Why is Singapore worth a visit?

Spectacular architecture, gigantic shopping malls, extraordinary amusement and theme parks, fantastic zoos, gorgeous gardens and parks, beautiful sandy beaches, versatile cuisine and always warm weather – there are very many reasons for a trip to Singapore. Many travelers use the city only for a short stopover on the way to Australia or New Zealand. But the Southeast Asian metropolis is definitely worth a trip in itself.

Here are our top 10 reasons to travel to Singapore:

1. Singapore is developing at a breathtaking pace. Hardly any other city in the world has grown as rapidly and as impressively in recent years and decades as the small Southeast Asian city-state.

2. Singapore has absolutely extraordinary sights. From huge gardens to spectacular theme and amusement parks and extraordinary zoos to architecturally stunning hotels and resorts, there is a great deal of uniqueness to be discovered in the city.

3. Singapore is an Eldorado for all shopaholics. The city’s countless malls, shopping districts and markets offer a first-class shopping experience that is hard to find anywhere else in the world.

4. Singapore is a great place to eat. A truly multi-ethnic cosmopolitan city, Singapore has one of the most diverse gastronomic scenes in the world.

5. Singapore is a very green city. Although there is a lack of space in every corner of the small city-state, the city has preserved many beautiful “green corners” where you can take a wonderful walk, do sports and, of course, first and foremost, enjoy the scenery.

6. Singapore is a really photogenic city. The skyline of the city with its skyscrapers, the harbor and the offshore islands is certainly one of the most beautiful in the world.

7. Singapore has some of the best, most modern and beautiful zoos in the world. It is home to Asia’s largest bird park, the world’s first night zoo, Asia’s first and only river nature park, one of the world’s largest aquariums and one of the world’s most beautiful and modern animal parks.

8. Singapore has beautiful city beaches. Few metropolises in the world offer their residents such great sandy beaches as Singapore.

9. Singapore is multi-cultural. The city has always been a melting pot of Chinese, Malays, Indians, other Asian peoples and European immigrants. Accordingly, life in Singapore is multicultural, be it in terms of shopping, eating or art and culture.

10. In Singapore it is warm all year round. In combination with the almost always high humidity, this takes some getting used to, but at least you never need winter clothes here.

For whom is Singapore worth a visit?

Architecure buffs:

Singapore can undoubtedly be described as a great laboratory for architectural experimentation. In very few metropolises in the world so many new and at the same time architecturally sophisticated buildings and urban development projects are being realized in such a short time as here. The Esplanade – Theatres by the Bay, the Gardens by the Bay, the Marina Bay Sands and the Resorts World Sentosa are just a few of many examples.

Shopaholics: 

“Store til you drop” seems to be the motto of many Singaporeans. Shopping and spending money is probably the favorite pastime of the inhabitants of the Southeast Asian city-state. This is not surprising, given its countless shopping malls, shopping districts and markets, Singapore is a true Eldorado for all shopaholics.

Foodies:

Besides shopping, eating is the favorite pastime of Singaporeans. And with good reason, because as a truly multi-ethnic metropolis, Singapore has one of the most diverse gastronomic scenes in the world to offer. The city is one big melting pot of Chinese, Malays, Indians, other Southeast Asian peoples and European immigrants, all of whom have brought their national and local cuisines to Singapore.

Nature lovers:

Although more than five million people have now settled in Singapore’s very limited area, the city has (fortunately) still preserved many natural landscapes, gardens and parks. On the shores of the MacRitchie Reservoir, on the island of Pulau Ubin, on the hills of the Southern Ridges, in the Gardens by the Bay and in the Singapore Botanic Gardens, you can enjoy the beautiful nature while walking, jogging or cycling.

Amateur photographers and view lovers:

The modern skyline, the extraordinary architecture, the vibrant harbor, the beautiful green spaces and the many offshore islands make Singapore an incredibly photogenic city. And on top of that, Singapore has a multitude of great viewpoints. Mount Faber hill, the Singapore Flyer ferris wheel and the Singapore Cable Car are just a few of the city’s many fantastic photo spots.

Pleasure-seekers:

When it comes to amusement and theme parks, virtually no city in the world can hold a candle to Singapore. Hollywood fans and adrenaline junkies will have fun at Universal Studios Singapore. Water rats can get wet to their heart’s content at Adventure Cove Water Park. Hobby lugers should race down the lanes of the Sentosa Luge. And fans of Chinese mythology will enter the realm of Chinese fairy tales and myths at Haw Par Villa.

