Best Short Trips to Take From Singapore for Your Year-End Break

Short Trips From Singapore

We’ve all been there before: wanting to end the year with a bang someplace different or immersed in the blissful peace that only distance can bring. Distance from your workstation and all the deadline-related messages sent to you even over the break. Distance from the last-minute holiday shopping craze. Distance from parties and gatherings squeezed into the already-limited free time you have left. Ahh, sweet distance is a must indeed.

Don’t fret. Let us still your worrying heads and hectic scheds with year-end trips from Singapore that are sure to chase those holiday blues away. Since we don’t have all the time in the world, we made sure to trim your choices down to short trips from Singapore — along with Pelago promo codes that will help you save time (and money) all throughout your quick vacation.

Finally, the year-end break you deserve… no matter how short it may be.

If this is your first time booking with Pelago, don't forget to apply Pelago discount code WELCOME10 to get 10% off sitewide. 

For those of you staying in Singapore during the holidays, you can enter the Pelago promo code HELLOSG25 at checkout. This earns you a $25 discount/rebate on a minimum spend of $150! Max redemptions apply. This discount is valid separately on both Kris+ and Pelago. Check out the T&Cs here.

Bali, Indonesia

It’ll take you less than three hours to travel from Singapore to Bali on a nonstop flight. That’s a good start if you’re looking to pull off an incredible short trip from Singapore at the end of the year.

Have some time to spare? Rest and relax in the Changi Airport Plaza Premium Lounge to enjoy a sumptuous selection of food, a wide array of TV channels, charging stations, complimentary Wi-Fi and more before flying off.

Once you land in Bali, you’ll have plenty to do even within a limited timeframe.

Or, you could choose to not do anything at all; embrace the art of dolce far niente just as Liz Gilbert did in Eat, Pray, Love. Incidentally, she also went to Bali for some healing and fun.

Here’s what your short Bali trip could look like.

Go on an Eat, Pray, Love tour with fortune telling

Speaking of Eat, Pray, Love, did you know you can experience in a day what Liz Gilbert did in weeks? We can’t replicate the long-term healing retreat depicted in the film, but this will do. An 8-hour tour inspired by Eat, Pray, Love will work wonders. Spend your day travelling through Ubud’s quieter parts, find your centre in a 1.5-hour yoga class, and get 30 minutes of enlightenment from a local fortune teller.

There’s something sacred about this day tour. The only way to know is to book it yourself.

Snap great shots on a Bali Instagram tour

The gates of heaven at Hindu Lempuyang Temple. Tirta Gangga’s iconic flowing waters that feel as amazing as they look. The hidden wonders of Tukad Cepung — witness its cave and waterfall. The endless greenery of the Ubud rice fields. All these spots, and more, prove just exactly how breathtaking Bali is. The best part? You can live these memories forever by taking as many photos as you can. Signing up for a Bali Instagram tour ensures that you don’t miss any of the region’s photogenic spots.

Easily fill your itinerary if you have more time to spare on your year-end trip to Bali. Learn how to surf in Canggu. Explore Kintamani and Ubud on two wheels. Or throw your tastebuds a party at Cuca Restaurant, helmed by Michelin-trained chef Kevin Cherkas.

Bangkok, Thailand

When it comes to short trips from Singapore, Bangkok always makes for a refreshing vacation, thanks to its wealth of food and shopping districts.

Friendly locals give off good vibes without fail, a trait we’d be happy to bring home with us.

The cherry on top of planning a year-end trip to Bangkok from Singapore: November to February is actually the best time to visit the city.

The weather is cooler this season, plus, your Bangkok to Singapore flight will only take about 2.5 hours. You’ll be walking Bangkok’s busy streets in no time.

Drop by Sea Life Bangkok and Madame Tussauds Bangkok

…and don’t lose time lining up for your tickets. Avoid long queues and book your tickets here instead.

We all know that you can shop to your heart’s content in Bangkok, but don’t forget to see the sights. Sea Life is a no-fail marine wildlife experience that tourists of all ages can enjoy. Madame Tussauds, of course, is where you can get up close and personal with wax statues of your favourite Hollywood stars. It may not be your first time visiting either place, but they do make for fun additions to any Bangkok itinerary. On top of this, you decide how long your visit will take. That’s a win for the short Bangkok trip you’re envisioning.

Immerse in local culture with a blessings tour

When you’ve seen the sights, take time to get to know the locals and their culture. Luckily for you, a Blessings, Food, and Culture Tour shows you the ins and outs of Bangkok’s cultural centres. Experience how Buddhism still shapes modern-day life in Bangkok and make your way to the city’s well-kept secrets. Are you ready to go where only the locals usually go? A monk blessing awaits you on this tour, so you’ll surely end your day in high spirits.

