Singapore

Where to stay

Kampong Glam, centered on Arab Street and Haji Lane, has the densest cluster of budget hostels and is well-connected by the Bugis MRT station on the East-West and Downtown lines. Little India, around Tekka Market and Serangoon Road, is another reliable base with cheaper eats right outside the door.

Getting around

• Get an EZ-Link card at any MRT station on arrival. A tap-in, tap-out ride almost anywhere in the city costs just a couple of dollars, and buses use the same card.
• Eat at hawker centres rather than restaurants. Maxwell Food Centre in Chinatown and Tekka Market in Little India both have full meals for just a few dollars, and the food is genuinely good.
• The outdoor grounds at Gardens by the Bay, including the Supertree Grove and the waterfront path, are free to walk. Only the cooled conservatories cost money, so you can spend a couple of hours there without paying anything.

When to go

Hostels are cheapest and easiest to book in September and October. Prices climb in December and spike around Chinese New Year in January or February, when availability gets tight across the whole city.