Singapore travel guide

Plan your trip, step by step

• Where to stay
  Choose a base district and a hotel vs a licensed serviced apartment.
• Things to do
  Decide which gardens, wildlife parks and tours to pre-book.
• Singapore in 3 days
  Follow a plan that covers Marina Bay, the heritage quarters and the green side.
• Estimate your trip cost
  See what a Singapore trip costs and set your style.
• First-timer mistakes to avoid
  Sidestep the errors that trip up first-time Singapore visitors.
• Singapore on a budget
  See what a lean, comfortable or generous day really costs.

The districts at a glance

Marina Bay & the Civic District

Known for the postcard skyline — Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, Merlion Park — plus the colonial-era museums around the Padang and the free nightly light shows.

Chinatown & Tanjong Pagar

Known for the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, restored shophouse streets, Maxwell Food Centre, and the bar-and-restaurant rows of Keong Saik, Ann Siang and Duxton.

Kampong Glam & Bugis

Known for the gold-domed Sultan Mosque, textile and perfume shops on Arab Street, and the murals and boutiques packed into Haji Lane.

Little India

Known for the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, Tekka Centre’s wet market and food stalls, and the round-the-clock Mustafa Centre.

Orchard Road & River Valley

Known for the 2km strip of interconnected air-conditioned malls and flagship stores, with the serviced-apartment belt around Robertson Quay just south.

Katong–Joo Chiat

Known for pastel Peranakan shophouse terraces, laksa and kaya-toast institutions, and a residential east-side pace few visitors ever see.

Sentosa

Known for the resort island south of the CBD — Universal Studios, beaches, the cable car — reached by monorail, boardwalk or cable car.

Deciding where to base yourself? The where-to-stay guide turns these districts into a lodging decision.

When to go — month by month

Average daytime high (bars) and rainy days per month, from 5-year climate normals. Greener months are the most comfortable to visit.

Destinations with a similar climate

Like Singapore’s weather? These places have the closest year-round climate in our data — tap through for each one’s best time to visit.

• Kuala Lumpur →
• Penang →
• Cebu →
• Boracay →
• Colombo →
• Langkawi →

Know before you go

Currency

Singapore dollar (S$). Cards and contactless payment work almost everywhere, including on the MRT; carry a little cash for older hawker stalls that are still cash-only.

Language

English is an official language and the working language of the city — signage, menus, transit announcements and officialdom are all in English, alongside Malay, Mandarin and Tamil.

From the airport

Changi (SIN) is on the rail network: roughly 35–45 minutes to the Civic District with one cross-platform change at Tanah Merah, for a couple of dollars. A metered taxi or Grab runs about S$25–40 plus an airport surcharge and takes 20–30 minutes off-peak. The Jewel waterfall is inside the airport — see it on arrival or departure rather than making a separate trip.

Getting around

The MRT covers everything a visitor needs: the LTA counts 170-plus stations across six MRT lines and two LRT lines, running from about 5.30am to around midnight. Tap in and out with any contactless bank card or phone wallet via SimplyGo — no local card needed. Grab is the ride-hailing standard. No eating or drinking on trains; the fines are enforced.

Best time

There is no cool season — expect 25–32°C and humidity every month. November–January (the northeast monsoon) is the wettest stretch; February–April runs a little drier. Prices are driven by the events calendar, not the weather: the Formula 1 night race, Chinese New Year, and the June and December school holidays.

Taxes & tipping

Restaurants add a 10% service charge plus 9% GST on top of menu prices (the “++” on the menu) — call it about 20% extra unless a price is marked “nett”. Hawker centre prices are what you pay. Tipping is not expected anywhere.

For the best months to visit and a day-by-day plan, see Singapore in 3 days.