Uniquely Singapore

Singapore. A beautiful tropical island city state, south of Malaysia and north of Indonesia. A medley of cultures living in harmony. A fascinating blend of The Chinese, Malay and Indian being the prominent cultures, ethnicities and cuisines. This is considered one of the most popular and enjoyable cities in South East Asia. Fantastic food, famous street food, vibrant nightlife, shopping, beautiful parks, plenty of sights etc. are what make Singapore the special city it is. The Merlion is an imaginary creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish, used as a mascot of Singapore by the Singapore Tourism Board. This is the most frequently used figures for souvenirs as well. The word Singapore means Lion City.

 

Some General Information

Capital : Singapore

Official Language : English, Malay, Tamil and Chinese

Religion : Mainly Buddhist, with Christian, Taoist, Hindu, Muslim and other minorities.

Currency : Singapore Dollar (SGD)

Time Zone : + 8 hours GMT

Temperature : Normally doesn’t go below 20°C. It is known for its hot and humid weather.Rains steadily throughout the year. No distinct climate.

Sightseeing : Most of these places of interest have been covered in another post, but we will go through the main places of interest. They are Bukit Timah Natural Reserve, Carlsberg Sky Tower, Jurong Bird Park and Reptile Park, Night Safari and Singapore Zoo, Singapore Botanical Gardens, Universal Studios, Little India, China Town and Malay Village, Mount Faber, Raffles Hotel, Raffles Marina, The Clarke Quay, Boat Quay and Robertson Quay, Sentosa Island, Singapore Flyer, Singapore Science Centre, City Tour, Imperial Cheng Ho cruise, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Snow City and the Captain Explorer DUKw tour.

 

Getting There

By Water

Considered one of the busiest ports and the cruise hub of South East Asia. The Singapore Cruise Centre is situated at the HarbourFront Centre, formerly known as the World Trade Centre. Getting there is a 10 minute taxi ride from the city center. The Tanah Merah ferry terminal near Changi, has ferries to Bintan, Bantam, Johar Bahru, and other destinations at the Malaysian coast.

By Rail

Singapore (Tanjong Pagar) Railway Station is operated by Malaysian Railways. Trains depart daily to Kuala Lumpur, Johar Bahru, Penang, Kwai, Bangkok and other cities. It is situated at Keppel Road.

By Air

Changi is about 20Km from the city center. It is one of the best airports in the world. Changi's legendary efficiency means travellers need spend the minimum amount of time in the airport, the facilities on offer mean that days could happily be spent there. In addition to a wealth of top shopping choices, there are showers, gym and sauna, rooftop pool and Jacuzzi (both at the airport's transit hotel), hairdressing salons, laundry service, karaoke lounge, movie theatre, TV lounges, children's play area, nursery, smoking room, medical centre and prayer room. To get back to nature there are even cactus, bamboo, sunflower and orchid gardens, and a Koi pond.
There are the usual banks, bureaux de change, ATMs, postal and telecommunications offices, shops, restaurants, car hire (Avis and Hertz), hotel reservation counters, tourist information, wheelchair rental services and baggage storage facilities. Transit and transfer passengers can also take advantage of a selection of free 2-hour themed guided coach tours of Singapore. At the small, new Budget Terminal (www.btsingapore.com), a short shuttle bus ride away, facilities are more basic with a few food kiosks and shops, but all the essentials including ATM, Internet and bureaux de change are there.

Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)
Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, Singapore Changi Airport, PO Box 1 Singapore 918141
Tel: +65 6542 1122.
Website: www.changi.airport.com.sg

 

Tourist Information

Singapore Tourism Board (STB)
Orchard Road, at junction with Cairnhill Road
Tel: 1 800 736 2000.
Website: www.visitsingapore.com or www.stb.com.sg
Opening hours: 0930-2230 daily.
STB visitor centres can also be found at the following addresses: Changi, Arrivals Hall Terminals 1, 2 & 3, 0600-0200 daily, and Tourism Court, 1 Orchard Spring Lane, 0830-1830 Mon-Fri.

 

Hotels

There is a wide variety of accommodation, ranging from budget hostels to modern, ultra high-class hotels. These have extensive facilities, including swimming pools, health clubs, several restaurants, full business services and shopping arcades. It is advisable to make advance reservations. All rooms are subject to 4% tax and 10% service charge.

 

Travel Tips

1. A small word of advise would be to carry an umbrella at all times. It starts raining anytime. Loose summer clothing is recommended for leisure and smart casuals for evenings.

2. Tipping is not a way of life in Singapore.

3. Singapore has one of the best health care infrastructures in the world.

4. One of the cleanest cities there is, it is safe to have water from the tap.

5. Generally, banks are open from 10am to 3pm, Mondays to Fridays and 11am to 4:30pm, Saturdays.

6. Don’t carry chewing gum. It is illegal unless it is dental or nicotine gum. If caught spitting gum or anything, you can get imprisoned for vandalism. Singapore takes its public sanitation extremely seriously.

7. If you are visiting temples and mosques, please note, for ladies, you have to be dressed modestly and cannot wear short dresses.