Singapore
Go for hawker centers, a train network that links the main districts, and neighborhoods where Chinese, Malay and Indian communities each have their own streets, a few stops apart.
Singapore is an island city-state at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. Most visitors come for the food. Hawker centers serve chicken rice, laksa and char kway teow, and some stalls have operated for decades. The MRT links the main districts, so you can move between Chinatown, Kampong Glam, Little India and Gardens by the Bay in one day. Walk the shophouse streets of Chinatown and Kampong Glam in the morning, eat lunch at a hawker center, then head to Little India and end at the gardens in the evening.
Plan three to five days for a first visit. The city also works as a stopover between flights. Expect hot and humid weather all year, with short, heavy rain showers, so schedule outdoor sights for early morning or evening. Vaping is banned, chewing gum is tightly restricted and littering carries fines, so check the entry rules and public conduct rules before you arrive.
Five things to know before Singapore
- Submit the SG Arrival Card within 3 days before arrival
Nearly all travelers file the free SG Arrival Card online or in the MyICA app, up to three days before arriving, including the day of arrival. British and Canadian citizens need no visa; the officer sets the stay, normally 30 to 90 days. SG Arrival Card
- Leave e-cigarettes and vapes at home
Possessing, using, buying or importing e-cigarettes is illegal in Singapore, including for visitors. Devices are confiscated at the border, and offenders face fines and can be deported. Prohibited goods
- Avoid packing chewing gum
Importing and selling chewing gum is banned, apart from dental and medicinal gum. Shops do not stock it, so do not count on buying any in the city. Prohibited goods
- Tap a contactless card on the MRT and buses
Visa and Mastercard contactless cards and phone wallets work at the MRT fare gates and on buses. For a short stay there is no need to buy a separate transit card. Getting around
- Do not eat or drink on the MRT
Eating and drinking are banned on trains and in stations, and so is carrying durian. Fines are posted in every station and are enforced.
Singapore travel guides
Practical guides from writers who live there.
Marina Bay, Chinatown, Bugis and Orchard by budget.
Read the guideGetting aroundMRT lines, contactless fares and the airport link.
Read the guideVisas and entryVisa-free stays, the SG Arrival Card and what not to pack.
Read the guideMoney and costsHawker prices, service charges and GST on hotel bills.
Read the guidePhones and eSIMData for a stopover or a regional loop.
Read the guidePulau BintanIndonesian beach resorts, a ferry hop south.
Read the guide
Hostel beds, cheap eats, buses and free sights.
- Bed a night
- SGD 45
- Food
- SGD 20
- Transport
- SGD 5
- Sights
- Free
A 3-star room, casual restaurants, public transport and one paid sight a day.
- Bed a night
- SGD 140
- Food
- SGD 60
- Transport
- SGD 25
- Sights
- SGD 35
A 4-star room, good restaurants, taxis and a guided tour.
- Bed a night
- SGD 250
- Food
- SGD 120
- Transport
- SGD 70
- Sights
- SGD 100
When to go
- Rainy days
- Best
- JanuaryRain24 rainy daysHigh29°Low25°Wet, breezyJanuaryRain
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 25°
- Precipitation
- 335 mm
- Rainy days
- 24
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wet, breezy
- FebruaryRain17 rainy daysHigh30°Low25°DriestFebruaryRain
Best
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 25°
- Precipitation
- 98 mm
- Rainy days
- 17
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Driest
- MarchRain23 rainy daysHigh30°Low26°DrierMarchRain
Best
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 182 mm
- Rainy days
- 23
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Drier
- AprilRain27 rainy daysHigh30°Low26°StormsAprilRain
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 251 mm
- Rainy days
- 27
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Storms
- MayRain28 rainy daysHigh31°Low27°HotMayRain
- High
- 31°
- Low
- 27°
- Precipitation
- 251 mm
- Rainy days
- 28
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot
- JuneRain25 rainy daysHigh30°Low27°DrierJuneRain
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 27°
- Precipitation
- 264 mm
- Rainy days
- 25
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Drier
- JulyRain24 rainy daysHigh30°Low27°DrierJulyRain
Best
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 27°
- Precipitation
- 179 mm
- Rainy days
- 24
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Drier
- AugustRain26 rainy daysHigh30°Low26°National DayAugustRain
Best
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 194 mm
- Rainy days
- 26
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
National Day
- SeptemberRain24 rainy daysHigh30°Low26°Haze riskSeptemberRain
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 191 mm
- Rainy days
- 24
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Haze risk
- OctoberRain27 rainy daysHigh30°Low26°StormsOctoberRain
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 246 mm
- Rainy days
- 27
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Storms
- NovemberRain28 rainy daysHigh29°Low26°WettestNovemberRain
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 334 mm
- Rainy days
- 28
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wettest
- DecemberRain28 rainy daysHigh29°Low25°Wet, busyDecemberRain
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 25°
- Precipitation
- 298 mm
- Rainy days
- 28
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wet, busy
Average daily high and low in Singapore, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Singapore
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
25
- Feels like
- 30°
- Humidity
- 98%
- Wind
- 4 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 100%
Singapore
04:05 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today32°23°100%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 32°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 100%.
- Wed30°24°100%Wednesday: Rain. High 30°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 100%.
- Thu31°23°100%Thursday: Thunderstorms. High 31°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 100%.
- Fri30°23°95%Friday: Rain. High 30°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 95%.
- Sat30°23°88%Saturday: Rain. High 30°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 88%.
- Sun31°24°100%Sunday: Rain. High 31°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 100%.
- Mon30°23°100%Monday: Rain. High 30°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 100%.
Updated 01:39 AM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 1.278 SGD
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
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Before you go to Singapore
Singapore FAQ
Do I need a visa for Singapore?
British and Canadian citizens need no visa for tourism, and the immigration officer sets the stay, normally 30 to 90 days. Nearly everyone clearing immigration submits the free SG Arrival Card within three days before arrival.
Is chewing gum illegal in Singapore?
Chewing it is not an offense, but importing and selling it are banned, apart from dental and medicinal gum. You will not find it in shops.
Can I bring a vape to Singapore?
No. E-cigarettes are illegal to possess, use or import, and visitors are not exempt. Leave the device and refills at home or they will be seized.
How many days do I need in Singapore?
Two or three days covers Marina Bay, Gardens by the Bay, Chinatown, Little India, Kampong Glam and a few hawker centers. A stopover of one night is enough for the highlights.
How do I get from Changi Airport to the city?
The MRT from Changi Airport reaches the city center in about 30 to 45 minutes with a change at Tanah Merah or Expo, and you can tap in with a contactless card. Taxis and ride-hailing take about 20 to 30 minutes.
Is Singapore expensive?
Hotels and alcohol are, food need not be. A hawker center meal costs a fraction of a restaurant, and the MRT is cheap for how far it goes.