Singapore, colloquially known as the Little Red Dot, is a tourist-friendly island city-state lying just off Malaysia's southern coast. On arrival, visitors immediately notice the warm tropical climate and modern cityscape boasting all the trappings of a contemporary westernised society, yet soon discover Singapore's allure runs much deeper than that. Almost unique in South-east Asia, Singapore remains a vibrant blend of Chinese, Indian and Muslim Malaysian ethnic cultures.
Singapore's lush green environment is much in evidence. In addition to the renowned Singapore Botanical Gardens, parks are everywhere in this 'City in a Garden', and wetlands, together with tracts of ancient rainforest teeming with monkeys are remarkably easy to access. The natural theme also extends to the world-famous Singapore Zoo where the pandas are an absolute must-see for animal lovers who will also want to try a River Safari. Singapore caters for sun seekers too, who can enjoy relaxation and watersports on the extensive sandy beaches to be found at Palawan, Sentosa, Siloso and Tanjong.
Meanwhile, back in the concrete jungle, Singapore remains a shopper's paradise. This dedicated retail wonderland is chock full of high-fashion brands and accessories, trendy street styles, and hot deals on the latest consumer electronics. Beyond the central shopping malls, Little India, Chinatown, and Muslim Kampong Glam's Arab Street are the places to shop for art, antiques and souvenirs, and spend time exploring Singapore's rich cultural heritage.
Singapore also enjoys a worldwide reputation as an Asian food capital. Street food, known here as hawker food, is available everywhere in an astounding variety of flavours, and sizzling aromas and heady blends of Malaysian, Indian and Chinese spices tempt city-dwellers and visitors alike to stop and buy. The city's restaurants offer a similarly varied cuisine, each with their own specialist menus featuring delicacies from all parts of the Asian continent.
With year-round warm weather, tourists can visit Singapore at any time, though the monsoon season (November to January) is wet and just a little cooler. Festivals and events particularly popular with visitors include the grand celebrations for the Chinese New Year in January, Deepavali – the Indian festival of light – in November, and the annual Formula 1 night race which is held each September.
- Batam in Indonesia is the closest international airport to Singapore.
- Singapore has the UTC adjustment of 28800.
- The International Air Transport Association (IATA) airport code for Singapore is SIN.
- To Singapore, the quickest trip is 1 hour with
