With growing consumer demands and airlines offering competitive pricing for airplane tickets, it is not surprising that Singaporeans are jetting off for a short holiday every now and then.

Long weekends are the best for short trips to a neighbouring country and it is never too early to start planning! The release of 2018′s long weekends by the Ministry of Manpower had most Singaporeans groaning in dismay that there will only be four official long weekends next year.

In this guide, we share with you the best places to go during the four official long weekends in Singapore and how you can plan your off days to extend the number of long weekends in 2018.

OVERVIEW OF SINGAPORE’S LONG WEEKENDS IN 2018

#1 New Year – 31 Dec 2017 to 01 Jan 2018 (Sat to Mon)
#2 Chinese New Year – 16 Feb 2018 to 18 Feb 2017 (Fri to Sun)
#3 Good Friday – 30 Mar to 01 Apr (Fri to Sun)
#4 Hari Raya Puasa – 15 June to 17 June (Fri to Sun)

#1 NEW YEAR – BALI

Join in the most happening parties in Bali during the annual countdown! Kuta beach is where most people who are traveling to Bali would be spending their New Year’s Eve and the place is so popular that the police would even organise road closures just to accommodate the crowd.

If you are keen to know what more Bali has to offer, read our destination guide here.

#2 CHINESE NEW YEAR - BANGKOK

One of the most talked about events lately is the banning of Bangkok’s street food stalls. Although we love Bangkok for its wonderful street food and night markets, there is actually more to do in Bangkok than that.

The city boasts amazing rooftop bars, cheap massage parlours and who can forget about the fantastic retail experience too? If you are into cafe hopping, here is the ultimate guide to 28 Best Bangkok Cafes—ranging from popular cafes to up-and-coming concept coffee shops.

#3 GOOD FRIDAY – HONG KONG

There is something for everyone in Hong Kong and the attractions are never-ending. Hike up Victoria Peak and be rewarded with a panoramic view of Hong Kong; spam pictures at Avenue of Stars; visit the museums and more.

Then there is also the dim sum, roast goose, egg tarts, pineapple buns…

#4 HARI RAYA PUASA – BINTAN

It is always a good idea to take a break in the middle of the year and recharge. If you are looking for somewhere you can laze your days away, Bintan is where you should be heading to.

Just looking at pictures of the pristine beaches is enough to tempt us into booking that air ticket right now. Those who are adventurous enough can also try out surfing, riding an ATV and dip into the sea for a snorkeling session with your friends.

WHEN TO TAKE LEAVE TO MAKE IT A LONG WEEKEND

Before you despair that we only have four long weekends in 2018, we would just like to highlight that four other public holidays fall on Tuesdays and one on Thursday. These are the public holidays days you can plan to take a day off before or after to make it a long weekend:

#1 Labour Day (01 May 2018, Tuesday)
#2 Vesak Day (29 May 2018, Tuesday)
#3 National Day (09 Aug 2018, Thursday)
#4 Deepavali (06 Nov 2018, Tuesday)
#5 Christmas (25 Dec 2018, Tuesday)