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Gay Singapore: our guide to the best gay bars, clubs, hotels & activities

Stefan Arestis
Gay Singapore: our guide to the best gay bars, clubs, hotels & activities

Is Singapore gay friendly? We explore this in our gay travel guide to Singapore setting out the best gay bars, clubs, hotels, safety tips, and oh-so-much more!

Gay Singapore is rising like a fabulous phoenix from the ashes of COVID-19 and lockdowns.

Change is happening here. It's fast, and it's exciting.

On our first trip to Singapore in August 2015 the anti-gay law was still in place. The gay scene was nonetheless thriving compared to other parts of Asia. Then, Covid happened and many places shut down, some never reopened, including iconic venues like Taboo. We were updating this guide every month slowly removing queer venues from this guide as one by one they disappeared.

Then, by a stroke of luck, the Singaporean government decriminalized homosexuality in 2022. This led to a rebirth of the gay scene in Singapore. A whole bunch of new venues sprung up like Tuck Shop and Sausage Market – to name a few.

We returned to Singapore in March 2024 on a layover from Sydney to London. We were delighted to see the gay scene thriving and continuing to grow. Put it this way, when we were hanging out in Kuala Lumpur's gay scene, the drag queens we met told us that Singapore is one of the places in Asia they aspire to perform in, citing it as one of the continent's gay meccas…kinda like gay Dubai is for the Arab world.

We put this down to the country being so affluent, with many big companies having their Asian headquarters here, like Google, Bloomberg, Barclays, and many more. In addition, Singaporeans are very well educated and affluent (have you SEEN the cost to rent an apartment here?). They’re also a very internationally minded bunch, with English as the official language: it’s estimated that every 2 out of 5 people in Singapore are foreigners.

Much like South Korea, society in Singapore remains conservative at its core due to its strong Christian roots. But since the decriminalization of homosexuality in 2022 we see LGBTQ rights in Singapore going one way.

In this gay guide to Singapore, we explore its LBGTQ rights in more detail, write about our experience traveling here as a gay couple, and set out some of the best gay hotels, bars, clubs, events, and more.

Heads up: We just wanted to let you know that this post contains affiliate links. That means if you book something through one of those links, we'll get a small commission, at no extra cost to you. It helps us keep our blog going – so thank you in advance for your support! ♥

Stefan and Sebastien from Nomadic Boys with rainbow fan.

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Gay rights in Singapore

Up until 2022, homosexuality was illegal for men (legal for women) with up to 2 years imprisonment under section 377A of the Penal Code. However, in 2022, Singapore's anti-gay law was repealed for good! Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced on national TV that Singapore:

“This is the right thing to do and something that most Singaporeans will accept…gay people are now better accepted”.

In terms of other LGBTQ+ laws in Singapore, anti-discrimination laws were passed in 2019 protecting against incitement of anti-gay aggravated harassment and violence. However, when it comes to recognizing gay relationships or unions, laws have still not been passed.

On the upside, Singapore introduced the right to change your legal gender in 2003, and in 2018 the courts ruled in favor of a gay Singaporean man to adopt a child whom he fathered through a surrogate.

As one of our local gay friends in Singapore put it, Singapore is a small nation and when change happens, it happens fast…so, watch this space!

Homosexuality in Singapore is illegal, but we didn't encounter any problems when visiting
We salute the repeal of Section 377A!

Is Singapore safe for gay travelers?

Whilst Singapore seems so conservative it’s one of the gay meccas of Asia, with a handful of gay hangouts like Tantric, Dorothy's, and Tuck Shop. It also has several prominent LGBTQ events taking place throughout the year hosted by organizers like Hypertainment, Homo Fomo, and Baby Boy. Other queer events that happen in Singapore include IndigNation and Pink Dot SG (but this is only for Singaporean citizens).

As a gay couple traveling in Singapore, we found it to be extremely safe. Crime is very low here, and the people are polite and respectful.

As it's so international with a large ex-pat community, it felt more like we were in a big cosmopolitan city than a conservative Asian metropolis. Maybe we could have walked the streets holding hands without any problems, especially in the gay area of Singapore around Neil Street, however, we opted to err on the side of caution and save all PDAs for the queer-friendly spaces.

The gay area of Singapore

The gay area of Singapore is based along Neil Street just by Chinatown. We recommend using Tantric as your focal point: downstairs it's a gay bar called Backstage, and upstairs is Tantric.

Just across the road from Tantric is Sausage Market with its hilarious shop front (panders to gay Chinese guys), and Tuck Shop (the best drag shows happen here). Dorothy's Bar is another iconic bar a few blocks away from Neil Street in the heart of Chinatown.

Singapore also has a surprisingly high number of gay saunas in the area including Ten Mens Clubs, Shogun, Hook Club, and Keybox. In most places around the world, we've found gay saunas to be dying due to the rise in popularity of Grindr, but not here!

The other thing we noticed about the gay scene in Singapore is that it has lots of gay bars, which is great. But if you want to dance and party into the early hours, there is only one place: Club Hell. Thankfully, there's always a large ad-hoc gay party happening, which we've set out in the gay club section below.

