In this guide
💡 The Short Version: No visa is needed for tourism with a UK, US, Canadian, Australian or EU passport. Submit the free SG Arrival Card within 3 days before you land, counting the day of arrival; the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority does not endorse any site that charges for it. Your passport must run at least six months beyond the day you arrive. A menu price marked ++ is before a 10 per cent service charge and 9 per cent GST, so S$100 of food comes to S$119.90. Vapes are banned, including for personal use, and eating or drinking on a bus has been an offence since 23 September 2026, with a fine of up to S$500. Book a dated ticket for Universal Studios and buy the SkyPark, the Gardens by the Bay domes and the Zoo and Night Safari ahead; the Sultan Mosque is closed to visitors on Fridays and the Indian Heritage Centre on Mondays. Or book a tour: If you want a seamless guided introduction to Singapore’s top sights, book the Big Bus open-top hop-on hop-off tourad from S$67. Prices are in Singapore dollars (S$).
What to book before you go
Prices are the adult rate from each operator. The Supertree Grove, Garden Rhapsody, Spectra, the Rain Vortex at Jewel and the temples cost nothing.
| Sight | Book | Adult price | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Studios Singapore, Sentosa | A dated ticket, online | From S$76 on non-peak dates | Child S$69 (4 to 12). Universal Express, the queue-skip, is sold separately. |
| Singapore Oceanarium, Sentosa | Online, by date | From S$55 | Child S$43 (4 to 12). Life in the Deep is closed for maintenance. |
| Marina Bay Sands SkyPark | A dated ticket | S$35 before 16:30, S$39 from 17:00 | The ticket does not include the infinity pool, and luggage is not allowed on the deck. |
| Gardens by the Bay domes | Online or at the counter | Flower Dome and Cloud Forest S$46 | Each conservatory shuts for one whole day a month. |
| Singapore Zoo and Night Safari, Mandai | Online | Zoo S$49; Night Safari S$58 | Separate tickets: the Zoo is 8:30 to 18:00 and the Night Safari 18:00 to 24:00. |
| Singapore River cruise | At the jetty | S$28 | Only four jetties run. |
The observation decks compared sets the SkyPark against the Supertree Observatory, the OCBC Skyway and the Flyer. Sentosa charges S$4 island entry by monorail and nothing on the Boardwalk, and Jewel Changi Airport sells Canopy Park tickets from S$8. The 2027 Singapore Grand Prix is on 8 to 10 October 2027. With children, Singapore with kids gives the child price and age limit for each.
Opening times that change
| Sight | Hours | Closed |
|---|---|---|
| Sultan Mosque, Kampong Glam | Walk-in visits 10:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 16:00 | Fridays, to visitors |
| Indian Heritage Centre, Little India | 10:00 to 18:00; S$10 for a foreign adult | Mondays |
| Sri Mariamman Temple, Chinatown | 6:00 to 12:00 and 18:00 to 21:00 | Shut from midday to 18:00 |
| Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Chinatown | 7:30 to 16:45 | Open daily |
| Gardens by the Bay conservatories | 9:00 to 21:00 | One whole day a month each |
| Hawker stalls: where to eat | Each stall sets its own | Several famous stalls on Mondays |
- Friday: the mosque is shut to visitors, so put Kampong Glam on another day or keep to Haji Lane. The Kampong Glam guide has the dress rules.
- Monday: the Indian Heritage Centre is shut and Tian Tian chicken rice and Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle are shut too. The temples and the Little India to Kampong Glam walk still work.
- Hawker centres each close for a day or more for cleaning: the dates are in best hawker centres.
