Singapore
Singapore's skyline was seemingly designed to be admired from other bits of the skyline.
- Best forFoodies · Nightlife · Luxury seekers
- In October29°C · 25 rainy days
- Ideal stay3–4 nights
- Approx. flying time~17h 20m from Los Angeles
- CurrencySGDSingapore dollar
- LanguageEnglish, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil
- Local time18:247h ahead of the UK
- PlugsType GUK plugs fit
- Drive on theLeftSame as the UK
- Dialling code+65
Why go
A city-state of about six million on an island at the tip of the Malay peninsula, Singapore is dense, hot and organised to a degree that surprises people. Its interest lies in the layers: shophouse rows in Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam, hawker centres serving food that has earned Michelin recognition, and a waterfront of towers, gardens and reclaimed land. Nights run from rooftops to shophouse bars to open-air food courts.
Three or four nights is plenty, and it makes a natural stopover between Europe and Australia or a launchpad into Malaysia and Indonesia. The climate is consistent: hot, humid, with heavy rain possible at any point in the year, so plan around air conditioning and afternoon downpours. It is expensive by regional standards, particularly where alcohol is concerned, though hawker food certainly is not.
- Ideal stay
- 3–4 nights
- The vibe
- Humid, polished, wide awake
From our guides
Singapore treats bartending as a national competitive sport, and the shophouse rows of Amoy Street and Ann Siang Hill hold more world-ranked bars per metre than anywhere in Asia — Jigger & Pony and Atlas's gin cathedral lead the roll call. Prices sting, so exploit the generous happy hours before 8pm and skip the Raffles Long Bar's overpriced Singapore Sling unless peanut-shell theatre matters to you. Book the famous rooms; walk-ins rarely prosper.
Featured in Ten rooftop-bar cities for golden-hour drinks and Ten cocktail cities for a very grown-up bar crawl
Things to do
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Hawker centres
Open-air food courts where the country actually eats. Chicken rice, char kway teow, laksa and roti prata for a few dollars a plate.
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Gardens by the Bay
The waterfront park with the Supertree structures and two cooled conservatories. The evening light show at the Supertrees is free.
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Marina Bay skyline
A continuous walkway circles the bay, so the towers, the museum and the hotel can all be seen on foot in about an hour.
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Shophouse bars
Amoy Street, Ann Siang Hill and Keong Saik hold a dense concentration of internationally ranked cocktail bars in restored shophouses.
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Kampong Glam
The Malay and Arab quarter around Sultan Mosque, with textile shops, murals along Haji Lane and cafes that stay open late.
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Botanic Gardens
A UNESCO-listed garden with a national orchid collection, open from early morning and free apart from the orchid section.
Getting there
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Fly to
Singapore (SIN)
Nearest airport to Singapore, about 19km away as the crow flies.
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Then
To Singapore
Almost everyone arrives at Changi (SIN), about 20 minutes by taxi or half an hour on the MRT East West line into town. Seletar (XSP) handles only a handful of regional and private flights.
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On the ground
Getting around
The MRT reaches nearly everything and taxis are plentiful and metered. Marina Bay, Amoy Street and Ann Siang Hill are all within walking distance of one another.
Public transport: Superb, and one of the reasons nobody here bothers with a car.
Flights
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Roughly 17h 20m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.
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When to go
Daytime highs run from about 28°C in January to 29°C in April. Driest in February; wettest in May, with rain on about 28 days.
The year at a glance — pick a month for detail
October29° · rain 25 daysWarm and often wet.
Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis). Live conditions from MET Norway, CC BY 4.0.
Where to stay
High-rise international hotels, a strong crop of shophouse boutiques and capsule hostels. Serviced apartments exist but usually want a stay of several weeks.
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Best base overall
Marina Bay and Downtown
The bay-front towers put the light show, Gardens by the Bay and the MRT at your feet. Expensive, corporate and dead at street level on Sundays, but unbeatable for a short first visit.
Find stays in Marina Bay and Downtown -
Best value
Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar
Shophouse hotels and hostels among hawker centres and the Amoy Street bars, a couple of MRT stops from the bay. Rooms are small, and weekend nights on Keong Saik carry.
Find stays in Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar -
Best with children
Sentosa
The resort island with Universal Studios, the aquarium and calm beaches, linked by cable car and monorail. Costly, and you are a fair way from the city's actual food.
Find stays in Sentosa -
Best for nightlife
Kampong Glam
Around Arab Street and Haji Lane, with independent bars, Middle Eastern cafés and a handful of boutique hotels. Livelier and cheaper than the bay, with an early-hours hush.
Find stays in Kampong Glam
Worth knowing before you book: The Formula One weekend in September and the Chinese New Year period fill the city and multiply rates, with road closures around Marina Bay for days.
Search everything else in Singapore by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.
Good to know
- Dress codes
- Rooftop bars and clubs turn away sportswear, shorts and flip-flops. Pack one smart outfit if a night out is planned.
- Drinks cost
- Alcohol is heavily taxed. Early-evening happy hours make a real difference, and hawker centres sell beer far more cheaply.
- Transport card
- A contactless bank card or a stored-value card works on all metro and bus journeys. The metro closes around midnight.
- Rules
- Fines apply for eating and drinking on the metro, and chewing gum sales are restricted. Enforcement is real, not folklore.
- Weather
- Rain arrives fast and heavily throughout the year. Carry an umbrella, and expect very strong air conditioning indoors.
Similar places
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Quick answers
When is the best time to visit Singapore?
Daytime highs run from about 28°C in January to 29°C in April. Driest in February; wettest in May, with rain on about 28 days.
How long should I spend in Singapore?
Our suggestion: 3–4 nights.
How do I get to Singapore?
Almost everyone arrives at Changi (SIN), about 20 minutes by taxi or half an hour on the MRT East West line into town. Seletar (XSP) handles only a handful of regional and private flights.
Do I need a car in Singapore?
No. Superb, and one of the reasons nobody here bothers with a car.
What currency and language are used in Singapore?
Currency: Singapore dollar (SGD). Language: English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil. Plugs: type G.
Who is Singapore best for?
Best for foodies, nightlife and luxury seekers. In a phrase: humid, polished, wide awake.