Group pic by Neil Road the main gay area of Singapore.
Guess how many Singapore Slings we've all had…!

Gay hotels in Singapore

Singapore does not have any outright all-male gay hotels as you'd find in Berlin or Fort Lauderdale. However, most high-end hotels in Singapore are more than accustomed to LGBTQ travelers given how international the country is. Just be prepared – they ain't cheap!

On the higher end, the bulk of the luxury hotels in Singapore are lush, with most featuring an infinity pool looking out to the unique city skyline. If you're on a tight budget and don't want to stay in a claustrophobic hostel (remember, space is tight and pricey in Singapore – similar to Hong Kong and Tokyo), consider basing yourself in Johor Bahru, which is the nearest city in Malaysia, around 1 hour away by bus.

These are some of the best gay friendly hotels we recommend in Singapore based on our own experience.

01

W Singapore

Sentosa Island

The W Hotel in Singapore is ultra-luxurious and totally gay friendly

Why we love it


  • Gorgeous resort
  • 2 restaurants and a pool-side bar
  • Free shuttle services into the city
  • Fabulous and huge outdoor pool

We love staying at W Hotels around the world. They are as luxurious as they are gay friendly. We always feel correct here! And the W Singapore is right up there with the best of the best!

Located on Sentosa, Singapore's exclusive resort island, the W Singapore is an impressive 5-star resort. Seby felt like a Bond girl in the outdoor pool area, unapologetically posing for his latest thirsty Insta snap…

The Away Spa is heaven. It's designed to feel like a rainforest. There's a decompression area, sauna, steam room, vitality pool, herbal bath, and experiential showers. The romantic couple massage was right up our alley – if you're on a honeymoon or special occasion, it's not a bad call.

Rooms at the W are gorgeous. We recommend getting one with a sea view and private balconies. The only downside is that it's a little bit far from the gay area and downtown. However, they provide free return shuttle services to Orchard Road, Vivo City Shopping Centre, Universal Studios Singapore, and the Marina Bay Financial Centre.

STAY WITH A GAY LOCAL

Misterb&b is the Airbnb equivalent for the LGBTQ community. Unlike on Airbnb, you know your host is gay, voiding any nasty surprises when you check-in. It is also a great way to meet gay locals and discover the underground gay scene. Click below to get 10 € (or $10) off our first booking.

02

Shangri-La's Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa

Sentosa Island

The Shangri La's Rasa Sentosa Resort and Spa in Singapore is a luxurious spot to stay for gay travellers who like pampering, swimming and fine dining

Why we love it


  • Huge 5-star luxury resort
  • Two swimming pools and water slides
  • 6 restaurants and bars
  • Gorgeous spa with holistic treatments

The other gay friendly resort on Sentosa Island, in our humble opinion, is the 5-star Shangri-La's Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa.

All the rooms and suites here feature balconies or private terraces, with many offering views over the swimming pool towards the beach and the South China Sea.

Rasa Sentosa is massive! The gym is open 24 hours a day with big windows opening out onto the garden. Seby was serving his full Tarzan glory when pumping his biceps here, then sweating it out on the treadmill. Sweat not fear not for those lush swimming pools offered us a welcome respite – remember Singapore is super hot and humid so those infinity pools are divine…especially when jetlagged!

There are 4 different restaurants on-site including Chinese and Italian. We loved the lotus-shaped Bubble Bar for a cheeky cocktail at sunset. Even though Sentosa Island is a bit out of the main part of Singapore they offer guests free Sentosa monorail passes.

03

Hotel Jen Orchardgateway Singapore by Shangri-La

Orchard

Hotel Jen is an excellent choice for gay travellers to Singapore who want to be close to the shopping district but also like to spend time beside the rooftop pool

Why we love it


  • Trendy and gay friendly
  • Rooftop infinity pool with amazing views
  • Weekly pool parties
  • On-site restaurant with local and western cuisine

One of our favorite places in Singapore was the medium-budget Hotel Jen Orchardgateway. It's in a fantastic location right in the heart of the shopping district Orchard Road.

Housed in a big contemporary glass building, our favorite thing about Hotel Jen was the rooftop infinity pool. Many a time was spent here posing, chilling, and taking in the skyline view of Singapore.

We found Hotel Jen to be gay friendly. We were never made to feel uncomfortable. It's also quite quirky with a robot butler that delivers room service! It has a gym, which is on the small side, but well-equipped. Yogis will love the sunset yoga sessions on offer by the rooftop pool.

The main dining option here is the highly-rated Makan@Jen which offers local and western food. Our tip, hit up their buffet which includes the lobster. High tea also on offer here if you want to practice your Downton Abbey impersonations – we did this a few times you see…

04

The Scarlet Singapore

Chinatown

The Scarlet Singapore is a stunning boutique hotel in Chinatown that serves up opulent luxury for reasonable prices

Why we love it


  • Excellent medium-budget boutique hotel
  • Gorgeous suites or luxurious rooms
  • On-site gym and an outdoor hot tub
  • Good location in the gay area of Singapore

Pick this one if you want to be close to the gay bars of Singapore! That's what we did for one of our layovers.

