Singapore

Quick Facts

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Local Name

Chinese: 新加坡; Malay: Singapura; Tamil: சிங்கப்பூர்

Capital

Singapore^[1]

Government

Parliamentary Republic

Nationality

Singaporean

Population

4,590,000^[2]

Languages

Chinese, Malay, Tamil, English

Religions

Buddhism, Islam, Christianity (Catholic)

Currency

Singapore Dollar (SGD)

Calling Code

+65

Time Zone

UTC+8

Introduction

Dumpling Soup

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Bite-sized Singapore rakes in around US$85 billion a year, an amount comparable to Western European states and a profound testament to the city-state's amazing ability to grow and develop at an unprecedented rate. The modern look and feel of Singapore is that of a metropolis propelling itself headlong into the 21st century, symbolized most blatantly by the army of skyscrapers towering over the horizon.

Anthropologists will be disappointed to find this technological madness in what was once a minor trading port, but Asian culture still impresses its influence into the cosmopolitan face of Singapore. Singapore is an ethnically diverse city and areas like Chinatown, Arab St and Little India highlight this variety. So does the food: from typical modern sky-rise food like McDonald's, to traditional Indian chapatis or Chinese dishes, Singaporean cuisine is as delicious as it is varied.

Brief History

Geography

Neighbourhoods

• Balestier, Newton, Novena and Toa Payoh are home to some Burmese temples.
• Riverside is packed with cultural institutions and a good number of bars, clubs and restaurants.
• Orchard Road is Singapore's shopping mecca and is packed with malls.
• Bugis and Kampong Glam are the old Malay district, now home to numerous malls.
• Chinatown
• Little India is home to a large section of the Indian population. Visit in the evenings to find it at its most vibrant.
• North and West Singapore are more residential / industrial.
• East Coast is a largely residential neighbourhood.
• Sentosa Island is a separate island off Singapore and has been developed into a resort getaway.

Sights and Activities

• Sentosa - An island themed park that feature a multitude of activities from rides, laser shows, and beach activities. This island resort is one of the most visited parks in Singapore.
• Night Safari - The world's first wildlife park built for visits at night to enable visitors to watch nocturnal animals in their natural habitat.
• The Merlion - The symbol of Singapore, where the original statue spouts water into Marina Bay from the Merlion Park. Two other replicas can be found in Mt. Faber and in Sentosa.
• Mt. Faber - Singapore's highest peak provides a 360 degree view of the island state.

Events and Festivals

• Singapore Arts Festival - The Singapore Arts Festival, now in its thirtieth year, is one of Asia's most popular arts festivals. It runs for a month each year around May and June.

Weather

Singapore enjoys year-round tropical temperatures averaging around 31 °C during the day. November to January is the monsoon season at which time there is higher than average rainfall and the average maximum temperature is more likely to be slightly cooler, around 26 °C.

Visitors should bear in mind that the combined humidity and heat takes quite a toll when spending time outside.

Getting There

By Plane

Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) is a major hub in Southeast Asia. Singapore Airlines is the national airline and services routes throughout the world. A budget off-shoot of Singapore Airlines, Tiger Airways services routes through Asia. AirAsia flies from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Phuket into Singapore.

By Train

The Malayan Railway (Malay: Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM)) runs a few train services daily from Peninsular Malaysia to the Tanjong Pagar station in Singapore. Journey times are usually longer than the bus though.

From Singapore there is one daily train to Butterworth, where you have to spend the night, before travelling to the southern Thai city of Hat Yai, where you have to change trains again for Bangkok. Between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur there are 3 trains a day, one of which is a sleeper train. It takes 6,5 hours during the day and 9 for the sleeper.

In the other direction, strangely enough, the train from Bangkok travels directly to Butterworth in Malaysia. From here there are 2 daily trains and 1 night train to Kuala Lumpur, with onward connection to Singapore again 3 times a day, of which one is a sleeper.

By Car

There are two ways to drive from Malaysia into Singapore. The first way is from Johor Bahru, Malaysia across the causeway to Woodlands, Singapore. The other way is via the the Second Link bridge linking Tanjung Kupang in Malaysia and Tuas in Singapore.

By Bus

Buses frequently drive between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur as well as other Malaysian destinations. The trip to/from Kuala Lumpur takes roughly five hours, depending on the operator. The quality of the buses is generally very high and prices are very affordable. Unfortunately, there is no central bus terminal in Singapore and the various operators stop in different parts of the city.

By Boat

Ferries connect Singapore to the Riau Islands in Indonesia and Johor in Malaysia.

Getting Around

By Train

The ultra-modern MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) train network connects the whole island quickly and efficiently. A cheap, convenient and comfortable way to travel, tickets can be purchased on the spot at all MRT stations around the island via a machine for immediate travel. For longer term use, stored value cards can be purchased at selected stations and topped up at any station for further travels.

By Car

By Bus

Singapore is connected by an efficient bus network - the same MRT stored value cards (EZ-link cards) can be used for bus rides (through tapping on card readers positioned at the entry and exits of buses). Alternatively, the fare can be paid by coins (ask the driver how much it is to the destination). Normally bus routes and stops are posted on a display board at busstops. Bus and train guides can be bought cheaply at virtually all newstands and bookstores around the island.

By Boat

Red Tape

Money

The Singapore Dollar (S$) is the official currency, and Singapore has a currency interchangeability agreement with Brunei so the S$ is pegged 1:1 with the Brunei Dollar.

Work

From December 1, 2007, it will be possible for undergraduates and graduates from Australia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States to live and work in Singapore for up to 6 months.^[3]

Study

Language

Eat

Sleep

Budget

• The Inn Crowd is one of the best budget hostels in the world. It has a great common room, large dorm rooms and cheap beer. The hostel is conveniently located in little India only 6 minutes from both subway stops.

Mid Range

High End

Drink

Health

Safety

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

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