Cheap Things to do in Marina Bay Singapore: There are tons of budget tips for Singapore. For someone who’s walked here, some of the best things to do in Marina Bay Singapore on a budget are free. I spent nothing the last time I visited. Don’t do that.
The main reason was I’d already visited the paid venues with my parents before. So yeah, that was a clickbait of sorts. But honestly, Marina Bay Sands is cheaper to explore than most if not all places in Singapore.
Though a budget trip, a few places like the flower dome are simply must-visits. I’ve been around Singapore as a budget traveler, and these are some places not to miss.
UPDATE: Don’t miss out on the latest edition of the Cloud Forest in Gardens by the bay here – Avatar: The Experience! Find out more about it in this section of this post.
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Cheap Things to Do in Marina Bay Singapore: How to Get there?
The easiest way to get there is by Bayfront MRT Station (CE1/DT16) via the Circle line or Downtown line. You’ll land right below the Marina Bay Sands . There are 2 main exits, one of which takes you straight through the underpass to Gardens by the Bay.
Wear comfortable shoes because there’s a lot of walking ahead – just like the Singapore Zoo. It doesn’t matter where you begin but for the evenings, the sunsets can be beautiful from the Waterfront Promenade. You’ll see the skyline shimmering with sun’s glaze over it.
Best things to do in Marina Bay Singapore on a budget. Though having visited it, I was able to explore more places this time, thus making it another exploring trip.
Best Things to do in Marina Bay Singapore on a Budget
To get the best of the Marina Bay experience, I’d recommend it for the evenings. 4 should be a good time to begin. Keep in mind many attractions like the Sky Park Observation Deck close at 9 pm.
ArtScience Museum (a must-visit), a lotus-shaped structure beside Marina Bay closes at 7 pm. 4 – 5 hours should be sufficient to get around the whole place.
Speaking of the free things to do in Marina Bay Singapore, did you know it’s free to walk around Gardens by the Bay? So is the Waterfront Promenade. That observation deck (at the top of the 3 buildings) is charged though.
Indoor Flower Dome and some in-depth experiences need entry tickets as well. Here are all the best things to do in Marina Bay Singapore on a Budget:
1. Visit the SkyPark Observation Deck Singapore
Anywhere you walk around the Marina Bay area, you’re bound to find the three buildings standing with pride. The sight from any viewpoint around here is spectacular. But what about standing on top of one of SG’s most luxurious hotels?
Not many (if not most) can afford to stay at Marina Bay. Hell, I stayed at a Spacepod on my SG solo trip. But the SkyPark Observation Deck makes it possible for tourists to visit the top of the building. It costs SGD S$30 – 32 per person (only visiting. Sadly, you can’t plunge into the infinity pool).
Booking the ticket is time-slot based. Singapore’s ever humid, so pick slots after 5 pm to avoid becoming a toast.
Keep in mind that the observation deck is sometimes closed for private events. You’ll find its info on most travel sites. I recommend getting tickets from Klook.com for the best prices.
Being an affiliate of Klook, our readers get better rates for tickets. Don’t miss out on the ticket deal below!
Klook.com
2. Window shop at Marina Bay Shoppes
On the other side of the Marina Bay Sands road is the Marina Bay Shoppes, one of SG’s most luxurious places. One end faces the looming Marina Bay Sands with the skypark hanging over its 3 buildings. The other end looks over the SG river city’s skyline.
On the lower floor, there’s an indoor river with gondolas passing through! Some other key spots here are the Marina Bay Sands casino and Sands Expo Convention Centre. The whole building is owned by Las Vegas Sands afterall. It’s the biggest casino in Singapore today. And yeah, visiting it is an option.
Towards the waterside, a large Rain Oculus emptying into the indoor river below makes for a grand exit.
Other places for you to visit in SG: Universal Studios Singapore Guide for 1 Day.
3. Visit the Art Science Museum
The entire Marina universe is pretty. But trust me and save it for later – Art Science Museum is about to close! This lotus-shaped eye catching museum is another key attraction of Marina Bay but it closes at 7 pm.
Unlike a museum we’d imagine, Artscience Museum focuses on tech-advanced exhibits and stands as one-of-a-kind. It Gladly, it takes only an hour to get around the place. Getting there 5:45 – 6:00 pm (after the SkyPark Deck) should be enough.
