Too broke for a staycation this holiday?

Bring vacation vibes closer to you by planning a staycation in Singapore. Here are five tips for a fun and wallet-friendly stay, plus recommendations to help you make the most of your year-end “getaway”. 

1. Book hotel rooms early and compare prices among websites 

Hotel room prices in Singapore can skyrocket the closer you get to the date of the stay. Booking weeks or months in advance is one of the easiest ways to save. You may even consider booking a room months in advance if the hotel offers free cancellation, and cancel later if you change your mind. 

As everyone knows, the year-end period is always a peak travel period and hotels will raise their room rates due to the demand. 

Before you hit “book”, be sure to compare prices across different websites, including the hotel’s own website. Hotel rates can vary, and you might find a deal that saves you more than $20 a night. 

2. Use discounts

Promotions on booking sites are common, whether you are purchasing tickets for attractions or hotel rooms. Since the holiday season is around the corner, look out for year-end promotions. 

For instance, a recent 11.11 offer on Trip.com had one-for-one tickets, valid till Dec 31, to Adventure Cove Waterpark in Sentosa.

You can also take advantage of membership offers – some chalets can be rented at cheaper rates if you have a membership or are a full-time national serviceman (NSF).

Mr Zikry Kamsani, 22, an NSF, paid only $315 instead of the original $430 per night when he booked a chalet at The Chevrons in 2023, using the NSF discount rate.

“Serving for two years with limited allowance and personal time can be challenging, so taking advantage of benefits like this is a great opportunity,” he said. 

He had about 20 guests for the birthday party he held, and they were able to utilise the pool, barbecue pit and kitchenette, which were included in the price of the chalet. Mr Zikry said he found out about the offer via the NSF intranet.

3. Opt for cheaper alternatives

“With inflation, hotel prices are rising, so fewer people are choosing to go for staycations in Singapore,” said a spokesperson for travel agency VTL Travel. 

To beat inflation, you can opt for other locations this school holiday. 

For example, try glamping. You can get a free camping permit if you book at least two weeks in advance via the National Parks Board (NParks) website at beta.nparks.gov.sg 

If you don’t already have camping gear, you can purchase it at stores like Decathlon, where a tent for four costs about $90. That’s only about $22.50 per person, plus you can reuse it for future outings. 

Glam up your tent by grabbing some pillows from home or hanging up fairy lights. Camp for just a few hours with your friends and watch the sunset by the beach, or have an outdoor sleepover. 

There are also pre-decorated glamping tents you can rent at places like East Coast Park and Changi Jewel. At Glamping City, $289 a night can get you a tent that can accommodate six people, with three queen beds.

Set up your tents at East Coast Park or Pasir Ris Park, or take a 10-minute boat ride for $4 per person each way to camp at Pulau Ubin.

Chalets, on the other hand, may be cheaper and more practical for bigger groups. Prices at places such as the National Service Resort & Country Club and Civil Service Club at Changi typically start from $135 a night for a bungalow, which usually fits about 20 people in the day and has eight beds for an overnight stay.

If you split the costs among your friends, each person has to chip in only less than $20. 

4. Save on food and activities

If you still prefer your bathtubs and hotel bedspreads, try keeping a lid on your budget for food and activities instead.

Go for a barbecue or outdoor cooking. Barbecue pits at places such as Labrador Nature Reserve or Changi Beach Park can be rented via the NParks website for between $12 and $20, depending on the location.

A barbecue party allows you to not only play music on your speakers as you strike up conversations with your friends, but also cook and enjoy grilled food at less than $20 a person.

Ms Toco Angelu, 19, a Nanyang Polytechnic student who frequently hosts barbecues at the pits near her void deck in Ang Mo Kio, said: “It’s convenient, plus I only have to pay about $20 for the booking fee.” She usually spends at least $100 on food for about 10 to 15 people.

As for activities, there are more free and affordable activities you can do in Singapore with your friends than you think.

For instance, you can hop on a ferry with them to any of the four Southern Islands – St John’s, Lazarus, Kusu and Sisters’ Island – for just $18 per person. Reconnect with nature and walk across the floating boardwalk at the revamped Sisters’ Island, where you can view corals and fishes, or laze at the sandy beach of Lazarus Island.

Prefer to stay indoors? Try museum hopping, since entry to most museums is free for Singapore citizens and permanent residents. Visit the National Gallery at City Hall, which holds more than 9,000 works of art, or pop into more niche museums like the Air Force Museum or Singapore Sports Museum at the Sports Hub in Kallang. 

5. Daycation

If all that still doesn’t sit right, and you are looking for a comfortable, air-conditioned spot to hang out with your friends during the day without splurging for a hotel room overnight, consider daycation hotels, which charge by the hour and are a great way to save, since you pay only a fraction of the price of a typical room. 

We recommend booking a four-hour slot, which gives you just enough time to unwind and catch up with your friends. Daycation hotels are available on booking sites like dayuse.sg

You can also book private hangout rooms, which are available in many places nowadays. Starting from $6 a person an hour, you and your friends can enjoy a mini movie night at one of the outlets in Hideout Place, or play board or video games while cuddling with cats in Me Cafe & Games at Orchard Gateway.

Keep these tips in mind, and you might just be able to enjoy the perfect getaway with your friends this holiday, without shelling out too much. The more friends you take along, the more you can split the costs and save.