bars · Singapore
The best nights in Singapore start at these addresses — award-winning cocktail rooms, beloved locals' haunts and views worth ordering a second round for. All rated 4.5 stars or higher.
Bugis · $$
A soaring Art Deco 'grand lobby and gin parlour' inside Gotham-esque Parkview Square, with a bronze tower holding over a thousand gins. The sheer grandeur made it a World's 50 Best Bars fixture.
Insider tip: Walk-ins land lounge seats on weekday afternoons — book ahead for evenings and order the signature Atlas Martini.
City Hall (Raffles Hotel) · $$
Birthplace of the Singapore Sling around 1915, where peanut shells swept to the floor remain the only sanctioned littering in Singapore. Touristy, certainly — also obligatory.
Insider tip: Go mid-afternoon — the queue peaks at sunset — and yes, brush your peanut shells onto the floor.
Tanjong Pagar · $$
Crowned Asia's No. 1 bar in 2020 and a top-tier regular since, this warm, hospitality-first room in the Amara Hotel serves impeccable classics. Its menu is printed as a glossy magazine you'll want to take home.
Insider tip: Reserve the early 6pm seating online — later slots go days ahead on weekends.
Orchard (Conrad Singapore Orchard) · $$
A grand hotel bar channeling 19th-century New York, famous for its in-bar rickhouse where cocktails age in oak barrels. A multi-year top-five entry on Asia's 50 Best Bars.
Insider tip: Come Sunday for the famous cocktail brunch — book well ahead — or weeknights for a quiet barrel-aged Manhattan.
Marina Bay Sands SkyPark · $$
Fifty-seven floors up on the Sands SkyPark, this club-lounge-restaurant trio delivers the Marina Bay panorama without needing a hotel booking. Sunset DJ sets keep the energy loud.
Insider tip: The entry cover is usually redeemable against drinks — arrive just before sunset on a weeknight and claim the north rail.
Clarke Quay · $$
The unmarked 1960s-shophouse speakeasy that kicked off Singapore's modern cocktail renaissance in 2011 and cracked the World's 50 Best Bars. American-style hospitality, killer truffle mac-and-cheese balls.
Insider tip: Book online and look for the unsigned door at number 28 — then trust the bartender's dealer's choice.
February–April
Singapore Dollar (SGD)
English, Mandarin, Malay & Tamil
How this list is made: we only feature places rated 4.5 stars or higher with 1,000+ reviews from real travelers. Ratings and review counts are approximate and move over time — always check current numbers before booking. Photos are sourced from Wikimedia Commons under free licenses (credits in each gallery).
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Good to know
Three to four days covers Marina Bay, the heritage districts, Sentosa, and serious hawker eating without rushing. It also makes an ideal two-to-three-day stopover between long-haul flights — Changi Airport itself is worth arriving early for.