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After working with Chris from Hablamos Fuerteventura, we're so grateful to him for writing this guest post for Sightseekr. Have a read to hear all about his experience in the stunning country of Singapore.
The Republic of Singapore is a city state in South East Asia located to the south of the
Malaysian Peninsula made up of Sixty-three islands. Singapore is the English pronunciation of the Malay name Singapura meaning ‘lion city’. Singapore was historically a British Colony. It was occupied by the Japanese during World War two and the British handed it over when Malaysia was formed in 1963. Singapore became an independent republic in 1965. Walking
around Singapore the influence of the British Empire is everywhere. Nowadays Singapore is
a major economic and financial centre and a large logistics hub.
For visitors, Singapore is easy to get around. Changi Airport is around thirty minutes from the centre and is easily accessible. Singapore prides itself on the public transport system made up of trains buses and taxis which are plentiful, clean and run on time. Car usage is frowned upon in the city and private cars are restricted and heavily taxed.
As a tourist destination Singapore is the fifth most visited city in the world. There are many
sights to see and things to do. The main attractions are in the man-made Marina Bay area
with other areas including the Orchard Road shopping district and the resort island of
Sentosa. Other popular destinations include the Singapore Botanical Gardens and Singapore Zoo.
The recently developed Marina Bay area is the main area for visitors. This is home to the
Marina Bay Sands, an iconic three towered hotel with almost three thousand rooms! It opened in 2011 with a fantastic observation deck providing stunning views of the bay and city. Other facilities include a high-class designer shopping centre and one of the world’s largest and busiest casinos.
Opposite Marina Bay Sands are the Gardens by the Bay which is a nature park of over 250 acres and really has to be seen to be believed. The gardens have a number of different areas including the flower dome, the largest greenhouse in the world exhibiting exotic flowers and plants from different areas of the world. Dominating the park are the 18 ‘Supertree’
structures which have an elevated walkway, observatory and hold a Disney type light and music show every evening.
Also at Marina Bay is the Esplanade Theatres, the Merlion statue, the symbol of Singapore, the Art and Science Museum, the float stage at Marina Bay, the Singapore Flyer observation wheel and for sports lovers the Marina Bay Grand Prix street circuit where it is possible to freely walk down the finishing straight and race car paddock just not on race days.
The downtown area of Singapore is made up of large skyscrapers hosting financial companies and high-end residential apartments. Within the downtown area is a fascinating area around Parliament House, the Old Supreme Court building, the National Museum of Singapore and a number of memorials. The comparison between the stunning architecture and the modern skyscrapers is very striking.
For visitors wanting retail therapy the 2.5-kilometre Orchard Road shopping district found in
the central area of Singapore is well worth a visit. Made up of a number of individual
shopping malls the area has a number of world-renowned designer names and famous
brands all accessed by public transport.
Another feature of the central district in Singapore is Chinatown which is well worth walking
around for the street architecture, the retail offer, the many restaurants and the cultural
diversity.
Sentosa is an island located off the southern coast of Singapore. It has developed as a resort
world and is well worth a visit being easily accessible by public transport. Attractions on
Sentosa include Universal Studios, Adventure Cove Waterpark, S.E.A Aquarium and Madame Tussauds. Sentosa is also home to a number of hotels and casinos.
For tourists the hospitality offer in Singapore is incredible. All kinds of food and drink can be
found ranging from expensive hotel restaurants to the many street food markets offering
different and varied ranges of delicious regional food offerings. Our particular favourite was
the Lau Pa Sat centre and the famous Satay Street. There is a lively nightlife scene across the
city.
All the major hotel chains are represented in Singapore and the accommodation offer
ranges from high class hotels to the more budget names. Of course, any visit to Singapore
would not be complete without a visit to the famous Colonial styled Raffles Hotel located on
Beach Road and named after Sir Thomas Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore. Join the
queues, bring your wallet and pay a visit to the Long bar, home of the famous Singapore
Sling cocktail and a floor full of peanut casings.
Although public transport is excellent in Singapore, we found one of the best ways to get
around and to see the sights is to take advantage of one of the tourist bus sightseeing tours.
Big Bus Tours (Which I highly recommend!) are operational in Singapore and both offer a number of excellent routes giving the flexibility to hop on and off and explore attractions at your own leisure. The night bus tour is a particular delight touring Singapore by dark when the city comes alive. They also give you access to restricted areas from the public and exclusive shows and viewing areas.
It is not often an airport is a tourist attraction in its own right but Singapore Changi Airport
has this accolade. Whether arriving or leaving it is well worth taking extra time to explore
the airport and visit the Jewel, a nature themed entertainment and retail complex built to
connect the three main terminals. The complex includes attractions as well as around 300
retail and dining outlets with the centerpiece being the unbelievable Rain Vortex, the
world's tallest indoor waterfall and something not to be missed.
Singapore is a wonderful place to visit. It is clean, tidy, safe and everything works on time. A
lot of money has been spent to regenerate the city and attract tourists. It is money well
spent for a place that should be on everyone’s list of must see cities.
Additional information:
How do I get to/around Singapore?
Singapore is easily accessible by air, with direct flights from London Heathrow/Gatwick or Manchester. Some people choose to break the journey into two by stopping en-route, mostly in Dubai. The flight time from the UK varies, but is normally within the region of 12 hours. For visitors Singapore is easy to get around. Changi Airport is around 30 minutes from the centre and is easily accessible. Singapore prides itself on the public transport system made up of trains buses and taxis which are plentiful, clean and run on time. Car usage is frowned upon in the city and private cars are restricted and heavily taxed.
Where should I stay in Singapore?
We stayed in this hotel and had an incredible time however there are plenty of other options for accommodation in Singapore. Have a look for something that will suit your group size and budget.
Do I need a visa to visit Singapore?
To enter Singapore, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ 6 months after the date you arrive. You can visit Singapore without a visa for tourism or business however You must complete an electronic SG Arrival Card in the 3 days before you arrive in Singapore. This online form asks for travel details and a health declaration. It is illegal to submit a false declaration. Biometric information is also recorded and scanned when you enter and depart Singapore (iris, face and fingerprints).
What's the currency of Singapore?
The Singapore dollar is the official currency of the Republic of Singapore. It is divided into one hundred cents. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or S$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies.
What languages are spoken in Singapore?
The languages of Singapore are English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. English is widely spoken.
What's the weather like in Singapore?
The climate of Singapore is tropical with high humidity and plenty of rainfall. Temperatures
do not vary very much, generally ranging from 23 to 32 degrees C with monsoon season
from November to February. Although dress is informal and most people wear shorts and t
shirts it is always handy to have rainwear handy.
Here is the current weather in Singapore.
What's the time zone in Singapore?
Singapore Time (SGT) or Singapore Standard Time (SST), is used in Singapore and is 8 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+08:00 or BST +07:00). Singapore does not observe daylight saving time.
What are the best things to do in Singapore?
We always try and give you a few great recommendations of things to do on our Sightseekr Inspiration posts. If you're looking to fill your itinerary, have a look for the best activities, excursions and other things to do in Singapore on GetYourGuide below.
Thank you again to Chris from Hablamos Fuerteventura, for writing this guest post all about his experience in the stunning country of Singapore for Sightseekr.
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