An exotic yet urbanised tropical island destination with its designer shopping malls, tropical parks, modern buildings and entertaining islands. Singapore’s a real melting pot of cultures, the city feels very modern whilst still retaining its colonial architecture and history with areas such as Little India, Chinatown, Marina bay and Sentosa.

Singapore is located at the tip of the Malay Peninsula in Southeast Asia, it’s a largely urbanised island also consisting of 60 smaller islands. Singapore has a population of around 5.8 million people. Religious beliefs here are varied with the majority practising Chinese Folk Religion, there are also Muslim, Christian and Hindu practices. Singapore has a largely market economy with its port being the largest in Southeast Asia and one of the busiest in the world.

Singapore has a tropical climate and is hot and humid all year round.

Its two monsoon seasons run from November to March and mid June to early September although most of Singapore will be affected by afternoon downpours and thunderstorms all throughout the year.

The average temperatures don’t vary much throughout the year and range from 23–25°C (73–77°F) at night and peaking as high as 31–33°C (88–91°F) in the day, but the majority of the time the daytime temperature will be around 26–28°C (79–82°F).

Singapore has a fast and efficient transport system.

MRT (Mass Rapid Transit)

The train (MRT) system covers a large portion of the island so most of the key attractions are within walking distance of an MRT station. A single trip can cost from 1.50–3.00 SGD. You can purchase a Singapore Tourist Pass for unlimited bus and train travel from 10 SGD for one day, 16 SGD for 2 or 20 SGD for 3 days travel.

Bus

You can also use the Singapore Tourist Pass on the buses. There are extensive bus routes throughout the city and the majority of the buses have air conditioning which makes this a comfortable and scenic way to get around the city. If you don’t have the tourist pass you can pay with cash, but you must have the exact change.

Taxis

Taxis are convenient if you want to go to places that are not covered by the bus or MRT network. They can be flagged down pretty much anywhere or you can queue at the taxi stands at shopping malls, hotels or tourist attractions. All the taxis are metered, but there may be additional surcharges added depending on when, where and which taxi company’s taxi you board.

The currency here is the Singapore Dollar (SGD) its note denominations are $2, $5, $10, $50, $100, $500, $1000 and $10,000 bills.

ATM’s are widespread around the city and you can change money at banks and licensed merchants. The money exchange merchants offer similar and sometimes better rates than the banks without the transaction fee of $3.00 SGD — they can be found around Orchard Road shopping centres. Most major credit cards are accepted around Singapore including Mastercard, Visa and American Express.

Average costs (in Singapore Dollars)

• Mid range 3 star hotel $120–$180
• 4 star hotel $150–$220
• Budget dinner $12–$20 per person
• Mid range restaurant $20–$50 per person
• Local bottled beer $5–$9
• Cocktail $10–$17
• Single dish at a hawker centre $3–$5
• Regular coffee $3–$4

Gardens by the Bay

A showpiece of horticultural and garden artistry spanning 101 hectares with two distinct waterfront gardens — Bay South and Bay East. The Bay South Garden is the largest and this is where you will find the conservatories, the OCBC Skyway and Supertree Grove.

There are two conservatories — the Flower dome, full of exotic plants and the largest glass conservatory in the world and the Cloud Forest, that has the world’s tallest indoor waterfall and plants from cool, moist tropical highlands. The 128 metre long, 22 metre tall aerial OCBC Skyway offers panoramic views of the Gardens and the Marina Bay skyline, plus gives you a closer look at the iconic Supertrees. At night the Skyway comes to life and there is a free light and sound show at 7:45 pm and 8:45 pm.

You can explore Supertree Grove from the ground and any of the other outdoor areas of the garden for free from 5:00 am–2:00 am. The two conservatories and the OCBC Skyway are open from 9:00 am–9:00 pm. For access to both conservatories the entry fee is 28 SGD and the Skyway is 8 SGD.

The Bay East Garden offers a stunning view of the Singapore skyline and is a huge green space with lush lawns and tropical palm trees.

Raffles Hotel

The hotel first opened in 1887 and is currently undergoing a huge restoration, set to be finished in the second half of 2018. The Long Bar is where the famous Singapore Sling was born in 1915. It was created by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon noticing a gap in the market. At that time etiquette dictated that ladies should not consume alcohol in public, so he created a cocktail that looked like fruit juice, but actually contained gin and liqueurs. It was an instant hit! Visiting this beautiful hotel and drinking a Singapore Sling in the Long Bar is one of those “when in Rome” things to do.

