10 Best Singapore Theme Parks and Rides

Universal Studios Singapore was the first amusement park of its kind to open in Southeast Asia. The park has more than 20 attractions in themed zones including the Lost World, Ancient Egypt, New York, Hollywood, Madagascar and Far Far Away. 

Top rides include Jurassic Park Rapids, Transformers 3D Battle and Revenge of The Mummy. Beyond the world-class rides, you can meet characters such as pesky Minions, Shrek, Pixar’s lovable ogre and even Frankenstein’s monster. Make sure you stay till the evening as the Lake Hollywood Spectacular fireworks display is a truly fitting end to your day of experiencing all the magic of the movies. Families with small children can also make the most of the various live shows, kids’ roller coaster and a merry-go-round too. Located on Sentosa, it's easy to get to Universal Studios by MRT subway.

Legoland Malaysia theme park is an ideal destination for travelling families, offering more than 70 thrilling rides, water slides, and live performances. There are 7 different areas within the park, appealing to kids of different ages. Toddlers will enjoy Duplo Playtown which features a kid-size city waiting to be explored. Older children enjoy the high-speed amusements in Lego Technic. There’s a rollercoaster and a workshop where budding engineers can build their own robots.

Do note that you will need to cross the border into Malaysia to visit Legoland. It’s located a few kilometres from Singapore, in the city of Johor Bahru. It will take you around 50 minutes to reach the theme park from downtown Singapore.  

Wild Wild Wet Singapore is one of the most popular waterparks in the country, promising an action-packed day of water-filled fun for the whole family. The waterpark has a good mix of adrenaline-filled slides as well as plenty of gentle flumes and pools to please family members of all ages.

Top rides at Wild Wild Wet Singapore include the crowd-favourite ‘Ular-Lah’ – the first whitewater rafting-inspired slide in Southeast Asia, as well as the ‘Shiok River’ that floats you along a gentle stream. There are many options for thrill-seekers and a good range of milder alternatives for tots and younger kids.

Also known as the Tiger Balm Gardens, Haw Par Villa is a theme park built around the heroes and legends of Chinese mythology. The park was built with the fortunes made by the Au brothers from the medicinal cure-all Tiger Balm and features a collection of vivid plaster and concrete figures.

These figures depict the stories of the famous Monkey God, as he makes his Journey to the West; the tragic love story of Lady White Snake; the Divine Maiden, a symbol of love and sacrifice; and the fearless hero Wu Song. There's also the grandiose Nine Dragon Wall and statues of the Laughing Buddha and the gods of Happiness, Wealth and Longevity.

The highlight of Haw Par Villa is undoubtedly the Ten Courts of Hell, which depict the various punishments suffered by men and women for sloth, indulgence, gambling, drinking and adultery. Later additions to Haw Par Villa include a roller-coaster boat ride and multimedia performances of Chinese legends and myths.

The most adrenalin-inducing activity in Singapore has got to be the G-Max Reverse Bungy, Singapore’s first ever bungy. Be launched skywards at 200 km per hour to a height of 60 metres for approximately 5 minutes; the experience is not unlike being an astronaut in a rocket launch. For a few extra dollars, riders can get a T-shirt and a DVD recording of themselves in action, taken by an onboard camera.

The Sentosa Skyline Luge & Skyride is one of the most exciting experiences you can have at Sentosa. The Skyride is an open-air cable-driven chairlift which offers incredible views of the island.

Then try the luge, a three-wheel go-kart, to whizz down a series of steep hills. You can enjoy the tree-top view of the nearby beaches before racing down any of the 4 different tracks, each measuring 650 metres, which starts near the Imbiah Lookout and ends at the Siloso Beach.

The Singapore Science Centre was created as a fun way to educate children on the wonders of science, and it's a great experience for the entire family. Here you'll find over 600 interactive exhibits, such as the Aviation Gallery which demonstrates the principles of flight and gives you an account of how man first explored the skies.

Don't miss the latest offering at the OmniMax Theatre, which offers 3-D IMAX movies on topics which have ranged from the Great Pyramids to great amusement park rides to life on the moon.

For those with questions about Singapore, there is no better place to learn about the history and future of the city than the Singapore Discovery Centre. The centre has been described as an art gallery, science museum and outdoor play area all in one and is a great half day out for younger children, with plenty of easy to understand interactive displays and just about enough to keep adults entertained as well. Located on Upper Jurong Road, it is around a ten-minute walk from Joo Koon MRT Station.

Meet the world’s largest Giant Observation Wheel – the Singapore Flyer. It is a one-of-a-kind experience in Asia. Built over a three-story terminal building, Singapore Flyer is 150 metres in diameter, 165 metres in height and travels at 0.21m per second. Each of its 28 city-bus-sized air-conditioned capsules can carry up to 28 passengers and a complete rotation of the wheel takes approximately 30 minutes.