Also, Scarlet serves you a splash of luxury without the hefty price tag: decorated with shades of passionate red, opulent gold, and sophisticated black, which makes it feel quite theatrical. The reception area looks like a small ballroom, with marble floors and a huge glittering chandelier…cue Sia…

We recommend booking one of the Five Suites to feel like the Queen of Sheeba. Each one has a different theme: Lavish, Swank, Splendour, Passion, and Opulent. Passion in particular has its own private outdoor Jacuzzi. Their rooms however are just as glorious, some have private balconies. No private Jacuzzi? Fear not, you'll fare just in the communal outdoor hot tub.

There's a gym that's open 24 hours to help you burn off all those Laksa calories and prepare to show off your pecs when partying topless later at Club Hell… The other reason we love The Scarlet is the location – right slap bang in the heart of Chinatown – some of the best food in town is right on your doorstep! Also, it's within walking distance to the main gay bars as well as walking distance to the iconic Marina Bay & Gardens.

05

The Pod @ Beach Road Boutique Capsule Hotel

Kampong Glam

The Pod Capsule Hotel in Singapore is not your typical hostel, with elegant and private pods, beautiful bathrooms and lots of free amenities including breakfast

Why we love it


  • Elegant capsule hotel for budget travelers
  • Lots of privacy in the pods
  • Free buffet breakfast included
  • Plenty of complimentary amenities

We recommend this one for solo gay travelers and travelers on a budget who don't fare well in hostels.

Yes, there are bunk beds here, but they are not your usual hostel dorms. Here you get to sleep in cozy capsules, with single or double beds, a fold-down table for using your laptop, a reading light, and a power socket. It's also elegant, clean, and sturdy – with plenty of privacy (wink wink!).

Throughout our travels we've noted a rise in popularity in capsule pod hotels – it's a fantastic concept for travelers who want a place to sleep but don't care for the intense party atmosphere you usually get in hostel dorms. Everything about The Pod is clean, chic, and modern, even the shared bathrooms.

You get a lot of bang for your buck here with a free buffet breakfast provided each morning as well as complimentary amenities like soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and towels. There are laundry and business facilities for those staying for a longer period. The area around the hostel is called Kampong Glam, which is close to the Arab Quarter of Singapore – perfect for topping your Persian rug collection…

Gay bars in Singapore

For a gay ‘ole time in Singapore, you wanna be heading to Neil Street, which is right by Chinatown. This is where the bulk of the gay bars in Singapore can be found. And there are quite a few! We've put together the main ones here – just don't do what we did and head here at 8:30 pm…most bars don't get busy until after 10.

Heads up, the iconic OUT Bar Singapore closed its doors for good post-pandemic.

Tantric Bar

We use Tantric Bar to orientate ourselves on our Google Maps when doing a gay Singapore night out. They own the entire building it's located in, but post-pandemic they rent out half the building to a straight venue. Tantric itself has retained the upstairs bar and created another queer space downstairs called Backstage Bar (see below). The cocktails are divine and probably one of our favorite places in the country for Singapore Sling tasting sessions (we had many of these here!) as well as being the home of The Blue Spin – a super-strong cocktail that regularly leaves drinkers spinning on the floor.

Geeky but important fact: when Tantric first opened in 2004, it was the first LGBTQ establishment to fly the rainbow flag outside, and continues to do so to this very day!

Tantric Bar is located at 80 Neil Road. It's open daily until 3 am and until 4 am on Saturdays.

Backstage Bar

“There's no business like show business!”…think musical theatre posters on every wall, plus lots of semi-nude men…this is Backstage Bar a cozy hangout during the week and a buzzing hot spot on weekends. The staff is one of the highlights – cute, super cheeky, and quite flirty! Be sure to try out a few Casablancas or Golden Girls Cheesecakes – they've named their cocktails after famous TV shows and movies. Then when you're done with those, wash them down with a few Blowjobs, Butt Plugs, and Cockteasers for good measure (this being the name of their more famous shots!)

Backstage Bar is located underneath Tantric at 80 Neil Road. It's open daily until 3 am and until 4 am on Saturdays.

Dorothy’s

Are you a friend of Dorothy's? We quickly became her BEST friends with her after discovering this is the only bar in the whole of Singapore brave enough to offer Absinthe towers and shots! Warning though, you'll be less of a friend of Dorothy's when those hangovers kick in…

Dorothy's is another staple on the Singapore gay scene, located in the Chinatown area. It's one of the oldest gay bars in Singapore, having been around for over 20 years. We recommend heading here during their happy hours, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings when they have an all-you-can-drink offer for SG$50 (£23/$36).

Dorothy's is located at 13a Trengganu Street and is open daily until 1 am, and until 2 am on Saturdays.

Tuck Shop

Billed as Singapore's 1st drag bar. The drag scene here is strong. We remember meeting a drag queen in the underground gay scene of Kuala Lumpur who told us she often comes to Singapore for her best gigs. If there's a famous drag act in town? You're sure to find them at Tuck Shop – the name kinda makes sense! Shows take place on Thursday to Sunday evenings from 8:30 pm until 1 am – on Saturdays until 2.