Entry rules for Singapore
Singapore is outside the EU, so no EU entry system applies. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) lists the travel documents that need a visa: none of the passports below is on it.
| Citizen of | Visa for tourism | Stay |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | None | Set by the immigration officer, normally 30 to 90 days |
| United States | None | Set by the immigration officer |
| Canada | None | Set by the immigration officer; the Canadian government gives up to 30 days without a visa |
| Australia | None | Set by the immigration officer |
| EU citizens | None: no EU state is on the ICA list | Set by the immigration officer |
- SG Arrival Card: free, and a health declaration is part of it. Submit it through the SGAC e-Service or the MyICA Mobile app within 3 days before arrival: for a 30 June arrival, from 28 June. Give a working email address, because that is where your e-Pass is sent. Anyone transiting without clearing immigration is exempt. The SG Arrival Card guide covers the steps and the sites that charge for it.
- Passport: valid for at least six months beyond the date you enter, which the UK and Canadian governments both state. Canada adds that a no-boarding directive applies to travellers with less.
- Length of stay: the e-Pass email shows your allowed stay and last day in Singapore, and passports are no longer stamped. Overstaying brings fines, imprisonment, caning and deportation.
- On arrival: iris, face and fingerprints are recorded on entry and exit. Officials can ask for a return or onward ticket and proof of funds. Travellers who have been in a country with a risk of yellow fever in the previous six days need a vaccination certificate: the ICA list names the countries.
Sources: the ICA visa list, the UK Foreign Office, the Government of Canada, Smartraveller and the State Department’s Singapore page. For official safety advice, see the UK Foreign Office and the State Department.
The arrival hall at Changi Airport Terminal 4. Photo: Michael, Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
Money, service charge and GST refund
- Cards: credit cards, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and other contactless payments are used for tap-and-go payments, and buses and the MRT take contactless bank cards, mobile wallets and cash (Singapore Tourism Board).
- Tipping: not customary, says the Singapore Tourism Board. Many restaurants and hotels add a 10 per cent service charge.
- The ++ on a menu: the price is before the service charge and 9 per cent GST, and the GST is charged on the total including the service charge. The Inland Revenue Authority’s own example is S$100 of food, S$10 service charge and S$9.90 GST: S$119.90 (IRAS). Shop prices must include GST. Money in Singapore has the cards and the service charge in full.
- GST refund: a visitor aged 16 or over can claim back the 9 per cent GST on goods. Spend at least S$100 including GST at one retailer (up to three same-day receipts from the same shop and GST registration number count together), and show your original passport in person at the till so the shop can register the purchase. Photocopies and photos are not accepted (IRAS). The GST refund guide covers claiming at Changi.
A currency exchange counter at Changi Airport. Photo: LN9267, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Rules that catch visitors out
- Vapes and e-cigarettes: banned. It is illegal to buy, own or use one, and illegal to bring one in, even for personal use. They are confiscated and you can be fined (UK Foreign Office).
- Buses: eating or drinking on a public bus is an offence from 23 September 2026, with a maximum fine of S$500. Feet on seats, loud audio and littering are offences too (Land Transport Authority).
- Drinking in public: alcohol is banned in public places outside restaurants, bars and licensed venues from 22:30 to 07:00. Geylang and Little India are Liquor Control Zones, where drinking in public is banned all weekend, on public holidays and on the eve of a public holiday (UK Foreign Office).
- Smoking: banned in all public parks, on all beaches and on Orchard Road. Smoke only in a designated area; you must be 21 to buy tobacco (UK Foreign Office).
- Drugs: penalties for any drug offence, including possession, are severe. You can be tested for drugs on arrival, including in transit, even if the drug is legal where you took it (UK Foreign Office).
- Where the rules are explained: Singapore rules and fines covers gum, vapes, littering and the bus rule, Singapore etiquette covers temple and mosque dress, and is Singapore safe? covers scams and dengue.
A first visit
The 3-day Singapore itinerary puts Chinatown, the river and Marina Bay on day one, Kampong Glam and Little India on day two, and Sentosa on day three, and shows how to fit them round a Friday or a Monday. Five days in Singapore adds the Zoo and Night Safari at Mandai and a free day. With one or two days, Singapore in one or two days picks Chinatown and Marina Bay or Kampong Glam and Little India. The neighbourhood guides are Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam.
