Singapore River Cruise (2026): Times, Tickets & Day 1 Itinerary

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Finally, a 3-Night, 4-Day Singapore Adventure!

Our Singapore free-and-easy itinerary included:

grabbing Kaya Toast in Orchard,

exploring Merlion Park,

and capping it off with an evening river cruise to admire the cityscape.

For those wondering about Singapore River Cruise timings,

I'll also share when we actually boarded, along with

the latest operating hours.

But first, a little something happened...

We made a small mistake right at the airport, haha!

Chap 01. The Tourist Pass Card

As soon as we landed at Changi Airport,

there was one crucial task to complete before heading anywhere.

Buying the Tourist Pass!

For our 3-night, 4-day trip to Singapore,

we planned to use the MRT and buses for three days,

so we purchased our transport cards at the airport.

However, despite reminding ourselves back in Korea,

"Let's get the Original, not the Plus,"

I, being the excited traveler caught up in the moment,

was just nodding "yes, yes" without really listening to the clerk🤣

and ended up buying the Plus version.

... LOL!

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✔️ Tourist Pass Original:

No card retention fee, so you can return the card on your last day of travel

and get your deposit back.

✔️ Tourist Pass Plus:

Includes a card retention fee, so

you don't need to return the card, but

it costs slightly more than the Original.

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What's the point of meticulously planning your Singapore itinerary

if you don't even listen when you're actually paying? Haha!

Each transport pass product may have different validity periods,

deposits, and return conditions,

so be sure to check the latest information before purchasing.

Next, from the airport to our accommodation,

we used the Tada app.

Just like calling a taxi in Korea,

we could check the driver's assigned location

and contact them via messenger or phone,

which made it very convenient for us.

Chap 02. Ya Kun Kaya Toast

Right after checking into YOTEL Orchard,

we immediately headed to Ya Kun Kaya Toast,

located in the ION Orchard shopping mall.

On the way, I kept gushing to my husband,

"Why are even the streets in Singapore so beautiful?"

"It's just so pretty!"

From the very start of our 3-night, 4-day Singapore trip,

I was just buzzing with excitement all by myself, haha!

The branch we visited at the time was on B4!

We took the escalators all the way down.

It wasn't a huge store,

and the tables were a bit close together, haha.

It was the kind of place where you could easily hear

the conversations from the next table.

As for our review of the Kaya Toast and Americano...

Hmm... maybe I had set my expectations too high, lol!

The Iced Americano was quite strong, but

the toast was just okay!

My husband agreed, haha.

It was a dish I really wanted to try for our Singapore trip,

so we gave it a go, but

it was pretty average for our taste buds.

Alright, now that we've had our fill,

let's head to our next sightseeing spot!

To align with the Singapore River Cruise schedule later that day,

we made our way to Merlion Park first.

Chap 03. Merlion Park

Tapping our transit cards, we hopped on the MRT!

After exiting Raffles Place Station

and walking just a bit,

the iconic scenery we'd seen in so many photos unfolded before our eyes!

Marina Bay Sands,

Singapore Flyer!

Yep, that's right~ this angle is so familiar from all the photos and videos, haha!

Walking a little further along the river,

we finally came face-to-face with the magnificent Merlion statue.

My husband, always the comedian, told me to recreate the exact pose I struck in a photo from my visit six years ago, lol!

So, naturally, I enthusiastically posed away.

Oh, and behind the main Merlion statue, in the park,

there's also a smaller Merlion statue,

so don't forget to check it out too!

I, however, was so focused on the Singapore River Cruise timing

that I completely forgot about the smaller statue during our stroll.

And my poor husband ended up missing it entirely! T_T

T_T I'm so sorry, honey... T_T

On our first day of this 3-night, 4-day Singapore trip,

we're already missing out on one thing, haha!

For the small Merlion photo,

I'll share one from when I visited with my mom six years ago

instead.

The pose, 'drinking' the water stream, remains the same,

but I'll protect my dear mom's privacy! 🙃

Now, let's continue walking along the river towards Clarke Quay.

That day in March when I visited,

the breeze was so pleasant, making it perfect for a walk.

It didn't even feel humid, thankfully! haha.

However, the weather can vary greatly depending on your visit date,

so please take this as just my personal experience from that specific day.

Chap 04. River Cruise

Among all the activities planned for my Singapore free-and-easy trip,

this was the one I was most looking forward to!

We showed our booking voucher

and received our boarding passes.

At the time, we went to the ticket office next to Hooters,

but if you're visiting now, please refer to the exchange location specified on your booked product.

Alright, time to 'Get on the boat' and board!

First, let's break down the Singapore River Cruise timings.

Below is the operating information for Clarke Quay Jetty, confirmed on the official website on October 22, 2026.

Category	Information
Mon-Thu	11:00~22:00
Fri-Sun	10:00~22:30
Duration of Standard Sightseeing Course	Approx. 40 mins
Our Departure Point	Clarke Quay Jetty
Laser Show Package	Separate details are available; departs from Clarke Quay Jetty

Even on the official website, the laser show cruise is

presented separately from the standard sightseeing course.

If you're eager to catch the show,

don't just pick an evening ticket because it's an evening ticket,

make sure it specifically includes the laser show viewing.

We had originally planned to board around 7:30 PM.

We'd heard that if you boarded around that time,

you could also catch the laser show.

But lo and behold,

even though there were many people,

perhaps because we were a party of two,

we were able to board right away!

So, we actually

departed a little after 7 PM.

It was a great time to enjoy both the daytime river views

and the city lights as twilight settled in,

making it quite romantic (?). Haha.

Departing while it was still bright

and watching the scenery gradually transform

was also pretty great, hehe.

If you're like me and want to catch the scenery around sunset,

be sure to check the sunset time for your visit date

along with the available departure times.

For those who want to experience the views you've seen in front of the Merlion

from the boat as well,

check out the dates and product conditions below.

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Will you ride it for the daytime views or after the lights come on?

Choose the departure time that suits your travel date👇

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👉 ​[Check River Cruise Tickets & Departure Times]

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Chap 05. Shrimp Prawn Seafood

Now, it's time for a delicious dinner

with a refreshing beer!

Let's go, go, go~!!!

We were thinking of going to Jumbo Seafood,

but that day, I really wanted to sit by the river,

so we found Shrimp Prawn Seafood.

It was one of the many restaurants

lined up along Boat Quay.

A perfect spot to enjoy a beer

while admiring the night view!

While there were other menu options,

we decided to go with seafood.

The Indian-style crab we ordered at the time

came topped with cilantro.

If you're not a fan of cilantro,

make sure to say “no cilantro”

when you order, haha!

Oh, and before we departed,

I had read stories about places thinking a large bill was a tip

and not giving back change.

However, when we paid here,

we received all our change, right down to the last cent! ^^

There was a separate tip jar available, too.

I'll leave this as our personal experience.

We bought the wrong transportation passes,

the toast was just okay,

and we missed the smaller Merlion, haha!

Still, our first day of 3 nights and 4 days in Singapore

was full of enjoyable walking, eating, and sightseeing.

If you're planning a free and easy Singapore trip

starting from Orchard,

feel free to check out our itinerary.

For Singapore River Cruise times,

first check the operating range in the table above,

then confirm the departure conditions of the ticket you intend to book!

That concludes our Day 1 post.

Stay tuned for Day 2!