As for the tickets, I recommend getting them online for better discounts. I didn’t get a chance to visit it myself. But here’s a guide to the ArtScience Museum that I found. Get the tickets from Klook for the best deal below:
Klook.com4. Walk by the Skyline View deck (Water Promenade Area)
This was my favorite free thing to do in Marina Bay Singapore. Walking out of the Shoppes at Marina Bay, it was a breezy evening on the Skyline View deck. The wood decks covering the bay walk made it a smooth walk around the place.
Don’t miss the peculiar Apple Marina Bay Sands retail store as a tiny island itself on the water body. Similar to it is the Louis Vuitton store.
I stood a long long while here looking up at skyscrapers (don’t judge, I’ve never lived in a place with such skyscrapers).
The breathtaking view made me wonder how far Singapore has come. Living literally 20 km away in Indonesia – it’s quite a world away with beaches and slow life.
5. Enjoy the Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade Show
On the same skyline deck, is the Spectra Light and Water Show. With a never-ending pool of tourists flocking here every day, this show is held every evening. The best part is that it’s free!
Spectra is a laser show that comes to life at night (every 8 – 9 pm) and illuminates the Marina Bay area. The waterfront area beside the Helix Bridge is where it all happens.
The green laser lighting up from the top of the Marina Bay Sands resort makes the whole show experience worthwhile.
Other places for you to visit in SG: Jurong Bird Park Review in Singapore
6. Stride the Helix Bridge
Next to the ArtScience Museum as you walk on the skyline view deck, is the Helix Bridge. I didn’t have it in mind to visit it, but I’m glad I did.
There’s not much to the DNA-like structured bridge, but it sure adds up to the whole Marina Bay view. At night, you get great views of the Marina Bay Sands, the skyline, ArtScience Museum and cruises in the river below.
If you’re looking for free things to do in Marina Bay Singapore, this is it!
Other places for you to visit in SG: Best Singapore Travel Advice Australia
7. Don’t miss out on the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest
This is another highlight! Both the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest fall under the same ticket. If you’re planning on visiting, make sure to visit Marina Bay earlier (and book your tickets in advance).
There are no long waiting queues as you’ll need to only scan a QR code to get in. But it takes time to get around the indoor gardens themselves. I visited both the indoor cool misty spots with tropical plants and flowers when I was younger.
I don’t remember much, but here’s an article to help you get an idea of the place. As for the tickets, get them from Klook.com along with the Skypark Observation Deck tickets – it’ll cost you lesser!
Get your Gardens by the Bay tickets here!
Klook.comAvatar: The Experience (Latest edition of Gardens by the Bay)
This is the latest addition to Gardens by the Bay’s cloud forest. And hell, does it look cool! It’s an immersive experience that combines the best of two worlds with the storyline of the world’s highest-grossing movie – Avatar 2.
I just had to put this in being a big fan of the fictional world :) As a part of Cloud Forest, you needn’t pay extra of course.
Read all about the Avatar world Garden’s by the Bay on MotherSG here.
8. Gardens by the Bay and SuperTree Grove
Those large magnificent ‘trees’ or supertree as they call it makes for a sweet end – or the iconic part of Gardens by the Bay. Again, it’s totally free to visit!
Even the Garden Rhapsody show is free to all visitors every evening. All the special light effects with soothing music come together making it a beautiful evening. Just stand, find a bench, sit on the floor with many others exhausted from walking, and look up to the colorful wonders.
The OCBC Skyway (the sleek bridge from the supertree), however, costs S$10 per person to get an elevated experience of the gardens. But is it worth it? Some find it great while some prefer not to. And that’s that!
Suggested post for you to read: Crazy Hanoi Travel Blog and 3 Day Itinerary! (Vietnam)
9. Walk around the DragonFly Lake
Between the Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay is the DragonFly Lake. It’s an Instagrammable spot with a large linear lake and shining figures of dragonflies in between.
Daytime is pretty to visit and walk around the boardwalk here. With the spot dark at night, the enormous Marina Bay Sands beams down with its lights boasting its superiority.
Bluntly, there are dozens of amazing gardens in Singapore (even more in Jewel Changi), so the DragonFly Lake isn’t a must-visit. But if you find it, good for you :)
Suggested post for you to read: Top 8 Things to do in Bintan: Magnificent Seas of Indonesia!
