Singapore is one of the most captivating places in the world, with cultural heritage sights sitting against skyscrapers, diverse neighborhoods, amazing food, and so much more to explore.

However, when you first arrive, it’s also incredibly intimidating to know where to start first, as there’s simply so many activities to partake in and places to go.

I have a fantastic solution for you, though, in the form of a Singapore city tour! I’ve gone ahead and detailed the 5 top Singapore city tours out there today, that are well worth the time and money, showing you the best the metropolis has to offer. Let’s get started!

Be sure to see our reviews of Singapore Food Tours and Singapore Bike Tours.

Best Tours of Singapore City

	Private Singapore Tour with a Local, Highlights & Hidden Gems 100% Personalized	Private Singapore City Highlights Tour By Car - Half Day or Full Day	Private Customized Singapore Car Tour (Half Day or Full Day)
Location:	133 New Bridge Rd, #01-08 Chinatown Point, Singapore 059413	Hotel or port pickup and drop-off included	Hotel or airport pickup and drop-off included
Start:	Between 8:00 AM & 5:00 PM	Between 8:00 AM & 3:00 PM	9:00 AM & 2:00 PM
Duration:	3 to 8 hours	4 to 8 hours	4 to 8 hours
Includes:	Private and personalized walking tour with a passionate local guide, 3, 4, 6, or 8 hours walking tour, exploring highlights and hidden gems, hotel meet-up available on request for central locations	All taxes, fees and handling charges, Professional guide, Hotel pickup and drop-off, Port pickup and drop-off, Private tour, Transport by air-conditioned minivan	English-speaking local guide, Private transport (fits max 12 pax without luggage), Bottled water, All taxes, fees and handling charges
	Tour Information & Booking	Tour Information & Booking	Tour Information & Booking

Quick Answer: The 5 Best Private Guided Tours of Singapore City For 2024

1. Private Singapore Tour with a Local, Highlights & Hidden Gems 100% Personalised
2. Private Singapore City Highlights Tour By Car – Half Day or Full Day
3. Private Customized Singapore Car Tour (Half Day or Full Day)
4. Private Singapore Full Day Round Island Tour with River Cruise
5. Private Half Day Singapore City Tour with Botanical Orchid Garden

Singapore City Tour Reviews

1. Private Singapore Tour with a Local, Highlights & Hidden Gems 100% Personalized

Let’s start things off on the right foot with the Private Singapore Tour with a Local, Highlights & Hidden Gems 100% Personalized experience tailored around you and your party’s specific interests.

Lasting anywhere from 3 to 8 hours, it’s easy to fit into your other plans as you quite literally get to select the tour length that suits your requirements best. No matter which length you select, you can opt to meet at the Starbucks Chinatown Point or have them meet you at your hotel, for added convenience.

Our guide was born and raised in Singapore, so you can imagine that he not only knew about the standard tourist sites, but had many more adventures up his sleeve to show us!

He was truly passionate about his city and its rich culture, making it a far more immersive and educational experience than any cookie-cutter tour would have been. He did a fantastic job of sharing details surrounding the sights we passed, and answered all of our questions with ease.

I also really appreciate the fact that we took as much time as we wanted at each location, and he took some professional-quality photos of us throughout the tour, as well!

I’m not naturally great at getting around on public transportation, and he even helped us buy transport tickets and taught us how to get around, which I was able to use during my entire trip!

He not only showed us some amazing places to eat while we were on the tour, but offered a bunch of great recommendations for us to try afterward, which we definitely took advantage of.

I loved exploring Chinatown, with its delicious flavors and architecture, but seeing Marina Bay and the Gardens by the Bay was truly a magical rite of passage everyone should do in Singapore.

I highly recommend checking out Tiong Bahru as well, which has quite the fascinating history, trendy cafes, modern street art, and much more to discover. However, every minute of this walking tour was top-tier, and I can’t recommend it enough!

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

2. Private Singapore City Highlights Tour By Car – Half Day or Full Day

If you’re looking for a completely personalized and flexible way to see Singapore, the Private Singapore City Highlights Tour by Car – Half Day of Full Day experience is a nice option.

Whether you’ve been here a few times or it’s your very first, you’ll love the freedom this one provides, complete with transport by car included to maximize your time with your guide.

No need to walk around to each site, as your guide will pick you up from your hotel or port and take you to each one of the different locations.

Prepare to set off through Singapore’s sleek and modern skyline in a comfy, private vehicle, stopping at all the sights that interest you most, skipping those that don’t.

It’s not all about the big attractions (though you can definitely add those if you’d like) – it’s about exploring the city in a way that’s uniquely yours, guided by a local who knows the bustling metropolis like the back of their hand.

I appreciated that we could choose from either a day or night tour, which each offer a quite literally different perspective from one-another, with different sites to see, too. From hidden gems that only locals typically know about, to iconic spots like Marina Sands Bay or the Botanic Gardens, you’re sure to have a blast.

I liked how our guide did incorporate some of those must-visit sites like the Singapore River and riding the Singapore Flyer, as my group hadn’t seen these, yet. However, we also saw a ton of stuff that you don’t typically read about on travel sites or social media, which I loved.

