Singapore Travel Guide and Tips for First-time Travelers

Singapore is a cosmopolitan island city-state located at the southern tip of the Malayan Peninsula. Legend has it that Singapore owes its name to a 14th-century Srivijayan prince named Sang Nila Utama. According to the Malay Annals, the prince was sailing to the white sandy shores of Temasek Island and caught sight of a lion from a distance. He took that as a good omen, established his kingdom where he spotted the auspicious creature, and renamed the tiny island to ‘Singapura’, Sanskrit for ‘City of the Lion’.

For a small country, Singapore has plenty of modern attractions and exciting activities for every traveler to enjoy. Sure, there is a number of transients that consider Singapore to be too sterile, commercially-focused and heavily manufactured with no distinct national identity. And I have to agree yet this doesn’t mean it is soulless and devoid of culture.

Singapore boasts itself as a pluralistic society that preserves and celebrates different cultures, traditions, and religions of the country’s four core ethnic groups, namely Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Eurasian. The diverse, multiracial tapestry and colonial past of Singapore brought forth unique culinary and cultural experiences making it a worthy stopover and an amazing holiday destination.

TIMEZONE, CLIMATE, AND WEATHER

Timezone
The Philippines shares the same time zone with Singapore. That being said, there is zero time difference between the two countries. It is worth noting that in Singapore the sun typically rises at 7 A.M. and sets at 7 P.M.

Weather
The weather in Singapore is hot, humid, and rainy all year round. The average temperature falls between 25 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius and the humidity is almost always above 80 percent.

Climate
Singapore has two monsoon seasons: the Northeast Monsoon Season (December to March) and the Southwest Monsoon Season (June to September).

In between those seasons is the Inter-monsoon Period (April to May and October to November) where showers in the afternoons and early evenings are expected.

November is noted to be the wettest month of the year.

LANGUAGE

Singapore is a multilingual country with four official languages, namely, Mandarin, Malay (Bahasa Melayu), Tamil, and English.

These four languages heavily influenced the Singaporean dialect called Singlish, a patois that combines English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil together. Here are some Singlish words that may come in handy:

• chop – stamp 
• chope – reserve
• da bao – take out
• kopitiam – coffee shop
• jam – traffic jam
• makan – eat
• shiok – great

CURRENCY, EXCHANGE RATE,  TAXES, AND FEES

Currency
The currency of Singapore is the Singapore Dollar. The currency code is SGD and the currency symbol is ‎S$.

Travel Tax
Upon departure from the Philippines, all Philippine nationals are expected to pay 1620 PHP for the travel tax.

Miscellaneous Fees
Expect to pay terminal fees. Rates differ and depend on the airport you are departing from.

Exchange Rate

HOW TO GET THERE

Take a direct flight from Manila, Clark, Cebu, Davao or Iloilo to Singapore with Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, or AirAsia. Travel time is approximately 3 to 4 hours. 

You can check the flight schedules on Google here. Please note that the rates and schedules are subject to change without prior notice.

WHERE TO STAY

There are many easy-to-use and secure websites that can help you choose your accommodation based on your personal preferences and budget.

Agoda/Booking
Agoda and Booking have a great network of hotels to choose from at competitive prices. I’ve booked hotels through them a number of times and I love them both.

Trivago/Hostelworld/Traveloka
Other online travels platforms that are worth checking out are Trivago, Hostelworld, and Traveloka. They have great deals and a wide selection of accommodations to choose from too.

Couchsurfing
Couchsurfing is a great online hub where you can meet locals and get a chance to hang out or crash at their place for FREE. Yes, you read that right. And in a place like Singapore where accommodations are notoriously pricey, Couchsurfing can help lower your expenses and save you a lot of money in return.

HOW TO GET AROUND

The best way to go around in Singapore is via train or bus. Their public transportation is affordable, efficient, convenient and highly reliable.

WHERE TO GO

SINGAPORE TRAVEL TIPS

Ready to travel to Singapore? Read on for a fun and hassle-free holiday in The Lion City.

