Things to do in Singapore that get you the most bang for your buck (April 2021)

If you ever find yourself with nothing to do in Singapore here's showing you the many things to do in our beautiful island country, as you make your bookings on the right credit card and earn rewards, points and cashback.

In this article, we aim to capture the best activities in Singapore every month, so you can mark your calendar and plan your week around them.

We will try to cover a range of our recommended options for the outdoorsy, the adventurous, the artsy, the closet food connoisseur, and the leisure-loving souls.

At the risk of quoting a cliche - there's something for everyone here.

Things to do: Art and culture

1. Songkran water festival 2021 at Wild Wild Wet

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It's a shame we are still not able to travel to Thailand for Songkran this year, but don't fret, because the water festival is coming to Wild Wild Wet!

For the entire month of April, the water park will be given a fresh transformation into a Thai-themed attraction.

Bring your water guns for a full-day adventure and join the crowd for an epic water gun battle with roving talents from 3pm to 5pm daily!

Address: Wild Wild Wet, 1 Pasir Ris Cl, Singapore 519599

Price: From $20

Till April 30

2. Sikhs in Singapore - a story untold

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Gain a deeper understanding of this small but prominent Singapore Indian community with this exhibition that tells its lesser-known stories.

The first part, Roots, explores the origins of Singapore's Sikh community, from its beginnings at the crossroads of civilisation in Punjab to the birth of the Sikh faith.

This is followed by Settlement, which presents the narratives of Sikh migrants in Singapore, revealing the story of the nascent original community and some of its prominent members.

Contemporary Perspectives concludes the exhibition, offering glimpses into the experiences of contemporary Sikhs, highlighting the ever-evolving Singaporean Sikh identity and the community's contributions to the nation.

Address: Indian Heritage Centre, 5 Campbell Lane, Singapore 209924

Price: Free

Till Sept 30, 2021

3. Textures 2021

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Literary arts lovers, this one's for you. The Arts House presents the fourth edition of Textures, an annual literary festival that celebrates Singapore literature and its diverse community.

This year, the event will take on the form of a mobile truck installation and travelling library.

The Bottled City installation will begin at The Arts House and travel to parking spaces in HDB areas like Jurong, Toa Payoh and Yishun.

Address: Various places

Price: Free

Till April 25

4. The sea of tiki

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Follow five legendary tikis (large wooden images of a human figure) along an enlightening trail and befriend the tropics' most fascinating marine animals.

Create a tiki of you and snap photos to commemorate the occasion, with one of the highlights being a volcano at the end of the trail!

If you're lucky, you'll also be able to catch the amazing tiki warriors feeding marine animals in a dazzling spectacle. Plus, watch out for surprise appearances by manta ray mascots dressed in adorable island outfits.

Address: S.E.A. Aquarium, 8 Sentosa Gateway, Sentosa Island, 098269

Price: From $23

Till May 11, 2021

5. Taberu tohoku tour

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Journey through the land of the rising sun with the Taberu Tohoku Tour, a virtual voyage that will transport you to the Tohoku Region in Northeast Japan.

Through this free webinar series, you get to discover the region's best sightseeing spots and cuisine from the comfort of your home.

The virtual trips will take place via Facebook Live on March 27, 2021 and April 10, 2021, and they're free to attend with no pre-registration required.

In conjunction with Taberu Tohoku Tour, there will also be a retail showcase of featured Tohoku products in the tour at Japan Rail Cafe where customers can enjoy two special Tohoku Ekiben (bento boxes served on trains) for the entire month of April.

Address: Online

Price: Free

Till April 30

6. Chloë Manasseh's CASA

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Singapore-based British fine artist Chloë Manasseh explores her Sephardic roots in her solo exhibition, CASA.

The exhibition reflects on how one's concept of home and identity shifts over time.

CASA delves into Jewish folklore, featuring wall paintings, two-sided folding screens, a tile installation and pots that will transport the viewer to an alternate Morocco born from the artist's vivid imagination.

Address: Art Porters Gallery, 64 Spottiswoode Park Road, Singapore 088652

Price: Free

March 20 to May 2, 2021

7. Picturing the pandemic: A visual record of Covid-19 in Singapore

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Visit National Museum of Singapore's latest exhibition, Picturing the Pandemic: A Visual Record of Covid-19 in Singapore, for a glimpse into the diverse experiences of Singaporeans as they live, work and care for each other in the pandemic.

