Marina bay sands area**

So thats basically the hotel lobby if you wanted (or view it from the flyover from the Shoppes), the Shoppes, the Art Science Museum, the Spectra light show and sort of the HElix Bridge.

Spectra is an evening thing and I'd do the second showing after seeing the Garden Rhapsody show in Gardens by the Bay

The Art Science museum is a few hours if you do it. The rest are doing in passing to/from other things nearby - be that on the way to/from light shows or the Gardens by the bay - or as part of a wider walking tour of the Marina area including things like the Civic District, River, Flyer and/or Merlion Park.

**Gardens by the bay, cloud forest and flower dome. ( I believe the supertree grove is free, but tickets are needed for the other areas, do you need to book in advance?). We will probably go Late afternoon to see it in bother daylight and at night.**

Late afternoon is not going to do justice to the Domes. I'll be in those for a total of 3.5hrs or so (my first visit was a bit longer). The Dommes arent as spectacular in the dark as the lighting goes heavily so they are daytime things and for best effect you want to plan to be in the Cloud Forest while the mist it...idealy being on the gantries at the top of the artificial mountain.

None of the above see any of the somewhat spectacular gardens themselves which can fill a number of hours. For me the GBTB is a whole day visit - with the evening either being tacked on the end if we feel like it or done on a separate day.

The paid for permanent attractions in GBTB are the Flower Dome, Cloud Forest, Skyway, Floral Fantasy and Observation Platform. I always do the first three myself and never buy other than on the day (a general theme for me in Singapore wherever possible). You may have to buy and then set entry times but if you are there for the day thats not a big issue whereas turning up late afternoon might push things time-wise.

The Supertree Grove is normally free except at Christmas when the WinterWonderland display fills it.

Avoid Mondays as thats a day maintenance tends to occur on one or other of the domes or other ticketed areas. Check the website for any short notice issues of that type.

**Roof top bar Cest la vie would be our first choice, but pre booking requires a minimum spend. I read somewhere you can do a walk in for $35, which you can use as food/ drink credit, is that true?**

Yes - though the figure might change a little as they update prices but thats how it works to my knowledge.

**China town, Little India, Kampong glam**

So these are the main cultural quarters - there is at least a day there if not more. Definitely more if you start to visit centres like the Chinatown Heritage Centre or spend time in the assorted temples rather than observe from the outside.

**Bugis street**

This is effectively mall running, so somewhat piece of string but can to an extent be done around visiting other areas - eg an hour or so at the end of a day nearby in one of the cultural sections.

**Hawker centres**

Thats led by where you are at the end of a day mostly, or where your hotel is - haeker centres and food courts are my core evening material

**Raffles**

A hour to wander the hotel and see the shops and architecture that are publically accessible, More if intending to eat and drink. One can lead to the other though. The Ling Bar is the famous one and later in the evening if its not too busy its great. While its full it can be a bit clamouring and loud. Having done the experience I tend to lean to the Courtyard for drinks and food myself. Nice building and ambience, screened off a little from the planting and walls as the sun goes down is rather pleasant - but its open air so if it rains the Long Bar wins.

**Botanical gardens**

These take me a day and at least another half day - almost 2 - to see everything these days with the Gallop extension. There is a huge amount here, all hidden around corners that you might not expect. Explore the map before going. Pay the extra to visit the National Orchid Garden. Spend at least a day here and use the map exploration to give you an idea of the priorities you have.

**Fort canning and battle box**

Another bit of a hidden gem - exploring round the park area has a surprising amount to see and do. Not sure how long the Battlebox takes but it was about 90mins in its previous incarnation. Half a day for the lot, maybe a touch over.

**Southern ridges and mount Faber**

This depends how far you walk. Do not expect to be able to cover distances like you do at home. Its not like rambling round Devon and Cornwall - the humidity and temperature will put limitations on you if you walk like you are on the SW Coast Path.

We regularly use the cable car on a visit to Sentosa to get to Mount Faber and then walk to Henderson waves through the jungle route. It doesnt look far but that doesnt take into account the grades up and down nor the climate so it takes longer than you expect. We have gone further through Telok Blangah and it doesnt look far but we were walking albeit slowly for a couple of hours there and back from the cable car just to take it in as well as avoiding overdoing it.

**River cruise**

This is an hour and a bit (waiting plus getting to/from the jetty) for the 45minute ride. Its pleasant and something we do fairly often. If you can time it so the sun goes down during your ride you get both a daytime view plus the lightscape. Helped by the fact sunset is both predictable and fast.

**National museum**

Half a day minimum. Once all the galleries reopen, if not already, then 3/4 of a day. Get there for opening, including a lunch stop we'll leave around 2-3pm. If you want to focus the main Singapore History Gallery in accessed via the rotunda and down to the basement is the core of it.

**Haw par villa**

Half a day to explore this place. Decide whether you want to spend on the Death Museum. It used to be only a dollar or two for the 10 Courts of Hell that used to be part of the very old boatride section - but they have put an entire museum on that section as well (its outside of the bequest area Im told, which has to be kept free). So thats the decision there.

**Suntec**

One of many big malls, good in its own way but not so special that it needs its own visit over other choices but for a decent size central mall fits the bill. you do get to see the Fountain. we go there quite a bit for breakfast in the Toastbox as its convenient to where we stay. If nearby you can do a couple of shorter visits as filler at the end of the day.

**Sentosa**

Very vague. Could be one day, could be 3 if you do enough including a day at USS. Routinely for me its one full day and a second visit for a few other things thats about half a day or so (in the context of a 14 day visit). However without knowing what you want to see on the island its hard to advice a visit length as its the subdivisions and items on the island that makes the visit from the thrill seekers hitting USS to those with historical interest visiting the National Monument that is Fort Siloso via those with interests in the natural workd exploring the Oceanarium. It can range from packed solid to you being the only people in site depending upon where you are on the island.

**We haven’t planned our itinerary in detail as we will probably just take each day as it comes**

Its worth doing a notional plan of days - particularly with reference to the day of arrival and departure and what is accommodatable on those days. Just to get the numbers viable. Then you have the flexibility to shuffle individual days around to suit your feelings on the day. That helps ID days you want to avoid X,Y or Z - eg GBTB on maintenance days. Also have some backup ideas - weather, whim and wellness can all force changes and while some can be belt and braces of swap two days around, on rare occasions weather might force a swap out of the actual activity (a major reason not to book too much in advance)

**other than attractions that require pre booking.**

Few do.

I'll book Parkhoppers for the Mandai wildlife parks in advance mostly to get first entry slots to the Night Safari - but if doing single parks you can turn up and enter.

Concerts and sporting events would need prebooking. Likewise anything thats only on that time of year or very limited entry - eg the occasional tours they do for Fort Connaught's remains.

The Science Centre needs tickets in advance but I'll do that the night before at most (its one we tend to keep for the day of departure because its indoors.)

However in the main prebooking risk losing the ticket if the weather is bad enough and its that sort of attraction (although the Zoo in light all day rain is great as local residents stay away and the animals dont care and an umbrella keeps you dry in the high 20s heat that is still there if you get unlucky enough to get extended rain.

So for me I buy on the day for the overwhelming majority of things.