About

Singapore officially the Republic of Singapore is a modern city-state and island country in Southeast Asia between Malaysia and Indonesia. Singapore is not just one island but a main island with 63 surrounding islets. Singapore has situated 137 km (85 mi) north of the equator, and just south of Peninsular Malaysia. In the south, the Strait of Singapore separates the island from the Riau Archipelago of Indonesia. 

Singapore’s multi-racial heritage gives it a rich culture while its efficiency and modernity ensure comfort. Although geography has played a part in the success of Singapore, its mainstay is its people. A population of almost four million comprises of 77 percent Chinese, 14 percent Malays, 8 percent Indians and 1 percent Eurasians and people of other descent. English is the lingua franca and the costumes and customs of all these races give Singapore a unique character.

Singapore is the world's fourth leading financial center and a cosmopolitan world city, playing a key role in international trade and finance. The port of Singapore is one of the five busiest ports in the world. Singapore has become a flourishing country that excels in trade and tourism and is a model to developing nations. The capital city, also called Singapore, covers about a third of the area of the main island. 

History

The city was then ruled by the five kings of ancient Singapura. Located at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, the natural meeting point of sea routes, the city served as a flourishing trading post for a wide variety of sea vessels, including Chinese junks, Indian vessels, Arab dhows, Portuguese battleships, and Buginese schooners. Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years later and became independent. In 1959, the growth of nationalism led to self-government and the country’s first general election. The People’s Action Party (PAP) won a majority of 43 seats and Lee Kuan Yew became the first prime minister of Singapore. In 1961, Malaysia proposed a merger between Singapore, the Federation of Malaya, Sarawak, North Borneo and Brunei to foster closer ties. A referendum held in Singapore in 1962 to vote on the merger with Malaysia showed the people’s overwhelming support for it. Following that, Malaysia was formed in 1963 and comprised of the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and North Borneo (now Sabah). However, the merger proved unsuccessful, and less than two years later on 9 August 1965, Singapore left Malaysia to become an independent and sovereign democratic nation.

The city was then ruled by the five kings of ancient Singapura. Located at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, the natural meeting point of sea routes, the city served as a flourishing trading post for a wide variety of sea vessels, including Chinese junks, Indian vessels, Arab dhows, Portuguese battleships, and Buginese schooners. Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years later and became independent. In 1959, the growth of nationalism led to self-government and the country’s first general election. The People’s Action Party (PAP) won a majority of 43 seats and Lee Kuan Yew became the first prime minister of Singapore. In 1961, Malaysia proposed a merger between Singapore, the Federation of Malaya, Sarawak, North Borneo and Brunei to foster closer ties. A referendum held in Singapore in 1962 to vote on the merger with Malaysia showed the people’s overwhelming support for it. Following that, Malaysia was formed in 1963 and comprised of the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and North Borneo (now Sabah). However, the merger proved unsuccessful, and less than two years later on 9 August 1965, Singapore left Malaysia to become an independent and sovereign democratic nation.

Getting Around

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• By MRT: Singapore’s MRT (mass rapid transit) system is probably the fastest way to zip around the city. The extensive rail network means that most of Singapore’s key attractions are within walking distance from an MRT station. You can buy tickets for single trips, but if you intend to use the MRT and basic bus services frequently during your visit, you can buy a Singapore Tourist Pass (STP), a special EZ-Link stored-value card which will allow you unlimited travel for one day (S$10), two days (S$16) or three days (S$20).
• By taxi: Taxis are comfortable and especially handy if you want to go to places not accessible by the bus or MRT. Cabs here are metered, but there may be surcharges depending on when, where and which company’s taxi you board. To get a rough idea of the final fare, check with the driver on the surcharges and ask for a receipt at the end of the trip. You can hail a taxi by the roadside at most places, or by queuing for one at taxi stands found at most shopping malls, hotels and tourist attractions. If you wish to book a cab, you can call a common taxi booking number, 6-DIAL CAB (6342-5222), and your call will be routed to an available taxi company's call centre.
• By bus: Singapore's bus system has an extensive network of routes covering most places in Singapore and is the most economical way to get around, as well as being one of the most scenic. You can pay your bus fare using an EZ-Link stored-value card or the Singapore Tourist Pass (STP), which you tap on the card reader located next to the driver as you board. Do remember to tap your card again, on the reader located at the rear exit, when you alight. You can also pay in cash but you will need to have exact change.
• Car Rental: Car rental counters are open from 7:00 A.M. to 11:00 P.M. When renting, make sure to ask about any additional costs such as: cancellation penalties, taxes, drop-off charges, and any additional surcharges.
• Singapore Tourist Pass Plus: If you like the idea of riding public transport plus having free entry to Chinatown Heritage Center and complimentary Singapore Sling Cocktail at D Happy Factory, then consider buying this plus card. They come in 2 types: 1 day pass and 3 day pass, with prices of SGD 28 ($20.42) and SGD 38 ($27.72) respectively.

Rentals

Weather

Temperature ranges from 24° to 32° C (75-89° F) with an average daily maximum relative humidity of 84.3%. Rain falls all year round but is most abundant from November to January. The wettest months are November to January, the driest May to July. Rainfall occurs mostly as sudden showers. The good thing is: you can expect to enjoy sunshine almost the whole year round.