Tuck Shop is located at 43 Neil Road but note this used to be Conversion Therapy Clinic aka Neil Conversion Clinic and is still listed as this on Google Maps. It is open Thursday to Sunday from 8:30 pm to 1 am (2 am on Saturday).

Sausage Market

Oh, now this made us giggle! We gays sure know how to be creative eh? The theme for this cutesy gay bar is, literally, a sausage market. The shop front looks like a butcher's shop complete with dangling fake meats. The large fridge doors are in fact the main doors that open up to the bar inside. Their target market here is the Chinese gay boys (and their fans!) with the latest Chinese pop hits pumping out all night long…along with hot muscly GoGo dancers, or as they put it, “fresh sausages every night!”

Sausage Market is located at 45 Neil Street next door to Tuck Shop. It is open Tuesday to Sunday evenings until 1 am (2 am on Saturdays).

Slippery Slope

A quick glance on their Insta and you'll instantly notice their target market: daddies! Thursdays for example is “Daddies@Work” night. Come, Slide In…#NotThatKindOfEstablishment… we live for their tongue-in-cheek humor. All our gay friends recommended Slippery Slope as the go-to gay bar in Singapore, especially at around 9/10pm. However, unlike all the other gay bars it closes early – midnight. Heads up: drop them a DM to reserve a table if you're a group of friends.

Slippery Slope is located at 31A Keong Saik Rd and is open daily from 5 pm until midnight. Sundays it opens at 3 pm, Saturdays at 4 pm.

Lluvia

Lluvia is the Spanish word for rain, and the motto of this little gem of a bar is ‘there is no rainbow without rain'. We say there is no rainbow without our darling bear boys! And Lluvia completes this nicely cause this is THE go-to bar for the bears, cubs, otters, wolves, unicorns, and mermaids (Seby is the unicorn, I'm the mermaid…). The atmosphere is totally chilled and down-to-earth, which is why we love coming here. And then there is the karaoke: do NOT try to challenge a Singaporean bear boy at karaoke, you will lose! These guys can sure belt out a few anthems…

Lluvia is located at 145 Telok Ayer Street and is open daily until 2 am, and till 4 am on weekends.

Cecilia (formerly Ebar)

Calling all karaoke queens – audition for the next Asia's Got Talent right here!

We're only joking, but Cecilia is notorious for having some of the best karaoke nights in town! Cecilia attracts a younger crowd, located in a converted shop directly opposite Tantric in Chinatown. Tip: if it's your birthday, show them your ID and they'll give you a few free shots to celebrate!

After midnight, Cecilia transforms into a dancing venue apologetically blasting out cool house music till closing time.

Located at 57 Neil Road, Cecilia is open daily from 8 am to 8 pm.

Gay couple in front of the Sausage Market gay bar in Singapore.
Easily the most unique gay bar we've ever been to!

Gay clubs in Singapore

Whilst Singapore has a large chunk of gay bars, it's rather lacking on the gay club front. The main one is Club Hell. In addition, be sure to check out the Hypertainment events 'cause when they happen, they're raucous – famous for being some of the largest gay parties in all of Asia!

Note that the super popular Taboo Club is now ancient history after shutting its doors for good during COVID.

Club Hell

With the closure of the Taboo, there was a vaccum in the gay club scene of Singapore. Thankfully Club Hell opened its doors in 2022 to fill in this void. Expect live DJ sets, drag shows, and a sea of ripped muscly guys grinding away to Ariana, and Beyonce with a dash of techno and house. Whatever your choice of poison, it's the main gay bar in town to head to once the bars have shut their doors and you want to boogie. Our advice, don't head here until after 11/12 else you'll be dancing solo.

Club Hell is located at Telok Ayer St, 113, and is only open on weekend evenings: Fridays till 3 am, and Saturdays until 4 am.

Hypertaintment

The Hypertainment team organizes some of the best gay parties in Singapore at different locations. To give you an idea they include a pool party at a specific hotel or a large dance party at a club venue they've secured an evening for. The events are usually a sell-out and pretty epic! They usually take place every month – keep an eye on their socials and Hypertaintment website for details of the latest one.

Baby Boy Party

Put it in your calendar: the last Saturday of every month is queer Hip-hop/Rnb night! These exciting gay parties take place at different venues so check their socials for the latest info – usually, the Insta Stories a week before the event should publicize the latest details. Live DJs, GoGo dancers, and drag performers are an obligatory sight to behold at a Baby Boy party!

Fomo Homo

Fomo Homo is another excellent gay club organizer with LGBTQ+ inclusive events hosted at a different venue, usually monthly. Tickets are purchased in advance on their socials and have a different price scale depending on how far in advance you get them.

There are only two main gay clubs in Singapore, but they're both a great night out!
The party is always pumping in Singapore

Gay saunas in Singapore

We remind you that this is a country with an explicit anti-gay law in place. Despite this, Singapore has several gay saunas thriving. Some of the most popular are set out below:

Ten Mens Club

Ten Mens Club (aka 10Mens Club), is targeted to the bear boys. They have regular themed nights like Bear Night on Tuesdays, Beefy Stocky Night on Thursdays, and Skin Nights on Wednesdays/Saturdays. It features a steam room, private rooms, a maze, a movie hall, and a rooftop garden area.

