Tips for planning your trip to Singapore in 2021

Safe, vibrant and picturesque, Singapore is an excellent destination for travellers. Founded as a British colonial settlement in 1819, this island city-state became an independent nation in 1965 and has since become an economic powerhouse.

Although it is considerably more expensive than its Southeast Asian neighbours, the city has much to offer any visitor, and our Singapore travel guide sets out Singapore travel tips to ensure you get the most out of your trip.

In this Singapore travel guide:

• Singapore – Country facts
• Travelling to Singapore – When to go
• Trip to Singapore – Where to stay
• Singapore travel tips – What to pack
• Singapore trip – Know the rules
• Trip to Singapore – Getting around
• Things to see and do in Singapore – Culture, history and city views
• Things to see and do in Singapore – Nature
• Eating, drinking and shopping in Singapore

Singapore – Country Facts

• Where is Singapore?
  Singapore is a small island and city-state located in Southeast Asia right on the Equator and just south of Malaysia.
• What is the size of Singapore?
  Singapore is a very small country that is only 725 km2 (280 sq mi), it is ranked 176th country in the world in terms of land size.
• How many people live in Singapore?
  The population of Singapore is around 5.7 million people, it is the second most densely populated country in the world after Hong Kong. There are 3 main ethnicities that make up the population of Singapore, Chinese (76%), Malay (15%) and Indian (7.5%).
• What language is spoken in Singapore?
  There are 4 official languages in Singapore: English, Malays, Mandarin and Tamil.
• What is the main religion in Singapore?
  Buddhism is the most practiced religion in Singapore with 33% of the population identifying with it. This is followed by Christianity (19%) and Islam (14%).
• What is the currency of Singapore?
  The currency used in Singapore is the Singapore Dollar (S$).
• What plugs are used in Singapore?
  The types of plug commonly used in Singapore is type G. Singapore operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.
• What is the country code of Singapore?
  The country code for calling Singapore is the prefix +65, website domains from Singapore usually end with .com.sg.

Travelling to Singapore – When to go

Located near the equator, Singapore has a humid, tropical climate with plenty of rainfall. While temperatures and humidity remain constant, there are two monsoon seasons (December to March and June to September).

See our article The best time to visit Singapore, for everything you need to know about when to go.

Trip to Singapore – Where to stay

There is a vast selection of places to stay when travelling to Singapore. The Colonial District is one of our top recommendations, with beautiful historic buildings in a central location that is within easy walking distance of the plentiful bars and restaurants of the Quay and Marina Bay areas.

Little India is also an excellent choice, particularly for travellers on a budget in this expensive city, with many guesthouses and hostels located here. Two MRT (Singapore’s metro system) stations in the area mean that the city centre is only a convenient 15-minute metro ride away.

Singapore travel tips – What to pack

As the climate is hot and wet, for any trip to Singapore, you should pack lightweight clothing and sunscreen. Bring something to cover your shoulders, arms and legs with if you intend to visit any temples.

A waterproof jacket, poncho or an umbrella is also a must due to significant rainfall. Mosquito repellent is also recommended, particularly as there have been outbreaks of dengue fever.

Singapore trip – Know the rules

Singapore is tough on crime and even regulates strictly on minor infractions. Sticking chewing gum on the property that is public, spitting in the street or throwing your cigarette but into a drain, for example, are all finable offences.

Vandalism is punished harshly (including with corporal punishment), and those charged with drug-related crimes face the death penalty. Ensure that you are aware of the regulations before you find yourself on the wrong side of the law when travelling to Singapore.

Trip to Singapore – Getting around

It is very easy and straightforward to travel around Singapore as the city has a robust public transport system. The MRT (metro) and bus services are efficient, inexpensive, extensive and air-conditioned.

A Singapore travel tip is to purchase a Singapore Tourist Pass (STP) that allows unlimited travel for one day (for S$10), two days (for S$18) or three days (for S$20). Singapore Tourist Passes can also be used on the well-serviced and affordable bus network.

Hop-on taxis and Grab services are also available across the island-state at very reasonable prices.

Things to see and do in Singapore – Culture, history and city views

The city-state is a thrilling mix of history, culture and modernity with much for visitors to experience on a trip to Singapore. For a touch of history, the Colonial District is full of grand colonial buildings including the Raffles Hotel, Fort Canning park and interesting museums including the impressive National Museum of Singapore.

Singapore’s Chinatown is a maze-like warren of fascinating narrow roads which are excellent to explore. The Chinatown Heritage Centre makes for an interesting stop to find out about the colourful history of the area while the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is a tranquil oasis.

Singapore’s famous Merlion statue is an absolute must-visit for great views of the bay out to the Singapore Strait and striking Marina Bay Sands Hotel.

Shopping is also a popular activity for many visitors to Singapore. See our article The best places for shopping in Singapore for everything you need to know about where to shop.

Things to see and do in Singapore – Nature

Despite being a city-state with a population of nearly 5.7 million, there are a surprising number of green spaces where visitors can enjoy natural surroundings on a trip to Singapore.

The Botanic Gardens (a UNESCO World Heritage site) have 82 hectares of gardens and forest including the National Orchid Garden with over 1,000 species of orchid. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is Singapore’s top eco-tourism attraction. Here visitors can hike or bike to see wildlife including macaques, birds and flying lemurs.

For adventurous visitors, the island of Pulau Ubin (a S$3 boat ride from Changi Point Ferry Terminal) offers something completely different to Singaporean city life. Inhabitants fetch their water from wells and diesel generators provide electricity. Visitors can explore the island’s villages and beaches by bike.

The Gardens by the Bay is an unmissable nature park consisting of waterfront gardens right in the Central Region of Singapore and next to the Marina Reservoir.

Eating and drinking in Singapore

One of our favourite activities whilst travelling to Singapore is to try out some of the amazing arrays of food available. Head to Little India for tasty and affordable cuisine and fresh vegetables, to Arab Street for middle-eastern dishes, to Changi Village for a street full of local delicacies or to Redhill for a local area with many hawker centres (food courts).

High taxes mean that alcohol is expensive here, but there are still various happy hours that visitors can utilise get the most Singapore Slings for their Singaporean dollars.

From where to stay to what to do, use our Singapore travel guide to help ensure you get the most out of your stay in this exciting destination.