Singapore in May 2024 – Things To Do, Festivals, Events & Weather
May is the quiet month before travel picks up next month. There are 2 public holidays in May: Labour Day on 1 May 2024, and Vesak Day on 22 May 2024. During these two holidays, a number of locals would be traveling overseas, so you can expect a slightly quieter crowd in Singapore.
Besides the above official public holidays, there is an unofficial holiday and that is Mother’s Day on 12 May 2024. Hotels and restaurants will be offering Mother’s Day-themed promotions. Hence, restaurants will be quite busy during the Mother’s Day weekend.
Since May is a shoulder season, you can expect lower prices for hotels this month, compared to the upcoming June and July holiday season.
May is a hot month in terms of temperature. If you’re doing a lot of outdoor activities, don’t forget to wear sunscreen. Also, do wear breathable clothing.
Singapore’s Weather in May
May is the Inter-Monsoon Period in Singapore. During this time, there will be frequent (and at times severe) thunderstorms in the afternoon and early evening. Despite the thunderstorms, the afternoon temperature will be pretty hot, with maximum temperature above 32°C.
Based on historical data between 1991 to 2020, it rains 15 days out of 31 days. So, it will rain 48% of the month.
I recommend that you bookmark Singapore’s weather website, which is a very useful website to see current rain area & intensity, and to check the rain forecast for the next 4 days.
Most of the rains have pretty short duration. So you don’t have to cancel your plan if the forecast is rain. Just bring foldable umbrella if you’re planning to explore the outdoors.
May’s temperature hovers between 25.7 to 32.3 degrees Celsius (78.3 to 90.1 degrees Fahrenheit). Generally, the temperature in Singapore doesn’t differ much from month to month.
In May, the sun rises between 6.57am (1 May) to 6.56am (31 May) and sunset occurs between 7.06pm (1 May) to 7.07pm (31 May).
Things to do in Singapore in May 2024
1. Tulipmania
From 29 April to 26 May 2024, Flower Dome will be adorned with hundreds of tulips. This year is the tenth edition of Tulipmania, the first edition was in 2013.
The colorful tulips are set in a landscape that showcases the charming tulip farms in the Netherlands, including some iconic landmarks, such as wind turbine, traditional Dutch windmill, thatched roof farmhouses, as well as traditional tulip fields where tulips are uniformly planted in rows of singular colour.
Don’t miss out KLM Delft House. Here, there is a display of about a hundred miniature Delft houses in the Netherlands.
If you have an eye for detail, challenge yourself to KLM Delft House Game where you’ll need to match the photo given and the miniature houses. Simply scan the QR code provided, match the houses and fill in your details to win aa pair of round-trip tickets to Amsterdam.
Date: 29 April to 26 May 2024
Admission: From S$18 onwards (include Cloud Forest)
Venue: Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay
Address: 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018953
2. Borealis
Borealis is a new immersive light and sound show which debuted in May 2024. The show takes place at Supertree Grove.
Created by Switzerland-based Dan Acher, this show is the artist’s attempt to recreate Aurora Borealis, the northern lights often found in the northern hemisphere, by combining art and technology.
Here is the schedule:
| Day | Time |
|---|---|
| Every Mondays | 8.00pm to 8.30pm |
| Every Saturdays & Sundays | 9.00pm – 9.30pm |
The usual Garden Rhapsody light show at Supertree Grove remains at 7.45pm and 8.45pm daily. Do catch both shows if you can!
Date: From 5 May 2024
Admission: Free
Venue: Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay
Address: 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018953 (location on map)
3. Orchids of Angkor Wat
Orchids of Angkor Wat is a specially-curated exhibition showcasing various orchids that are native to Cambodia and the ancient Khmer Empire.
Inspired by the temple of Angkor Wat, the exhibition takes place from 17 May to 8 Sep 2024 at Orchid Haven, which is located at Level 1 of the Cloud Forest, Gardens by the Bay.
Date: 17 May 2024 to 8 September 2024
Admission: From S$18 onwards (include Flower Dome)
Venue: Orchid Haven, Cloud Forest at Gardens by the Bay
Address: 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018953 (location on map)
4. Vesak Day Procession at Kong Meng San Temple
Vesak Day is an important day in Buddhist community. If you’d like to participate the Vesak Day celebration, head to Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, the largest Buddhist temple in Singapore.
The main highlight of the Vesak Day celebration is the 3 Steps 1 Bow Ceremony which starts at 5pm on 21 May 2024 and ends at 7am on 22 May 2024. Interested participants need to obtain tickets in advance. However, non-participants are welcome to watch the procession.
If staying up at night is not right up your alley, you can visit the temple during the Vesak Day itself on 22 May 2024. There will be tons of activities to take part in, such as Bathing of Prince Siddhartha, offering of flowers and lights, Vesak Fair, and many other activities.
Date: 22 May 2024
Admission: Free
Venue: Kong Meng San Phor Kark See
Address: 88 Bright Hill Road Singapore 574117 (location on map)
5. Hamilton
Fan of musicals, get ready for Hamilton, a popular American musical that tells the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton.
Featuring a blend of hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, Hamilton has created a revolutionary moment in theatre and has caused big impact in culture, politics, and education.
This Tony, Grammy, Olivier & Pulitzer Award winning musical now performs in Singapore from 19 April to 9 June 2024 at Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands. Ticket starts from S$84 onwards.
Date: 19 April to 9 June 2024
Admission: From S$84 onwards
Venue: Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands
Address: 10 Bayfront Avenue Singapore 018956 (location on map)
6. Children’s Festival
Children’s Festival returns for the 10th edition this year at Supertree Grove, Gardens by the Bay, from 25 May to 22 June 2024.
This year’s edition has Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2-themed outdoor carnival with interactive installations. Most of the activities are free!
The interactive installations feature the characters from Inside Out 2 – including Joy, Anger, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, Anxiety, Envy, Ennui and Embarrassment – which help kids get familiar with their emotions and feelings through play.
Date: 25 May to 22 June 2024, 10am to 9pm
Admission: Free (Charges apply for selected activities)
Venue: Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay
Address: 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018953 (location on map)
7. Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience
Are you a Harry Potter fan? If you are, you don’t want to miss Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience!
Set along the Coastal Trail at Sentosa is a forbidden forest inspired by the Wizarding World where you can meet magical creatures from the Harry Potter™ and the Fantastic Beasts™ films, such as Hippogriffs, Unicorns, Nifflers, and more.
You can also use your wand to cast spells (or conjure a Patronus), savor delicious food and beverages, capture magical memories and take part in various interactive activities.
Date: 3 Feb 2024 to 19 May 2024, 7.45pm – 11.15pm
Admission: From S$44
Location: Coastal Trail, Sentosa
What else to do in Singapore
If you haven’t yet, I highly recommend that you read my guide on the best things to do in Singapore. In that article, you’ll find 60+ ideas to make your trip to Singapore a memorable one.
If you have any questions about traveling in Singapore, join All About Singapore Travel Facebook group and post your questions there to get a faster response from me and other members.