Ten Mens Club is located at 323 New Bridge and is open daily: Sunday–Thursday from midday until 11 pm, then from midday until 2 am on Friday and Saturday.

Shogun

Shogun is another popular gay bear sauna, targeted toward the older lads. It's located just around the corner from 10Mens Club. Shogun is open 24 hours a day and gets super popular, especially on weekends. There are two different floors with facilities including a glory hole maze, an orgy room, an outdoor shower, a hot steam room, and plenty of places for relaxing or hooking up. Not bad for a city where homosexuality is illegal, right?!

Shogun is located at 51A Pagoda Street and is open 24/7.

Hook Club

Hook Club is more of a cruising club than a sauna. We love that they call themselves a “private gentlemen’s club serving the discerning few”…a gentleman's club with a steam room of course, as well as a gym, maze, cozy cafe, and a networking area(!) Each night has a different theme ranging from towel, underwear, speedo, and their most popular: just skins!

Located at 285 New Bridge Road, Hook is open from 2 pm-midnight on Sunday–Thursday and from 2 pm–8 am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Keybox

One of the most popular gay saunas in Singapore that attracts a younger crowd. The best time to come is around 3 am when the gay clubs have closed and the party boys are looking for a place to hang out and play! It's also very big, with a large jacuzzi, dry sauna, steam room, TV room, a well-equipped gym, and private cabins spread out over 5,000 square feet. Also, look out for some of their themed nights, like “Locals and Foreigners” on Mondays, “Gym Members” on Wednesdays, “Underwear/Swimwear” on Fridays, and (ahem!) “Sunday Couple's Day”!

Keybox is located at 17 Upper Circular Road and is open daily from midday until 8 am the following day.

Singapore is home to some discreet gay saunas for a bit of raunchy action in the steam room
Couple's Night at Keybox anyone?

Where to get an STI/HIV test + treatment in Singapore?

Whether you need to top up your PrEP, get emergency PEP, get tested or vaccinated, Pulse Singapore is the place to go.

They are private and discreet, open daily (except Sundays). They offer full treatment options, mental health advice, an excellent health service for transpeople, and even a circumcision clinic!

Pulse Singapore's full address is 118A Neil Road, Singapore 088854.

Gay events in Singapore

When it comes to gay events in Singapore, it's lagging behind some of its more fabulous neighbors – Thailand, Taiwan, Japan…

Singapore has ad hoc Circuit parties to look out for, usually hosted by Hypertaintment. Singapore also has Pink Dot, but this one's only for Singaporean citizens. More formal and less party-centric is IndigNation which usually takes place in August and is in our opinion, Singapore's unofficial “Pride” event.

Circuit Parties – usually around April/May

April is when the largest gay parties take place over in Thailand for Songkran (imagine: huge parties with live DJs, muscle boys, a foam zone, GoGo dancers, drag queens, and more). Singapore has taken a leaf out of Thailand's book and also hosts similar events around this time like “Bring Your Own Trunks”, “Top Up” or “BeachBall Singapore” (the latter coincided with the Buddhist Vesak Day celebrations back in May 2019 when it was last held). While there isn't an official website, we recommend keeping an eye on Hypertainment's website for details of the next event.

Pink Dot SG – May/June/July

PinkDot is an annual rally/festival that takes place in Hong Lim Park in the summer months. However, in recent years, a change in local laws has restricted attendance to just Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents, but you might still be able to get if you know people locally. We hope they relax this law soon…! The Pink Dot team does, however, organize other events during the year, such as queer film screenings, art exhibitions, and even markets.

IndigNation – August

IndigNation is Singapore's month-long unofficial Pride festival that takes place every August. There are usually talks, workshops, film screenings, and other events taking place throughout the city, although currently there is a bit of a pause on programming so that the organization can focus more on consulting with the local communities.

Gay restaurants in Singapore

Since Singapore is such a melting pot of cultures, you can bet you'll be able to find many amazing places to tempt your tastebuds. The only problem is going to be choosing from the wide variety on offer and cramming in as many recommendations as you can during your visit.

We hope to help fuel your culinary inspiration with some of our personal favorite gay friendly restaurants in Singapore:

Lau Pa Sat

This place is excellent! It's a large street food market open all hours of the day with inexpensive offerings ranging from the National Dish – chicken rice, delicious dumplings, roast duck…oh I could go on. It's super clean and very local. All our friends in Singapore told us we should not leave the country before checking this place out – and we're forever thankful to them. We now pass this on to you!

Xiao Ya You

In a city where a lot of cafes and restaurants look and feel similar, Xiao Ya You completely breaks the mould and cries out loud “Hey gurrl heeeey, look at me!”. The decor is quirky. The staff super friendly. And the food – delicious! It's located just behind Neil Street, so very handy if you want to pop here for a bite to eat before heading over to Tantric or Tuck Shop.

