah
- 38 min → Buona Vista
- 6 min → Haw Par Villa
- 3 min
DirectionsTaxi or Grab≈ 40–55 SGD metered, + airport surcharge
06 · Village · food · 45 min–1 hr from Changi
Changi Village, at the end of the island
- A quick look
- 25 minThe beach promenade
- Take your time
- 1 hrNasi lemak at the hawker centre
- Price
- ≈ 5–8 SGDA dish at the hawker centre.
Ten minutes from the airport, Changi Village has kept a peaceful seaside atmosphere: fishing boats, a tree-lined beach and aircraft passing in the distance.
Its hawker centre is known for nasi lemak, rice cooked in coconut milk served with fried chicken, sambal and peanuts. A perfect outing when time is short.
How to get there from Changi
GrabStraight to the door, no transfersEnter “Changi Village Hawker Centre” in the app · price shown upfront12 minOpen GrabPublic transport≈ SGD 2 to 3
- 6 min
- 5 min → Tanah Merah
- 25 min–30 min → Changi Village
Check the bus route on MyTransport.SG before leaving; a taxi remains the simplest option.
DirectionsTaxi or Grab≈ 15–20 SGD metered, + airport surcharge
You may also like these articles
Must-seesWhat to visit during a layover inSingapore9 visits · directions from Changi
Must-seesWhat to visit during a layover inDubai8 visits · directions from DXB
Off the beaten path6 unusual places to discoverDubai6 places · directions from DXB
Must-seesWhat to visit during a layover inIstanbul9 visits · directions from IST