Through 272 photographs, a short film and 16 donated artefacts, the exhibition presents a poignant and resonant portrait of a nation responding to and coping with an unprecedented local and global crisis.

Address: National Museum of Singapore, 93 Stamford Road, Singapore 178897

Price: Free

Till Aug 29, 2021

8. The sound inside

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Bella Bird is an accomplished professor at an Ivy League university who prizes her solitude.

But when she faces a challenge she cannot tackle alone, she allies herself with a brilliant and mysterious student.

Intensely intimate and deeply moving, this haunting play probes the question of what one person can do for another.

Hailed by The New York Times as "an astonishing new play", this scintillating two-hander looks at how two brilliant but social misfits connect and bond with each other.

Written by award-winning writer Adam Rapp, the beauty of this gripping drama The Sound Inside is that it's never what you expect.

Address: KC Arts Centre - Home of SRT, 20 Merbau Rd, Singapore 239035

Price: From $45

Till April 16, 2021

9. Singapo人

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The Chinese culture in Singapore has evolved in a way unlike other communities around the world, all thanks to the unique influences from living alongside a significant proportion of non-Chinese residents.

This interaction with other cultures over the years, encouraged by geographical proximity and social diversity, has birthed a Chinese Singaporean identity which is complex and ever-changing.

At the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, join in the conversation and discover (or rediscover) what it means to be a Chinese Singapo人(ren, Chinese for people).

Address: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, 1 Straits Boulevard, Singapore 018906

Price: Free

Ongoing

10. Star Wars identities: The exhibition

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The Force is strong in Singapore at the ArtScience Museum with Star Wars Identities: The Exhibition, happening from Jan 30 to June 13, 2021.

The vast and exclusive showcase includes some 200 authentic props, models, costumes, and artwork from the original Star Wars films.

Expect to see the original Star Wars drawings from the classic (1977 to 1983) and prequel (1999 to 2005) trilogies, the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, as well as Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Fan favourites such as Darth Vader, R2-D2, Chewbacca, Boba Fett, Yoda and the Millennium Falcon will be on display.

Address: 6 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018974

Price: From $20

Till June 13, 2021

11. Home, Truly: Growing up with Singapore, 1950s to the present

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The National Museum of Singapore presents Home, Truly: Growing Up With Singapore, 1950s to the Present in collaboration with The Straits Times, as part of the newspaper's 175th anniversary.

Featuring photographs and artefacts, including those contributed by members of the public, as well as audio-visual footage, sounds, scents and special digital features, Home, Truly explores the moments and experiences in Singapore's past and present that express our identity and collective memory as a people.

Address: 93 Stamford Rd, Singapore 178897

Price: Free

Till Aug 29, 2021

12. Re-written: The world ahead of us

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A brand new commission by the Public Art Trust and its most ambitious ever, Re-written: The World Ahead of Us presents 14 text-based public artworks by Singapore artists.

Some of the artworks are inspired by local writers and literary works, contemplating the multitude of changes experienced in their daily lives since the onset of Covid-19.

Distributed across eight parks in Singapore, the artworks resemble visual poetry unfurling across the island, awaiting discovery.

The physical presentation will also be accompanied by a virtual engagement component, which seeks to offer new entry points in experiencing and learning about public art in a world transformed.

Address: Various locations

Price: Free

Till June 6, 2021

13. Once upon a time on the orient express

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Through this pop-up attraction, visitors can relive the emotions of travellers who have boarded the Orient Express through a reconstituted train platform and showrooms where they can embark on a fascinating journey through the history of the Orient Express.

The exhibition will present some of the most extraordinary objects and documents to showcase centuries old history that retraces the legacy of the train, allowing guests to also discover events that transformed the world and shaped the map.

It will also feature an exclusive Orient Express shop, Orient Express road cafe, Orient Express restaurant and lounge and an escape room experience, which has to be book separately.

The event may start in December, but tickets are already open for booking so do snap them up before it's gone!

Address: Gardens by the Bay - West Lawn

Price: From $25

Till June 13,  2021

Things to do: Eating out

1. Around the world in 80 Days

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Trotting the globe in 150 minutes is entirely possible, all thanks to AndSoForth's Around the World in 80 Days multi-sensory, theatrical dining experience.

