Singapore
Discover Singapore
Singapore (Chinese: 新加坡; Malay: Singapura; Tamil: சிங்கப்பூர்) is a city-state in Southeast Asia. Modern Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819, and since independence, it has become one of the world's most prosperous countries and boasts one of the world's busiest ports. Singaporean food is legendary, with bustling hawker centres and 24-hour coffee shops offering affordable food from all parts of Asia. Combining the skyscrapers and shopping malls of an affluent modern city with a medley of different Asian cultures and a tropical climate, good shopping and a vibrant nightlife scene, this Garden City makes a great stopover or springboard into the region. The country has a partly deserved reputation for its sterile predictability. Nevertheless, the "Switzerland of Asia" is for many a welcome respite from the chaos, dirt and poverty of much of the rest of Southeast Asia. If you scratch below the squeaky clean surface and get away from the tourist trail you'll soon find more than meets the eye in one of the few remaining city-states in the world.
What to Experience in Singapore
Taste of Singapore...
Singapore is a melting pot of cuisines from around the world, and many Singaporeans are obsessive gourmands who love to makan ("eat" in Malay). You will find quality Chinese, Malay, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Italian, French, British, American and other food in this city-state. Eating habits run the gamut, but most foods are eaten by fork and spoon: push and cut with the fork in the left hand, and eat with the spoon in the right. Noodles and Chinese dishes typically come with chopsticks, while Malay and Indian food can be eaten by hand, but nobody will blink an eye if you ask for a fork and spoon instead. If eating by hand, use only your right hand to handle your food, as Malays and Indians traditionally use their left hand to handle dirty things. Take note of the usual traditional Chinese etiquette when using chopsticks, and most importantly, do not stick your chopsticks vertically into a bowl of rice. If eating in a group, serving dishes are always shared, but you'll get your own bowl of rice and soup. It's common to use your own chopsticks to pick up food from communal plates, but serving spoons can be provided on request. When eating at Western restaurants, traditional European dining etiquette generally applies. Keep an eye out for the Singapore Food Festival, held every year in July. Singapore is justly famous for its food, a unique mix of Malay, Chinese, Indian and Western elements. The following is only a brief sampler of the most popular dishes.
Culture & Religion
Culture
On the cultural side of things, Singapore has been trying to shake off its boring, buttoned-down reputation and attract more artists and performances. The star in Singapore's cultural sky is the Esplanade theatre in Marina Bay, a world-class facility for performing arts and a frequent stage for the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. For traditional Chinese music, its counterpart is the Singapore Chinese Orchestra. Most any big-ticket musician or band touring Asia will perform in Singapore, see Ticketle for a one-stop shop listing of upcoming events. In May or June, don't miss the yearly Singapore International Festival of Arts (formerly the Singapore Arts Festival), featuring a programme of art exhibitions/performances and artist conversations over several weeks. Advance tickets for almost any cultural event can be purchased from SISTIC, either on-line or from any of their numerous ticketing outlets, including the Singapore Visitor Centre on Orchard Rd.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Singapore into what it is today.
The first mentions of Singapore in historical records date back to the second and third centuries, in Greek and Chinese texts. According to legend, Srivijayan prince Sang Nila Utama landed on the island in the 13th century and, catching sight of a strange creature that he thought was a lion, decided to found a new city he called Singapura, Sanskrit for Lion City. Alas, there have never been any lions anywhere near Singapore or elsewhere in Malaya, so the mysterious beast was more probably a tiger or wild boar. Other records indicate that the island was settled earlier and was an important port for various kingdoms for centuries. However, Portuguese raiders destroyed the settlement in 1613 and Singapura faded into obscurity. The story of Singapore as we know it today began in 1819, when Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles made a deal with a claimant to the throne of the Sultanate of Johor: the British would support his claim in exchange for the right to set up a trading post on the island. Though the Dutch initially protested, an Anglo-Dutch treaty was signed in 1824 separating the Malay world into British and Dutch spheres of influence (resulting in the current Malaysia-Indonesia and Singapore-Indonesia borders). The Dutch renounced their claim to Singapore and ceded their colony in Malacca to the British, in exchange for the British ceding their colonies on Sumatra to the Dutch. Raffles' master stroke was to declare Singapore a free port, with no duties charged on trade....
Festivals & Events
Experience the vibrant festivals and cultural celebrations of Singapore.
Singapore holds numerous events each year. Some of its famous festivals and events include the Singapore Food Festival, the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix, the Singapore Arts Festival, the Chingay Parade, the World Gourmet Summit and ZoukOut. Christmas is also widely celebrated in Singapore, a season where the city streets and shopping malls along its famous shopping belt, Orchard Road, are lit up and decorated in vibrant colours. In addition, the Singapore Jewel Festival attracts numerous tourists every year, and is a display of precious gems, famous jewels and masterpieces from international jewellers and designers. Malay is enshrined in the constitution as the "national language", but in practice, the most common language is English, the primary language for half the population and spoken by almost every non-elderly Singaporean with varying degrees of fluency.
