Singapore has
a mild tropical climate with abundant rainfall throughout
the year. Temperatures reach a maximum of 34 degrees
Celsius during the day, falling to a pleasant 25 degrees
Celsius in the evening.
> CREDIT
CARDS
Major credit cards
such as American Express, Diners, MasterCard and Visa
are widely accepted in Singapore.
> CURRENCY
The monetary unit
is the Singapore dollar (US$1 = S$1.46). Foreign currency
and traveller cheques can be exchanged at the Changi
International Airport, hotels, shops and licensed money
changers in numerous locations. The local currency is
Singapore Dollars and Cents. Notes come in denominations
of S$2, S$5, S$10, S$50, S$100, S$500, S$1,000 and S$10,000.
Coins come in denominations of 5˘, 10˘, 20˘, 50˘, S$1.
> DRINKING
WATER
Singapore is known
for its safe and clean drinking water. Tap water need
not be boiled and is safe for drinking.
> ELECTRICITY
Singapore’s voltage
is 220-240 volts AC, 50 cycles per second. Upon request,
most hotels will provide transformers to visitors with
electrical appliances of a different voltage, such as
110-120 volts, 60 cycles per second. A standard (UK)
rectangular 3-pin plug is used in Singapore
> TRANSPORT
Getting around
Singapore is easy and inexpensive. Excellent bus services
complement one of the world’s most modern and efficient
train systems. Taxis are metered and air-conditioned,
and cars may be hired from a number of agencies.
> COMMUNICATION
Mobile Phones:
There are two mobile phone networks - GSM900 and GSM1800
- and three mobile telephone service providers - SingTel,
M1 and StarHub. To make international calls, the access
codes are 001, 013, or 019 for SingTel, 002 or 021 for
M1, and 008 or 018 for StarHub. Payphone services: Public
payphones are operated by credit card or stored-value
phone cards. They can be used for making local and international
calls. Public payphones are located at shopping centres
and subway stations. Local calls are charged at 10 cents
per 3 minutes. International Calling Cards are available
at post offices, automatic teller machines, the airport,
7-Eleven convenience stores and other retail outlets.
Postal Services: Singapore Post has more than 900 postal
outlets and 150 Self Automated Machines (SAMS) (24-hour
automated machines that allow you to weigh your packages
and buy stamps) throughout the island. Fax and air-parcel
postage services are available at all outlets. Most
postal outlets are open Mondays to Fridays, from 8.30
am to 5.00 pm, and on Saturdays, from 8.30 am to 1.00
pm. Many hotels also offer postal services at the front
desk. Internet: Most hotels offer guests Internet access.
Internet cafes and public Internet access kiosks are
available throughout Singapore. Media: Most major foreign
newspapers can be purchased at hotels and large bookshops.
Local newspapers are available in English, Chinese,
Malay and Tamil.
> LOCAL
TIME
Singapore is eight
hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Clocks are
not adjusted for daylight saving.
> SHOPPING
Shopping rivals
eating as a national pastime in Singapore. The avid
shopper is certain to find some great buys from the
promotional sales taking place all year round. From
the staidly functional to the quaintly fashionable,
Singapore’s ubiquitous shopping malls have them all.
The Central Shopping Belt that stretches from Orchard
Road to Marina Square teems with designer boutiques,
speciality shops, outdoor cafes and gourmet restaurants.
Credit cards are widely accepted in Singapore. Tax-free
Shopping: A Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 5% is levied
in Singapore. As a visitor to Singapore, you are entitled
to claim back the GST paid on your purchases if you
spend S$300 or more at shops displaying the Tax Refund
and Tax Free Shopping logos. Simply present a GST Claim
Form or Global Refund Cheques (obtainable from the retailer)
together with the goods for Customs inspection at the
Tax Refund Counter at the departure hall at either Terminal
1 or 2 of Changi Airport, or at Seletar Airport. For
further details, visit the Singapore Customs website
at www.customs.gov.sg. Shopping & Business Hours: Shops
and supermarkets normally open from 10.00 am to 10.00
pm every day. In addition, there are convenient stores
which are open round the clock. The business hours for
Government offices are normally from 8.30 am to 5.30
pm from Mondays to Fridays and 8.30 am to 1.00 pm on
Saturdays.
> FOOD
Food is an integral
part of the Singapore experience with a veritable feast
awaiting around every corner. Singapore is a paradise
for food, with a cuisine to suit everyone. Singapore's
vast array of hawker stalls and restaurants that range
from global franchises to gourmet delis to posh six-star
settings. It is no wonder that eating is a national
pastime in Singapore! The challenge is deciding what
to try first.
> TIPPING
Tipping is not
encouraged as most hotels and restaurants already levy
a 10% service charge on customers’ bills. Tipping is
not common in Singapore and is prohibited at the airport.
> HEALTH
SERVICE
Singapore’s medical
facilities are among the finest in the world, with well-qualified
doctors and dental surgeons. Most medicines are available
at pharmacies which are located at supermarkets, department
stores, hotels and shopping centres. Registered pharmacists
normally work from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm. Most hotels have
their own doctors on 24-hour call.
> LANGUAGES
The four official
languages in Singapore are Malay, Mandarin, Tamil and
English. English, the language of business and administration,
is widely spoken. Most Singaporeans are bilingual being
conversant in English and their mother tongue. Malay
is the national language.
> RELIGION
The diversity
of religions in Singapore is a reflection of its multi-racialism.
This is a land where the minarets of mosques stand cheek-by-jowl
with the spires of gothic cathedrals and the distinctive
architecture of Hindu and Chinese temples. The main
religions are Islam, Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity,
Hinduism, Sikhism and Judaism.
> SAFETY
Singapore has
one of the lowest crime rates in the world. However,
visitors are advised to exercise vigilance and take
the usual precautions.
> EMERGENCY
TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Police - 999 Ambulance
- 995
>
ENTRY & EXIT REQUIREMENTS
If you are holding
travel documents issued by the following countries,
you will require a valid visa to enter Singapore. Applications
for such visas can be made at the respective countries'
high commissions or overseas missions: Afghanistan,
Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, *Bangladesh, Belarus,
Cambodia, People's Republic of China, Estonia, Georgia,
Hong Kong (Document of Identity), *India, Iraq, *Jordan,
Kazakhstan, *Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Middle
East countries (Refugee Travel Documents issued to Palestinian
refugees), Moldova, *Myanmar, Russia, Syria, Tajikstan,
*Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, *Vietnam,
Holders of Palestinian Authority. Generally, foreigners
who do not require visas for entry and are visiting
Singapore as tourists may be given up to 30-day social
visit passes upon their arrival in Singapore. Tourists,
however, should have valid passports, onward / return
tickets, onward facilities (eg. visas, entry permits
etc.) to their next destination and sufficient funds
for their stay in Singapore. If they require a longer
stay, they may apply to the Singapore Immigration Department,
10 Kallang Road, or call the Hotline at Tel: 6391 6100.
The processing of extension of stay will take at least
one working day.
Holders of Diplomatic
/ Official Passports are exempted from visa requirements.
Holders of Laos Diplomatic / Official Passports are
exempted from visa requirements for social visits up
to 30 days only.
