Roavina

Country guide

Singapore

A photograph of Singapore
Photograph · Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

Singapore is one main island and more than sixty smaller ones, 744.3 square kilometres in total, about one degree of latitude north of the equator. Being a country and a city at once, it has no hinterland to escape to and no domestic journey to plan — the whole of it is inside a metro ride. What changes is the district: the colonial civic core and the river sit against the financial towers, Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam each hold their own quarter, and the reclaimed ground at Marina Bay carries the newest of it. The equatorial climate barely varies through the year, which removes the question of when to come.

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+65
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Singapore dollar (SGD)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
999 police · 995 ambulance and fire
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type G · 230 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Safe from the mains
Singapore's public water supply meets national drinking-water standards

Planning a visit

  1. January: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  2. February: best time to visit
  3. March: good time to visit
  4. April: good time to visit
  5. May: good time to visit
  6. June: best time to visit
  7. July: best time to visit
  8. August: best time to visit
  9. September: best time to visit — current month
  10. October: good time to visit
  11. November: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  12. December: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  • Best time
  • Good time
  • Viable with trade-offs
  • Difficult conditions

Sources

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Kampong Glam Kampong Glam
    02 45 min

    Kampong Glam

    Kampong Glam is a historic district in Singapore, traditionally associated with the Malay and Muslim communities. It served as the seat of Malay royalty in colonial times and remains a culturally significant neighbourhood.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Singapore
  2. Little India Little India
    03 45 min

    Little India

    Little India is a living cultural district centred on Serangoon Road. Indian communities, religious buildings, traditional shophouses, food businesses, textile shops, spice sellers, and flower garlands give the neighbourhood its distinctive character.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Singapore
  3. Singapore Flyer Singapore Flyer
    04 1 hour

    Singapore Flyer

    Singapore Flyer is a giant observation wheel on the Marina Bay waterfront. Enclosed capsules rise above the city at a deliberately gentle pace, turning the attraction into a sightseeing experience rather than a thrill ride.

    • Must see
    • Viewpoint
    • Singapore
  4. Fort Canning Hill Fort Canning Hill
    05 1 hour

    Fort Canning Hill

    Fort Canning Park

    Fort Canning Hill, known locally as Fort Canning Park, is a historic hilltop landmark in Singapore's central civic district.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Singapore
  5. Masjid Sultan Masjid Sultan
    06 30 min

    Masjid Sultan

    Sultan Mosque is an active Islamic place of worship in Singapore’s Kampong Glam district and a national monument. Its golden dome and prayer hall form one of the most recognisable architectural landmarks in the historic Malay-Muslim quarter.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Singapore
  6. Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum
    07 30 min

    Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum

    Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

    The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum is a Buddhist temple and museum complex in Singapore's Chinatown district. It was established to house a sacred Buddha tooth relic, a significant religious artifact in Buddhism.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Singapore
  7. Sri Mariamman Temple Sri Mariamman Temple
    08 45 min

    Sri Mariamman Temple

    Sri Mariamman Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore and a working place of worship rather than a museum, run by the Hindu Endowments Board.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Singapore
  8. Haw Par Villa Haw Par Villa
    09 1 hour

    Haw Par Villa

    Haw Par Villa is a theme park in Singapore known for its vivid depictions of Chinese mythology, folklore, and moral teachings.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Singapore
  9. Thian Hock Keng Thian Hock Keng
    10 30 min

    Thian Hock Keng

    Thian Hock Keng Temple stands as one of Singapore's oldest and most significant Hokkien temples.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Singapore
  10. Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple
    11 30 min

    Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple

    Sri Veeramakaliamman

    Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple is a Hindu temple in Singapore's Little India district. Dedicated to the goddess Kali, a fierce form of the divine mother, it stands as one of Singapore's oldest Hindu temples.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Singapore
  11. Henderson Waves Henderson Waves
    12 45 min

    Henderson Waves

    Henderson Waves is a pedestrian bridge in Singapore and the tallest pedestrian bridge in the country. It crosses Henderson Road between Mount Faber Park and Telok Blangah Hill Park.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Singapore
  12. Mount Faber Mount Faber
    13 1 hour