When to go
Best time to visit Singapore gives the weather month by month: it is 31 to 32 °C by day all year, February is the driest month at 105 mm and December the wettest at 332 mm. Dates that change a visit: Deepavali on 8 November 2026 with the Little India light-up, Orchard Road’s Christmas lights from 17 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, Chinese New Year on 6 and 7 February 2027, the Hungry Ghost Festival from 2 to 31 August 2027 and the Singapore Grand Prix on 8 to 10 October 2027.
Getting in from the airport
From Changi, the MRT is the cheap way into the city: change at Tanah Merah for the East West Line or at Expo for the Downtown Line, about S$2.30 until 25 December 2026. A taxi is S$25 to S$45 and Changi’s own fixed-price car S$70: see Changi Airport to the city. With a gap between flights, the Singapore layover guide covers the free Changi tour and Jewel Changi Airport covers the Rain Vortex show times and Canopy Park prices. An eSIM for Singapore is installed at home before you fly.
Getting around
A contactless bank card or phone pays for the MRT and buses, and Singapore public transport explains why the Tourist Pass rarely beats tapping a card, what the fare bands are and which sights need a bus after the MRT. Eating and drinking are banned on the MRT and on buses.
Walks
The Chinatown to Marina Bay walk is about 3.3 km from the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple past two temples and Lau Pa Sat to the Merlion, where the Marina Bay evening walk begins: about 3.1 km to the Supertree Grove, timed for Spectra and Garden Rhapsody. The Little India to Kampong Glam walk is about 1.6 km from a Hindu temple past the Indian Heritage Centre to Sultan Mosque and Haji Lane, with the Monday and Friday closures marked.
Day trips
Johor Bahru is a 5-minute train from Woodlands, and Legoland Malaysia is a coach day. Bintan and Batam are ferry trips that need an Indonesian visa. Pulau Ubin and Kusu and St John’s Island need no passport at all. Day trips from Singapore compares them on cost and tours, and each guide covers the Malaysian or Indonesian entry rules and the return on the SG Arrival Card.
Where to eat
Where to eat in Singapore is organised by dish: kaya toast for breakfast, chicken rice, laksa, chilli crab and Peranakan food, with the closed day and cash-only rule of each. Best hawker centres lists the halls and their cleaning closures, Michelin hawker stalls sets out the one-star stall and the Bib Gourmand list, and Singapore food tours compares the guided options.
Where to stay
Where to stay in Singapore compares the areas by MRT station: Marina Bay for the big sights, Chinatown for temples and hawker centres, Bugis and Kampong Glam for budget rooms, Orchard for malls and Sentosa for beaches and Universal Studios.
More to see and do
Singapore with kids gives child prices and height limits, and the observation decks compared covers the SkyPark and its rivals. Sentosa covers the beaches and the cable car, and the Singapore River cruise has the jetties that run. Before you leave, the GST refund guide covers claiming back tax at Changi.
Compare Singapore with other cities
- Winter sun: winter sun city breaks puts Singapore’s warm, wet winter, 332 mm in December and 105 mm in February, beside the other warm cities.
- Food city breaks: best food city breaks sets Singapore’s hawker centres against the other food cities, with the closed days and the ++ charge.
- Solo travel: solo city breaks sets Singapore’s hawker centres and capsule hostels against the other cities, with the Foreign Office’s safety advice.
- A first trip to Asia: best cities in Asia for a first trip sets Singapore against the other Asian cities we cover, with the entry rules, how easy each is to get around and what catches newcomers out.
- Accessible travel: accessible city breaks puts Singapore’s barrier-free MRT and buses beside seven European cities, with the Gardens by the Bay wheelchair shuttle.
- A long weekend: long weekend city breaks sets Singapore against seven European cities for a short stay, with the MRT route from Changi and the Friday and Monday closures.
- Valentine’s Day 2027: Valentine’s city breaks puts Singapore’s driest month and the week after Chinese New Year beside six European cities for Sunday 14 February.
