Singapore Travel Guide

Highlights

Colonial district: monuments left over from the colonial days, Raffles Hotel, modern shopping malls and the popular Esplanade make this a popular district with tourists.

Chinatown: a great place to look for hawker food and enjoy a stroll through this more traditional part of the city. Don’t forget to take a break at a teahouse and learn to drink tea the Chinese way.

Sentosa Island: situated just off the south coast, this island offers a welcome retreat from the urban jungle, with beaches, museums, an aquarium and plenty of space for indulging in outdoor pursuits.

Riverfront and Fort Canning: these areas offer the Battle Box, the city’s WWII underground military complex; museums, temples and trendy quays that are packed with bars and restaurants.

Little India: home to the city’s Indian community, you could be forgiven for thinking you were in India once you set foot on Serangoon road. Take in the sights and smells while you shop for Bollywood DVDs and incense.

Recommended Itinerary

While a weekend is too short to get to grips with Singapore, most visitors find four days to a week enough time to see the main attractions.

Hit Orchard road for the shopping experience of a lifetime, cooling off with a stroll in the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Explore Chinatown’s temples before heading to the Colonial district to check out its museums, stopping off at Raffles for a sundowner on your way home.
Take in Little India’s cultural delights before a big night out along Club street.
Visit Sentosa Island for its aquarium, beaches and great outdoor activities.

Extra time
Take in a cultural performance at Esplanade Theaters on the Bay.
Swim with sharks at Underwater World.

Health and Safety

Harsh penalties for crimes, including fines for jaywalking, littering and smoking in public areas, ensure the island is kept safe and clean, with little in the way of pickpockets or car thieves to spoil your holiday. The heat can be intense, and tourists are recommended to drink plenty of water and slap on the sun cream. The food shouldn’t present you with any problems, with upset stomachs generally being the cause of overindulgence rather than poor hygiene.

Singapore Travel

Changi International Airport has repeatedly been voted as one of the world’s best airports, and offers a smooth entry point for visitors. Local commuters make use if the island’s automatic vehicle toll fee radar technology, which ensures the highways keep moving. However, a car is of little use here in a city that boasts a shiny, clean Mass Rapid Transportation (MRT) rail system that reaches all urban areas. Where the trains don’t go, buses do; and if you’re looking for convenience, taxis are surprisingly affordable.

Why Singapore?

What’s cool: Outstanding shopping, the lions and tigers at Singapore Zoological Gardens, spicy curries and colourful saris at Little India, taking tea at Chinatown, delicious and cheap hawker food, cultural performances at the Esplanade, swimming with sharks at Sentosa Island and sipping on a Singapore Sling at Raffels.

What’s not: Petty fines for everything from jaywalking to chewing gum, high humidity, overwhelming consumerism, McDonalds on every corner and expensive accommodation.

When To Go?

Resting on the equator, this is a city that you can rely on to be hot year-round. Along with the heat is the high level of humidity and even rainfall throughout the year. November to January sees the most rainfall, making this a less than ideal time to visit. May to July are the driest months and therefore this is a more suitable time to make a trip here.

Main festivals

The diverse ethnic mix of the population here ensures some lively festivals, and the Singaporeans niche for great organisation makes each occasion special.

January: Chinese New Year kicks of in Chinatown (Eu Tong Sen street) with colourful and noisy celebrations that include dragon dances.
February: Chingay is Singapore’s biggest street festival, held along Orchard road. Expect to see cultural performances, floats and flag bearers.
May: the Dragon Boat Festival’s boat races are held at East Coast Park in commemoration of a Chinese saint.
June: Singapore Arts Festival is organized by the National Arts Council every two years, with an interesting music, dance and art events programme.
July: Singapore National Day is a celebration of independence, with parades and fireworks livening things up.
July: the Great Singapore Sale attracts shopaholics from around the globe, who come to snap up the bargains, best found along Orchard road.

Activities

The city is designed to include plenty of spots for outdoor leisure pursuit, offering welcome retreats from the city centre. In addition, Singapore is host to many cultural events and activities.

Swimming and sunbathing: imported sand ensures the perfect beach environment at Sentosa Island, while the quieter beaches at Pulau Ubin will appeal to those looking to get away from it all.

Daytrips: Sentosa Island, Jurong Bird Park, Singapore Zoological Gardens and the Night Safari are popular daytrip destinations and suitable for the whole family.

Shopping: with the focus leaning on Orchard road’s mega-malls, the city is famous for its extensive shopping, with Chinatown and Little India also being good places to browse for a bargain.

Sipping Singapore slings: head for the Long Bar at Raffles Hotel and sip on a Singapore Sling in the same seats that were once warmed by the likes of Somerset Maugham, Joseph Conrad and Rudyard Kipling.

Golfing: with a good selection of 18-hole courses, golf enthusiasts can practice their swing at some of the city’s exclusive clubs.

Having a massage: the perfect way to unwind after shopping, Singapore has dozens of outlets practicing reflexology, massage and spa treatments.

Visiting museums: from museums on Asian history and heritage to the Changi Prison Museum and the Singapore Art Museum, the city has a lot to offer as a cultural centre.

Food and Hospitality

Offering virtually every cuisine imaginable, the focus in Singapore is on Asian delights, with Malay, Indian and Chinese food featuring prominently. While accommodation is notoriously expensive here, eating out can be excellent value for money, with cheap and lively hawker markets dotted around the city. With the city’s excellent transport infrastructure, you can stay anywhere on the island, with Chinatown and Little India offering atmospheric lodgings that won’t break the bank; however, if you do have money to spare, a night at Raffles Hotel is a night to remember, all being you have brought suitable attire with you!