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Best day trips from Singapore to Malaysia?
You are in Singapore. And you have a free day. You want to go on a day trip to Malaysia. It’s right next door after all. What are your best options? Frankly, you have plenty of options. With frequent and cheap direct flights, you can easily go even on a day trip to Langkawi, and relax on the beach or go hiking in the jungle.
Here are a few of the best day getaway ideas (from Singapore).
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Awesome Day Trips From Singapore to Malaysia
Singapore is a tiny and well-connected country.
The latter, actually, is one of the best things about Singapore. You can get to almost anywhere from Singapore easily. It’s also one of the reasons we’ve been to Singapore so much. It has always been there. Always so close. Same like Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).
1. Langkawi Island
Langkawi is a popular island destination in Malaysia.
Overall, one of the very best day trips from Singapore to Malaysia.
It’s the best island in Malaysia for those who want convenience. Getting to Langkawi is super easy. There are 10+ direct daily flights to Langkawi from Kuala Lumpur. And there are also direct flights from Singapore to Langkawi.
20-minute cheap taxi drive from the airport and you are on Pantai Cenang, most popular beach in Langkawi. Do you want to see Langkawi from above? Visit the Langkawi Skybridge Cable Car or drive up the Gunung Raya. Langkawi is also one of my personal favorite islands in the world. I have spent several months in Langkawi. My tip for adventurous souls? Check out the Gunung Mat Cincang Hike.
GETTING THERE: 1h 40 min direct flight
HIGHLIGHTS: Swimming, beach, hiking, duty free shopping
2. Johor Bahru (JB)
Johor Bahru is right on the border of Malaysia and Singapore.
It’s a medium-size city in Malaysia. It’s proximity is one of the reasons to visit Johor Bahru. The city is just across the bridge from Singapore. Cross the bridge, get your passport stamped and get a glimpse of another country. Citizens of many countries don’t need a visa to travel to Malaysia.
In Johor Bahru go for a walk along the Jalan Tan Hoik Nee, try some real Malaysian Nasi Lemak or Nasi Goreng (two popular rice dishes) and, if you are into shopping, visit Johor Premium Outlets. In JB a lot of things cost significantly cheaper than in Singapore. In fact, more or less everything is cheaper in Malaysia. That’s why there are so many people who live in JB and work in Singapore.
GETTING THERE: bus or metro (to Kranji) and then bus
HIGHLIGHTS: Sightseeing, shopping
3. Iskandar Puteri
Iskandar Puteri is the administrative capital of the state of Johor.
The city is located right next to Johor Bahru, and is just as close to Singapore as JB. One of the main reasons people visit Iskandar Puteri is for its theme parks. The most popular ones are Legoland (book ticket online) and Sunway City. A visit to any or both of them is among the top things to do in Iskandar Puteri. There isn’t anything else you can do there really.
GETTING THERE: bus or metro (to Kranji) and then bus
HIGHLIGHTS: Legoland, Sunway City Iskandar Puteri
4. Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia.
It’s also the most modern and the biggest city in Malaysia. I love Malaysia. I love Kuala Lumpur. And I know I will return to KL again and again. If not for anything else then for food. Of course, you can get most of it also in Singapore. The two countries share the same cousines, but it’s cheaper in KL. And also the choice is bigger in Kuala Lumpur. What to do in KL in one day?
Here’s my one day in Kuala Lumpur itinerary.
Places to visit in Kuala Lumpur in One Day:
- Breakfast in one of the Suria KLCC food courts
- Stroll around the area of the Petronas Towers
- Take Grab taxi to go to the KL Bird Park (2-3 hours there)
- Grab ride either to Chinatown or Batu Caves
- Lunch either in Chinatown or at Batu Caves. If you go to Batu Caves, go to one of the Indian restaurants in the area, and try some dosa – for example, Masala Dosa. In Chinatown, I can recommend this small noodle restaurant. When I was living in Chinatown, I went there every day.
- Visit Batu Caves or wander around Chinatown
- Visit Bukit Bintang (if you are at Batu Caves take the train instead of Grab and you’ll get a chance to see KL Railway station, from there you can take another train to Bukit Bintang)
- Dinner at Bukit Bintang
- Fountain show at Lake Symphony, in KLCC Park just behind the Petronas Towers (there is a special pedestrian tunnel all they way from Pavilion Mall in Bukit Bintang to the Petronas Towers
If you love big cities, it’s one of the very best day trips from Singapore to Malaysia you can have. The nearby (relatively) Jakarta isn’t that interesting for tourists in my opinion — there aren’t that many things to do and see, and it’s harder to get around because of heavy traffic.
GETTING THERE: 1h direct flight
HIGHLIGHTS: Sightseeing, restaurants, shopping
5. Malacca
Malacca is a small port city known for its colonial past.
For centuries, Malacca was one of the most important ports in Malaysia. Even though little has been left of its former glory, it’s still an interesting destination for a day trip. Many people go on a day trip from Kuala Lumpur to Malacca (book transfer from KL to Malacca), but it’s also possible to go from Singapore to Malacca. The best thing to do in Malacca? Walk around the old part of the city.
Here are some more interesting things you can do in Malacca.
GETTING THERE: 3-5 hour bus ride or private transfer
HIGHLIGHTS: Sightseeing, colonial architecture
Singapore Travel Tips
For more Singapore travel tips, check out our other articles.
More Singapore tips:
- How to Do Singapore on a Budget of 50 SGD/Day? (It’s Cheap)
- Where to Rent a Bicycle in Singapore?
- How to Get to Sentosa Island on Foot?
- More Singapore articles
Have you been to Singapore? Did you try and go on any day trips from Singapore to Malaysia? Where did you go? What was your experience?
Book Your Trip Like a PRO
1. Book Your Flight. Find cheap flights using Kiwi.com, Momondo.com. Or subscribe to Dollar Flight Club, if you don’t want to be searching for the flights yourself. Kiwi currently is my first choice.
2. Book Your Accommodation. Booking.com, Agoda.com and Airbnb. I use Booking and Agoda at least a dozen times a year, and Airbnb – when looking for a long-term stay. My best tip is to ALWAYS compare the price. Sometimes the same hotel is cheaper on Booking.com, other times – on Agoda. Always compare the price!
3. Buy Your Travel Insurance. Ekta and SafetyWings are two companies I can recommend. Ekta offers some extra benefits, that will be important for those doing some higher risk activities (make sure to choose the right plan!), while SafetyWings is better for digital nomads. SafetyWings is also very affordable.
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