- A beach break: beach city breaks sets Sentosa against seven other cities, with the fare, the months the sea reaches 20 °C and the official water quality class.
Itineraries
Day-by-day plans for a first visit.
Itinerary
Singapore in 2 Days: Itinerary and What to Book
With one day in Singapore, choose Chinatown and Marina Bay, ending at the free Garden Rhapsody show, or Kampong Glam and Little India. With two days, do both. What to book, the Friday closure of the Sultan Mosque, the Monday closure of the Indian Heritage Centre and the monthly closures at Gardens by the Bay.
Itinerary
3 Days in Singapore: Itinerary with What to Book
Three days in Singapore: Chinatown, the river and Marina Bay on day one, Kampong Glam and Little India on day two, and Sentosa with Universal Studios or the Oceanarium on day three. What to book before you fly, which day each sight closes, and how to fit the plan round a Friday or a Monday.
Itinerary
Singapore Itinerary 5 Days: What to Book and When
Five days in Singapore: Chinatown and Marina Bay, Kampong Glam and Little India, Sentosa, a day at Mandai for the Zoo and Night Safari, and a free day for the museums or a trip into Malaysia. What to book before you fly, and the Friday, Monday and monthly closures.
Which ticket to buy
The official ticket, the tours that include entry, and which sells out first.
Tickets
Gardens by the Bay Tickets: Domes, Skyway, Light Show
The Supertree Grove and the nightly Garden Rhapsody show are free; the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest are S$46 for visitors and the OCBC Skyway S$14. Each conservatory shuts one whole day a month, with the dates to the end of March 2027.
Tickets
Marina Bay Sands SkyPark Tickets: Price & Timings
The Marina Bay Sands SkyPark Observation Deck is S$35 for an adult before 16:30 and S$39 from 17:00, open 9:30 to 22:00. The infinity pool is for hotel guests only, luggage is not allowed, and the deck can close in a storm.
Tickets
Singapore Oceanarium Tickets: S.E.A. Aquarium Guide
Singapore Oceanarium on Sentosa, which replaced the S.E.A. Aquarium in 2025, is from S$55 for an adult and S$43 for a child. The six zones, Life in the Deep closed for maintenance, and how to pair it with Universal Studios Singapore.
Tickets
Singapore River Cruise Tickets: Price, Timings, Jetties
The Singapore River Cruise is 40 minutes from Boat Quay to Clarke Quay and Marina Bay, S$28 for an adult and S$18 for a child. Only four jetties run, and walk-ins are welcome. The evening packages that add Garden Rhapsody and Spectra start at S$30.
Tickets
Singapore Zoo Tickets: Zoo, Night Safari or Both
Singapore Zoo is S$49 for an adult and the Night Safari S$58, on separate tickets that share the Mandai Wildlife Reserve. Opening hours, the tram, River Wonders and Bird Paradise, and when the S$98 two-attraction Destination Pass saves money.
Tickets
Universal Studios Singapore Tickets & Express Pass
Universal Studios Singapore tickets are sold by date, from S$76 for an adult and S$69 for a child on non-peak days. Treasure Hunters is closed until 29 November 2026, and Universal Express stays at full price meanwhile.
Day trips from Singapore
Out and back in a day, with the tours compared against going on your own.
Day trip
Day Trips from Singapore: Bintan, Batam, Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru, Legoland Malaysia, Bintan, Batam, Pulau Ubin, Kusu and St John's Island compared on fare, journey and entry rules, with what a tour costs and the one thing to know about each. Malaysia needs an arrival card and Indonesia a visa.
Day trip
Johor Bahru Day Trip from Singapore: Train, Bus, Entry
Johor Bahru is 5 minutes from Woodlands on the KTM Shuttle Tebrau for S$5, or about S$2 by Causeway Link bus. The timetable, how far ahead trains sell out, the free Malaysian arrival card, the RTS Link opening planned for February 2027 and the sights.
