6 Days: Singapore and Beyond

Six days from a Singapore base earns you a sixth day back in the city itself, not another border. After four straight days of currencies and immigration stamps, this extends the 5-day route with a slower Peranakan neighborhood day rather than a third country. Want the exhaustive in-city version of that same neighborhood day? Our 6-day Singapore itinerary covers Katong and Tiong Bahru in full depth.

Book these before you go

Day Focus Distance / Time
Day 1 Changi arrival, Marina Bay, Gardens by the Bay, one hawker meal In Singapore
Day 2 Cross into Johor Bahru, Malaysia Bus/KTM shuttle, under 1 hour each way
Day 3 Ferry to Batam, Indonesia HarbourFront terminal, 45-60 min each way
Day 4 Ferry to Bintan, Indonesia Tanah Merah terminal, roughly 70 min each way
Day 5 Pulau Ubin, no passport needed Bumboat from Changi Point, about 10 min each way
Day 6 Back in Singapore: Katong and Peranakan heritage In Singapore

Day 1: Singapore, Fast

Changi Airport has taken Skytrax’s World’s Best Airport title again this year, and Jewel Changi is free with no boarding pass required, the HSBC Rain Vortex runs a free light show most evenings. Go straight for a hawker meal, Maxwell Food Centre or the Chinatown Complex, SGD 4 to 8 a plate, then Gardens by the Bay’s free Supertree Grove and the free Spectra show at night.

Day 2: Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Bring your passport, Malaysia is a different country across the Woodlands Causeway, reachable by bus or the existing KTM shuttle train in well under an hour. Johor Bahru runs on ringgit, not SGD, and the RTS Link cutting that crossing to about five minutes is targeted for late 2026, possibly slipping into early 2027.

Day 3: Batam, Indonesia

Ferries from HarbourFront reach Batam in 45 to 60 minutes, return fares roughly SGD 58 to 76 plus a fuel surcharge (about SGD 5 to 10 a leg since March 2026). Book the return sailing before you leave your hotel that morning.

Day 4: Bintan, Indonesia

Ferries from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal reach Bintan’s resort side in about 70 minutes, return fares roughly SGD 78 to 92 plus the same surcharge structure, a slower, more resort-paced island than Batam.

Day 5: Pulau Ubin

A bumboat from Changi Point Ferry Terminal takes about 10 minutes, SGD 4 per person each way, cash only. Cycling trails and the Chek Jawa Wetlands mangrove boardwalk fill the day, no real development on the island at all, a quiet contrast after four days of borders and currencies.

Day 6: Back in Singapore, Katong and Peranakan Heritage

Is it worth spending a sixth day back in Singapore instead of a third country? Genuinely, yes. Katong and Joo Chiat are the heart of Peranakan heritage, the Chinese-Malay cultural fusion that four days of border-hopping never touches, candy-colored shophouses and a laksa tradition locals actually argue about. Spend the morning walking Joo Chiat Road, lunch in Katong, and treat the afternoon as unhurried rather than another checklist stop, you’ve earned the slower pace by day six.

This is a deliberately light touch on the city itself; if Katong hooks you, our 6-day Singapore itinerary and hidden gems guide go much deeper on this and Tiong Bahru, both worth a dedicated trip in their own right.

Practical Notes

  • Visa-free entry covers most nationalities for short stays across Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia; check current requirements for your specific passport before you fly.
  • MRT fares in Singapore run SGD 1.28 to 2.57 per trip via SimplyGo; Grab covers ride-hail, there’s no Uber option since it sold its Southeast Asia business in 2018.
  • Five days, three currencies (SGD, ringgit, rupiah), and a sixth day where you don’t need any of them but SGD.

One concrete tip: don’t overplan Day 6. After five days of ferries, buses, and immigration lines, the whole point of the last day is that Katong asks nothing of you but a slow walk and a laksa order.