Travelling to Singapore

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About Singapore

Located at the southern tip of the Malaysian Peninsula, Singapore is an island nation that enjoys a year round tropical climate. This vibrant and cosmopolitan city is home to over 4.5 million residents and boasts of historical and cultural landmarks, bustling shopping centres and many more exciting tourist attractions. Singapore's reputation as a culinary paradise will not disappoint; the island offers a wide variety of flavours and choices.

Getting to Singapore

Airport Information
Changi Airport is situated 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of Singapore City. As a hub for Southeast Asia, it handles many international connections, and is a key stopover for flights from Europe to Australasia. 

Detailed information about the Changi Airport can be found at this website: http://www.changiairport.com/

Visas & Letters of Invitation
Consular information for foreigners traveling to Singapore can be found at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website: http://www.mfa.gov.sg/content/mfa/consular_information/foreigners_visiting_singapore.html

No visa required for citizens of EU countries, USA, Canada and Latin America. No visa required for citizens of most European countries, some exceptions are: Russia, Ukraine and Moldova.

To learn if you will require an entry visa into Singapore please visit the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority website at: http://www.ica.gov.sg/page.aspx?pageid=96

Please apply for your visa well in advance of your journey.

General Information for your Stay

Timezone
The local time in Singapore is GMT+8.

For more detailed information, please visit: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=236

Weather
Singapore has a relatively uniform temperature throughout the year. The average temperature is 77oF to 89.6oF (25oC to 32oC) and 66% average daily relative humidity. Rain falls throughout the year with more rain from Nov to Jan. Showers are usually sudden and heavy, but also brief and refreshing.

See forecast for current information:

5-day weather forecast
http://www.singapore-sin.com/weather.shtml
The Weather Channel
http://www.weather.com

Currency, Credit Cards and Exchange Rate
The currency unit in Singapore is the Singapore dollar (SGD or $).

1 SGD = 0.606 EUR (For calculation purposes, 5 SGD is approximately 3 EUR)
1 SGD = 0.805 USD (For calculation purposes, 5 SGD is approximately 4 USD)

There are some on-line currency converters available, please take a look at:
http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic
http://www.xe.com/ucc

Cash withdrawal machines (ATM), banks and exchange offices are available city-wide. Well-known credit cards (American Express, Mastercard, Visa) are accepted in hotels, most of the restaurants and shops.

Taxes
There is a Government tax and Goods & Services Tax in hotels.

Business Hours
• Bank Hours: In general, banking hours are 9 am to 3 pm Monday through Friday and 9:30 am to 11:30 am on Saturdays
• Office Hours: Most offices are open from 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday and 9 am to 1 pm on Saturdays.
• Shop Hours: Shops are generally open from 10 am to 9 pm from Monday through Saturday. Most are open on Sundays.

Electricity
Electric appliances need to be 230V/50Hz (although appliances set for 220 to 240 volts will operate). Singapore uses a Type-G plug and for wall sockets. This is a flat three-pin plug (as used in the UK).

Other Useful Information

Tour
General tourist information about Singapore can be obtained from official websites of the Singapore Tourism Board:
http://www.stb.gov.sg
http://www.yoursingapore.com

Dress
Lightweight summer clothing is sufficient. A suit is suitable for business. Restaurants that are more formal may also require a jacket.

Tipping
Usually, there is a 10% service charge added to the bill. If not, tipping is not usual nor encouraged in Singapore.

Shopping
In general, the opening hours of most stores is 10:30 am to 9 pm from Sunday to Thursday, and 10:30 am to 9:30 pm on Friday and Saturday. Some malls have extended shopping hours on Saturdays till 11pm. Most shops welcome all major credit cards.

Shopping districts include the Colonial Singapore Area, Chinatown, Little India and Arab Street. However, the main shopping district is Orchard Road situated at the heart of the city, with major department stores and malls stretching up to 1.2 miles (2 kilometers). To check out the shopping and dining options in the area, please visit this website: http://www.orchardroad.org/.

Last Updated on Thursday, 21 June 2012 11:17

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