Singapore is both a city and a country, a densely built island of about 6.1 million people at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. It covers roughly 744 square kilometres, so distances are short, and the MRT train network, taxis and ride-hailing apps reach almost everything on a visitor's list. English is one of its four official languages, alongside Malay, Mandarin and Tamil, which makes it one of the easiest countries in Asia for Indian travellers to navigate.
The city is easiest to plan as districts. Marina Bay holds the skyline, the Merlion, the Marina Bay Sands complex and Gardens by the Bay, with its Supertree Grove and cool conservatories. Chinatown and the old Telok Ayer area have the Sri Mariamman Temple, the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and the Lau Pa Sat hawker hall. Little India, around Serangoon Road, has Hindu temples, vegetarian restaurants and Mustafa Centre. Kampong Glam has the golden-domed Sultan Mosque. Further out are the Botanic Gardens, Singapore Zoo at Mandai and Jewel at Changi Airport.
For Indian families Singapore works because it is orderly, well signed, and has a large Tamil community whose food and festivals will feel familiar. The honest difficulties are cost, since Singapore is one of the pricier destinations in the region, and the weather: it is hot and humid year-round, with rain in every month and the heaviest in December. Plan outdoor sights for the morning or evening, use air-conditioned malls and trains at midday, and take a flat, slow pace if you travel with older relatives.
Indian passport holders need a visa to enter Singapore, according to the official immigration site, and must also submit an SG Arrival Card before arrival. Rules change, so check with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and your airline before booking, buy travel insurance that covers hospital care, and avoid relying on a blog for entry rules.
Before you plan
Singapore at a glance
- Best months
- February to April is the relatively…February to April is the relatively drier stretch, and June to September has lower rainfall than the end of the year. November to January is the wettest, with December the peak, but showers are short and every month is hot.
- Ideal trip length
- 3 to 4 days for the city3 to 4 days for the city; 2 days covers the main sights if you start early and use the MRT
- Airport
- Singapore Changi AirportSingapore Changi Airport (SIN), about 24 km east of the centre, linked by the Changi Airport MRT station; Jewel Changi Airport is attached to Terminals 1, 2 and 3
- Railway station
- No railway line connects India to…No railway line connects India to Singapore, so most visitors arrive by air; within the city the MRT metro serves almost every sight
- Getting around
- MRT trainsMRT trains, buses, taxis and ride-hailing apps cover the island; the MRT is fast and air-conditioned, and most sights are near a station
- Daily budget
- Roughly ₹6,000 to ₹14,000 per person…Roughly ₹6,000 to ₹14,000 per person per day excluding hotel and flights, for food, transport and entry fees; hawker meals are cheap and restaurant meals are not
- Senior comfort
- Very good: level pavementsVery good: level pavements, lifts at most MRT stations, air-conditioning and clean toilets, though humidity and heat tire older visitors quickly
- Language
- English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil…English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil are all official languages; English is used everywhere, and Tamil is heard in Little India
Prices, opening hours and weather change. Recheck live details before booking.
Best time to visit Singapore: February, March. Month-by-month weather →
How many days do you have?
Singapore itinerary
One good day
1 day in Singapore
Start at the Merlion and the Marina Bay waterfront in the morning, then take the MRT to Little India for lunch at a vegetarian restaurant such as Komala Vilas and a visit to Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple. Rest in the afternoon, then go to Gardens by the Bay in the late afternoon, and stay for the Supertree light show after dark.
Day-by-day plan →Two days
2 days in Singapore
Visit the Botanic Gardens early, while it is cool, with the National Orchid Garden if you like flowers. Have lunch and rest, then walk the Marina Bay waterfront and spend the evening at Gardens by the Bay.
Day-by-day plan →Three unhurried days
3 days in Singapore
Merlion Park in the morning, a rest at your hotel through the heat, then Gardens by the Bay from late afternoon through the light show.
Day-by-day plan →