Day trip
Legoland Malaysia from Singapore: Tickets and Transport
Legoland Malaysia is from RM205 for adult theme park admission, with combined tickets for SEA LIFE and the water park. The two coach firms from Suntec City and Jurong East, the fixed 17:15 and 17:30 returns, and the entry rules for Malaysia.
Day trip
Bintan Day Trip from Singapore: Ferry, Fares, Entry
Bintan Resort Ferries run from Tanah Merah to Lagoi in about an hour: S$100 return in economy, S$110 on peak dates, with a same-day return promotion at S$87. The 2026 timetable, the last boat home, the peak dates to the end of 2026 and the Indonesian visa and arrival form.
Day trip
Batam Day Trip from Singapore: Ferry, Visa, Sights
Batam Fast is S$76 return from HarbourFront to Batam Centre, Sekupang or Gold Coast. The ferry terminal moved to 5 HarbourFront Avenue in July 2026. Tours with lunch from S$136, the Indonesian visa options and the departure fees included in the fare.
Day trip
Pulau Ubin Day Trip: Bumboat, Bikes and Chek Jawa
Pulau Ubin is a 15-minute bumboat from Changi Point for S$4 each way, cash only. How to get to Changi Village by MRT and bus 2, bike hire at the jetty, and the section of the Chek Jawa boardwalk closed from 15 September 2026 until 30 April 2027.
Day trip
Kusu and St John's Island: Ferry Times and Fares
Ferries to Kusu Island and St John's Island leave Marina South Pier from S$15 on the island-hopping ticket. During the Kusu pilgrimage season, the ninth lunar month, the ferries run special fares, and outside it the last weekday ferry from Kusu is at 4.15pm.
Where to stay
Areas and hotels, chosen for a visitor rather than a resident.
Airport transfers
From the airport to the centre, every option priced and timed.
Getting around
Tickets, passes and the transport a visitor actually uses.
What's on, month by month
Festivals, holidays and closures that change a visit.
Events
Best Time to Visit Singapore: Month by Month
Singapore is 31 to 32 degrees by day all year. February is the driest month (105 mm) and December the wettest (332 mm), with 19 rain days in both November and December. Weather by month, haze, and the 2027 public holidays.
Events
Chinese New Year in Singapore 2027: Dates and Events
Chinese New Year 2027 in Singapore is Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 February, with Monday 8 February a public holiday for those whose rest day is Sunday. The weather, the closure dates at Gardens by the Bay, and where to see the festivities in Chinatown.
Events
Deepavali in Singapore 2027: Little India Light-Up
Deepavali is Sunday 8 November 2026 and Thursday 28 October 2027, a public holiday in Singapore. What to plan around in Little India: the Liquor Control Zone drinking ban on the eve and the day, temple dress rules, and the Indian Heritage Centre's Monday closure.
Events
Hungry Ghost Festival Singapore 2027: Dates and Getai
The Hungry Ghost Festival is the seventh lunar month: 13 August to 10 September 2026 and 2 to 31 August 2027, with ghost day on 16 August 2027. What getai stage shows are, where they are held, and why the front row of seats is left empty.
Events
Singapore Christmas Lights 2026: Orchard Road Dates
Christmas on A Great Street lights Orchard Road from 17 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, with the light-up ceremony at 19:00 on 17 November. The Great Christmas Village, the Hilton projection show, and the Christmas Eve street party with Orchard Road closed 18:00 to 02:00.
Events
Singapore Grand Prix 2027: Dates, Tickets, Hotels
The Singapore Grand Prix takes place on 8 to 10 October 2027. Official 3-day grandstand tickets start from S$438, hospitality packages from S$5,437, and circuit zones explained.
Food and drink
Where to eat, what to order and when to book.
