Singapore

Singapore is the world’s most seamless city — a place where everything works and the extraordinary diversity of Chinese, Malay and Indian cultures produces a food culture that is the finest in Southeast Asia. For the seasoned traveller, Singapore makes an excellent regional hub and a deeply rewarding destination in its own right, particularly for those combining it with Bali, Cambodia or Vietnam.

Singapore is close to the equator and maintains a consistent 28–32°C year-round, with afternoon showers throughout. There is no bad season, though February–April tends to be slightly drier. Chinese New Year (January/February) transforms Chinatown into a spectacular red-lantern spectacle.

Singapore’s MRT (metro) is clean, air-conditioned and covers the entire city. Grab (Southeast Asia’s Uber) is excellent and very affordable. Changi Airport — consistently rated the world’s best — is 30 minutes from the city centre on the MRT East-West Line.

The Marina Bay area offers Singapore’s most iconic setting. The Colonial District (around Raffles Hotel) is quieter and more elegant. Tiong Bahru and Kampong Glam (Arab Street) offer more local, neighbourhood-style experiences.

Gardens by the Bay at dusk: The Supertree Grove and the Cloud Forest (35-metre indoor waterfall, cooled conservatory) are among Asia’s great contemporary experiences. The free light show is at 7:45pm and 8:45pm.
Singapore Botanic Gardens (UNESCO): The finest tropical garden in the world. Best in the early morning.
A hawker centre meal: Maxwell Food Centre (Hainanese Chicken Rice) or Lau Pa Sat (evening satay) — the world’s finest street food at extraordinary value.
National Museum of Singapore: An outstanding introduction to 200 years of remarkable history.
A bumboat ride along the Singapore River: Colonial buildings, shophouses and the modern skyline from the water.

Hawker centres serve extraordinary food for SGD 4–8 per dish: laksa, char kway teow, roti prata with curry, mee goreng. The best centres — Tiong Bahru, Newton Circus, Lau Pa Sat — are genuine institutions. Chilli crab and black pepper crab (Jumbo Seafood or Sin Huat) are the city’s signature celebration dishes.

Schedule outdoor activities for early morning (7–9am) and late afternoon (5–7pm); use the MRT and air-conditioned spaces for midday. The city is extremely well-organised for visitors with mobility considerations — the MRT is fully accessible and pavements are level and well-maintained throughout.

Singapore is one of the safest cities in the world. Crime is extremely rare and the penalties for serious offences are famously severe. Emergency: 999 (police), 995 (ambulance).

Tiong Bahru neighbourhood: Singapore’s most charming area — 1930s Art Deco housing blocks, the best independent bookshop in Southeast Asia (BooksActually), excellent coffee and the city’s best morning market.
The Southern Ridges: A 10km walking trail through secondary rainforest connecting Mount Faber to Kent Ridge Park — extraordinary birdsong and views, almost no tourists.
A Peranakan cooking class at Cookery Magic in Sembawang: An outstanding introduction to Straits Chinese cooking in a genuine family setting.