Singapore Travel Tips is created to help budget travelers plan a trip there. On this page I provide you the details for preparing for your trip to this city nation in Southeast Asia. I hope my explanation will help you get to know Singapore better before you arrive there.
Singapore skyline from Elgin Bridge
Author: Merlion444 (public domain)
Singapore is one of the smallest countries in Asia. It presently has a size of 710.2 square kilometers, but is expected to add to that with continuous land reclamation. Despite its diminutive size, it is also one of the most developed and wealthiest country in the region. Singapore has a population density of 6,800 people for every square kilometer, making it one of the most densely populated places in the world.
As of 2009, the population of Singapore is estimated at 4,988,000 people. According to the International Monetary Fund, Singapore enjoys a per capita Gross Domestic Product of US$51,226, the fourth highest in the world behind Qatar, Luxembourg and Norway.
Singapore Central Business District (8 July 2006)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
The name Singapore comes from Malay, Singapura, which in turn comes from Sanskrit, meaning "lion city". The name Singapore refers to both the city as well as the state. The country comprises mainland Singapore and over 60 small islands, many of which have been merged through reclamation. The largest islands off Singapore mainland are Jurong Island, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin and Pulau Sentosa.
Singapore is a relatively flat country. The highest natural point is Bukit Timah, meaning "tin hill", which rises to only 166 meter. In comparison, the highest skyscrapers in Singapore are allowed a maximum height of 280 meters, of which three, namely OUB Centre, Republic Plaza and UOB Plaza attain that height.
Singapore's economy is geared towards being a service industry. It has moved away from manufacturing, as this is transferred to lower-cost countries such as China, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. Singapore has long been regarded as having one of the most business-friendly economy in the world, and this attracts many multi-national companies to set up their regional headquarters here.
Thian Hock Keong Temple (8 July 2006)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Singapore has a very well development transport infrastructure. A network of expressways enable motorists to travel from one end of Singapore to the other within one hour, often bypassing the city centre. Public transport in Singapore is also one of the most efficient in the region, supported by a bus and rail system. Since 2001, the EZ-Link stored-value smartcards allow commuters to efficiently use Singapore's buses and Mass Rapid Transit trains.
Singapore is heavily dependent on tourism as a source of income. Although it is not the most inexpensive destination in the region, the country bank on its key strengths such as a shopping and recreational hub. There are several large shopping malls in Singapore including VivoCity, Ngee Ann City, Suntec City Mall and ION Orchard.
Sunset at Sentosa Island (11 Dec 2004)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Singapore is also constructing several huge recreational resorts, chiefly on the island of Sentosa. Among these, Resorts World Sentosa, which includes a Universal Studios theme park and the largest oceanarium in the world, is opening on 20 January, 2010. In addition to Resorts World, Singapore is also constructing the Marina Bay Sands, the centrepiece of which are three 55-storey towers linked at the top by a sky terrace. Both Resorts World and Marina Bay Sands were awarded licenses to operate casinos in Singapore.
On this page, I want to provide you a full view of all the sights worth visiting in Singapore at one glance. Listed on the column on the right are all the major (and some minor) sights in Singapore.
Singapore at night (12 December 2004)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
How to find accommodation: Singapore Hotels
Before you book your accommodation in Singapore, you should check and compare prices offered by different Hotel Booking websites. You will find that different sites charge a different price for the same hotel room. Use our free Hotel Search Engine to view the room rates offered by different booking sites, such as Expedia. With this information, you can make an informed decision that will potentially save you a lot of money. To begin, click on Hotels in Singapore. If you are a solo backpacker, there are also plenty of Singapore hostels you can stay at where you can meet and socialise with other backpackers.
Lanterns in a Singapore Chinese temple (10 July 2006)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Budget Travel to Singapore
There are many ways for you to get into Singapore. As the transportation hub of Southeast Asia, Singapore has one of the best connections in the region.
Entering Singapore By Air
Changi Airport (SIN) is the main entry point to Singapore by air. It is the second busiest airport in Southeast Asia after Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi (BKK). Located on a 1300 hectare site, Changi is 20 km from the commercial centre of Singapore. It consists of 3 terminals. Most airlines use Terminal 1 while Singapore Airlines and its Star Alliance partners use Terminal 2. At the time of writing (May 2007) Terminal 3 is scheduled for opening in 2008. In addition, there is a Budget Terminal which presently handles flights by Tiger and Cebu Pacific.