Climate
As Singapore is 1°17' north of the Equator, its tropical weather is usually sunny with little in the way of distinct seasons. Rain falls almost daily throughout the year, usually in sudden, heavy showers that rarely last longer than an hour. However, most rainfall occurs during the northeast monsoon (November to January), occasionally featuring lengthy spells of continuous rain. Spectacular thunderstorms can occur throughout the year, any time during the day, so it's wise to carry an umbrella at all times, both as a shade from the sun and a cover from the rain. Between May and October, forest fires in neighbouring Sumatra can also cause dense haze, although this is unpredictable and comes and goes rapidly: check with the National Environment Agency for up-to-date conditions. Singapore's lowest temperature ever was 19.4 °C (66.9 °F), recorded in 1934, with its highest temperature ever being 37 °C (99 °F), recorded in 2023.
Essential Information
Best Time to Visit
Year Roundideal time to visit, many smaller shops and eateries are closed for 2–3 days during the period, though convenience stores like 7-Eleven, supermarkets, department stores, cinemas, fast-food restaurants and high end restaurants will remain open....
Getting There
Multiple OptionsAll visitors to Singapore must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months from their date of arrival. Citizens of Australia, the European Union, New Zealand, Norway, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland the United Kingdom and the United States do not need a visa for stays of 90 days or less. Holders of a valid APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) may visit Singapore for up to 60 days without a visa. Citizens of most other countries can stay without a visa for 30 days or less, so that's the case if your country is not named here....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Getting around Singapore is easy: the public transport network is extremely easy to use, affordable, and covers populated areas extensively. Furthermore, taxis/rideshares are reasonably priced and easy to hail via apps. CityMapper Singapore, Google Maps, and Apple Maps are all capable of figuring out the fastest route by rail and bus and even estimating taxi/rideshare fares between any two points. Fares are charged based on distance and mode of transport. The easiest way to pay for all public transport is to use a contactless Visa, Mastercard or American Express, which you can use to tap in to and out of any train or bus, including the Sentosa Express. Mobile phones with Visa, Mastercard or American Express stored in Apple Pay or Google Pay work as well. Foreign-issued cards are charged an additional $0.60/day handling fee, but for short stays (i.e. up to eight days over a five-year period) this still works out cheaper than an EZ-link/NETS prepaid card.
Where to Stay
Accommodation in Singapore is expensive by South-East Asian standards. Particularly in the higher price brackets, demand outstrips supply and during big events like the F1 race or some of the larger conventions it's not uncommon for pretty much everything to sell out. Lower-end hotels and hostels, though, remain affordable and available throughout the year. Unless you're a shopping maven intent on maximizing time in Orchard Road's shopping malls, the Riverside is probably the best place to stay in Singapore. You will notice that hotels within certain parts of the Riverside area are much more expensive than others. Those hotels are inside the boundary of the Electronic Road Pricing area. The ERP tolls become part of their business overhead which they build into their nightly rates. GST and Service charge are generally not included in the advertised rates.
Money & Budget
The Singaporean currency is the Singapore dollar, denoted by the symbol S$ or $ (ISO code: SGD). It is divided into 100 cents, denoted ¢. There are coins of 5¢ (bronze or gold), 10¢ (silver), 20¢ (silver), 50¢ (silver) and $1 (2nd series: gold; 3rd series: silver with gold rim). Notes are in denominations of $2 (purple), $5 (green), $10 (red), $50 (blue), $100 (orange), $1,000 (purple) and $10,000 (gold). The lower three denominations are issued entirely in polymer, the rest of the denominations are issued in paper. The latter two denominations are no longer issued but remain legal tender, very rarely seen and useless outside of luxury boutiques, casinos, and department stores — travellers would be wise to avoid them. Unless it includes other initials (e.g., US$ to stand for U.S.
Language & Talk
Malay is enshrined in the constitution as the "national language", but in practice, the most common language is English, the primary language for half the population and spoken by almost every non-elderly Singaporean with varying degrees of fluency. However, the distinctive local patois, Singlish, may be hard to understand at times, as it incorporates slang words and phrases from other languages, including various Chinese dialects, Malay, and Tamil as well as English words whose pronunciation or meaning have been changed. Additionally, it has an odd way of structuring sentences, due to the original speakers being mostly Chinese, resulting in most Singlish sentences having Chinese grammar.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Singapore is one of the safest major cities in the world by virtually any measure. Most people, including female travellers, will not face any problems walking along the streets alone at night. But as the local police say, "low crime does not mean no crime" — beware of pickpockets in crowded areas and don't forget your common sense entirely. The Singapore Police Force is responsible for law enforcement throughout the country, and you can recognise police officers by their distinctive dark blue uniforms. Most visitors will find Singaporean police officers to be professional and helpful, and you should report any crimes that you encounter to them as soon as possible: timely police reports often result in the apprehension of criminals within hours. If you get arrested, Singaporean police have broader powers than their Western counterparts.
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Singapore
Singapore in sunset
Taken with a DJI Mavic Pro during golden hour.
Singapore at Night
white concrete statue near city buildings during daytime
Lights shone on the Merlion as it overlooks Singapore's iconic Marina Bay Sands. During the Formula 1 Grand Prix night race, lights were projected onto the Merlion and the 'boat' of Marina Bay Sands.
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
City Boy
It’s not really allowed to take a drone in public, therefore I had to wake up very early to shoot this aerial shot in Gardens by the Bay, an amazing nature park in Singapore. Totally worth it!
Marina Bay skyline sunset
Singapore
Singapore in sunset
Taken with a DJI Mavic Pro during golden hour.
Singapore at Night