This tour really stood out to me because it was so convenient being in an air-conditioned private car with our guide, as opposed to walking around between locations. Not that walking tours aren’t great, but if you’re short on time and really want to maximize your sightseeing, this is the way to go.

Not to mention, we got to know our guide quite well, as they offered us an accurate understanding of this lovely country and how it’s gone from a rather quaint fishing village to a massively popular country in less than 30 years.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

3. Private Customized Singapore Car Tour (Half Day or Full Day)

Next up is the Private Customized Singapore Car Tour (Half Day or Full Day) experience which is another offering great flexibility perfect for uncovering hidden local gems and iconic destinations.

Something that turns a lot of people off of tours is that they don’t want to be locked into an experience that they essentially have no control over.

Having been on tours like that in the past, those can end up being fun, but sometimes can end up wasting time – this option avoids that possibility entirely.

Whether you’re visiting for the first time or have already seen the major sites and would like to dig a little deeper, this tour has exactly what you’re looking for without the rigid structure of a typical group tour.

It’s a chance to explore the city through the perspective of a local expert, taking you and your group’s interests and tailoring the entire tour to suit them. For example, me and my group are big on history and food, so they look us to the heart of Chinatown, yummy eateries, and a full food tour in the Hawker centres!

Literally whatever interests you have, though, I have no doubt that these guides can take them and create a carefully-curated day full of activities to suit them. Choose between either a half-day or full-day tour, depending on the kind of time you have available during your schedule.

We even had a couple of kids along, and they did a great job of keeping everyone entertained without leaving anyone out. Expanding upon that, I think this is a fantastic option for families, as you’re all together in a private vehicle and don’t have to worry about anyone you don’t personally know (aside from the guide) tagging along.

We loved seeing the Flower Dome, old post office, and the Colonial Civic district, hearing about the history behind each place. Wow – Singapore is a truly fascinating place, and I’m glad we had a guide who actually did their home justice, sharing it with us.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

4. Private Singapore Full Day Round Island Tour with River Cruise

Now, remember what I said about going on tours that already have a set itinerary by default? The Private Singapore Full Day Round Island Tour with River Cruise falls into that category, though still offers plenty of flexibility as far as pacing goes.

I absolutely loved this 7-hour tour, which feels like a more “upscale”, luxury experience where all you have to do is simply bring a sense of adventure and let the guide do all the work for you.

If it’s your first time in Singapore and don’t know much about the city, I’d say this tour should be at the top of your list. I didn’t know much about Singapore before first arriving, and this tour will take you to all of the top local attractions in a way that avoids the majority of crowds and lines.

Add on the fact that you’re going to be able to go on an included cruise along the Singapore River and you have a recipe for a fantastic day of sightseeing and learning ahead!

Starting off at 9:00 am with a convenient hotel pickup, you don’t have to worry about dealing with local transportation or spending money on separate transport.

The private, air-conditioned vehicle was very comfortable, and we got to enjoy the hustle-and-bustle of Singapore as our guide expertly navigated and shared interesting stories with us. We first stopped in Little India, which is full of life and color, a large Indian community, and is actually one of the city’s oldest towns!

After that, we got to see top sites like the 1,000 Light Buddha Temple before heading to the intriguing Arab Quarters which feels like you’re stepping back in time, hundreds of years.

After, was the highlight of the tour for me: the Singapore River cruise that really showed off the breathtaking natural and manmade wonders. We followed it up with a lot more sightseeing and some tasty eats, for a magical day that I’m sure to do again when I’m back.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

5. Private Half Day Singapore City Tour with Botanical Orchid Garden

Last but certainly not least, is the Private Half Day Singapore City Tour with Botanical Orchid Garden experience. It’s great for those who’d like to see Singapore (perhaps for the first time), but rather not commit to a full-day tour yet.

It’s one of those tasters where you get to see the top local sites, really make the most of your few hours, and still have time to do other things for the rest of your evening and afternoon.

Something that can waste a lot of time is deciding to go sightseeing by using public transportation. While I actually think this is a great way to really get to know the heart and soul of a city, it’s just not efficient for those who don’t have much time to explore on their trip.

Considering this tour is 3.5 hours and includes a hotel pickup and drop-off, as well as private, air-conditioned transport to all the sites, it’s super convenient.

We had a separate guide and driver, where many tours just have one person for both roles, which I felt only added to the quality of our time together. Our guide shared all kinds of fun stories and anecdotes straight from a local, while our driver expertly navigated us through the city streets.

We got to see the stunning Orchid Garden (if you’re into gardening or flowers in any way, it’s a must), the Thien Hock Teng Temple, Chinatown, Little India, and so much more.

Despite it being a more compact tour, they did a great job of pointing out the “hidden gems” that most cookie-cutter commercial tours miss.

They did a wonderful job at pacing, and I felt like we had just the right amount of time at each stop to take photos and soak it all in. If you’re looking for a shorter tour experience that doesn’t feel lacking in any way, please consider this one!

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience