Long weekends from Singapore without flying: ferry, coach and RTS trips
Johor Bahru, Batam, Bintan and Melaka are all reachable by land or sea. How long each takes, when to go, and which long weekends suit them.
| Destination | Getting there | Min. trip | Budget | Best months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johor Bahru Malaysia | RTS Link 5 min from Woodlands North (RTS Link) | 1 day | $$$ | Jan–Oct |
| Batam Indonesia | Ferry 1h from HarbourFront or Tanah Merah | 2 days | $$$ | Mar–Oct |
| Bintan Indonesia | Ferry 1h from Tanah Merah | 2 days | $$$ | Mar–Oct |
| Melaka Malaysia | Coach 4h from several SG pick-up points | 2 days | $$$ | Jan–Mar, Jun–Aug |
Why skip the flight
For a two- or three-day break, the airport can eat half a day. A ferry or coach trip starts closer to home and needs less time at either end, so more of the weekend is spent there. These are also the cheapest trips on our list: three of the four are in our lowest budget band. And because none of them needs more than two days, they work on every long weekend, even the midweek ones.
Johor Bahru
Across the Causeway for food crawls, malls and family days out at Legoland Malaysia. The RTS Link from Woodlands North to Bukit Chagar is due to open in February 2027, subject to final safety approvals, and will cut the crossing to minutes. Until then it’s the Causeway by bus or car, or the KTM Shuttle Tebrau from Woodlands to JB Sentral, which runs for up to six months after the RTS Link opens.
JB is the one hop that works as a day trip, so it suits the midweek holidays, like Hari Raya Puasa on a Wednesday and Deepavali 2027 on a Thursday. Johor shares most of Singapore’s holidays, though, so expect the Causeway to jam on the eve of a long weekend.
Best upcoming long weekends for Johor Bahru
- Fri 26 – Sun 28 Mar 2027Good Friday3 days off · no leaveGood weather that monthNo leave needed
- Sat 7 – Mon 9 Aug 2027National Day3 days off · no leaveGood weather that monthNo leave needed
- Sat 6 – Mon 8 Feb 2027Chinese New Year3 days off · no leaveGood weather that monthNo leave neededAlso a holiday in Malaysia, so book early
Batam
About an hour by ferry from HarbourFront or Tanah Merah, with several terminals around the island. It’s the budget pick: seafood dinners on stilts over the water, cheap massages and spa days, and resort stays at Nongsa. Two days is the sweet spot, though it also works as a long day trip.
Best upcoming long weekends for Batam
- Sat 7 – Mon 9 Aug 2027National Day3 days off · no leave · #2 pick, trip planGood weather that monthNo leave needed
- Fri 26 – Sun 28 Mar 2027Good Friday3 days off · no leaveGood weather that monthNo leave neededAlso a holiday in Indonesia, so book early
- Sat 15 – Mon 17 May 2027Hari Raya Haji & Vesak Day3 days off · no leave · #2 pick, trip planGood weather that monthNo leave neededAlso a holiday in Indonesia, so book early
Bintan
Also about an hour by ferry, from Tanah Merah, but a different kind of weekend: all-inclusive resorts at Lagoi Bay, mangrove kayaking and ATV trails, and big seafront villas for groups and families. Plan on at least two days. Torn between the islands? Read Batam or Bintan.
Best upcoming long weekends for Bintan
- Sat 7 – Mon 9 Aug 2027National Day3 days off · no leave · #3 pick, trip planGood weather that monthNo leave needed
- Fri 26 – Sun 28 Mar 2027Good Friday3 days off · no leaveGood weather that monthNo leave neededAlso a holiday in Indonesia, so book early
- Sat 15 – Mon 17 May 2027Hari Raya Haji & Vesak Day3 days off · no leave · #3 pick, trip planGood weather that monthNo leave neededAlso a holiday in Indonesia, so book early
Melaka
About four hours by coach, with pick-ups around Singapore. Heritage shophouses and Peranakan museums, chicken rice balls and cendol, and the Jonker Street night market at weekends. Give it two days: the coach makes a day trip a long one.
Best upcoming long weekends for Melaka
- Fri 26 – Sun 28 Mar 2027Good Friday3 days off · no leaveGood weather that monthNo leave needed
- Sat 7 – Mon 9 Aug 2027National Day3 days off · no leaveGood weather that monthNo leave needed
- Sat 6 – Mon 8 Feb 2027Chinese New Year3 days off · no leaveGood weather that monthNo leave neededAlso a holiday in Malaysia, so book early
Before you go
- Take your passport. All four are international trips, with immigration on both sides.
- Check the arrival card rules. Malaysia and Indonesia both run online arrival cards, and whether you need one depends on your passport. Use the official government sites: lookalike sites charge a fee.
- Book ferries and coaches early for long weekends. Departures on the eve fill first, and coaches can be held up at the Causeway.
- Sort your data. An eSIM or a roaming add-on means maps work the moment you arrive.
Questions
Where can I go from Singapore without flying?
Johor Bahru, Batam, Bintan and Melaka. Johor Bahru is across the Causeway (and soon the RTS Link), Batam and Bintan are about an hour by ferry, and Melaka is about four hours by coach.
Can I do Batam as a day trip?
Yes. The ferry takes about an hour each way, so a seafood-and-massage day trip works. For a resort stay, give it a night or two.
How long is the coach from Singapore to Melaka?
About four hours each way, and longer if the Causeway is jammed, which is likely on the eve of a long weekend.
Holiday dates come from MOM's gazetted list, and the leave maths and rankings are worked out the same way as on our long-weekend pages. Updated 17 Oct 2026.