Immerse yourself in seven wondrous rooms, each themed to look like London, Egypt, India, Hong Kong, Japan and New York.

Feed your stomach with international cuisines inspired by each country, and then feast your eyes on the whimsical set designs and colourful costumes by the actors.

Address: Secret, to be revealed 24 hours before workshop

Price: From $128

Ongoing

2. Chinatown food street

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Chinatown Food Street isn't the typical tourist trap Singaporeans think it is anymore.

The refreshed space, which reopened in December 2020, has new dining concepts such as mookata, mala hotpot and Korean BBQ.

The prices are rather affordable as well - Hongdae Korean BBQ's buffet only costs $23.90 per adult, and it comes with free-flow Korean rice cakes and kimchi pancakes.

If you're feeling spicy, a mala hotpot buffet costs an affordable $19.90 with free-flow dumplings.

Address: Smith Street, Chinatown Food Street, Singapore 058938

Price: Depends on what you eat!

Ongoing

Things to do: Films

1. Zouk cinema club

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We get it. Your movie experience is not the same when the screen isn't massive, the sound isn't booming, and the overpriced caramel popcorn isn't losing its crunch by the minute.

While we wait for great movies to hit the screen again, you can still find an elevated movie experience in the meantime.

Enter Zouk Cinema Club, a pop-up cinematic experience from Wednesdays to Saturdays.

The nightclub turns into a cinema with one screening session a night, showing two movies.

Zouk's famous screen, that normally belts out trippy visuals accompanied by the DJ's turntable, now plays classics like Moulin Rouge, Grease, and The Greatest Showman.

Grab your date, a bottle of sparkling, some hors d'oeuvre to share, and hit Zouk to experience the magic of old romances on the big screen.

Address: Zouk Singapore, 3C River Valley Road, Clarke Quay, #01-05 to #02-06, The Cannery, Singapore 179022

Price: Call to book your seats. Packages range from $75 - $350

Ongoing

Things to do: Explore Singapore

1. Hershey's amazing chocolate machine

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Who says you got to travel to experience the iconic Hershey's Chocolate World store in New York City?

That's right, Changi Airport and The HERSHEY Company are bringing you a slice of that chocolatey goodness to Singapore with a pop-up exhibition featuring Instagram-worthy installations and a 3m-tall candy dispenser.

Modelled after the Amazing Chocolate Machine in NYC, this massive structure carries eight varieties of Hershey's classic treats and three new flavours of Hershey's Kisses - yoghurt, hazelnut and strawberry.

Address: Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3

Price: Free

March 12 to May 3, 2021

2. Sakura featuring hello kitty

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Gardens by the Bay's annual Sakura Matsuri is launching a new Sakura Floral Display that features everyone's favourite Sanrio character - Hello Kitty!

Enter a beautiful garden of sakura (cherry blossoms), momo (peach blossoms) and tancho (Japanese red-crowned cranes) through a torii, a traditional Japanese gate.

Stroll alongside Hello Kitty as she takes you on her ideal flower viewing itinerary, from posing beside rickshaws to locating the best spot for nodate (outdoor tea ceremony).

Before you leave, be inspired by the Japanese art of fabric wrapping or furoshiki, with a picnic spread laid out!

Address: 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018953

Price: From $8

Ongoing

3. Otah & friends

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Gather a group and come play hide-and-seek with Otah & Friends at Singapore's first otter-themed escapade.

You'll have 15 minutes to find Otah The Otter inside his whimsically decorated home, which includes a living room, a kitchen and a giant tree filled with cute interactive props and clues.

After you've found him, Otah will reward you with lemonade and cookies (baked by instafamous homegrown bakery Whiskdom) in his backyard.

With the visually-stunning, IG-worthy rooms, this 45-minute adventure is perfect for those who don't like the horror and intensity normally associated with regular escape rooms.

Address: Gardens by the Bay, Bayfront Plaza, 18 Marina gardens Dr, Singapore 018953

Price: From $12

Till April 4, 2021

4. Wag & wild

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Wag & Wild, Singapore's newest and largest waterpark for dogs, is THE place to go for your doggos to have a fun time under the sun.