National Kitchen by Violet Oon

If you want to try traditional Singapore cuisine then you have to head to National Kitchen by Violet Oon, Singapore's own celebrity chef

If you want to try traditional and authentic dishes from Singapore then you can't go past National Kitchen by Violet Oon. Violet Oon has been Singapore's food ambassador since 1988 and is pretty much the city's first celebrity chef with multiple restaurants and cookbooks to her name. We loved the colonial decor at her National Kitchen location, as well as the sumptuous Peranakan cuisine on the menu. One of our favorite dishes was the Sambal Kimchiam Udang salad, which was made with lily buds in a sweet, spicy dressing topped with prawns and starfruit… talk about a foodgasm!


PS Cafe

There are many different PS Cafe locations in Singapore but whichever one you visit will reward you with yummy food and bright, airy decor - plus it's very popular with the local LGBT community!

With so many locations across the city (as well as in Shanghai and Seoul) PS Cafe must be doing something right. All the locations are gay friendly and very popular with the local LGBTQ community. Famous for their delicious truffle shoestring fries, indulgent cakes, and yummy cafe classics, you cannot go wrong when stopping here for a bite at any time of day. We especially love heading to one of the cafes for a lazy brunch or a romantic afternoon tea. The one on Orchard Road is probably our favorite though, with an indoor glasshouse and big leafy plants adding greenery throughout.


JAAN by Kirk Westaway

For a special occasion in Singapore we recommend the romantic JAAN by Kirk Westaway restaurant with incredible views over the Marina Bay

For those who can't handle too much spice, you could also visit the incredibly romantic, Michelin-starred restaurant JAAN by Kirk Westaway. Serving modern British cuisine alongside amazing views of Marina Bay, this spot is sure to impress. Everything looks incredible, from the design in the restaurant (just look at that ceiling!) to the dishes that are basically little works of art. And there's nothing boring about this British grub! The menu is seasonal and aims to modernize traditional dishes but you should definitely save it for a special occasion if you're not rolling in cash…


The Plant Food

If you're looking for good vegan or vegetarian food look no further than Soul Alife, a wonderful 100% vegan cafe which serves all-day brunch

Vegetarian and vegan diners will be very happy to find lots of dining options in Singapore. Our personal favorite was The Plant Food in the middle of the Changi Business Park. Yeah, it's a bit out of the main city but if you're traveling to or from the airport then stopping at this completely vegan cafe is a must. Their colorful Buddha Bowls are delicious and very popular, but it was their burgers that had us coming back for more! So juicy and delicious, but made from plants that mimic the different meats so perfectly. They also serve all-day brunch which is perfect if you've been out late partying the night before.


Best things to do in Singapore

Well if you’re not here on business or in transit, then Singapore is great for shopping, especially if you’re looking to replace that (ahem!) broken Go Pro camera of yours. Nonetheless, there’s also much more to do than just shop. These are our favorite things to see and do in Singapore for gay travelers:

Inclusivity Walking Tour

We saw this advertised at the Backstage gay bar on our most recent visit and jumped on it! We were pleasantly surprised because ten years ago pre decriminilization days, things like this did not exist in Singapore. It's a sign of progress and change. The team behind this queer walking tour started in 2022 and have gone from grown exponentially, welcoming tourists from all over, showing them the LGBTQ history of Singapore. A must for all LGBTQ travelers to Singapore!

Ride on the Singapore Flyer

The view from our Singapore Flyer pod

The Singapore Flyer is like the London Eye: a giant Ferris wheel with pods moving around at 0.24m per second (0.76km/h), so it takes half an hour to ride it the whole way round. At its highest point, it reaches 165 meters, which is like 31 male giraffes stacked on top of each other (the average height of a giraffe is 5.3 meters). So you can imagine the incredible views you get of the iconic Singaporean city skyline, particularly if you go after sunset and see it at night. We really liked this tour we did of Singapore city because it took us to many of the main attractions, including the Singapore Flyer.


Explore the Marina Bay area

View of Marina Bay Sands Merlion and lotus AirScience museum

One of the most-visited parts of Singapore is the area known as Marina Bay. There is an excellent 3.5km waterfront promenade linking all the main attractions of the Marina Bay area, including the Merlion fountain (lion’s head from a fish body), the Marina Bay Sands resort (which looks like a giant ship at the top) and the lotus-shaped ArtScience Museum. We definitely recommend wandering around Marina Bay, and for incredible views make sure you head up to the Marina Bay Sands observation deck for a fraction of the price you'd pay if you were to stay there and swim in the pool!


Stop and smell the flowers at the National Orchid Garden

Sebastien at the Singapore National Orchid Garden

The National Orchid Garden is rated as one of the top five things to do in Singapore according to Tripadvisor and we think it's a must for anyone who enjoys natural beauty. Located within the Botanical Gardens it’s a peaceful place to get away from the big city as well as being educational. It has a stunning wow factor with more than 2,000 orchids on display – making the trip worthwhile. While it's free to visit Singapore's Botanic Gardens you do need to pay a small fee to enter the National Orchid Garden, but then you can wander among the pretty flowers for as long as you like.


