Free Travel Guide for Singapore: The Most Developed, Westernized, English-Speaking Country in Southeast Asia

Singapore: The City of the Future

Known as the “Lion City”, and as the “Garden City”, Singapore only became a fully sovereign state in 1965. However, it has developed quickly and already has a higher GDP per capita than the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Hong Kong, and Japan.

"Singapore is a highly developed country and is ranked 9th on the UN Human Development Index, the highest in Asia for a sovereign state, with the 7th highest GDP per capita in the world. Singapore is placed highly in key social indicators: education, healthcare, quality of life, personal safety and housing, with a home-ownership rate of 90%. The most commonly spoken language [in Singapore is] English. Singapore has the highest religious diversity of any country.” - Wikipedia

That being said, if you have never been to Asia before, Singapore is our number one recommendation as an easy first step for your Asian adventures. It isn’t too different from any major western country, but you will learn more about Asian cultures, cuisines, religions, and history while you explore Singapore.

It’s also a great transition country for Asians that wish to visit western countries, as you’ll get the feel of how a westernized country is set up and experience what it’s like when everyone speaks English (they also speak Malay and Chinese as well). What a fantastic East-meets-West country!

This small city-country may only take you 3-7 days to sufficiently explore, so we highly recommend booking the two week “Singapore to Bangkok”or “Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand Explorer” tours if you have extra time. These trips will allow you to see the best parts of Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand - which is an amazing introduction to our favorite places in Southeast Asia (get it directly at G-Adventures).

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To focus specifically on Singapore, we recommend:

Buying the Singapore Pocket Guide to find your own way around this island city,
- The most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Explore the futuristic bio-domes and Supertrees of Gardens by the Bay, breakfast with orangutans at Singapore Zoo and treat your taste buds to some tantalising street food – all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Singapore and begin your journey now!
- Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests
- Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots

Taking a look at the best tour deals and packages in Singapore,
- 5-Day Singapore City Pass with Universal Studios Admission
- Singapore Pass: Three or Five Attractions Fast Track Entries
- Singapore Independent 3-Night Tour with Half-Day Guided Tour
- 3-Day Singapore City Pass with Singapore River Boat Tour
- Singapore Sightseeing Pass, and Hop-On Hop-Off Bus, Attractions
Exploring the amazing itineraries and blogs about Singapore listed below,
- Or, find out how we explored Singapore for less than $25 per day!

Amazing Itineraries and Blogs about Singapore

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Delicious Southeast Asian Recipes - Malaysia and Singapore

It’s impossible to cross Malaysia and Singapore without trying some amazing tasting food. Enjoy these (mostly vegan-friendly) recipes for Singapore Chili Crab, Nyonya Laksa, Hainanese Chicken Rice, Nyonya Gula Melaka Cendol and even Kueh Salat, Nasi Lamak, Hokkien Mee, Ayam Buah Keluak, Babi Pongteh, and Nonya Chap Chye.

Reflecting on Two Years of Traveling the World & How You Can Do It Too!

Reflecting on 731 days of continuous travel (2 years - leap year), having visited 23 different countries on 5 different continents, doing most of it while pregnant, and with a baby. This year we explored Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Bali, Fiji, Australia, and New Zealand. Cheers to a third year of adventure!

Malaysia & Singapore on Less than $25 per day - Johor Bahru Tips & Tricks

We are a traveling nomad family that lives on a budget of $1,000 per month per adult - which is roughly $32.88 per adult per day. The expenses outlined below are for 2 people and are in United States dollars (USD). Without further ado, here is our Johor Bahru, Malaysia and Singapore budget breakdown and how we lived on less than $25 USD per day per adult.

Amazing 3 Day Singapore Itinerary on a Budget

What comes to mind when you think of Singapore? Perhaps Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands, Merlion Park, a Night Safari, or the Trick Eye Museum? This unique city-island-country has many world-famous attractions and locations. We’ll share how you can get the most out of your visit in this amazing 3 day Singapore itinerary.

Singapore Border Crossing: Singapore to Johor Bahru and Vice Versa - Malaysia

It’s no secret that staying in Singapore can be expensive, but it’s also no secret to Singaporeans that everything is cheaper in Malaysia. To save on expenses during our travels, we decided to stay at a resort hotel in Malaysia that is just around the corner from Legoland in Nusajaya, Johor Bahru. Our cost at this Bed and Breakfast was just under $630 USD per month and we stayed for 2 months. We’ve learned that crossing the border takes time, so if you are limited on time, we certainly wouldn’t recommend it.

Day Trip to Singapore Zoo, River Safari Singapore, and Rainforest Lumina

Planning a visit to the Singapore Zoo can be a bit overwhelming and slightly complicated. This guide will make it easier! When asking for recommendations of things to do in Singapore, the Night Safari, River Safari, Jurong Bird Park, and the Singapore Zoo were all highly recommended by other travelers. Did you know they are each separate parks? There are multi-park tickets available, but be aware that…

The Best Sentosa Hotels, Attractions and Beach - Singapore

Sentosa Island is south of the main island of Singapore. Nicknamed the “State of Fun” – It has attractions like Universal Studios Singapore, Trick Eye Museum, Fort Siloso, S.E.A. Aquarium, and Madame Tussauds Singapore. However, Sentosa actually translates to “peace and tranquility” and the lagoon-style beaches reflect that calm feeling. The whole front of the island is considered “Resort World Sentosa” and has enough to keep you occupied for a few days. However, the whole island is compact enough…

Gardens by the Bay Singapore & Marina Bay Sands - on a budget + night shows!

The essential guide on how to spend a day, or two, around Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands. This article is packed full of all of the details - what to do, what to see, where to stay, and where to find all the night shows (the biggest highlight of Singapore at night).

Interested in learning more about Singapore’s history and governance? Check out “The True Story of Lee Kuan Yew’s Singapore”.

Do you have more questions about Singapore? Reach out to us on our Facebook Page and we’ll do our best to answer your question within 24-48 hours!

Thank You VERY Much

Thank you VERY much for reading our article. We actually created this website to help people reach financial independence. Did you know that by having a remote job and traveling endlessly, or living in a country that has low costs of living, you can actually reach retirement quicker? Plus, retirement abroad is up to 75 percent cheaper as well! Learn more by exploring our website: EatWanderExplore and REmotiFIRE.

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Southeast AsiaBradleyAugust 5, 2019COUNTRYComment