There's over 19,000 square feet of space, which includes amenities such as a large pool, floaties, and even a mushroom waterfall, for your furbabies to go wild.

Oh, did we also mention that humans are allowed in the pool too? Yay, double the fun!

Address: 2 Jurong Gateway Road, #01-13, Singapore 608512

Price: $28

Ongoing

5. Changi jurassic mile

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And you thought Changi was done with its newest marvellous offering? Nope. Hit Jurassic Mile with your family for a fun day out with the kids.

Singapore's largest permanent outdoor display of life-sized dinosaurs with more than 20 different prehistoric creatures from nine different species - all stretched over one kilometre of the cycling and jogging path.

The tallest dinosaur stands at almost five meters high, and there's one that even flies!

The best part is you can get there on foot or by renting a bike from GoCycling or from East Coast Park via the Changi Coastal Park Connector.

And the even better part? It's free and open 24 hours.

Address: Drop-off point inside the Hub & Spoke car park (right opposite the cafe) or at Changi Airport Terminal 2, beside Car Park 2A. The on-ground signage will lead you to Hub & Spoke.

Price: Free

Ongoing

6. Gai Gai tour

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You'd want to wake your kids up on a breezy weekend morning for this one.

Book your slot now to relive the nostalgia and joy of scaling the highest point of Mount Faber with your family.

What you get - a guided tour around Mount Faber Park to Faber Point, the highest point on Mount Faber, the rich history around the mural wall and mini Merlion.

Want more? You'd also get an exclusive peek into how the Singapore Cable Car operates.

The 2-hour tour has 2 slots every Saturday and Sunday (10am and 2pm) and it ends with a joyride on the Singapore Cable Car. End result: Ecstatic kids.

Address: Faber Peak, 109 Mount Faber Rd, Singapore 099203

Tour Timings: Departs every Saturday & Sunday at 10am and 2 pm (please call to check timings)

Price: $20 for adults, $15 for a child

Ongoing

7. Marine ConservAction

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Discover more about the Sentosa turtles, the potential dangers they face and how to save them via this meaningful yet interactive tour.

Together with your loved ones, contribute to marine conservation by picking up litter along the beaches and learn to determine some of the common types of litter with a quick analysis of the rubbish collected.

Address: Sentosa beaches

Timings: 11am to 12pm and 4pm to 5pm on Thursdays, excluding public holidays and eve of public holidays

Price: $25

Till May 27, 2021

8. Free guided walks on Petai Trail at MacRitchie reservoir

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Ever wanted to explore the wonders of MacRitchie Reservoir or perhaps just want a morning outside the hustle and bustle of the city? This tour is for you.

A group of nature lovers from the Bachelor of Environmental Studies (BES) programme at the National University of Singapore (NUS) called The BES Drongos will be bringing you on a free guided walk along the Petai Trail, located at the east end of MacRitchie Reservoir Park.

Consisting of a gravel path and a boardwalk, the 3km trail is relatively level and hence is suitable for people of all ages.

Besides getting a little physical activity in, you'll also get to learn more about the history and relevance of MacRitchie, a story these forests would tell if they could speak.

Address: MacRitchie Reservoir Park

Price: Free

Every Saturday and Sunday

Things to do: Fitness

1. Get moving! series: Leisure Walk-A-Jog in Singapore

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Every Sunday, join a small group of (not more than eight) passionate joggers and enjoy a leisure stroll/run at various spots in Singapore, all for free.

Oh, did we also mention that all participants are female, and that only ladies can join?

So if you've always wanted to kickstart your work out journey, feel free to join this group.

According to the event's description: "There's always a first time for everything, so just come and have fun and be yourself!".

Address: Varies every week

Price: Free

Every alternate Sunday

2. Absolute Cycle x Zouk

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Looks like you don't need to wait until Phase three to hit the dance floor at Zouk.

Partnering with rhythm cycling studio, Absolute, get your spin on up to seven days a week (if you really miss clubbing) with their iconic "Absolute 45" high-intensity spin classes hosted in a club-like atmosphere with epic Zouk lighting and heart-pumping music for the ultimate workout.

Address: Zouk Singapore, 3C River Valley Road, Clarke Quay, #01-05 to #02-06, The Cannery, Singapore 179022

Price: From $49

Ongoing

This article was first published in SingSaver.com.sg.