Singapore

Understand

Singapore is a microcosm of Asia, populated by Chinese, Malays, Indians and a large group of workers and expatriates from all around the globe, in a country that can be crossed in barely an hour. Having celebrated its 50th birthday in 2015, Singapore has more often than not chosen economic pragmatism over social concerns, encouraging constant reuse and redevelopment of land with huge projects like the Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa integrated resorts as well as becoming a significant Asian financial hub, but there has also been a growing push-back to preserve local heritage in Balestier and elsewhere; just one of the many decisions to balance for the country's future.

History The first mentions of Singapore in historical records date back to the second and third centuries, in Greek and Chinese texts. According to legend, Srivijayan prince Sang Nila Utama landed on the island in the 13th century and, catching sight of a strange creature that he thought was a lion, decided to found a new city he called Singapura, Sanskrit for Lion City. Alas, there have never been any lions anywhere near Singapore or elsewhere in Malaya, so the mysterious beast was more probably a tiger or wild boar. Other records indicate that the island was settled earlier and was an important port for various kingdoms for centuries. However, Portuguese raiders destroyed the settlement in 1613 and Singapura faded into obscurity. The story of Singapore as we know it today began in 1819, when Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles made a deal with a claimant to the throne of the Sultanate of Johor: the British would support his claim in exchange for the right to set up a trading post on the island. Though the Dutch initially protested, an Anglo-Dutch treaty was signed in 1824 separating the Malay worl

See

Sights in Singapore are covered in more detail under the various districts. Broadly speaking:

Beaches and tourist resorts: Head to one of the three beaches on Sentosa or its southern islands. Other beaches can be found on the East Coast. Culture and cuisine: See Chinatown for Chinese treats, Little India for Indian flavours, Geylang Serai for a Malay experience or the East Coast for Eurasian and Peranakan culture and delicious seafood, including the famous chilli and black pepper crab. History and museums: The Bras Basah area east of Orchard and north of the Singapore River is Singapore's colonial core, with historical buildings and museums. All government-run museums in Singapore are free admission for Singapore citizens and permanent residents except for temporary exhibits, but visitors will be charged an admission fee. Nature and wildlife: Popular tourist attractions Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, Jurong Bird Park and the Botanic Gardens are all in the North and West. For something closer to the city, visit the futuristic Gardens by the Bay in the Marina district, behind the Marina Bay Sands. Finding "real" nature is a little harder, but the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (in the same district as the zoo) has more plant species than in the whole of North America, and is also home to a thriving population of wild monkeys. Pulau Ubin, an island off the Changi Village in the east, is a flashback to the rural Singapore of yesteryear. Red junglefowl (often called wild chickens) can often be seen in many grassy areas around the city, even in downtown areas. City parks full of local

Getting there

Immigration All visitors to Singapore must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months from their date of arrival. Citizens of Australia, the European Union, New Zealand, Norway, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland the United Kingdom and the United States do not need a visa for stays of 90 days or less. Holders of a valid APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) may visit Singapore for up to 60 days without a visa. Citizens of most other countries can stay without a visa for 30 days or less, so that's the case if your country is not named here. Citizens of the following countries have to apply for a visa in advance, and can do so online, through a local contact in Singapore or at a Singaporean embassy or consulate: Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Kyrgyzstan, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Moldova, North Korea, Pakistan, Palestine, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Yemen. Citizens of several former Soviet countries (Georgia, Ukraine, and the Commonwealth of Independent States) are eligible for visa-free transit for up to 96 hours if you have an onward plane ticket to a third country. You may enter Singapore by any mode of transport, but must depart by air. A similar scheme is available for citizens of India who have a valid visa or residence permit issued by Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or the United States (Schengen visas issued by other countries do not count), and have an onward plane, ferry or cruise ticket to a third country. Indian citizens visiting Singapore under the scheme may enter Singapore by any mode of transport, but must depart by air or

Getting around

Getting around Singapore is easy: the public transport network is extremely easy to use, affordable, and covers populated areas extensively. Furthermore, taxis/rideshares are reasonably priced and easy to hail via apps. CityMapper, Google Maps, and Apple Maps are all capable of figuring out the fastest route by rail and bus and even estimating taxi/rideshare fares between any two points.

Fares Fares are charged based on distance and mode of transport. The easiest way to pay for all public transport is to use a contactless Visa, Mastercard or American Express, which you can use to tap in to and out of any train or bus, including the Sentosa Express. Mobile phones with Visa, Mastercard or American Express stored in Apple Pay or Google Pay work as well. Foreign-issued cards are charged an additional $0.60/day handling fee, but for short stays (i.e. up to eight days over a five-year period) this still works out cheaper than an EZ-link/NETS prepaid card. Journey history is available with a TransitLink SimplyGo account. Alternatively, pick up an EZ-link or NETS prepaid card at any train station or 7-Eleven store. The EZ-link prepaid card costs $12 ($5 for the card itself and $7 stored value) whilst the NETS prepaid card costs $10 ($5 for the card itself and $5 stored value). The cards can be topped up using cash or Singapore-issued credit or debit cards at ticketing machines located in train stations, by cash at convenience stores, or online through the EZ-link app. If you are leaving Singapore and you have some money on your card, you can go to any TransitLink ticket office for a refund, minus a $5 processing fee. The cards are valid for five years. The Singapore Tourist Pass (STP) gives you unlimited rides for $17/24/29 for 1/2/3 days respectively, plus some discounts fo