Temperature ranges from 24° to 32° C (75-89° F) with an average daily maximum relative humidity of 84.3%. Rain falls all year round but is most abundant from November to January. The wettest months are November to January, the driest May to July. Rainfall occurs mostly as sudden showers. The good thing is: you can expect to enjoy sunshine almost the whole year round.

The temperature averages around:

• *28°C (84°F) daytime, 23°C (76°F) at night in December and January.
  
• *32°C (90°F) daytime, 26°C (81°F) at night for the rest of the year.
  

Best time to Visit

It's true that you can visit Singapore anytime any day throughout the year.  The island nation experiences a warm, tropical climate year-round with daily highs in the 80s. And with a steady stream of business travelers, the city's hotels are seldom at a loss for occupants and maintain reasonable to high room rates. To avoid exorbitant prices, steer clear of popular events or national holidays like Chinese New Year. But keep in mind, rain every other day on average all year round. The country experiences two monsoons, from the southwest (May-Sept) and the northeast (Nov–March), the latter picking up plenty of moisture from the South China Sea. April, July & August. These are so-called the “non-peak” season in Singapore. Singapore being the expensive city, when you come around this time, you can get your accommodation at Low cost, airline tickets at Low cost & tourist attractions having some kind of promotions.Just to give you a quick overview of the weather year around:

It's true that you can visit Singapore anytime any day throughout the year.  The island nation experiences a warm, tropical climate year-round with daily highs in the 80s. And with a steady stream of business travelers, the city's hotels are seldom at a loss for occupants and maintain reasonable to high room rates. To avoid exorbitant prices, steer clear of popular events or national holidays like Chinese New Year. But keep in mind, rain every other day on average all year round. The country experiences two monsoons, from the southwest (May-Sept) and the northeast (Nov–March), the latter picking up plenty of moisture from the South China Sea. April, July & August. These are so-called the “non-peak” season in Singapore. Singapore being the expensive city, when you come around this time, you can get your accommodation at Low cost, airline tickets at Low cost & tourist attractions having some kind of promotions.Just to give you a quick overview of the weather year around:

• Feb-April: The months between the summers and winters are quite pleasant. Plenty of outdoor activities become available then.
  
• May- June: The hottest months with heat waves. Becomes a little difficult to walk around during the afternoons.
  
• July-September: While tourists visit throughout the year, the festive season is a great time to explore the many facets of Singapore, especially around July when the Great Singapore Sale and the Singapore Food Festival take place.
  
• October -January: The wettest months are between November and January when showers can last for long periods of time.
  

Tips

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• Avoid traditional hotels. Find somewhere on airbnb or stay at a hostel like Woke Home Hostel Singapore (supposedly one of the better ones).

• Avoid taxis (unless you're in a group big enough to fill the taxi). Get an EZ-Link card from any MRT station or 7-11 store. It costs SG $10-12 (depending on where you buy it), which includes a $5 nonrefundable deposit and $5-7 of stored value for use on the public transportation system (all buses and MRT trains nationwide). I think the most you can pay to travel between any two points in Singapore by public transportation is less than $3. And if you take the MRT before 7:45 am through June 2014, it's completely free (you have to be out of the station by 7:45 am to take advantage of this). Using this method you would be hard pressed to spend more than $10-12 in one day for transport. (BTW If your card runs low on funds, you can top it up in increments of $10 at the machines they have for that purpose in the MRT stations). Also, fares are cheaper if you're a senior citizen or a student.

• Avoid eating at sit-down restaurants, especially indoor ones: you'll pay a big premium for the air conditioning. Instead, eat at food stalls in hawker centres and shopping mall food courts (the latter often found in the basement, but not always). Any random one will do: if something looks delicious, it probably is. If in doubt, buy from the places where people are queuing up. But note that the food stalls at Central Business District (CBD), Marina Bay and Orchard Road are considerably more expensive than in other parts of Singapore. (If you find yourself in one of the pricier districts, there are less expensive areas close by, e.g. Chinatown for CBD and Little India for Orchard Road, so just head there). You'll eat fantastically well, with a variety of different types of food to choose from (mostly Southeast Asian and Indian of course), at bargain prices (in 2013 about $3-4 for breakfast, $5-10 for lunch, $12-15+ for dinner).
• Avoid shopping in Singapore. If you want to buy stuff,  take the bus across the causeway to Johor Bahru and do your shopping there. You can easily do that in half a day if you're staying in Singapore. You'll get just about anything (except for luxury items and brand-name  electronics) for MUCH cheaper than you can in Singapore. Note that other than shopping and eating, there's not a lot in JB that's too interesting in my opinion.
  
• Use free online resources (Wikitravel, InSing, Google Maps, etc) to decide what to do and see. If online maps aren't an option, there's a free map of Singapore available from the tourist offices as well as many of the hotels.
  
• A lot of the best sights in Singapore are free, including walking around the interesting historical districts in Tanjong Pagar, Chinatown, Arab Street and Little India, as well as the great parks e.g. Singapore Botanic Gardens, Fort Canning and the nature reserves (monkeys!) in the middle and western parts of the country (McRitchie, Bukit Timah, Bukit Batok).