Singapore holidays

1. You can’t miss this one: Singapore’s biggest waterfall is located indoors, at Jewel Changi Airport. The Rain Vortex is a 40-metre cascade surrounded by green forest, and is illuminated during its evening light and sound show.
2. Haw Par Villa was built in 1937 by philanthropist Aw Boon Haw and is one of Singapore's largest outdoor art galleries showcasing Asian culture, religion and philosophy. Here you’ll also find Hell – or at least Hell’s Museum, which explores major world belief systems, their views on death, and ancient depictions of sins and punishments.
   
3. Singapore offers plenty of nightlife options. If you want a drink and a boogie, you’ll find a great variety of places in Singapore, from the elegance of rooftop bars with skyline views to fun-loving karaoke bars. There’s a glitzy clubbing scene, too . Fancy an evening at the theatre? Waterloo Street and Little India (where you can also good authentic Indian cuisine) are good places. 
   
4. Opened in 1859 , the Singapore Botanic Gardens is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy tranquil gardens, black swans and the Evolution Garden’s fossilized ancient trees. Its National Orchid Garden boasts one of the world's largest collections. The site also has galleries dedicated to art and natural history. If you want your plants a little more futuristic, head for Gardens by the Bay for its Supertree Grove, Cloud Forest and Flower Dome.
   
5. For high-octane thrills, Universal Studios Singapore is hard to beat. Spanning 49 acres , it's Southeast Asia's first Universal theme park. Its Battlestar Galactica ride contains the tallest duelling roller coasters in the world , alongside attractions themed on Sesame Street, Jurassic Park and more. The park's Halloween fright nights provide a ghoulishly good time.
   
6. Fill up on some cheap and tasty foods at hawker centres. Many have a rich history and have been run by generations of the same family. They’re seen as a key part of culture here, and in 2020 were added to a UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage lists. Popular ones include Maxwell Food Centre, Lau Pa Sat for evenings, Newton Food Centre for seafood and Old Airport Road Food Centre.
   
7. Discover one of the world’s most diverse collections of gin at Atlas. With more than 1,000 bottles it’s a shrine for gin lovers and is set within a massive art deco bar, complete with tapestries on the ceiling, gilded balconies, and loads of food and drink options.
   
8. For great views, head to Marina Bay’s 42-storey giant observation wheel. Take a 30-minute flight and you could see as far as Malaysia and Indonesia. For an explosive treat, go up on an evening when Singapore puts on fireworks, such as National Day. Nearby, you’ll also find choreographed fountains and lasers set to an orchestral theme each evening.
   
9. The Singapore Grand Prix was the first to be held at night, and continues to offer all the usual glitz and glamour of Formula One under the glow of floodlights. Feel the exhilaration as the world’s best drivers roar around the Marina Bay Street Circuit during the event, usually held over three days in September.
   
10. With an eye on resource conservation, you can get a good glance at the secret lives of animals after dark at the world’s first Night Safari at Mandai Wildlife Reserve. It’s home to more than 900 animals – 41% of which are threatened, including the clouded leopard and Malayan tapir. Using renewable energy and water conservation, it also offers green transport and plant options in its cafe.
    
11. Despite its size, Singapore is home to more than 15 golf courses, some of them world class. Notable courses include Serapong, New Tanjong and the Classic Course at Laguna National, which is known locally as ‘The Beast’. Most courses are members only, though some welcome non-members or members of affiliated overseas clubs. 

• The Civic District is where heritage meets modernity. You’ll find the main museums here such as Peranakan Museum, the National Gallery which houses the world’s biggest display of Southeast Asian art.
• For hip hangouts along with a treasure trove of tradition, head to Chinatown. Here you’ll find the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum – home to a relic of the Buddha housed in a stupa made of gold – the old Hindu temple Sri Mariamman, with intricate carvings and also Chinatown Street Market where you can get your fill from street hawkers. 
• For cosy without compromise, the Scarlet is Singapore’s first luxury boutique hotel and is set in a traditional Chinatown shophouse. 
• Once rammed with brothels  , these days Katong and Joo Chiat, in the east of Singapore, is full of colourful two- and three-storey shophouses, trendy cafes and art murals.
• For glitter, modernity, trend and opulence, head to Marina Bay. It’s home to the grand prix, high-end shops, soaring skyscrapers and a giant observation wheel. Nearby  is the Flower Dome in Bay South Garden, the world’s largest  glass greenhouse. It houses plants and flowers from five continents, including a thousand-year-old olive tree.
• If it’s a hip shopping experience you’re after with fashion brands galore, then head to Orchard Road. The nearby Emerald Hill area offers historic shophouses and old-world charm.
• Other spots worth investigating include Tanjong Pagar, which has been reborn as a conservation area, the vibrant Bugis, with its street markets, shopping centres and street food, and Haji Lane’s hip boutiques and cafes.

• For beach holidays in Singapore, many people head to Sentosa Island with its golden sands. It’s a getaway that offers relaxation along with plenty to do for thrill-seekers as it’s also home to the unmissable Universal Studios. For luxury beach holidays for the whole family, try the Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa, based on Siloso Beach. It has a kids’ club with a two-storey treehouse.. Alternatively, head to the lesser-known Lazarus Island, with its quieter beaches and loads of marine life – it’s just a short ferry ride from Marina Bay.
• For luxury with convenience, the Fairmont Singapore is set close to a shopping centre in the heart of the Civic District and boasts one of Asia’s largest spas.. Keeping central, if you’re after some of the best views of Singapore, then head to the dizzying heights of the 73-storey Swissotel The Stamford, complete with a cocktail lounge on the 70th floor. 
• Singapore can also be great for a cheap holiday. Miramar Singapore is in a prime riverside location making it ideal for exploring, with bars and restaurants, as well as Clarke Quay and Chinatown, close by. 
• Another great option for a cheap holiday in Singapore is the Holiday Inn Express Clarke Quay. Clarke Quay is a vibrant riverside spot with historic charm and resorted shophouses. 

November to January and June to July are Singapore’s busiest periods in terms of visitor numbers. Weather-wise. March to May is the hottest period, while June to September is drier and less humid, if slightly cooler. October to January tends to be the wettest, most humid time of year, though temperatures still reach the low 30s. Chinese New Year takes place in January or February (dependent on the moon) and other festivals happen throughout the year.

UK passport holders do not need a visa to visit Singapore. You will normally be granted entry for a period of 14-30 days on arrival. Your passport must be valid for at least  six months.

Most Singaporeans speak English, many of them fluently, and it’s used widely. Other languages spoken in Singapore include Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil.

Singapore has a diversity of religious and cultural backgrounds which influences everything from ceremonies to food. The most followed religion is Buddhism, followed by Christianity, Islam, Taoism and Hinduism. With that in mind, it’s good to know before you attend any religious buildings about any expected codes of dress and behaviour.