Staying longer? Then take a guided walking tour of Bangkok’s famous temples. Spare some hours for a relaxing session at the spa. Or venture away from Bangkok and head to the Maeklong Railway Market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, where you’ll get to shop until you drop — like a local.

Bonus: Side trip to Phuket

Make the most out of these savings by planning not one, but two short trips in Thailand. Another worthwhile option is to go island-hopping in sunny, sandy Phuket. These Phuket tours and activities might just be the inspiration you need to get planning your year-end break.

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

If you want to cut travel time even shorter but venture just a little farther, there’s always Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam. Flying to Ho Chi Minh (previously Saigon) only takes a little over two hours from Singapore, making it one of the best short trips from Singapore. We personally think Ho Chi Minh is the best place to get to know a city on foot — for getting lost. There’s always so much to see and with banh mi and ca phe sua da stalls on every corner, recharging for your next stop won’t bite off too much from your itinerary. Where to start?

Assign one day to a Saigon City Private Sightseeing Tour

Why do this if you can just walk around, as we suggested? It may seem counterintuitive, but the option will actually save you loads of time. First, you get to tick off all the iconic and most popular spots on the first day of your quick break in Ho Chi Minh. Second, this allows you to determine which of these spots you’ll actually want to revisit in the next few days. This time, you can enjoy that long walk going there. Stop and smell the flowers while you’re at it.

Take a Mekong Delta Discovery Tour from Saigon City

It doesn’t take too long to venture outside of Ho Chi Minh proper to get a taste of life along the Mekong River. Cruise along the Mekong Delta with this Discovery Tour from Saigon City and get to taste a few local delicacies on the way home. Experiencing livelihood and culture closer to the Mekong Delta gives you a deeper understanding of the Vietnamese way of life in and outside of the city. Knowing the locale makes your ca phe sua da just a little bit sweeter, if you ask us. Surely you’ll come back for more enriching travels in Vietnam. 

On your next visit, linger longer in Ho Chi Minh to experience more of its magic, from when it was still called Saigon to the present day. Step back in time and brave the Cu Chi Tunnels. Treat yourself to a luxury sunset cruise partnered with a motorbike tour of the city’s best eats. Take a unique cooking class, where you’ll haggle like a true-blue local in the market and prepare your own Vietnamese dish.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Certainly, we won’t forget our favourite neighbour on a list of the best short trips to take from Singapore. While you can take your sweet time on a road trip and cross the border via car or bus, flying to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore only takes an hour of your precious day. Drop your luggage where you’re staying and start your year-end vacation just as fast as it took to fly over.

Just remember to apply the Pelago promo code HELLOMY25 at checkout. This earns you a 25% discount from now till 31st March 2023. Limited redemptions apply. This discount is valid separately on both Kris+ and Pelago. Check out the T&Cs here.

Begin with Batu Caves and Kampung Kuantan’s fireflies

We chose this recommendation with your arrival in mind, so it’s perfect if you’re in KL by morning or lunchtime. Plenty of time to prepare for your first adventure — especially if, after all these years, you haven’t seen the Batu Caves in person. 

Since you’re already there, go the extra mile and cruise along the calm waters of Kampung Kuantan to witness the world’s largest firefly colony. This, after a scrumptious meal at Kuala Selangor. 

After a jam-packed first few hours in KL, end with a nightcap or cocktail masterclass before going to bed. You can sleep in the next day if you like.

Embrace the outdoors with a Cameron Highlands Day Tour

The image of Kuala Lumpur that’s ingrained in your consciousness might be one that’s very metropolitan — all grey and no green. While KL does present the perfect opportunity to immerse in city life, you can also embrace the outdoors if you know where to go. Spend a day at Cameron Highlands, where you’ll be treated to sweeping views of Malaysia’s rolling hills and given access to local strawberry farms and tea plantations, one of the best short trips from Singapore you can take. This might be a bit far from your accommodations in the centre, but no worries; the tour includes vehicle transfers. 

Try filling up your KL itinerary with these interesting to-dos: a street art walk and cocktail masterclass in one, a Vespa tour of the city’s top spots, or a grand day tour that lets you fall in love with KL in eight hours.

Bonus: Side trip to Penang

If you’re willing to extend your short getaway in Malaysia, why not fly from Kuala Lumpur to historic Penang? It only takes an hour and opens you to endless possibilities with all these exciting things to do in Penang.

Want more savings? Don't forget to apply the Pelago promo code HELLOMY25 at checkout. This earns you a 25% discount from now till 31st March 2023. Limited redemptions apply. This discount is valid separately on both Kris+ and Pelago. Check out the T&Cs here.