singapore overview

Singapore is one of the safest, cleanest, and most efficiently run cities in the world. It is also one of the most expensive to visit. Fortunately, its compact design is perfect for exploring – nothing you’ll want to see is more than an hour by car from the central business district. Few things bring people together as food does and Singapore’s world-renowned food scene is an essential part of its culture and the thread that unifies its diverse population.

singapore fast facts

Best time To Visit Singapore

Spring and Fall are the best times to visit Singapore. Singapore has a warm, tropical climate year-round; however, it does average 170+ rainy days per year. November to June is considered the high season due to winter vacationers and holiday festivals such as Chinese New Year. July to October has slightly lighter tourist traffic and rain, but the steady flow of business travelers and cultural festivals result in a steady influx of visitors all year.

Where to Stay in Singapore

Singapore Attractions

National Gallery of Singapore – The gallery draws from Singapore’s National Collection, the world’s largest public collection of contemporary and modern Southeast Asian Art. Start your tour at the rooftop which has a terrace and restaurant that offer amazing vistas for taking in the skyline.

Merlion Park – is a twenty-foot statue of a lion’s head with a fish’s body that spouts water from its mouth. It is widely used as the national mascot of Singapore. The park offers unobstructed views of Marina Bay Sands.

Chinatown – Here you’ll find shophouses selling artwork and clothing, Buddhist temples, medicine halls, tea houses, and street-side eateries. It is incredibly clean and well organized. The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is a colorful Buddhist temple and museum reputed to have a canine tooth of the Buddha himself. The Maxwell Food Centre is one of Singapore’s best “hawker centers” (open-air food stalls selling a variety of cheap food).

Gardens by the Bay – are a nature park spanning 250 acres, including a Flower Dome, Cloud Forest, and Supertree Grove. There is an elevated walkway between two of the larger Supertrees for visitors to enjoy a panoramic aerial view of the park. At night, the Supertrees come to live with a light and music show.

Marina Bay Sands – For an evening bite or drink, head to CÉ LA VI Sky Bar & Club Lounge on the 57th floor of the hotel. This is a great vantage point for the Spectra light and water show, an amazing convergence of light, music, and sound with the stunning cityscape of Singapore in the backdrop.

Little India – As you walk south along Serangoon Road, you can bargain shop at the open-air Tekka Center, enjoy a local “teh tarik” (‘pulled’ hot milk tea), or tour one of the many Hindu temples. The Sri Vadapathira Kaliamman Temple is a colorful Hindu temple believed to have been started in 1830 by a single female devotee.

Arab Quarter – This neighborhood is home to Singapore’s best street art and is one of the only areas largely untouched by the extensive modernization in Singapore over the last sixty years. Haji Lane is a collection of colorful shophouses that has been transformed into a hip stretch of retail shops, local eateries, and shisha bars. Lau Pa Sat Food Centre is another of Singapore’s best hawker centers.

National Museum of Singapore – The museum is housed in a magnificent renaissance structure and describes Singapore’s meteoric rise to one of the most successful metropolises in the world. 

Raffles Hotel – is a five-star hotel that first opened its doors in 1887. Its classic colonial architecture has been well preserved and provides a lively contrast to its modern-skyscraper neighbors. Through the decades, the hotel’s Sikh doormen have welcomed famous writers, celebrities, politicians, and members of royalty. Consider making a stop at The Long Bar where the famous Singapore Sling was created.  

Singapore River Cruise and Clarke Quay – Boats depart every twenty minutes and a complete trip around the river lasts forty minutes, including several pickup/drop-off points along the way. Clarke Quay is one of the liveliest nighttime areas of Singapore. It comprises five blocks of old warehouses restored into trendy restaurants and nightclubs. There are also several Chinese junks (sailboats) that have been refurbished into floating pubs and restaurants. 

Mount Faber Park – is one of the oldest parks in Singapore with panoramic lookout points along the way.

VivoCity – is Singapore’s largest retail shopping center, which boasts a cinema multiplex (including one of the largest cinema screens in Asia), al fresco dining with waterfront views, and a rooftop amphitheater with regularly occurring concerts.

Night Safari – is the world’s first nocturnal zoo. It can be explored either on foot or by tram and the animals range from Indian rhinoceros and Nile hippos to Malaysian tigers and Asian elephants. The park is made visible by lighting that resembles moonlight.

bottom line

Singapore offers rich and diverse cultural districts, a modern downtown, and a futuristic waterfront. If you have some time, consider visiting other outdoor spaces such as the Botanical Gardens or the waterfront at East Coast Park and exploring more of the city’s food scene. Singapore’s compact layout can be deceiving; there are endless hidden food stalls, local boutiques, and new attractions to experience.