Singapore Travel Guide

Boat Quay and Elgin Bridge on the Singapore River
Boat Quay and Elgin Bridge (Singapore River) · Photo: LN9267 / CC BY-SA 4.0

A clean, safe city-state with excellent public transport, futuristic Marina Bay views and Chinese, Malay and Indian cultures side by side. Easy to cover in a few days, it is ideal for families, first-time Southeast Asia visitors and stopovers.

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At a glance

Currency
SGD (S$)
Power & plugs
230V · Type G
Driving side
Left
Tipping
Not expected
Local language
English
How long to stay
2 to 4 days

Emergency numbers

When to go

Hot and humid year-round, so any month works. February to March tends to be drier, while the November to January monsoon brings frequent showers. Hotel rates spike around Lunar New Year and year-end.

Monthly climate normals

Warmest: Apr (avg high 32.4°C) · Coolest: Jan, Dec (avg low 24.3°C) · Wettest: Dec (331.9 mm)

High °CLow °CRain mm
Jan30.6°24.3°221.6
Feb31.5°24.6°105.1
Mar32.2°24.9°151.7
Apr32.4°25.3°164.3
May32.3°25.7°164.3
Jun31.9°25.7°135.3
Jul31.4°25.4°146.6
Aug31.4°25.3°146.9
Sep31.6°25.2°124.9
Oct31.8°25.0°168.3
Nov31.2°24.6°252.3
Dec30.5°24.3°331.9

Monthly averages of daily highs and lows, and average monthly rainfall. Any given year can differ.

Source: WMO World Weather Information Service — Meteorological Service Singapore · Singapore (WMO city data) · 1991–2020 normals —View source

Airport to the city

MRT East-West Line

From Changi Airport station, change at Tanah Merah (or Expo) for trains into the city. Tap in with a contactless bank card.

Time about 30-45 minCost about 2-2.5 SGD

Taxi / Grab

Easiest with luggage or late at night. An airport surcharge applies and fares vary by time of day.

Time about 20-30 minCost about 25-40 SGD

Jewel Changi Stopover

If you have time before departure, visit the Rain Vortex indoor waterfall at Jewel, linked to the terminals. Entry to the main area is free.

Time about 1-2 hoursCost free

Getting around

MRT

Clean, punctual and reaches almost every sight. Tap a contactless bank card or phone wallet at the gates.

Public Buses

Use the same card as the MRT, tapping on and off. Google Maps routing is reliable.

Grab / Taxi

Handy late at night or to Sentosa. Fares surge at rush hour and in the rain.

Walking

Marina Bay, Chinatown and Clarke Quay link on foot, but use underground mall passages to escape the midday heat.

Where to stay

Marina Bay

Good for: First visit, views and luxury

Iconic district with Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay. The most expensive place to stay.

Orchard Road

Good for: Shopping, families

A long strip of malls with easy MRT access everywhere. Evenings are fairly calm.

Chinatown

Good for: Value, food

Close to hawker centres and temples, with more affordable boutique hotels. Near Marina Bay.

Bugis / Kampong Glam

Good for: Character, cafes

Sultan Mosque, mural lanes and indie cafes. Two MRT lines make it well connected.

Sentosa

Good for: Resort stay, kids

Resort island with Universal Studios and beaches. Longer trips into the city.

Map of stays in Singapore

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Map & prices: Stay22 — you book on each site

Top sights

  1. Gardens by the Bay

    Outdoor gardens and Supertrees are free; the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest are paid. Do not miss the nightly Garden Rhapsody light show.

    The towering Supertrees of Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay.
    Supertree Grove, Gardens by the Bay · Photo: Photograph by Mike Peel ( www.mikepeel.net ). / CC BY-SA 4.0
  2. Marina Bay Sands SkyPark

    Paid observation deck on level 56 with bay-wide views. The infinity pool is for hotel guests only.

  3. Merlion Park

    Free spot for photos of the Merlion with Marina Bay Sands behind. The evening light show is visible from here.

  4. Sentosa Island

    Universal Studios Singapore, beaches and an aquarium. Reach it from the HarbourFront station area by the Sentosa Express monorail or the boardwalk.

    Palawan Beach on Sentosa Island
    Sentosa Island · Photo: Nkon21 / CC BY-SA 4.0
  5. Singapore Botanic Gardens

    UNESCO-listed and free to enter, except the paid National Orchid Garden. Go in the cooler morning.

    The bandstand and green trees at Singapore Botanic Gardens on a sunny afternoon
    Singapore Botanic Gardens · Photo: Basile Morin / CC BY-SA 4.0
  6. Chinatown & Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

    Ornate temple, heritage shophouses and hawker centres. Cover shoulders and knees inside.

  7. Kampong Glam & Sultan Mosque

    Golden-domed mosque and the murals and boutiques of Haji Lane. Visits are limited during Friday prayers.

  8. Night Safari

    A world-famous nocturnal zoo explored by tram. Popular, so get tickets ahead.

Tours & tickets →

What to eat

Hawker Centres

Open-air food courts where a meal costs about 5-8 SGD. Maxwell and Lau Pa Sat are well known.

Hainanese Chicken Rice

Silky chicken over rice cooked in chicken stock, the national dish. About 4-7 SGD at hawker stalls.

Chilli Crab / Black Pepper Crab

Crab in sweet-spicy sauce mopped up with fried buns. Priced by weight; expect 100 SGD+ for two.

Laksa

Rice noodles and seafood in spicy coconut curry broth, about 5-8 SGD.

Kaya Toast

Coconut jam toast with soft-boiled eggs and local kopi, about 5-7 SGD for a breakfast set.

Satay

Grilled skewers with peanut sauce, best at the evening satay street beside Lau Pa Sat.

Daily budget (per person)

Budgetabout 90 SGD - hostel, hawker food, MRT
Mid-rangeabout 250 SGD - 4-star hotel, restaurants, attraction tickets
Comfortabout 600 SGD+ (~465 USD+) - Marina Bay luxury hotel, fine dining

Amounts are rough figures in local currency. Check exchange rates before you go.

Suggested itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Merlion Park and Marina Bay Sands area, Gardens by the Bay domes in the afternoon, then the Supertree show and satay street.

  2. Day 2

    Morning at the Botanic Gardens, shopping on Orchard Road, Chinatown and a hawker lunch, then Clarke Quay by the river.

  3. Day 3

    Sentosa for Universal Studios or the beach, then the Night Safari in the evening.

  4. Day 4

    Kaya toast breakfast and cafes in Kampong Glam, then the Jewel waterfall before your flight.

Local tips

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Prices and times are approximate as of 2026-09 and may change. Always re-check visa and entry rules with official sources before you travel.

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