5 Best Day Trips from Singapore

While technically still part of Singapore, Sentosa Island just off the coast offers fun-filled attractions to delight the whole family. On a journey from downtown, hop into a cable car for a ride to the island. As you soar over the city, gaze out through the windows at landmarks like the ArtScience Museum and Gardens by the Bay. Upon arrival on Sentosa Island, your guide leads you to Skyline Luge, an amusement park with 4 tracks featuring hairpin corners, exhilarating tunnels, and heart-pounding downhill slopes. Fly over the tracks as sights of Singapore, the water, and the beach zoom by you.

For a change of pace from city life, climb aboard a ferry for a day trip to Bintan Island – part of Indonesia's Riau Archipelago. The nature-filled getaway is a stunning destination marked by tropical flowers, mysterious mangroves, and a wealth of exotic wildlife.

Once off the boat, pay a visit to a local eco-farm, where you can meet the resident animals and sample freshly picked produce. Continue on to a bird sanctuary to make some brightly feathered friends and then pass by an excellent site to spot island deer and freshwater fish. Your guide then leads you into the jungle for a nature walk along the Sebung River. In the enchanting mangrove forest, you’ll learn all about the plants and animals that call the landscape home before boarding the boat for a relaxing ride back to Singapore.

Grab the whole family for a day of fun at LEGOLAND® Malaysia. From Singapore, enjoy convenient transportation to the park, where 7 themed zones and more than 40 attractions await you. Marvel at Asian landmarks recreated with millions of Legos, see the sights of the park from a life-size Lego train, and delight in a fascinating 4-D show inside the Lego Studio. In Lego Kingdoms, you can battle it out in a joust inside the royal castle or hunt for lost treasure in the Land of Adventure. After plenty of time to explore the park, you make it back to Singapore in time for dinner.

Just across the border from Singapore, discover a whole new world with a trip to Johor Bahru. Begin your excursion at the Sultan Abu Baker Mosque, whose hilltop setting and soaring minarets offer ample opportunities for photos. Pause to admire the mosque's intricate adornments, including colorful textiles and Victorian-style marble. Watch the nimble hands of the textile artisans at work as they dye their fabrics into beautiful designs. From there, you head inside the Royal Abu Baker Museum to see heirlooms and artifacts that chronicle the royal family's history and visit the Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum to learn about the ways the royals were buried. On your way back to Singapore, make a stop at a local market to pick up some traditional Malaysian street food or a souvenir to take home.

Discover one of the most unique and breathtaking destinations in all of Malaysia at Kota Tinggi. On an evening excursion with a private guide, you will travel to Kota Tinggi Firefly Park, where a tranquil ride along the Johor River reveals thousands of luminous fireflies.

In a kayak, push off into the water through a forest of mangrove trees, keeping your eyes peeled for fireflies that dancing above you and illuminate the dark. As you glide across the water with your guide, learn more about the ecology of the fireflies and what their intriguing behavior means.