Night Safari

The world’s first nocturnal wildlife park allows you the unique experience of seeing over 1000 animals in their natural nighttime habitats.  You can explore via the walking trails and the guided tram ride, that takes you through 6 geographical zones of the world. The admission fee is 45 SGD with 4 admission time slots throughout the night — 7:15 pm, 8:15 pm, 9:15 pm and 10:15 pm (park closes at midnight).

Marina Bay Sands

This huge resort features a hotel, shopping mall, museum, two large theatres, restaurants, an ice rink and a casino. This iconic building is also topped with a 340 metre (1,120 ft) long Skypark. The stunning rooftop infinity pool is only available to hotel guests, but you can still take in the stunning views of Marina Bay and beyond to the city by visiting the observation deck. It is open Monday to Thursday 9:30 am–10:00 pm and Friday to Sunday 9:30 am–11:00 pm. Entry fee is 23 SGD (hotel guests can visit for free).

Sentosa Island

Sentosa is a man made island resort off Singapore’s southern coast. It has many attractions, such as Universal Studios, Resorts World, Tiger Sky Tower, SEA aquarium, Adventure Cove Waterpark and Madame Tussauds.  There are several hotels on the island, an array of bars and restaurants and three beaches.

Singapore Flyer

Asia’s largest observation wheel offers amazing panoramic views from 165 metres (541 ft) above the ground. The first flight is 8:30 am and the last is 10:15 pm. One rotation is 30 minutes and costs 33 SGD — this includes Journey of Dreams.

Orchard Road

This 1.4 mile (2.2 km) stretch of street in Singapore is a shopper’s haven. It is home to over 30 malls with a huge variety of products on offer and all budgets are catered for. There are also hotels, restaurants, hawker centres, bars and cinemas along the road, making this a popular area to visit.

Marina Bay

This sophisticated coastal region is home to some of Singapore’s best attractions, such as Marina Bay Sands, Garden by the Bay, the ArtScience Museum and the iconic Merlion statue (Singapore’s national icon). This whole area has undergone a huge transformation over the last few years and it is now a must-see area in Singapore.

Clarke Quay & Riverside

This area is known for its nightlife, but it can also be enjoyed during the day. You can stroll along the river and dine in one of the waterfront restaurants or enjoy a boat trip on an old style bum-boat, which is the best way to take in the buildings and statues from Singapore’s colonial past. There are also several shopping malls in the area. At night the area is buzzing with people enjoying the many bars and restaurants, most of which have alfresco areas to enjoy. For those who want to continue the party late into the night there are also several nightclubs to choose from.

Little India

This vibrant and colourful area in Singapore has several interesting temples to visit, many restaurants serving up an array of Indian dishes and the shops sell everything from spices to incense to nose studs. The sights and sounds will make you feel as though you have been transported to a pocket of India whilst in Singapore.

Chinatown

This busy and historic area is filled with Chinese, Buddhist and Hindu temples, mosques, shops, street food and markets. Its narrow streets are decorated with lanterns and lights all year round.

Sentosa Island

Sentosa Singapore’s island resort has many attractions as well as 14 hotels, 2 golf courses and its own beach areas.

Universal Studios Singapore – located within Resorts World on Sentosa Island offers a fun day out for all the family, an adult 1 day pass costs 74 SGD and a childs is 64 SGD.

Madame Tussauds – a wax museum located at the Imbiah lookout on Sentosa Island, a ticket costs from 20–45 SGD.

Sea Aquarium – housing over 100,000 marine animals of over 800 different species, an adult ticket costs 34 SGD and 24 SGD for a child’s.

Some of the island’s other attractions include an a adventure park with different zip lines, a wave house — where you can brush up on those surfing skills, viewpoints, a nature discovery centre and various different shows and 4D experiences to be seen.

Getting to Sentosa island

The island is linked to Singapore’s main island by a short causeway and cable car from Mount Faber however the easiest way to get there is by using the monorail.

Getting the monorail  

1. Take the north east or circle line from the city to HarbourFront station.
2. Enter Vivo-City Mall and proceed to level 3 where you can purchase a sentosa pass.
3. Board the monorail to Sentosa (level 3 also) — the monorail has four stops (including this one), Waterfront (for Resorts World), Imbiah and Beach stations.

• Due to Singapore being a Commonwealth member, Singapore citizens have rights to vote in all elections in the UK.
• The national anthem is written in micro text on the back of a 1000 SGD note.
• Singapore doesn’t have a capital and is one of only three city-states still in existence.
• The lowest temperature ever recorded was 19°C in February 1989.
• Chewing gum is banned in Singapore, unless you have a medical prescription.
• Car use is highly discouraged by the government and car owners have to pay an additional 1.5 times the car price to get it certified.
• The five stars in the national flag of Singapore represent the ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality. The colour red signifies brotherhood while white represents purity.