Singapore
I almost didn’t leave the airport.
I had a long layover between Thailand and Cambodia—the kind where you debate whether it’s even worth it to venture out. What made the decision easier was an unexpected nudge from my ex-husband. Our kids had been traveling with him and had actually left Singapore just one day before I arrived. When he found out I had a stopover, he suggested I do a tour and connected me with the same private guide they’d used. It was a genuinely thoughtful gesture—though he left out the part where it cost $400. Unplanned and a little painful, but I decided to commit and make the most of it.
Best $400 I didn’t plan to spend.
I had a few hours to myself before my guide arrived at 3pm, so I made my way to the Urban Redevelopment Authority—Singapore’s city planning center. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I ended up staying for nearly two hours. What got me was how intentional Singapore is about how its city grows. They’re not just building for right now—they’re planning for generational shifts. More senior housing as the population ages. Childcare centers woven into neighborhoods for young families. Bike trails and expanded public transportation to cut down on pollution. It’s the kind of thinking you don’t always see, and it stuck with me. There’s something refreshing about a place that’s already asking who will need this city next.
That mindset colored everything I saw for the rest of the day.
My guide was excellent, and having her all to myself made the experience feel personal rather than rushed. She mapped out a route that ended up telling the story of Singapore better than any guidebook could.
We started at Maxwell Food Centre, one of Singapore’s most well known hawker centers. If you’ve never been to a hawker center, think open-air food court, but the food is actually good. I walked through with a coconut water in hand, wandering from stall to stall while my guide walked me through the different types of food. It was a lot to take in.
Then came the part that genuinely surprised me. Walking through Chinatown and Little India, I kept noticing how naturally the old and new sat side by side. Ancient temples, colonial shophouses, and narrow streets full of color—all within a few blocks of a modern skyline. It didn’t feel staged or preserved for tourists. It just felt like the city. We passed the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, wandered through the Chinatown Complex, and made our way through Ann Siang Hill Park as the evening started to cool down.
By the time we wrapped up around 7pm, I was tired. The kind of tired in which you’re satisfied, but ready to be done. And then, just as I was preparing to head back to the hotel, fireworks exploded over Marina Bay Sands.
It was a rehearsal for the National Day Parade, and I had no idea it was coming. Standing there, exhausted, watching fireworks light up the skyline—it was one of those moments that feels a little too good to be real. Fireworks are my thing, so I’ll take it.
What came next was decidedly less magical. Ubers couldn’t enter the walking zone, which I didn’t know, and my hotel was near the airport. I wandered around trying to figure out how to get back, eventually finding a nearby hotel I could use as a pickup point. Not the graceful ending I had in mind, but it made the whole day feel more real.
If you have a layover in Singapore — even a short one — leave the airport. Get a guide, get a coconut water, and let the city surprise you. You won’t regret it. The scramble to get back is just part of the story.