Learn about Singapore's history

Joining a historic tour or visiting the Battlebox Museum is a good way to learn a bit about Singapore's history

We always believe it's important to learn some background history on a place we're visiting, even when it's sometimes a bit dark and depressing. This historic walking tour of Singapore is an excellent way to learn about the city's past, from the history of ancient Singapura and its 5 kings, right up to the Japanese invasion during WWII. Visiting the Battlebox command center was particularly interesting as this is where the British forces decided to surrender the city during the Battle of Singapore (a feat labeled by Winston Churchill as the “worst disaster” in British military history!) It's now a fascinating museum with informative displays.


Visit the world-famous Gardens by the Bay

Gardens by the Bay is one of the most beautiful and most popular attractions in Singapore, they're definitely a must-see though!

Without a doubt, one of the most famous and popular attractions in Singapore is the incredible Gardens by the Bay nature park. More than 50 million people visit the gardens each year, to marvel at the largest greenhouse in the world (the Flower Dome) and the 18 structures known as the Supertrees. There are actually three main garden areas, but the most famous is the Bay South Garden which is home to the Flower Dome, Cloud Forest and Supertree Grove. If you purchase a ticket to the Gardens by the Bay you'll have an entire day to visit all the different parts.


Feel like a kid at Universal Studios

If you like fun rides and movies like Jurassic Park or Waterworld, then you will love Universal Studios Singapore

If you grew up during the 1980s and 1990s (like us!) then you will be just as excited about the attractions at Singapore's Universal Studios as we were. Here you can immerse yourself in the worlds you discovered through classic movies like Jurassic Park and Waterworld or the TV shows Battlestar Galactica and Transformers. Of course, the rides are thrilling, whether you're ducking to avoid velociraptors or hurtling through the sky on the world's tallest dueling roller coasters. Fans of Shrek, Puss in Boots and the Minions from Despicable Me will also love meeting their favorite characters on this exciting day out.


See the city from a different perspective on a Duck Cruise

See Singapore from a different perspective on a DUCK amphibious vehicle tour

Since Singapore is built over many different islands, there are lots of waterways to explore. Instead of doing the usual river cruise or a walking tour of the city, we opted for something totally different: a Singapore Duck Tour! These take place in refurbished amphibious vehicles from WWII so you're able to see the city while driving along the roads and cruising on the water. You get to see all the famous landmarks like the Merlion statue, Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay and Singapore Flyer but from a completely different perspective. We found this to be one of the most fun and unique things we did in Singapore!


Enjoy the flavors of Singapore on a food tour

To learn about Singapore's multicultural heritage you can join a delicious food tour through three main neighbourhoods

Singapore is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world, which means there's a veritable smorgasbord of different cuisines for us greedy boys to try! We joined a food tour of Singapore which took us through very different parts of the city in order to sample a delicious mix of Malaysian, Chinese, and Indian cuisine. This is also a fun way to learn about the history of Singapore and how different cultures have influenced the city, but not just through food. We really enjoyed exploring the Malay Village, Chinatown and Little India neighborhoods, but, of course, we especially enjoyed all the tastings!


Visit Sentosa Island

There are so many fun things to see and do on Singapore's Sentosa Island, starting with the aerial cable car ride to get there

Even if you're not interested in Universal Studios, you should definitely spend some time exploring Singapore's Sentosa Island. While there are lots of resorts on the island there are also plenty of fun attractions like a Marine Life Park, a butterfly park, the Mega Adventure Park, the Wings of Time show (more on that in a bit), Madame Tussaud's and the tall ship Royal Albatross which was used as Bruce Wayne's private yacht in “The Dark Knight” film! The best way to get to Sentosa Island is via the Sentosa Cable Car which takes you across the harbor from Mount Faber with awesome aerial views.


Experience the stunning Wings of Time show

The Wings of Time show on Singapore's Sentosa Island is a dazzling spectacle not to be missed!

Speaking of Sentosa Island, one must-do activity on the island is the incredible Wings of Time show – the world's first permanent night show in the open sea! Tickets for the Wings of Time are surprisingly affordable, and once there you'll be treated to a dazzling display that tells the story of Shahbaz, a pre-historic bird-like creature. Using a 3D screen in the water along with lasers, pyrotechnics and fountains, this performance was like nothing we've ever seen before. The colors and effects were glorious, plus the story takes you all over the world through different time periods. It was absolutely amazing!


Before you go

We've put together some handy hints and tips to help you plan your own trip to Singapore. Read on to find out everything the gay traveler should know before they go.

Travel insurance: Even when traveling to Singapore, you can encounter problems like missed flights, cancellations, lost luggage or illness. We recommend all travelers make sure they never go anywhere without travel insurance. Our favorite is Heymondo Travel Insurance. They offer excellent comprehensive cover at affordable prices and it's easy to make a claim online when you need to.


How to get there: Since Singapore is built on a series of islands, the easiest way to get there is by flying into Changi Singapore International Airport. You can also reach Singapore from Malaysia or further afield (say from Thailand) via train, or even by sea if you're perhaps visiting on a cruise. We usually fly to Singapore and then book a private airport transfer with Welcome Pickups from Changi to our accommodation. This ensures there'll be an English-speaking driver waiting for us at the airport so we can go straight to our hotel without juggling luggage on public transport.


