The skyline of Singapore's central business district
Around Asia you will often hear some good-natured jibes at Singapore. It's often referred to as the "nanny state" for the government's apparent interest in the minutiae of its citizen's lives. However, there's no doubt a little jealousy behind the sarcasm. Singapore is, by just about any measure, a highly "successful" country. Its citizens enjoy a standard of living that is at or near the top of Asia. They have one of the best educational systems anywhere, with English as the common language. The heart of Singapore is a modern city center very much in the western style, with an efficient and integrated transportation system. One business associate of mine even refers to Singapore as "Asia for beginners." Perhaps, given the recent trend in self help books, it should be "Asia for dummies."
Overall Map of Singapore
Singapore is an island -- actually one large one and 59 smaller ones -- that lies at the tip of the Malay peninsula. The island sits between the straits of Malacca and the South China Sea. It's this strategic position that lead to Singapore's early importance as a trading port.
The main international airport, Changi, is at the east tip of the 42 kilometer (25 mile) wide island. The central business district, where most of the hotels, sights and shopping centers are located, is near the middle of the southern coast, where the Singapore River empties into the Straits of Singapore. The state's "playground" island of Sentosa lies just off the coast a little east of the city center.
See the "at a glance" page for more information to help you plan a visit to Singapore.
In a hurry? Don't want to wade through a lot of pages of information? Then just read this one. We've summarized all you really need to know about Singapore in a nutshell. Of course, there are still links to all the details, if you want to know more.
Is Singapore For You? Singapore is a large, modern, cosmopolitan city. Those looking for a true ‘Asian&tdquo; experience would be disappointed by the city-state.
Explore the links below to find all the basic information you need to know for Singapore, such as how to get there, where to stay and what to eat.
Getting There Most people arrive in Singapore by air. Its status as a major airline hub in Asia makes Singapore a natural starting or ending point for a multi-country tour of Southeast Asia. Since its an island, you can naturally arrive by sea, although it seems that very few do.
Here are some links to background information that may be useful to you when planning your trip to Singapore.
Money / Currency The currency of Singapore is the Singapore Dollar, which can be divided into 100 cents. Visas Travelers holding passports from the USA, EU, Commonwealth or ASEAN countries are allowed visa-free entry to Singapore. The period of time allowed for free entry ranges from two weeks to 90 days.
Here are some links to information pages for those looking for specific travel information on things other than the run-of-the-mill sights.
Business Tips Singapore can be as easy for the businessman as it is for the tourist. Business generally conforms to western style practices, without the "funny business" that can plague business dealings in many other countries in the region. The most common mistake is assuming that easy success in Singapore will lead to equally easy success elsewhere in the region.
Many people visit Singapore on business, or as a quick stop-over on their way to other destinations in Asia. Singapore is a very good place to start or end an Asian vacation. Since many people stop for only a day or two, many don't get beyond the shops of Orchard Road.
Singapore City Center Map While Singapore may not have ancient temples or fantastic natural scenery, it does have its own interesting and even world class sights, which includes one of the world's most famous zoos.