10. Try out the new Floral Fantasy
Passing the DragonFly lake and Kingfisher lake from Gardens by the Bay, is the last attraction to keep an eye on – the floral fantasy. It’s the latest addition to the Gardens. And it’s worth being on this list of the best things to do in Marina Bay on a budget.
I didn’t get a chance and regret not planning as soon as I looked at the out-of-the-world flowers hanging inside through the glass walls.
Don’t make the same mistake and get your Floral Fantasy tickets right away! Book it on Klook below and save time!
Klook.com
More Places to Visit around Marina Bay
11. Get on the Singapore Flyer
All spots on Marina Bay are covered already. But if you’ve just got more in Marina Bay… from here on, these are all the additional places to visit around Marina Bay.
With Clarke Quay around, Singapore Flyer, and the Esplanade, you can make Marina Bay a full-day trip on your Singapore Itinerary. Speaking of the SG Flyer, the basic ticket to the capsule comes to S$40 per person. But consider some other options like having the Singapore Sling as a beverage on the 30-minute spin.
Another option is dining on the flyer. Yep, that’s an option costing around S$520 for two. The Singapore Flyer stays alive with its deals and they keep changing. Search their official site for current updates.
Klook typically offers great deals for such attractions. So here are all the options you get for the Singapore flyer. Book your spin right away!
Klook.com
Singapore Sling, if you didn’t know, is a must-try iconic drink in Singapore. People visit Raffles Hotel, just for this drink. The S$79 ticket gives access to Singapore Flyer, Time Capsule, as well as the premium drink – which is a pretty good deal!
12. Visit the Red Dot Museum
Visiting the National Gallery in Singapore myself, I had the urge to visit more museums here for their peaceful introspective ambiance. Red Dot Museum, at Bayfront, is unlike most museums displaying ancient cultures and history.
It’s a display of international product designs named after the Red Dot awards. In fact, it’s a more futuristic display of artwork. Being someone into innovative product designs myself, I’d find this worth visiting.
It’s no more than an hour’s tour around the place. Moreover, it costs S$10!
Another post for you to read: River Wonders Singapore Review: 5 Rare Creatures to Spot!
12. Check out the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
Past the Helix bridge and the Float in Singapore Marina Bay, is the Esplanade. It’s known by its people as the ‘durian’ building for its shape. While the enormous shell structure looks curious on the outside, it’s even more on the inside!
Oh, and you don’t have to get a tour ticket to get around the place. The Esplanade is a performing arts center used for shows every day! Check up on their official site for upcoming shows!
Keep in mind there are multiple venues at the Esplanade. I’d recommend picking a show at the Esplanade Concert hall venue to experience the best of the Esplanade Mall. Many shows are even free here!
Another post for you to read: Chinatown Singapore Guide 2024
13. Get on the Singapore River Cruise
See those boats always running down the Singapore river and around Marina Bay? This is the Singapore river cruise if you didn’t know. It’s a 40-minute trip down Clarke Quay river, Marina Bay, and then back to the start point. I have been on it, and I highly recommend it!
With S$26 per person, it had to be on this list of cheap things to do in Marina Bay Singapore. Keep your SG river cruise at the end of your Marina Bay day tour. The 40-minute trip can be a sweet end to your day taking you through everything you visited that day!
Like the SG Flyer, Klook also exclusively offers Seafood dinner at Clarke Quay along with the SG River cruise ride. These tours are operated by professional guides. Pick your preferred SG River cruise option below:
Klook.com14. Take pictures by the Singapore Merlion
Aside from the Marina Bay places to visit, the Singapore Merlion is a must-visit. Whether you visit the rest of Marina Bay or Clarke Quay is another story. But the Merlion represents Singapore.
Anywhere you look up Singapore, the mythical creature is bound to be the first thing you see. The mascot with the head of a lion and the body of a fish. Get your best camera shots here in the evening hues!
Another post for you to read: Ultimate SEA Aquarium Singapore Blog
15. Walk by Fullerton Hotel
Not many blogs put this up – there’s no event as such here. But I put this because I personally found it an intimidating sight. I mean I wasn’t staying here. No, I stayed at backpacker hostels.
But just the bridge and the century old neo-classical building make it quite an experience.
After the Cavenagh Bridge, the bronze sculptures of the First Generation and the Five Boys by the River make a reminder of life in Singapore in the early days. It reminds me of how much daily life has changed today.
Regardless, it’s no doubt a picturesque spot for any passerby here!
