A small island, republic, and city in one, Singapore is the second most densely populated country in the world – but still retains a stunning amount of green space! Over 50% of the country is covered by greenery, despite its 5.5 million inhabitants. This balance of space and population means that there’s a huge amount of things to see within a small surface area, from beaches on the East Coast or Sentosa, to skyscrapers along the Singapore River, from museums in the city’s colonial core in the Bras Basah, to wildlife at the Zoo, Night Safari, Jurong Bird Park or Botanical Gardens. Wherever you go in Singapore, don’t forget to take advantage of the incredible diversity and excellence of its food vendors and restaurants!
Singapore’s wet season is between November and January, so plan your visit to the region between February and April, when you’re most likely to have sunny days and cooler evenings. Although not yet the hottest months of May and June, spring in Singapore still promises you plenty of outdoor activities.
The national language of Singapore is Malay, while the official languages of the city-nation are Malay, Mandarin, Tamil, and English. English has recently become the lingua franca of the nation, while Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil represent the major ethnic grouping of native Singaporeans.
The currency in the country is the Singapore dollar and is both pegged to and often interchangeable with the Brunei dollar. Currency exchange is easy and available throughout the city, oftentimes regardless of what currency you’re carrying, particularly in Little India.
If you’re travelling by air, you’ll land at the bustling and well-organized Changi Airport. There are numerous car rental options at the airport, as well as interspersed throughout the city, such as just off the waterfront in Central Singapore or just east of Upper Thomson Road in the North East Region. Singapore’s southern coastline is only 50km long and takes just under 40 minutes to drive with perfect traffic conditions. You can typically reach Johor Bahru, Malaysia from the Changi Airport via the Singapore Zoo in about an hour.
Infrastructure in Singapore is excellent, and this includes the roads, which are in good shape and generally carry well-behaved drivers. While public transportation is also excellent in the city, automobile hire is a great way to see all the nooks and crannies of this packed country – and allow you to pop over the border to Malaysia as well.
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