Making The Most Of Your Work Trip To Singapore | Where To Visit After Hours.

​On the first day of February this year, I set out on a 13-hour flight from London Heathrow to Changi Airport for a week-long business trip. As the Marketing Executive for Aspire APAC, I work remotely for the Singapore office from Birmingham in the UK; this would be my first time visiting, and my first time meeting my colleagues face to face!

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Everyone wants to try and make the most out of their work trip. From eating quality food to seeing historic sites, getting to sample a new culture lets you pretend, albeit briefly, that you are on a holiday!

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This trip was my first ever business trip. Therefore, I was determined to make the most of my free time. Of course, seeing as I was working full time, I was primarily looking to visit places that were open in the evening. Luckily, many attractions in Singapore do just that.

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Another great thing about taking a work trip to Singapore is that flexible working is common; our Workplace Trends Report showed that almost 60% of employees in Singapore are working flexibly on a frequent basis. After talking to my superiors, I was able to arrange coming in earlier on certain days, in order to leave earlier. If you want to visit some daytime attractions, such arrangements are crucial!

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Below follows the places that I recommend visiting! They are open in the evening, and are perfect for others like me who want to maximise their work trip.

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1.Singapore Botanic Gardens

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The first place that I visited in Singapore outside of work was the Botanic Gardens. Just a short (and cheap) tube journey from my hotel in Chinatown, getting there could not be easier. The MRT stations have plenty of information in English, as it is the primary language of business and trade. Therefore, don’t be afraid to take advantage of these efficient services.

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The gardens are free, and open until late at night. Therefore, they are a perfect place to visit after the work day finishes. Key features of the gardens are a small tropical rainforest and an national orchid garden.

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A highlight for me was the turtles lounging on the riverfront!

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2.Gardens by the Bay

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Perhaps the most famous attraction in Singapore is also one that you can visit in the evening, as I did! In fact, it is recommended that you visit during the darker hours, as it hosts a world-famous lights show!

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Aside from the iconic tree-like structures, there are two ‘domes’, the Cloud Forest and the Flower Dome. These are like giant greenhouses, with a multitude of plants within them.

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If you only have the chance to visit one, I would recommend the Cloud Forest, as it involves a ‘sky walk’. Visiting both as well as the Super tree Grove is tiring after a full day’s work, so this is worth bearing in mind.

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The attraction is also easily accessible via MRT.

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3.Night Safari

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Again, this is one of Singapore’s most famous attractions, and is only open at night-time. It is a longer journey to get there from the city centre, so getting a taxi or booking a ride via a tourist bus are your best options.

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The attraction centres around riding a car through nocturnal animal enclosures. It is certainly a unique experience, although from my own experience, perhaps a little short, and it is hard to see many animals!

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4.Chinatown Markets

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Another free option is to take a wander around the Chinatown markets! There, you will see many sights and colours. I visited Singapore shortly after Chinese New Year, so the area was filled with bright lights and fantastic decorations. Regardless of the time of the year you visit, there will certainly be something interesting to see!

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Also, I found that it is a great place to buy souvenirs to bring back to your friends and family!

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Naturally, there are also plenty of great places to visit during the day, if you have taken annual leave, or been allowed to have flexible working hours. These include Jurong Bird Park, the Buddha Tooth Temple and Singapore Zoo.

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Overall, Singapore is a great city to live and work, as well as a wonderful place to visit. Many global businesses are seeing the attraction of Singapore, and are setting up offices there. Here at Aspire, we recruit into Digital, Media, Marketing and Technology. If you are interested in making Singapore your permanent home, send us your CV today!

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If you liked this blog, then make sure to check out my other blogs about my first trip to Singapore!