From Changi airport, you have the following options for reaching the city:
Taxi (cab): Follow the taxi sign after clearing customs. Taxis in Singapore use the meter, and a trip to the city costs between $20 and $30, inclusive of a $3-5 airport surcharge. If you take the taxi between midnight and 6:00pm, there is an after-hour surcharge of 50%.
Limousines: A flat $35 to anywhere in the city. No after-hour surcharge, making it an attractive option after midnight. You can also charter van-sized MaxiCabs, which are good for large families or if you arrive with lots of baggage.
Shuttle: These are six-seater MaxiCab shuttle service to designated areas/hotels. They cost $7.00 and can be booked in advance or in the arrivals hall. They run every 15 to 30 minutes, from 6:00am to 2:00am.
Subway: The Singapore MRT has a station at Terminal 2. To reach the city, you need to change train at the Tanah Merah MRT Station. A ride to the City Hall Interchange takes 30 minutes and costs S$1.40. The trains run from 5:31 AM to 11:18 PM.
Bus: Bus terminals are located at the basement of Terminal 1 and 2. Buses run from 6:00am to midnight. Fares are below S$2.00, but you need exact change as no change is given.
Lanterns in a Singapore Chinese temple (8 July 2006)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Entering Singapore By Bus
One may reach Singapore from different cities in Peninsular Malaysia. These buses enter through the Woodlands Checkpoint. Leaving Singapore, the buses use the Second Link. There isn't a central bus station so the buses depart Singapore from different parts of the city. The following bus companies operate between Malaysia and Singapore:
Aeroline, tel: +60-3-6258-8800 (Kuala Lumpur), +65-6341-9338, web: www.aeroline.com.my Buses ply between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya and Bandar Utama. Departs from HarbourFront Centre.
Gunung Raya, tel: +65-6294-7711
Hasry Express, tel: +65-6294-9306, web: http://www.hasryexpress.com/, Departs Lavender Street for Malacca, Batu Pahat, Muar and Kuala Lumpur.
Konsortium Express, tel: +65-63923911, web: http://www.konsortium.com.sg/
Plusliner, tel: +65-6256-5755 (Singapore), +60-3-2274-0499 (Kuala Lumpur), +60-4-658-2371 (Penang), web www.plusliner.com; departs from Copthorne Orchid Hotel.
Transnasional, tel: +65-6294-7034 (Singapore), +60-3-4043-8984 (Kuala Lumpur), +60-4-659-7788 (Penang) web: www.transnasional.com.my, departs from Lavender Street.
Transtar, tel: +65-6299-9009 (Singapore), +60-3-2141-1771 (Kuala Lumpur), web: general@transtar.com.sg; trips to Kuala Lumpur, Malacca and Genting Highlands, departs from Golden Mile Complex, Beach Road.
Tongkang LRT Station
Author: © Sengkang
Entering Singapore By Taxi
Specially licensed Singapore taxis can take passengers from anywhere in Singapore to the Kotaraya shopping mall in Johor Bahru. Tel: Johor Taxi Service, +65-6296-7054.
Taxis can be taken from the Kotaraya shopping mall in Johor Bahru, to anywhere in Singapore for S$30, and to Changi Airport for S$40.
Entering Singapore By Car
There are two land links from Peninsular Malaysia into Singapore:
Causeway: ever congested, but the popular choice for those coming from Johor Bahru. It links Johor Bahru with Woodlands in northern Singapore.
Second Link: faster and less congested than the Causeway. It links Tanjung Kupang in Johor, Malaysia, with Tuas in western Singapore.
To enter Singapore with a foreign-registered car, you need to buy an AutoPass (AP) card for S$10, and use it to pay for a Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) of S$20 per day. Then, you need to rent an In-Vehicle Unit (IU) to pay the electronic road pricing, or pay a flat fee of S$5 per day. Peninsular-Malaysia registered vehicles need to show a valid road tax and Malaysian insurance coverage. All other foreign vehicles need a Vehicle Registration Certificate, Customs Document (Carnet), Vehicle Insurance purchased from a Singapore-based insurance company and an International Circulation Permit.