Passport
Philippine passports now have a 10-year validity for holders 18 years old and above. Keep in mind that it is a standard requirement for passports to have at least 6 months of validity remaining. Make sure to renew your passport if it is expiring in 6 months after intended departure date.

Click here for Philippine passport requirements.

Bring your passport with you everywhere you go in Singapore. There may be instances when it’s needed for purchasing goods, availing certain services, or when claiming a tourist tax refund.

Cash
Money changers at Changi Airport operate 24 hours a day for the convenience of all tourists. Unfortunately, they have poor exchange rates. For more favorable rates, get your money changed to SGD in the Philippines or at The Arcade in Raffles Place, Lucky Plaza on Orchard Road, Mustafa’s Foreign Exchange in Little India, and People’s Park Complex in Chinatown.

Tourist SIM Card
Make this your first purchase upon arrival at the Changi Airport. Enjoy 4G 100GB local data, unlimited Facebook access, text messaging, and local/international calls. Depending on your mobile needs a hi!Tourist SIM card by SingTel costs 15 SGD, 30 SGD or 50 SGD. There are cheaper SIM cards by other carriers sold at authorized mobile retailers in downtown Singapore. Just note that the price difference is inconsequential.

Smartphone
Singapore is a technophile nation and a lot of their netizens are heavily dependent on Internet-connected devices and mobile apps. Here is a list of helpful apps you must download and install on your smartphone:

• Klook – Discover great deals on attraction tickets, fun activities, exciting tours, unique experiences, and more.
• Google Maps – Create a personalized itinerary by adding pins and setting routes for places you want to go to. Explore Singapore with ease by getting live public transit updates (train, bus, bike or ferry) for your commute.
• Grab – In times you don’t wanna take the public transit, this ride-hailing app allows you to book conveniently through your phone safely and securely with just a finger tap.
• Waze – Navigate the streets of Singapore with ease using this GPS-navigation app. Get real-time traffic and road info updates as you drive or take a bus ride (very helpful in knowing what’s the next stop).

EZ-link Card
Next on your must-have list is Singapore Tourist Pass, a special EZ-link card that offers unlimited travel on Singapore’s basic bus and train services. With this pass, you can enjoy great savings on public transport for up to 3 consecutive days.

Should you plan to stay in Singapore for a week or longer, get the regular EZ-link card. Just buy and top up (reload) at any MRT station or bus interchange.

Portable Fan
In a place like Singapore where the humidity is high all year round, a portable fan will be your best friend. Buy one if you don’t have it yet.

Umbrella
The equatorial sun is intense and rains are sporadic. Make sure to always keep an umbrella in your bag.

Comfortable Wear
Expect to walk around a whole lot in Singapore. It is important to wear well-ventilated shoes (I swear by Nike Tanjun) and clothing made with lightweight fabric (like cotton and linen) for maximum breathability and comfort.

Water Bottle
It is easy to slip into dehydration when walking in the hot, humid concrete jungle that is Singapore. I cannot stress enough how important it is to carry a refillable water bottle with you at all times. No need to look for water refilling stations. Their water is guaranteed to be clean and safe for drinking. Just refill from any tap (even in public restrooms)!

Universal Travel Adapter
The voltage in Singapore is 230 volts and the power plugs and sockets are type G. Best to bring a universal travel adapter with you. This is to ensure that you can use your gadgets and chargers there.

DON’TS

To say that Singapore is a “Fine City” means two different things. One, it is a gorgeous, clean, and safe metropolis. Two, it has plenty of fines and penalties for those who disregard rules. Here are some of the things you should not do where you’re there:

• Bringing in illegal drugs (you get the death penalty if caught)
• Jaywalking
• Spitting in public
• Smoking in public (except at designated smoking areas)
• Urinating in public
• Eating or drinking on public transport
• Vandalizing
• Littering
• Plucking plants
• Feeding birds
• Forgetting to flush and clean public toilets after use

and many more… Any of these violations can set you back 150 SGD to a whopping 100000 SGD plus jail sentence. Just read and follow signs to avoid getting penalized.