For newlyweds, the honeymoon is always something to look forward to, and there is no shortage of places trying to get your attention. Two of the most praised destinations are Singapore and Bali, leaving many couples asking which one of the two is the best for their honeymoon.
How do I decide? You start by understanding how truly different these places can be. The only main commonality they share is where they are located, which is in Asia. Aside from this, the choice boils down to what you are planning on doing and where you are staying during your honeymoon. Are you wanting a more rural area, or are you looking forward to seeing more metropolitan areas.
Below, we will go over the key differences between the two, as they really make a difference when it comes to tourist activities and even your wallet.
Singapore
Singapore is one of the most famous city-states. Meaning that although a city, it has the full right and power to govern itself and its citizens, without any interference from outside governments. The infrastructure is best in class and it’s probably one of the cleanest cities you’ll ever visit. Although a metropolitan international business hub with skyscrapers to match, you’ll also be able to enjoy theme parks, unique dinners, a plethora of shopping, beaches, and of course the famous Botanic Gardens.
Things For Newlyweds To Do In Singapore
As we said, there isn’t a shortage of activities in Singapore, but we will list out some of the best activities suited for newlyweds.
- Photography Shoot: You should consider immortalizing your honeymoon in Singapore with a professional photography shoot. You can often find good photographers on Airbnb Experiences and Dovetails. A local photographer typically also doubles as a tour guide. It’s great! If you cannot fit a professional shoot into your budget or schedule, do your own! Here are some of the tools we use when we do our own shots.
- Cable Car Dining: You are able to get the best of both worlds when it comes to sight-seeing and fine-dining. You will enjoy your meal 328 feet above sea level at Faber Peak. You will walk on a red carpet before getting inside your private cabin, and you’ll be in the air for 90 minutes.
- Private Tours: You will undoubtedly want some alone time with your new spouse, but might be overwhelmed by your surroundings enough to seem lost. Luckily, you have the option of purchasing a private tour. Here, you will have your own private chauffeur to pick you up and drop you off at whatever destination you choose. They even list off suggestions of places depending on what kind of mood you are in.
- Tour Sentosa: This sandy coast-line is only 15 minutes away from the city, and it takes all day for you to properly explore. You will be picked up early at your hotel before spending the next 7 hours doing various activities such as cable cars and lunge rides.
- Night Safari: If you’re a nature lover, then this definitely needs to be on your list. Their safari is home to over 1,000 animals from 115 different species, with each one of them being nocturnal. This means that you are sure to see these animals go about their nightly routine while being guided by illuminated pathways throughout the safari. You can even watch spotted fishing cats do their work before getting face to face with a leopard behind a glass panel.
To see even more activities that you can do in Singapore, check out this blog post.
What Is A Good Budget For A Honeymoon In Singapore?
A regular tourist could look to spend anywhere from $50-$65 USD a day. With it being a honeymoon, you may want to splurge more on certain activities and fancy dinners. If that’s the case, plan to spend around $85-$150 USD a day.
To budget for the trip, figure out what you want to do and where you want to sleep. You can cut costs on your accommodations by using points or doing what we call nice and nicer. This is simply using the high/low tactic. For instance, staying at a nice Airbnb for a portion of the trip and then spending a few days at a really nice hotel. Or staying at a nice hotel the entire trip but doing some nights in a regular room and others in a more lavish suite. Price points will range depending on the time of your trip. To see the current Airbnb options and price ranges click here. To see a listing of hotels, click here. And here are some other suggestions to experience luxe for less.
Bali
I’ve never met anyone who has visited Bali who doesn’t love Bali! It has a little bit of everything. You will find many metropolitan areas, as well as more rural and secluded ones. This also means that hiking and beach trips are available, while you can find beaches in Singapore, they aren’t as plentiful as Bali. The economy of Bali is suited more towards tourists, meaning there are a plethora of activities to do while you’re there.
Here you will find temples on mountain ranges, as well as many retreats. With their economy being tourist-based, there are certain areas of the country that many would deem to have 3rd world conditions. This may include things such as poor infrastructure that affects roads and transport. This also means that spending time in Bali would only cost you a fraction of what it would if you went to Singapore.
Things For Newlyweds To Do In Bali
You have a diverse set of choices to choose from here, and many of the activities bring in entirely new surroundings.
- Dine At Jimerian Beach: Here, you and your loved one can dine exclusively on the Jimerian Beach with the sand between your toes. Depending on when you schedule your romantic meal, there is always a chance that you will be serenaded by local buskers.
- Go Quad Biking Or Rafting: Like Singapore’s Night Safari, this is geared more towards the outdoor couples. You will be picked up from your hotel before ripping along the mud trails in the Bali jungle. Be prepared to get dirty and before washing off in the rapids of Bali’s most popular river.
- Hike To Kintamani Temple: Not only can you hike to this active volcano, but you can also eat a delicious meal at the temple overlooking it. On your way back from the volcano, you are able to see how Bali makes their infamous coffee up close.
- Snorkel and Scuba Dive: You have plenty of places to snorkel or scuba in Bali, enough to where it’s almost a shame to not try it while you’re visiting. Many of the scuba agencies take snorkelers and scuba divers of all experience levels. I enjoyed snorkeling in Bali and I’m definitely not the greatest swimmer.
- Watch The Dolphins: Your best bet for watching the dolphins is by heading over to Lovina, where the majority of them are found. There are many packages to choose from that include separate activities that you can do with the dolphin.
What Is A Good Budget For A Honeymoon In Bali?
You can experience luxury for a fraction of the price in Bali than in Singapore or many other places for that matter. You can spend as little as $50 USD a day here while eating delicious meals and indulging in massages every day. Although, it is quite possible to spend more depending on what activities you have planned for the week. Bali has many luxury hotels to choose from but an often cheaper and equally luxurious option is staying at a private villa.
Conclusion
Both Singapore and Bali are great cities and nice places to vacation and honeymoon in. If you want a mix of city and beach and/or need all the comforts of the West then I’d lean towards Singapore. But if beaches and affordable luxury and pampering are more of the vibe that you want then I would lean towards Bali.
If you are still torn, do both! You may be able to get a flight that has a stopover in Singapore. If that is cost-effective, considering just buying another flight. The flight time between the cities is less than 3 hours and typically costs under $200 USD.
Let us know where you decide to go in the comments. Happy Travels!