Sultan Mosque (8 July 2006)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Procedure to enter Singapore by car
Go through immigration and get your passport stamped. Then follow the Red Lane to buy the AutoPass from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) office. At the parking area, an LTA officer will verify your car, road tax and insurance cover note. He will issue you a small chit of paper which you take to the LTA counter. Fill in a form and then go to the counter to buy the AP and/or rent the IU. Then proceed to customs where you will have to open the boot for inspection. After that, you are ready to drive anywhere in Singapore. When you exit Singapore, the VEP fees, road pricing charges and tolls will be deducted from your AutoPass. You do this by slotting the AutoPass into the reader at the immigration counter while you get your passport stamped. This procedure applies only to Peninsular Malaysia registered cars.
As of 1 June 2005, all foreign registered cars and motorcycles can be driven in Singapore for a maximum of 10 days in each calendar year without paying VEP fees. After the 10 VEP free days have been utilised, VEP fees for subsequent days are chargeable if you continue to use or drive your foreign-registered car or motorcycle during VEP operating hours. For more details, refer to the Land Transport Authority's webpage.
Fountain at Raffles Hotel (20 Dec 2003)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Entering Singapore By Train
Malaysia's Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTMB, web: http://www.ktmb.com.my/) runs two day trains (the Ekspres Sinaran Pagi and Ekspres Rakyat) and one sleeper service (Ekspres Senandung Malam) between the Tanjung Pagar station in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. The Sinaran Pagi leaves Singapore at 08:40, the Ekspres Rakyat at 13:00 and the Senandung Malam at 22:15. In addition, there are two train services to Tumpat, near Kota Bharu; Lambaian Pagi departs Singapore at 06:00 while the sleeper service Ekspres Timuran departs at 18:15.
KTMB tickets are priced in ringgit in Malaysia, and in Singapore dollars in Singapore, at the same rate. In other words, a RM10 ticket sold in Malaysia is sold at S$10 if bought in Singapore. To avoid paying the extra amount, do one of the following:
- If coming from Malaysia, book return tickets.
- Cross the border and board the train in Johor Bahru.
- Buy the cheapest ticket to go from Singapore to Johor Bahru, and then another ticket from Johor Bahru to your final destination, and change seat upon arriving in Johor Bahru.
When leaving Singapore for Malaysia, your passport will be checked but not stamped by the Malaysian immigration at Tanjung Pagar. At the Woodlands station half an hour later, you will get a Singapore exit stamp. Why something so bizarre? It's all due to the ups and downs of the Malaysia-Singapore bilateral relations. Previously, both Singapore and Malaysia handled their immigration controls in Tanjung Pagar. However, Singapore moved their checkpoint for trains to Woodlands in 1998. Malaysia however refused to move. As a result, the Malaysian immigration checks at Tanjung Pagar will only "view" the passports of people entering Malaysia but not stamp them.
In the other direction, for trains coming from Malaysia to Singapore, the Malaysian immigration formalities are done on board the trains in Johor Bahru. Arriving at Woodlands, you have to disembark and walk through immigration.
Also note that you will not get a Malaysian entry stamp in your passport if you enter the country by train, so don't panic. Passports are checked (but not stamped) by Malaysian immigration before you enter the platform to board the train in Tanjung Pagar but you will only get a Singapore exit stamp at Woodlands station, about half-an-hour's journey away. For reasons why, see infobox in Malaysia | Get in section. Coming in from Malaysia, the situation is much more conventional - Malaysia stamps you out in Johor Bahru (you don't even need to get out of the train) and Singapore stamps you in at Woodlands (you will have to disembark and walk through immigration, though).
Singapore MRT (11 Dec 2004)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Budget Travel within Singapore
Aside from the blazing tropical sun, Singapore is a very easy city to move around. The public transportation is the best in Southeast Asia, and getting around is relatively easy and cheap. If you are spending a few days in Singapore, it is advisable to get the EZ-Link Card (http://www.ezlink.com.sg/). This fare card can be purchased at any MRT station. You can use it to board the MRT as well as bus, enjoying a 15% discount off the actual fare. A new EZ-Link Card will cost you S$15. Of this amount $7 is the stored value and S$3 is a refundable deposit. You can top up the amount stored in your EZ-Link card in increments of S$10 at the vending machines and 7-Elevens. It is the most convenient way to travel in Singapore. Alternatively, you can also get the Visitor Card, which has the EZ-Link functionality, and other discounts for tourists, for S$45, and is good for 3 days. In my opinion, the normal EZ-Link card is the best choice.
