Singapore
Asia · Singapore · SG
Singapore is a city-state that operates with the precision of a Swiss watch and the sensory abundance of a Southeast Asian bazaar. Skyscrapers rise from reclaimed land, connected by glass-enclosed walkways, yet hawker centers still serve bowls of laksa and chicken rice for a few dollars under fluorescent lights. Gardens by the Bay transforms the skyline into something from a science fiction novel, with Supertrees glowing purple at night and clouds drifting through cooled conservatories filled with orchids. Little India, Kampong Glam, and Chinatown each maintain a distinct identity, their temples, mosques, and shops offering a compressed tour of Asian cultures. The food scene is the real national obsession: Michelin-starred meals and hawker stall noodles share equal reverence, and locals debate the best char kway teow with the passion that others reserve for sports. Despite its small size, Singapore rewards extended exploration with layers of detail that reveal themselves slowly.
Overview
Singapore is a country in Asia. Its capital is Singapore and the international dialling code is +65. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil. Local currency is the Singapore Dollar (SGD). Our guide covers 1 airport, including Singapore Changi Airport. We also list 1 city in Singapore: Singapore.
Gardens by the Bay's Supertree Grove
The Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay is one of Singapore's most recognizable sights: twenty-eight vertical gardens rising between twenty-five and fifty meters, their steel frames wrapped in over two hundred species of ferns, orchids, and bromeliads. At dusk, the grove transforms during the Garden Rhapsody light show, with synchronized music and colored lights pulsing through the canopy. Walking the OCBC Skyway, a hundred meters above the ground, gives you a perspective on the grove's scale and a sweeping view of the Marina Bay skyline. The cooled conservatories nearby, the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest, house plants from five continents in climate-controlled environments that feel like stepping into another hemisphere. The Cloud Forest features a thirty-five-meter indoor waterfall that mist the surrounding walkway, where ferns and orchids cling to the rock face in a simulation of tropical montane conditions.
Hawker Centres and Laksa Stalls
Singapore's hawker centers are UNESCO-recognized community dining rooms, where immigrants from across Asia brought their recipes and adapted them to local ingredients. At Maxwell Food Centre, the queue for Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice winds past stalls selling fried carrot cake, satay, and popiah spring rolls. Chinatown Complex Food Centre, the largest on the island, has over two hundred stalls spread across a cavernous ground floor where the noise and steam create a festival atmosphere every night. The laksa at 328 Katong Laksa comes in a coconut broth so fragrant with lemongrass and galangal that you can smell it from three stalls away, served with thick rice noodles and prawns. What makes these centers remarkable is not just the food but the democracy of the experience: office workers, students, and tourists share plastic stools and paper napkins, united by an insistence that good food does not require fine dining.
Little India's Tekka Market
Tekka Centre anchors Singapore's Little India, a bustling multi-story complex where the wet market on the ground floor piles fresh fish, vegetables, and spices in colorful mounds that fill the air with turmeric and curry leaves. The hawker stalls upstairs serve biryani, dosa, and mutton soup to crowds that spill out into the corridors at lunchtime. Walking through the surrounding streets, you encounter garland sellers stringing jasmine and marigold for temple offerings, gold shops displaying intricate jewelry, and fabric stores draped in bolts of silk and chiffon. Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple sits at the neighborhood's heart, its gopuram adorned with hundreds of painted deities. On weekends, the entire area hums with the scent of incense, the sound of Bollywood music from shop speakers, and the steady flow of devotees and shoppers moving through a space that feels both timeless and entirely contemporary.
Sentosa's Beach and Cable Car
Sentosa Island is Singapore's playground, connected to the mainland by a cable car that glides over the harbor with the city skyline on one side and the open sea on the other. The ride takes about fifteen minutes, and the transparent gondolas give you an unobstructed view of ships anchored in the strait below. Palawan Beach offers a sheltered stretch of golden sand and a suspension bridge leading to a small islet, the southernmost point of continental Asia. Siloso Beach has a more energetic vibe, with beach bars and volleyball nets lining the shore. For a quieter experience, head to Tanjong Beach, where a single restaurant serves cocktails beside calm water and the occasional wild peacock wanders through the palms. The island also houses the S.E.A. Aquarium, where a massive viewing panel reveals manta rays and whale sharks.
Kampong Glam's Sultan Mosque
Kampong Glam is Singapore's Malay-Arab Quarter, centered around the golden-domed Sultan Mosque, which rises above the surrounding shophouses like a beacon. The mosque's base is constructed from glass bottles embedded in the foundation, a detail visible from the courtyard where visitors remove their shoes before entering. Arab Street and Haji Lane run perpendicular to the mosque, lined with textile shops selling embroidered fabrics, perfume vendors offering custom oud blends, and independent boutiques selling contemporary fashion with traditional motifs. In the evenings, the area comes alive with a younger crowd that fills the cafes and rooftop bars along Bussorah Street. The Mispera Garden nearby serves murtabak, a pan-fried flatbread stuffed with spiced lamb, while the sound of the evening call to prayer echoes from the mosque's loudspeakers, creating a moment of stillness that contrasts with the energy of the surrounding streets.
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- Capital
- Singapore
- Currency
- Singapore Dollar (SGD)
- Languages
- English, Malay, Chinese, Tamil
- Calling code
- +65
- Internet TLD
- sg
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Singapore.
Which nationalities can enter Singapore?
Current visa status for tourism for the origins we cover, with links to the detailed requirements.
Airports (1)
All airports →Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit Singapore?
For the origins we track, Singapore requires a visa for tourism (Morocco: visa required). Entry rules depend on your passport, so confirm the current requirements for your own nationality with our entry requirements tool.
What is the capital of Singapore?
Singapore is the capital of Singapore, and the country sits in Asia.
What currency is used in Singapore?
You pay with Singapore Dollar (SGD) in Singapore. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Singapore?
The languages we list for Singapore are English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Singapore?
The dialling code for Singapore is +65 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which airports serve Singapore?
Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) in Singapore is the airport we cover for Singapore.
Which cities in Singapore do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Singapore: Singapore (capital).