For a few years, Singapore has been gaining more popularity and prominence from travel. Despite being called a city-state, Singapore is made up of a total of sixty-three islands. This peculiar country located between Malaysia and Indonesia is worth visiting both on a stopover and for more days.
In this article, I will tell you about all the basic information you need to organize your trip to Singapore on your own. Being a country by itself, it has its own currency, laws and rules. Go for it:
Why travel to Singapore?
When we think of travelling to Southeast Asia we usually imagine chaotic cities, jungle and paradisiacal beaches. The case of Singapore is different. This city full of skyscrapers lives in full modernity and you will feel like you’re in the West. In addition, it has a diverse mix of cultures that will not leave you indifferent.
In my case, Singapore has been the first destination that I have travelled alone. If this is your case, I recommend it. Its order, cleanliness and security make it an easy place for a traveller. You will experience something different while still feeling at home.
How many days does it take to visit Singapore
Now, if Singapore is so small, how many days do you need to get to know it? Many people spend a stopover or a simple day on it. Although dedicating a month to it would be excessive, I do recommend dedicating more than one day to it.
I was in Singapore for seven days and still could have visited and seen more places. My budget was low, so I enjoyed walking through its streets and neighbourhoods. Still, if you want to make the most of the trip, there is a lot to see in Singapore. In short, I would recommend spending 4 days in Singapore.
Documents or requirements necessary to travel to Singapore
The only thing you will need to do when you organize your trip to Singapore on your own is to make sure that you have a valid passport. As the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says, the passport must be “valid for more than 6 months to enter Singapore”. You will be allowed a stay as a tourist for 90 days (in case of being a citizen of a Latin American country, the permit is 30 days).
When you arrive in Singapore, before leaving the Arrivals area, you must pass border control and customs. In that room, there is an immigration form which you must fill in with your personal information, the duration of your stay and address of your accommodation. This paper will be delivered, along with your passport, to the operator who attends you. After taking your fingerprints, your passport will be stamped and a part of the form will be returned to you. This you must keep until you leave the country.
Currency used in Singapore
The currency used in Singapore is the Singaporean Dollar. To give you an approximation, 10 SGD equals € 6.50. I recommend you check the current currency exchange on websites like XE.
Card payments are widespread in Singapore so you shouldn’t have any problems with it. However, I recommend that you always carry cash with you. Surely you will eat at a local stand, the hawkers centre or at a buy from a street shop during your trip. I recommend having cash for this, and when you go to ethnic neighbourhoods like Little India
What languages are spoken
Singapore is a country with a very interesting history. In fact, during your visit I recommend you visit the National History Museum which, in a very didactic way, explains the history of the territory from its first inhabitants to becoming an independent country.
This cultural mix that has lived through the years as a colony makes the official languages English, Malay, Mandarin Chinese and Tamil. As a traveller, you will be able to manage without problems speaking in English. All the locals speak it among themselves.
Internet and SIM Card in Singapore
Personally, I always like to have a local SIM card wherever I travel. It makes me feel more secure knowing that I can communicate with whoever is necessary at any time, as well as being able to locate myself and get directions on how to go to the sites.
I bought a Singtel Sim card for 30 SGD. This was valid for 12 days with 100GB of data. I didn’t need that much, but I didn’t find a 7-day card at the airport store. I also had 2GB of data on this card for my next destination, Malaysia.
Electricity, do I need an adapter?
You will need a power adapter during your visit to Singapore. The plug used in the country is type G with a voltage of 230V. So do not forget to bring at least one adapter to charge your mobile, camera or any electronic device that you carry with you.
What to wear to Singapore
When I looked for information to organize the trip to Singapore I found that many people had doubts about the clothing. Singapore is a great city like any other and each person dresses as they prefer. There is a great mix of nationalities, religions and cultures so you will see everything.
In short, they wear clothes that everyone prefers in Singapore. I recommend you to dress for the tropical climate they have but always carry a jacket inside shopping centres, restaurants and hotels since they have air conditioning at temperatures of the north pole. In addition, in certain temples or mosques, it will be necessary that you have your legs and shoulders covered if you want to enter to visit it.
Best time to visit Singapore
When planning a trip to Singapore, or any other destination, you usually look at the time with the best climate. In the case of Singapore, temperatures will not be a determining factor in deciding when to visit. The country has a tropical climate that moves between the same levels all year round (between 24ºC and 32ºC). Likewise, you can expect rain at any time of the year. It is usually muggy and on cloudy days it can rain for a few hours in the afternoon-evening.
So when to visit Singapore? Any time is good. There are a few peak months for business tourism or the Chinese New Year. So for now, it is not such a tourist city where you will find large crowds on all the streets such as New York.
Cheap flights to Singapore
Singapore is a good place to start a trip to Southeast Asia. Changi International Airport is considered one of the best in the world. Being operational 24 hours a day, it has hotels, a cinema, gym and swimming pool within its facilities.
How to get cheap flights to Singapore? There are many international connections due to its location. In the case that concerns us, if you are looking for cheap flights to Singapore from Spain, I recommend that you take a look at Norwegian airline. This low-cost airline has real bargains. My one-way ticket from Barcelona to Singapore cost € 174.31. Being a low cost, its base price does not include food, blanket or headphones but I think they are services that you can do without.
However, I recommend using the Skyscanner flight search engine to see how much it costs to fly to Singapore from your country of departure.
