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Home , Merlion, Snow City

General Information About

Singapore is a vibrant metropolis where about 4 million Chinese, Malays, Indians and Eurasians live and work side-by-side. Visitors call it "Surprising Singapore", "Garden City" and even "Instant Asia." It is small - just under 640 square kilometres. Yet within this space are all the attractions you could wish to find.

Language - There are 4 official languages in Singapore: Malay, Mandarin, Tamil and English. English is the language of business and administration, and is widely spoken and understood. Most are bilingual, and speak their mother tongue as well as English. Malay is the national language. Customs Formalities - There is no limit on the amount of currency you may bring into Singapore. There are no concessions on cigarettes and other tobacco products. Dutiable items include garments and clothing accessories, leather bags, wallets, imitation jewellery, chocolate and sugar confectionery, pastries, biscuits and cakes. Prohibited items include: Controlled drugs and psychotropic substances Firecrackers Cigarette lighters of pistol/revolver shape Toy coins and toy currency notes Reproductions of copyright publications, video tapes or disks, records or cassettes Endangered species of wildlife and their by- products Obscene articles and publications Seditious and treasonable materials If you have any of the articles listed, entry will only be allowed when you produce the import permit or authorisation from the relevant authorities. Drinking Water - Singapore water is clean and safe to drink from the tap, and need not be boiled. Littering - Singapore's clean and green image is the result of more than two decades of public education campaigns and strict laws against littering. Littering of any kind is subject up to S$1,000 fine for first offenders, and up to S$2,000 fine and a stint of corrective work order cleaning a public place for repeat offenders. As an extension of the law against littering, the import, sale and possession of chewing gum is prohibited. The high costs and difficulty in removing indiscriminately discarded chewing gum were the reasons for the prohibition. Medical Facilities - Singapore's medical facilities are among the finest in the world, with well-qualified doctors and dentists. Pharmaceuticals are available from numerous outlets including supermarkets, department stores, shopping centres and . Most hotels have their own doctors on 24-hour call. For an ambulance, dial 995. Post Office/Telecoms - Most hotels provide postal services at the front desk. The Changi Airport Post Office is open from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm daily from Monday to Saturday. Basic postal services are available round the clock at the General Post Office and the Comcentre branch. International Direct Dialling (IDD) is available at the General Post Office and the Comcentre. IDD calls can also be made from the numerous phone card and credit card phones located at post offices and around the city area. Phone cards come in five denominations of S$2, S$5, S$10, S$20 and S$50 and are sold at Singapore Telecom service outlets, post offices, convenience stores and some retail shops. A 20% levy is normally imposed on IDD calls made from hotels. Smoking - Smoking in public buses, taxis, lifts, theatres, cinemas, government offices and air-conditioned restaurants and shopping centres is against the law. First-time offenders may be fined up to a maximum of S$1,000. While it is an offence to smoke in air-conditioned eating places, smoking is not prohibited in air-conditioned pubs, discos, karaoke bars and nightspots. Tipping - Tipping is not a way of life in Singapore. It is prohibited at the airport and discouraged in hotels and restaurants where there is a 10% service charge. Weather and Climate - Singapore's tropical climate is heaven-sent! The island is warm and humid all year round, with only slight variations between the average maximum of 31’C and minimum of 23 ‘C. Rain falls throughout the year, with more consistent rain coming during the monsoon season from November to January. Showers are usually sudden and heavy, but also brief and refreshing. What to Wear - Singapore's tropical weather makes light summer clothing (preferably of natural fabrics) most practical, especially for outdoor activities like sightseeing. Most restaurants and nightspots are not restrictive on the dress code - polo shirts, t-shirts, jeans, slacks, blouses, skirts, sun dresses and sneakers are acceptable at most places. Although some establishments require formal wear for the evening, suits and evening dresses will never be out of place in Singapore's trendy nightspots. It is always advisable to check beforehand on dress regulations, if any. . Electricity - Singapore voltage is 220-240 volts AC, 50 cycles per second. On request, most hotels will provide transformers to visitors with electrical appliances of a different voltage, such as 110-120 volts, 60 cycles per second. The power plugs used in Singapore are of the three-pin, square-shaped type

Telephone - IDD Call can be made by dialing the international dialing code (65) + Local Number Here is a list of useful telephone numbers. Police - 999 (toll-free) Emergencies/Ambulance/Fire Brigade - 995 (toll-free) Weather - Tel: (65) 6542 7788 Embassy of the People's Republic of China - Tel: (65) 6418 0246

Safety - Increasingly, personal safety and security are becoming critical concerns of international travellers. The situation in Singapore remains calm and stable, and the island remains one of the safest in the world to visit. Enhanced security measures at key installations and other sensitive places ensure that Singapore continues to remain safe.

Currency - The local currency is Singapore dollars and cents. Notes come in denominations of SGD 2, SGD 5, SGD 10, SGD 20, SGD 50, SGD 100, SGD 500, SGD 1,000, and SGD 10,000.Coins come in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents and SGD 1. The exchange rate is about 1 SGD = 5 HKD

Major Attraction - Night Safari - The world's first wildlife park built for visits at night, the Night Safari is not like any ordinary zoo illuminated by the night or a modern version of nocturnal houses found in many zoos around the globe. The birth of the Night Safari is a result of a combination of factors. The overwhelming response to night tours conducted at the Zoo in the late 1980s indicated a demand for wholesome night entertainment. Displaying tropical animals at night seemed ideal since 90% of them are nocturnal and, therefore, most active after dusk. Moreover, Singapore is blessed with sunset taking place punctually at 7.30pm, dependably cool nights and little rainfall. These operational advantages make outdoor night attraction perfect. - which means tranquillity in Malay, is a popular island resort in Singapore, visited by some two million people a year. A major tourist attraction, it hosts a sheltered beach of more than two kilometres in length on its southern coast, a now defunct musical fountain which used the interaction of lasers against water particles to create three-dimensional images, and historical fortifications in , dating from World War II. There are also two golf courses and two five-star hotels. Sentosa offers a variety of attractions, museums and other facilities to provide a variety of experiences, recreation and entertainment to visitors. like Carlsberg Sky Tower ,The Butterfly Park, Insect Kingdom ,beach, Underwater World Fantasy Island etc

Snow City - , Singapore's first indoor snow centre, filled with 150 tonnes of snow on our slope and snow play area, uses an entertaining yet educational approach to introduce sub zero climate to our visitors. The snow chamber is maintained at minus five degrees Celsius, Provides winter activities like snowtubing, skiing and snowboarding for the visitors. Visitors can also explore the igloo and have snow ball fights at the snow play area.

Landmarks and Memorials - and - The Merlion was designed as an emblem for the (STB) in 1964. The designer was Mr Fraser Brunner, a member of the souvenir committee and a curator of the Van Kleef Aquarium. The Merlion has a lion head and a fish body resting on a crest of waves. The lion head symbolises the legend of the rediscovery of Singapura, as recorded in the "Malay Annals". The Merlion statue, measuring 8.6 metres high and weighing 70 tonnes, was built by the late Singapore craftsman, Mr Lim Nang Seng. It is made of cement fondue. A smaller Merlion statue, measuring two metres high and weighing three tonnes was also built by Mr Lim. The body is made of cement fondue, the skin from porcelain plates and eyes from small red teacups.