Quick Facts & Travel Information about Singapore
Singapore is an Asian melting pot of fascinating crossroad between East and West. Here the hypermodern buildings of the financial district blend with Chinatown’s classic small houses. As an old trading town, Singapore is the natural place for anyone who wants to shop – the range is enormous. In addition, Singapore offers a cuisine with influences from all corners of Asia that exceeds the highest expectations.
Source: arrivalguides.com (this guide was updated: 2015-01-29)
Do & See
Singapore is a hectic metropolis with bustling street life. Here are many sights to see and you can experiences everything from a drink at legendary Raffles Hotel to meeting tigers. Read more >
Dining
Singapore is an unparalleled city when it comes to food – a number of major Asian cuisines blend with the best of the Occident. Indian, Malay, Japanese, Chinese and Singapore’s own cuisine meets in Singapore and the result is a fantastic choice, both in terms of the number of restaurants and the quality. In Singapore you can eat cheap and tasty at one of the twenty something hawker centres – earlier they were open air complexes selling a variety of food, today they are slowly being replaced by indoor and air-conditioned food courts. If you prefer the opposite, but still tasty, you may chose to eat extremely expensive and luxuriously in skyscraper restaurants! Read more >
Shopping
Shopping is a national sport in Singapore and there is an enormous range in all price brackets to choose from. The artery of Singapore’s shopping life is naturally Orchard Road where the largest and most well-known department stores are lined up. Moreover, there are lots of shopping centres and markets around the city. Anyone who is after a bargain is smart enough to check the prices at home before leaving, just to have something with which to make a comparison. Not everything is cheap, but watches, clothes, cloth, gold, spices and jade are definitely found at a good price. Read more >
Accommodations
Singapore has a large selection of hotels in all price ranges. You find everything from the highest luxury to simple and inexpensive rooms. Read more >
Bars & Nightlife
Those who want to dance and enjoy themselves all night long have plenty of options in Singapore. Often, the visitor who is looking for something to drink in Singapore, is tipped off to try a Singapore Sling at Raffles, but there are lots of other alternatives. Read more >
Cafes
As in the rest of Asia, the café culture is not particularly widespread, but the café chain Starbucks is everywhere with lots of cafés dotted around the city. You can also find different ’kopitiam’ – meaning ’coffee shop’ in Hokkien. They can be found all over the Island. They’re not just good for breakfast, but will serve a nice light meal any time of the day. Outlets offering breakfast as well as other savoury delights are Killiney Kopitiam and the relatively new Toastbox franchise. Read more >
Essential Information
Population: 5,312,400
Currency: 1 Singapore dollar (SGD) = 100 cent
Emergency numbers: Police: 999, Emergency/Ambulance/Fire Brigade: 995
Newspapers: Straits Times, The New Paper, The Business Times
Opening hours: Most shops in the city are open from 10.00 until 20.00 or 21.00 every day of the week.
Tourist information: Singapore Visitors Centre, Cairnhill Road/Orchard Road Crossing (9.30 to 22.30 daily), Changi Arrivals Hall (6.00 to 00.00 daily)
Touristline: 1800 736 2000, +65 6736 2000 (Overseas), Operating Hours: 9.00 to 18.00 Monday-Friday
Singapore Do & See by arrivalguides.com
Click here to download Singapore’s full travel guide by arrivalguides.com