    Mount Faber

    Mount Faber Park

    Mount Faber Park is a hilltop park in Singapore, part of the Southern Ridges network of connected parks. It stands approximately 105 metres above sea level and offers panoramic views of the harbour and southern islands.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Singapore
  13. Chek Jawa Chek Jawa
    14 45 min

    Chek Jawa

    Chek Jawa Wetlands

    Chek Jawa is a coastal wetlands area on Pulau Ubin, an island off Singapore’s northeastern coast. The landscape brings together mangroves, sandy beach, rocky shore and coastal boardwalk in one nature-focused visit.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Singapore
  14. Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
    15 1 hour

    Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

    Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is a protected coastal wetland in northwest Singapore, facing the Johor Strait. Its mangroves, mudflats, ponds, and coastal habitats create a marked change from the city’s dense urban environment.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Singapore
  15. East Coast Park East Coast Park
    16 1 hour

    East Coast Park

    East Coast Park is a major coastal park stretching along Singapore's southeastern shoreline. It is one of the country's most popular public parks, developed on reclaimed land.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Singapore
  16. Fort Siloso Fort Siloso
    17 45 min

    Fort Siloso

    Fort Siloso is a preserved coastal fortification on Sentosa Island and Singapore’s only fully restored military fort. The British built the fort in the 1880s to defend the western approaches to the strategic harbour.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Singapore
  17. Palawan Beach Palawan Beach
    18 1 hour

    Palawan Beach

    Palawan Beach is a family-oriented beach on Sentosa Island's southern coast. It is known for a suspension bridge leading to a small offshore islet promoted as the southernmost point of continental Asia.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Singapore
  18. Siloso Beach Siloso Beach
    19 1 hour

    Siloso Beach

    Siloso Beach is a sandy beach on the western shore of Sentosa Island, Singapore. It is one of three beaches on Sentosa, alongside Palawan Beach and Tanjong Beach.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Singapore
  19. Tanjong Beach Tanjong Beach
    20 1 hour

    Tanjong Beach

    Tanjong Beach is a quieter stretch of coast on the southern shore of Sentosa Island, forming part of the island’s trio of main beaches with Palawan and Siloso.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Singapore
  20. National Orchid Garden National Orchid Garden
    21 1 hour

    National Orchid Garden

    The National Orchid Garden is a specialised botanical garden within the Singapore Botanic Gardens, dedicated to the display and conservation of orchid species and hybrids.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Singapore
  21. Jacob Ballas Children's Garden
    22 1 hour

    Jacob Ballas Children's Garden

    Jacob Ballas Children's Garden is a dedicated children's garden located within the Singapore Botanic Gardens. It is named after Jacob Ballas, a prominent Jewish businessman and philanthropist who contributed significantly to Singapore's development.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Singapore
  22. Japanese Garden Japanese Garden
    23 1 hour

    Japanese Garden

    Japanese Garden is a landscaped park within the larger Jurong Lake Gardens in western Singapore. Designed around traditional Japanese aesthetic principles, it offers a green setting for walking and quiet pauses away from the dense central city.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Singapore
  23. Jurong Lake Gardens Jurong Lake Gardens
    24 1 hour

    Jurong Lake Gardens

    Jurong Lake Gardens is a national garden in Singapore and the first national garden in the heartlands. It encompasses the former Jurong Lake Park and Japanese and Chinese Gardens.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Singapore
  24. Former Ford Factory Former Ford Factory
    25 45 min

    Former Ford Factory

    The Former Ford Factory is a historical industrial building in Singapore, originally constructed as a motor vehicle assembly plant.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Singapore
  25. Cathedral of the Good Shepherd Cathedral of the Good Shepherd
    26 30 min

    Cathedral of the Good Shepherd

    The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd is Singapore's oldest Roman Catholic cathedral, serving as the mother church of the Archdiocese of Singapore.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Singapore
  26. Supertree Grove Supertree Grove
    27 1 hour

    Supertree Grove

    Supertree Grove is a signature vertical garden installation at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Singapore
  27. Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery
    28 30 min

    Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery

    Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery is a major Buddhist religious complex in northern Singapore, serving worshippers, students and the wider community.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Singapore
  28. Siong Lim Temple Siong Lim Temple
    29 30 min

    Siong Lim Temple

    Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery

    Siong Lim Temple, also called Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery, is a Buddhist monastery and religious landmark in Singapore. It is one of the city’s oldest Buddhist institutions and remains a place of worship and spiritual practice.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Singapore
  29. Masjid Jamae Masjid Jamae
    30 30 min

    Masjid Jamae

    Masjid Jamae (Chulia)

    Masjid Jamae, also known as Masjid Jamae (Chulia), is a historic mosque in Singapore serving the Muslim community. Established by Tamil Muslim immigrants from the Chulia community, it stands as one of the oldest mosques in the city-state.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Singapore
  30. Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator
    31 30 min

    Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator

    The Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator stands as Singapore's oldest Christian church, consecrated in 1836.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Singapore
  31. Tekka Centre Tekka Centre
    32 45 min

    Tekka Centre

    Tekka Centre is a historic wet market and hawker centre in Singapore's Little India district. The name derives from the Hokkien and Cantonese term for the foot of a bamboo grove, referencing the area's past vegetation.

    • High
    • Market
    • Singapore
  32. Tiong Bahru Market Tiong Bahru Market
    33 45 min

    Tiong Bahru Market

    Tiong Bahru Market is a historic hawker centre and wet market in Singapore's Tiong Bahru estate. It serves as a community hub where residents gather for fresh produce and cooked meals.

    • High
    • Market
    • Singapore
  33. The Helix Bridge The Helix Bridge
    34 45 min

    The Helix Bridge

    Helix Bridge

    The Helix Bridge is a pedestrian bridge in Singapore. It spans Marina Bay, connecting Marina Centre with Marina Bay Sands and the Bayfront area. The bridge takes its name from its distinctive double-helix structure, inspired by the form of DNA.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Singapore
  34. The Istana The Istana
    35 45 min

    The Istana

    Istana

    The Istana is the official residence and office of the President of Singapore, situated in the Orchard Road area. Built in 1869 as Government House during the colonial era, it became the Istana after independence.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Singapore
  35. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
    36 1 hour

    Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

    Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is a protected area in Singapore containing the city-state's highest natural point. It encompasses one of the few remaining patches of primary rainforest on the island.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Singapore
  36. Labrador Nature Reserve Labrador Nature Reserve
    37 1 hour

    Labrador Nature Reserve

    Labrador Nature Reserve is a protected coastal nature area in southern Singapore. It occupies a headland position along the Singapore Strait, offering one of the few remaining stretches of natural rocky shoreline on the mainland.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Singapore

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Singapore be?

Five to seven days lets one central base cover Marina Bay, the civic district, Chinatown, Little India, Kampong Gelam, Sentosa, and the northern wildlife parks. Group adjacent districts because Singapore's main planning constraint is tropical heat and transfer time, not long national distances.

What entry documents are needed for Singapore?

Singapore entry requirements depend on nationality, and the SG Arrival Card is a separate arrival form rather than a visa. Use the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority service within its official submission window and verify any visa requirement there.

What is the best way to travel around Singapore?

Changi Airport connects to Singapore's MRT and bus network. Contactless payment or a stored-value card handles most transfers, while taxis and licensed ride-hailing are useful for late arrivals or groups.

When is a practical time to visit Singapore?

February to April is a broad orientation, but Singapore remains hot and humid throughout the year. Plan outdoor districts early, keep an indoor alternative for afternoon storms, and check event dates that may affect hotel availability.

What money and payment basics apply in Singapore?

Singapore uses the Singapore dollar (SGD). Contactless payment is widespread, though a small SGD reserve remains practical for individual stalls or payment failures; verify the charged currency before accepting conversion.

What practical safety details should I save for Singapore?

Call 999 for police and 995 for ambulance or fire in Singapore. Type G sockets supply 230 V, and mains tap water is recorded as safe.