Singapore Tourism And Travel Guide

An erstwhile British colony in Southeast Asia, today the city-state of Singapore ranks among the most prosperous nations of the world boasting of the world's busiest port. With most of its residents being of Chinese, Malay or Indian origins, the state has been largely influenced by these cultures. Tourism in Singapore is a delight for those looking for a luxurious city vacation. With great food, tropical climate, and an incredible nightlife, this Garden City is a great springboard into this region. Here is a brief travel guide for you to start planning your Singapore trip.

Being one of the top tourist spots in Southeast Asia, Singapore is well connected by airways, roadways, railways and waterways. The latter three are however limited only to Malaysia and Indonesia.

Air: 

Singapore has two airports, the Changi International Airport and the Seletar Airport. The massive Changi Airport caters to all passenger and cargo flights to and from Singapore. However, charter flights land at the Seletar Airport.

Road: 

Peninsular Malaysia is connected to Singapore by two routes. The more popular is the Causeway, thereby also being terminally congested. The other is called the Second Link, a relatively less congested route used by luxury bus services to Kuala Lumpur. Take this route if you have your own vehicle. That said, driving in Singapore with a foreign-registered car is rather complicated and expensive. You are require to have a Vehicle Registration Certificate, insurance papers for your car from a Singaporean insurance company, Customs papers as well as an International Circulation Permit!

Numerous buses operate between Malaysia and Singapore too. However, there is no centralized bus terminal and buses depart from different parts of the city. You can book tickets for these buses from their online portals.

Rail:

Malaysian Railway, also known as the KTMB, operates shuttle train services from Singapore to Johor Bahru. With a total of 24 trips a day, these trains make a good mode to travel. While less frequent and more expensive, the trains have a separate immigration counter and are well connected to the MRT in Singapore.

Waterways: 

Ferries link Singapore to Johor in Malaysia and the Riau Islands in Indonesia. Singapore's five ferry terminals are well connected to the local transport systems and allow for regular operations to Malaysia, Indonesia as well as within Singapore to different parts of the city.  Many private operators have ferry services and the tickets can be purchased on spot or booked in advance.

Another luxurious way to reach Singapore is on a cruise. Star Cruises offer multiple day cruises to and from Singapore to various points in Southeast Asia. And Singapore also features in one of the top positions for stopovers by world-class cruises from all over the world. 

The temperatures range between the 20s and 30s all year round.  Even though humidity might seem like a problem, frequent spells of rain bring down the temperatures to give some respite.

If you wish to experience Singapore's unique amalgamation of Tamil, Chinese and Malay cultures, we suggest you plan your visit around major festivals like Pongal (January), National Day (August), Dragon Boat Festival (June), Hari Raya Puasa (July), Hari Raya Haji (September), Vesak Day (June), Chinese New Year (February/March), etc. 

Sentosa World:

Known for its three beaches and the many tourist resorts, Sentosa is a must visit. Do not miss "Wings of Time" - the multi-sensory show that plays out every evening.

Gardens by the Bay:

Singapore is often called the Garden City and rightly so. Arguably the world's most expansive and majestic man-made gardens can be found here. The two conservatories - the Cloud Dome and the Forest Dome - house thousands of varieties of flora, right from the tropical rain forests to the arid deserts. You should also view the sound and light show that happens every evening on the gigantic ‘super trees' located in the garden premises.

Singapore Flyer:

The world's largest Ferris wheel. The half an hour ride on the flyer in a closed glass observatory will show you the major tourist spots of Singapore. Although, this experience depends on the weather. Hope it's a sunny day. 

Great Singapore Sale: For the shopaholics, the Great Singapore Sale or the GSS as it is popularly called is a dream come true. With hefty discounts on all exclusive ranges of products across all the malls across the city-state, this period is surely the best time to be in Singapore in case you want to shop for the latest fashion.