The two major operators of public transport in Singapore are the SBS Transit bus company, the largest bus company in Singapore, www.sbstransit.com.sg, and SMRT, the Singapore Mass Rapid Transit company, which also operates the MRT trains. Both accept the EZ-Link cards for payment of journeys made.
Singapore MRT
At the time I write this, there are three MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) lines in Singapore.
The East-West Line, coded EW and is green in colour, goes from Pasir Ris (EW1) to Boon Lay (EW27). At the Tanah Merah Station (EW4), there is a branch off to Changi Airport Station (CG2).
The North-South Line, coded NS and is red in colour, goes from Jurong East (NS1) in the west, makes a loop north, and ends at Marine Bay (NS27) in the city. Along the way, the NS line crosses the EW line at interchanges at Jurong East (NS1/EW24), City Hall (NS25/EW13) and Raffles Place (NS26/EW14) stations.
The North-East Line, coded NE and is purple in colour, goes from HarbourFront (NE1) to Punggol (NE17). Along the way, the NE line interchanges with the EW line at Outram Park (NE3/EW16) and with the NS line at Dhoby Ghaut (NE6/NS24).
Singapore Buses
Much of the populated areas in Singapore is service by a bus route. Bus routes and fares are posted on the bus stops. You are required to board the bus from the front entrance and alight from the exit at the rear of the bus. When travelling by bus using your EZ-Link card, tap your card against the card reader at the front entrance. A maximum fare is deducted when you do so. When you alight, tap your card at the card reader at the exit, and you're refunded a difference based on your journey travelled.
Singapore Taxis
Taxis are plenty, reliable, honest, not too expensive, but may some times be hard to get. In some places within the city centre, you may have to queue a while before getting a taxi. The flagfall rate is S$2.50 for the first 1km, and 10 cents for every subsequent 200m. You may pay using credit card on most taxis, though there's a surcharge of 15% for this privilege. To get a taxi, you may call the following numbers:
Comfort: 6552-1111
SMRT: 6555-8888
City Cab: 6552-2222
Smart: 6485-7700
Transcab:6553-3333
Travel Insurance
Be sure to get yourself covered for your trip with Travel Insurance Singapore.
Cast iron filigree, Lau Pa Sat (8 July 2006)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Singapore Money Matters
The Singapore currency is called Singapore dollar. Banknotes are available in denominations of $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $500, $10000 and $10,000. The $1 note has largely been replaced with the $1 coin. Coins come in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents. At the time of writing, US$1.00 = S$1.52. For the latest exchange rate, use the Oanda Currency Converter, http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic
Singapore Goods & Services Tax (GST)
This is imposed on most goods and services, which stands at 5% as of 1 January 2004, and is set to rise again to 7%. (details here)
Travellers' Cheques
Travellers' Cheques can easily be encashed in most banks in Singapore. Shops may also take travellers cheques in lieu of cash after taking into consideration the conversion rate.
Credit Cards
Credit cards are accepted at most restaurants and upmarket stores. A surcharge of 2-4% is added for many purchases. To get in touch with the major credit card companies, call:
Visa: 1 800 345 1345
MasterCard: 800 1100 113
American Express: 6880 1111
Singapore Banking Hours
Banks are open from 10:00am to 3:00pm on weekdays, and 9:30am to 11:00am on Saturdays.
Singapore Phone & Emergency Numbers
Singapore Area Code
The IDD code for Singapore is +65. When calling Malaysia from Singapore, dial +02 followed by the local code and number, instead of +60. For example, when calling the Penang number 04-666 7843 from Singapore, dial 02-04-666-7843. Similarly when dialing Singapore from Malaysia, add the prefix 02 instead of +65 followed by the number to be dialled. For example, when calling +65 6336 5800 from Malaysia, dial 02 6336 5800.
Emergency Numbers
Fire / Ambulance: 995
Police: 999
Police Hotline (for Crime and Police Information): 1-800-225-0000
Non-Emergency Ambulance: 1777
24-hour Medical Emergency Assistance: 6737-2666 (Mount Elizabeth Hospital), 6473 7222 (Gleneagles Hospital)
Flight Information: 6542-7788
Local Directory Enquiry: 100
International Directory Assistance: 104
Postal Enquiries: 1605
Singapore Bus Service: 1-800-287-2727
Singapore Tourist Board Information Centre: 1-800-736-2000
Yellow Pages
Singapore Yellow Pages: www.yellowpages.com.sg
Shoppers on the move at CityLink Mall (20 Dec 2003)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
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