Food and drink
Where to Eat in Singapore: Hawker Centres and Stalls
Where to eat in Singapore, by what you want to order: kaya toast, chicken rice, bak chor mee, satay, laksa, chilli crab, Peranakan food and vegetarian, with the closed days, the cash-only stalls and which hawker centres to start with.
Food and drink
Best Hawker Centres in Singapore: What to Eat Where
Nine Singapore hawker centres compared: Maxwell, Old Airport Road, Chinatown Complex, Tiong Bahru, Lau Pa Sat, Tekka, Hong Lim, Newton and Amoy Street. The stalls to order from, the Michelin listings, the cash-only stalls and the cleaning closures to the end of 2026.
Food and drink
Michelin Hawker Stalls in Singapore: A Visitor Guide
Which Singapore hawker stalls are in the Michelin Guide 2026: Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle, the only stall with a star, 97 Bib Gourmand places and the Plate stalls, with what to order, the closed days and the cash-only stalls. Hawker Chan is not in the 2026 selection.
Food and drink
Singapore Food Tours: Hawker, Chinatown and Katong
Singapore food tours from S$60 for a 3-hour Michelin hawker tour to S$127 for a 4-hour, 12-tasting walk through three neighbourhoods, plus a Katong tour, a night street food tour and two cooking classes. Length, price, reviews and what each covers.
Walks
Self-guided routes, stop by stop.
Walk
Chinatown to Marina Bay Walk, Singapore: Map
A 3.3 km self-guided walk from the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple through Chinatown, Telok Ayer Street and Boat Quay to the Merlion. A map, the Google Maps route, and a timing note: Sri Mariamman Temple shuts from midday to 18:00.
Walk
Little India to Kampong Glam Walk, Singapore: Map
A 1.6 km self-guided walk from Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple on Serangoon Road to Haji Lane. A map, the Google Maps route and a day-by-day table: the Indian Heritage Centre is shut on Mondays and Sultan Mosque is closed to visitors on Fridays.
Walk
Marina Bay Evening Walk, Singapore: Light Shows, Map
A 3.1 km evening walk from the Merlion across the Helix to Marina Bay Sands and the Supertree Grove, timed around two free light shows: Spectra at 20:00 and 21:00, and Garden Rhapsody at 19:45 and 20:45. A map and the two orders that work.
More guides
Guide
Singapore Layover: What to Do in 6 to 12 Hours
With 5.5 to 24 hours between flights, Changi's Free Singapore Tour is a free 2.5-hour coach trip for transit passengers, with four routes. Jewel's Rain Vortex is free but needs you to clear immigration. Where to leave bags, from S$6 a day, how to book the tour and what to carry.
Guide
eSIM for Singapore: Which to Buy and Where
A Singapore eSIM provides instant mobile data without swapping physical SIM cards. Network coverage across Singtel and StarHub, compatible phones, activation steps, and plans compared.
Guide
Singapore With Kids: Child Prices, Ages, Rainy Days
Visiting Singapore with children: free water play at the Children's Garden, child admission rates by age, height limits at Universal Studios and Jewel, stroller logistics, and rainy-day indoor activities.
Guide
Chinatown Singapore: Things to Do, Temples, Hours
Chinatown's Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is open daily from 07:30 to 17:00, while Sri Mariamman Temple shuts between 12:00 and 18:00. Temple dress codes, heritage shophouse streets, hawker centres, and half-day walking routes.
Guide
Is Singapore Safe? Crime, Scams, Rules for Visitors
Singapore ranks among the world's safest destinations, with exceptionally low violent crime. Scams, nighttime alcohol bans, strict vaping penalties, dengue prevention, and emergency services.
Guide
Jewel Changi Airport: Rain Vortex & Canopy Park
Jewel Changi Airport's Rain Vortex is free, 10:00 to 22:00 daily, with a light and music show at 20:00 and 21:00, and 22:00 on Fridays to Sundays. Canopy Park is S$8, and the bundles with the nets and mazes run S$39 to S$71.