Visa requirements: Citizens from nearly 80% of all countries in the world can travel to Singapore for 30 or 90 days without needing a visa. If you're visiting from the United States, United Kingdom, any EU country, Australia and some other countries then you won't need a visa but you may need an electronic arrival card. Make sure you check your personal visa requirements and apply for a visa or electronic arrival card before you book anything!


Getting around: Singapore has an excellent Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) subway system for getting around the city. The subway is clean, efficient and affordable, with maps available at all stations. You can purchase an Ez-Link Card and add credit as you go – just like London's Oyster card. This card can be used on all subways and buses, even for getting from the airport to the city center.


Vaccinations: All travelers to Singapore should be up-to-date with routine vaccinations for measles, mumps, chickenpox etc. Most travelers should also be vaccinated against hepatitis A and typhoid. Depending on what you may be doing in Singapore then you might also need vaccines for rabies, yellow fever and hepatitis B. You can see the most recent health advice on the CDC website but make sure you also talk to your doctor before you travel.


Currency: The currency used in Singapore is the Singapore dollar, which uses the code SGD and is usually written as S$ to distinguish from other dollar currencies. Currently, $1 US converts to about S$1.39, €1 is worth about S$1.51 and £1 is around S$1.80.


Tipping culture: Singapore doesn't have a tipping culture so you generally don't need to tip at all, unless, perhaps, you're staying at a fancy hotel and want to tip the bellhop. Otherwise, tips are not expected and a service charge is usually automatically added to your bill at restaurants.


Internet access: You can get online throughout the city of Singapore by downloading the Wireless@SG app. You'll then be able to access free WiFi from places like MRT stations, Capitaland malls, most of the museums and libraries. If you think you're going to need a lot of bandwidth then you could also bring a portable WiFi device with you.


Online privacy: You won't have any problems accessing gay dating apps like Scruff or Grindr to meet up with gay locals in Singapore. If you want to keep your online activities private then we recommend using ExpressVPN. With ExpressVPN you can ensure your internet use is completely anonymous for an affordable price.


Accommodation: When looking for accommodation in Singapore we love using Booking.com because they have the best prices and so many choices. They also have excellent online customer support that's available 24/7 and many listings offer free cancellation if needed.


Sightseeing and adventure: There are plenty more fun things to see and do in Singapore beyond what we've listed in this guide. We use GetYourGuide to find fun activities when we're traveling because they also provide lots of choices, an easy-to-use online booking system and 24/7 customer support.


When to visit: Singapore experiences generally high heat and humidity year-round, so when you visit will probably be based on when you have holiday time or which events you'd like to experience. We do recommend avoiding going between May and September (May and June in particular) as it gets very smoggy and smoky due to clearing fires in nearby Sumatra.


Gay map of Singapore

We've made this gay map of Singapore with all the gay bars, clubs, hotels, restaurants and attractions we've talked about here, so you can more easily plan your own fabulous visit to Singapore.

Find all our favourite gay hotels, bars, clubs, restaurants and more on this gay map of Singapore

For more inspiration:

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Read our complete gay guide to Singapore with all the best things for LGBTQ travellers to do in this exciting city
Stefan Arestis

Hey everyone, I'm Stefan, the curly-haired Greek flavor behind the gay travel blog Nomadic Boys. Together with my other half, I have explored more than 90 countries across 5 continents. What I love most about traveling is discovering the local gay scene, making new friends, learning new cultures. I've written about LGBTQ travel in numerous online publications such as Gaycation Magazine, Gaycities, Gay Times and Pink News as well as for other non-gay-specific publications including Lonely Planet, The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Huffington Post. Check my full bio here.

Tuesday 6th of June 2017

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Thursday 23rd of March 2017

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OgreMagi

Wednesday 13th of April 2016

WTF??? You are encouraging Western Gays to visit a repressive uptight homophobic country that has torture as a major part of it's judicial system!That is a very irresponsible thing to do. This place deserves our scorn, not our tourist money

Nomadic boys

Wednesday 13th of April 2016

Hi Ogre, absolutely! We think this is so important. Surely going over there and supporting gay local business and the LGBT communities is going to be far more productive then arrogantly turning your back on them - not THAT is far far more irresponsible to your LGBT sistas out there no?!!!

Brendan

Friday 25th of March 2016

The Happy Snail Hostel you mention above are gay friendly? I am not too sure but something for sure this hostel is ageism, ableism and racism !! Below are what they mention on their booking website! *For safety reasons, we do not accept children below age of 10 years or seniors above the age of 50. *We do not accept online bookings from India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Philippines and Sri Lanka.

Nomadic boys

Saturday 26th of March 2016

Thanks for your message Brendan. We couldn't find reference to the racism aspect but definitely get it's not a kiddy friendly place. Did you find a good budget alternative you'd recommend please?

antonette

Monday 4th of January 2016

Great guide to gau friendliness in Singapore! I have a couple of gay friends who are considering going here in 2016 so I will definitely send them this link. All the best for 2016!!

Nomadic boys

Monday 4th of January 2016

Thanks Antonette :)