Best Day Trips

Best Short Trips from Singapore

One of the best things about living in Singapore is its proximity to all the incredible destinations that South East Asia has to offer. These are my favourite short trips from Singapore, all accessible with direct flights (or a ferry ride!). Start planning your Singapore weekend getaways now!

Singapore has the enviable position of being a short 1-3 hour flight from much of South East Asia. After living most of my life in the comparatively isolated countries of New Zealand and Australia, I’m constantly jamming in weekend getaways from Singapore and maximizing public holidays.

I’ve taken all these weekend trips from Singapore over 2 or 3 nights, and several as a solo female traveler, including Siem Reap, Bali and Yogyakarta. If you have the luxury of time, then they’re also all worth a longer break. (Except maybe Bintan / Batam … not so much going on there).

If you’re planning a short getaway from Singapore, read on for my top ten trips, along with my favorite accommodation, food and activities. These getaways have all been road-tested by yours truly! Hard job, but someone’s gotta do it.

Top Ten Short Trips and Weekend Getaways from Singapore

Without further ado, and in no particular order, here are my favourite Singapore weekend trips.

Why Visit Hoi An

Hoi An boasts one of the prettiest old towns in South East Asia, and is surrounded by lush countryside and tropical beaches. Plus Vietnamese food is to die for!

Flights from Singapore to Hoi An

It’s a direct 2h 45m flight from Singapore to Da Nang Airport with Silk Air or Jetstar. Hoi An is an easy 45 minute drive from Da Nang Airport.

Hoi An Accommodation

Old Town: My favorite area to stay in Hoi An is a short walk or bike ride from Hoi An’s atmospheric Old Town. I like to be close to the action, but not so close that you can’t sleep through the noise! My favorite Hoi An accommodation near the Old Quarter was Villa Orchid Garden Riverside. Villa Orchid Garden Riverside Hoi An is a very well priced boutique hotel. It’s in a quiet riverfront location, and is only a 10-minute bike ride to the Hoi An Ancient Town. If you want to be on the doorstep of the Old Town, we also enjoyed Lantana Hoi An Boutique Hotel & Spa.

Beach: If you prefer to stay at the beach, I can recommend the Hyatt Regency Da Nang Resort & Spa. The Hyatt Da Nang is a more luxe option on a lovely quiet stretch of white sandy beach. It’s very modern with nice rooms (splash out on an ocean view one!) and an excellent resort style pool and restaurant area. Da Nang is a bit of a drive from Hoi An, so this is a good option for beach bums who only want to come into the Old Town for a day, or for a night or two at the end of a longer trip.

Eat + Drink

Gorge on Vietnamese street food and the local specialties in Hoi An! My favorites are the banh mi pork baguette (try Madam Khanh the Banh Mi Queen or Banh Mi Phuong), white rose dumplings and crispy wanton (try Miss Ly Cafe or the White Rose Restaurant). Wash it down with a vino at White Marble Wine Bar while you watch the old town go by.

Hoi An Activities

Ohh where do I start with all the incredible Hoi An activities?!

In a nutshell: wander around the picturesque Old Town, explore the countryside by bike (we loved our Heaven & Earth tour), hit the beach, join a cooking class or street food tour (we loved our Hoi An Street Food Tour by Motorbike), and get some clothes tailored.

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Why Visit Siem Reap

Temples, temples and more temples! I’ve seen many a temple in my time, and the Angkor Temples definitely win joint-first place (along with the Taj Mahal, which is actually a mausoleum) as the most impressive historical structures in Asia.

Flights from Singapore to Siem Reap