Guide
Kampong Glam: Sultan Mosque, Haji Lane, Things to Do
Sultan Mosque welcomes walk-in visitors Saturday to Thursday from 10:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 16:00, closing to tourists on Fridays. Dress codes, Haji Lane boutiques, Arab Street textiles, and Malay heritage.
Guide
Little India Singapore: Things to Do and Temple Hours
Little India's Indian Heritage Centre is S$10 for foreign adults and closed Mondays. Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple opening hours, Tekka Centre food, Mustafa Centre, and the weekend alcohol ban.
Guide
Money in Singapore: Cards, Tipping, Service Charge, GST
Singapore uses the Singapore dollar (S$). Understanding ++ menu pricing (10 per cent service charge plus 9 per cent GST), contactless card payments, hawker cash norms, and ATM networks.
Guide
Sentosa Island: Entry Fee, Getting There, What to Do
Walking onto Sentosa over the Boardwalk from VivoCity is free; the monorail is S$4 island admission. The beaches are free, and the cable car, SkyHelix, Wings of Time and Skyline Luge are ticketed. How to get in and which parts need a booking.
Guide
Singapore Arrival Card (SGAC): How to Submit It Free
The SG Arrival Card (SGAC) is 100 per cent free and mandatory for all foreign visitors within three days before landing in Singapore. Step-by-step submission, biometric clearance gates, e-Pass emails, and avoiding copycat fee scams.
Guide
Singapore Etiquette: Temples, Mosques, MRT, Tipping
Cultural etiquette in Singapore: temple and mosque dress codes, hawker table choping customs, mandatory tray return laws, escalator rules, and social norms for foreign visitors.
Guide
Singapore GST Refund for Tourists: S$100 Minimum
Tourists aged 16 or over can reclaim Singapore's 9 per cent GST on retail goods. The S$100 minimum threshold, physical passport requirements, eTRS kiosks at Changi, and handling fees explained.
Guide
Singapore Observation Decks: SkyPark, Flyer, Views
Four Marina Bay viewpoints compared: the Marina Bay Sands SkyPark (S$35 to S$39), the Supertree Observatory and OCBC Skyway (S$14 each at Gardens by the Bay) and the Singapore Flyer wheel. What each costs, when it opens and what closes it.
Guide
Singapore Rules and Fines: Gum, Vaping, Littering
Singapore's famous laws and penalties: chewing gum import rules, strict vaping bans and S$2,000 fines, littering composition fines, bus eating offences, and public drinking curfews.
Plan your trip
The rules and costs that apply to every city on the site.
Common questions
Do I need a visa for Singapore?
Not for tourism as a UK, US, Canadian, Australian or EU citizen: none of those passports is on the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority's list of travel documents that need a visa. The immigration officer decides how long you may stay, and the e-Pass emailed to you gives your last day.
What is the SG Arrival Card, and does it cost anything?
It is the online arrival form and health declaration every visitor submits before landing, and it is free. Submit it within 3 days before you arrive, counting the day of arrival, through the SGAC e-Service or the MyICA Mobile app. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority does not endorse any site that charges a fee for it.
How long must my passport be valid for Singapore?
The UK and Canadian governments both say it must be valid for at least six months beyond the date you arrive, and Canada adds that a no-boarding directive applies to travellers with less.
What does ++ mean on a Singapore menu?
The price is before the service charge and GST. Restaurants and hotels typically add a 10 per cent service charge, then 9 per cent GST on the total, so a S$100 bill comes to S$119.90.
Do you tip in Singapore?
Tipping is not customary (Singapore Tourism Board), and many restaurants and hotels already add a 10 per cent service charge.
Can tourists claim GST back in Singapore?
Yes, if you are 16 or over and not a Singapore citizen or resident. Spend at least S$100 including GST at one retailer, show your original passport at the till so the shop can register the purchase, then claim at the airport.
Are vapes allowed in Singapore?
No. Buying, owning or using a vape or e-cigarette is illegal, and it is illegal to bring one into the country, including for personal use.