Singapore

Singapore·Asia

Currency

SGD

Language

English, Malay, Mandarin, Tamil

Timezone

Singapore

Continent

Asia

Our guide

Discover Singapore

Singapore fits on an island under fifty kilometres wide and runs like a demonstration: everything works, everything is clean, and the greenery was replanted with as much method as the towers. Gardens by the Bay raises artificial trees that harvest water and light, beside a bay that was entirely designed. The Singapore Botanic Gardens, a World Heritage site, are the exact opposite: a 19th-century colonial garden left to mature. Chinatown, the Sri Mariamman Temple and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple sit within a few streets of each other, which sums the country up.

When to go

Within a degree, it does the same thing all year: hot, humid, around 30 °C, with a shower possible any day. February to April is marginally drier. From August to October, haze from regional fires can degrade the air for days at a time — the one real seasonal hazard. There is no bad time, only a constant to accept.

Getting around

The MRT is fast, air-conditioned, signed in English and very cheap; a contactless card or bank card is enough. Buses fill in the gaps finely. Ride-hailing is plentiful and reasonable. Walking is for morning or evening: at midday the humidity makes distances longer than they are, and the covered walkways between buildings are not a luxury.

Where to eat

Hawker centres are the national institution, inscribed on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list: dozens of stalls under one roof, at prices absurd for the quality. Lau Pa Sat occupies a Victorian cast-iron hall. Hawker Chan made the case that a street stall could aim at a star. Hainanese chicken rice, laksa, chilli crab and kaya toast at breakfast are the fixtures. Twenty-five halal addresses are listed, the highest count of any of our destinations — certification is common and clearly displayed.

Good to know

The Singapore dollar is the currency and cards work everywhere. Tap water is drinkable. English is an official and administrative language. The city is extremely safe, in exchange for strict law that is genuinely enforced: fines for minor offences, and very severe penalties for drugs — this is not folklore. Tipping is not practised, a service charge often being included already.

Smart Planning