Zoo fans:

If you love going to zoos, you probably won’t find a better destination in the world than Singapore. The city’s zoos are definitely among the best and most beautiful the world has to offer in terms of animal parks. Jurong Bird Park is Asia’s largest bird park. The Night Safari is the world’s first night zoo. The River Safari is Asia’s first and only river nature park. The S.E.A. Aquarium (South East Asia Aquarium) is one of the largest aquariums in the world. And the Singapore Zoo is one of the largest, most beautiful and modern zoos in the world.

Beach and water lovers: 

If you like to bask in the sun on a beach against the backdrop of a megapolis and enjoy warm bath water, Singapore is the place for you. The city’s beaches, especially on Sentosa Island and in East Coast Park, are among the best urban sandy beaches in the world.

Multiculti fans:

Most of the world’s megacities are now multicultural. But Singapore is unique in this respect, because the city has always been a melting pot of Chinese, Indian, Malay, other Asian and European immigrants. Accordingly, it is multicultural here, whether shopping, in the kitchen, at festivals or in the church / mosque / temple.

Heat-lovers:

If you want to enjoy temperatures between 24 and 32 degrees day after day all year round, you will love Singapore. A warning at this point: The pleasantly high temperatures come at the price of equally high humidity. The sultry tropical climate of Singapore can be quite sweaty and takes some getting used to for Europeans.

Families and children:

Hardly any metropolis in the world is better suited as a destination for families and children than Singapore. With its magnificent beaches, great zoos, beautiful green spaces and fantastic amusement and theme parks, Singapore is a super destination for a city trip with children.

Best time to travel

There are really only two weather conditions in Singapore: either the sun shines and it is hot or it rains and it is hot. Due to its location directly on the equator, Singapore has a tropical-warm climate and the thermometer fluctuates only minimally during the course of the day and year. Singapore does not have seasons like in our latitudes. Temperatures are always between 26 and 32 degrees during the day and do not fall below 24 degrees at night. Therefore, Singapore can be visited all year round. However, travelers to Singapore should be prepared for the high relative humidity of the city-state. It is 80 – 85% during the day and can rise to 100% at night or during persistent rain. For Europeans, the sultry heat of the city can be very exhausting. Quite a bit of rain falls in Singapore throughout the year. However, the monsoon brings most precipitation between November and January. So if you prefer to get a little less wet, you should avoid the winter months.

Getting there

By car:

Better take a plane.

By train:

Better take a plane.

By plane:

Singapore’s Changi Airport is one of the largest airports in Asia and one of the most important hubs in Southeast Asia (and on top one of the best and most beautiful airports in the world). From Singapore there are daily flights to Frankfurt/Main, Munich and Zurich in Switzerland. Berlin and Düsseldorf are served several times a week.

Booking.com

Food and drink

Next to shopping, eating is the favorite pastime of Singaporeans. And with good reason, because as a truly multi-ethnic metropolis, Singapore has one of the most diverse gastronomic scenes in the world to offer. The city is one big melting pot of Chinese, Malays, Indians, other Southeast Asian peoples and European immigrants. Since all immigrant groups have brought their own national dishes to Singapore, one gets an incredibly wide range of Asian and Western food served in the city’s kitchens.

Those who do not know where to start eating in Singapore should first visit one of the city’s culinary institutions – a so-called Hawker Centre. This is nothing more than a collection of several small cookshops. Today, hawker centres are usually located in their own buildings or in shopping malls. From Chinese to Indian to Malay cuisine, the hawker centres offer almost everything that usually sizzles in Asian pans, pots and woks.

By the way, a typical Singaporean food culture is the so-called Peranakan cuisine. The Peranakan are the descendants of Chinese settlers who settled in the countries of Southeast Asia in the last centuries. Their cuisine combines the original Chinese art of cooking with many influences from their new homelands such as Indonesia, Malaysia or Thailand.

By the way, Central Europeans often notice when eating out in Singapore that the portions are somewhat smaller than in our latitudes. This is primarily due to the hot and humid climate, which is not necessarily conducive to activities with a full stomach. In addition, the smaller portions have the pleasant side effect that you can eat several times throughout the day and thus enjoy Singapore’s excellent cuisine even more.

And last but not least, a word about the prices for food and drinks in Singapore: As far as food is concerned, in Singapore you can spend from a few euros at a market stall or in a hawker centre up to several hundred euros in a luxury restaurant. Water and soft drinks are quite inexpensive in Singapore; however, prices for alcoholic beverages are relatively high due to the high tax burden.

Sights