Temperatures hover around 85 F (30 C) throughout the year in this hot and humid climate. Rain is common in Singapore, with thunderstorms occurring on 40% of the days of the year, and on 67% of the days in April. The rainy season lasts from November to February.

American Chamber of Commerce

Singaporean-German Chamber Of Industry And Commerce

Czech Republic

France

Germany

Italy

Japan

Korea, Republic of

Mexico

Netherlands

United Kingdom

United States of America

Business centers provide a range of services that include secretarial, translation/interpretation, and office services, including computer rentals, audio/visual equipment rentals, cellular phone rentals, copy and printing services, and temporary office space and staff.

Singapore Centennial Towers

Singapore UOB Plaza 1

Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre

Antarbahasa Interlingual Services

Asia-Link Translation Services

ACTC Translation Centre

UPS

All upper-range and most medium-priced hotels are equipped with dataports that allow guests to use laptop computers. Many hotels offer business centers equipped with computers and Internet access.

Citizens of the European Union, the U.S. Japan, the Republic of Korea, Brazil, and Commonwealth countries do not need a visa to enter Singapore. Unless you specify how long you intend staying, you'll normally be stamped in for fourteen days. Citizens of the U.S., Japan, , the Republic of Korea, Brazil, the European Union, and Commonwealth countries may stay up to 90 days without visas. Citizens of the People's Republic of China need to obtain a visa to enter Singapore.

duty free allowances : 1 litre of spirits, 1 litre of wine and 1 litre of beer, also 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco.

Singapore's country code is 65.

Police

Singapore has no area codes. Toll-free numbers start with 1-800. Public phones are abundant and can be operated by coins or by phone cards. However, card phones are taking over from coin-operated payphones. International calls can be made from all public cardphones and credit-card phones. IDD calls made from hotel rooms in Singapore carry no surcharge. To call abroad, dial 001 + IDD country code + area code minus first 0 + subscriber number.

Singapore Telecom is the major service provider, offering AMPS and ETACS for analogue users, and GSM and DCS for digital. Mobile telephone numbers usually come with prefixes 011 or 010. Mobile phone calls are very expensive in Singapore.

If you choose to bring your cellular phone into Singapore, be sure to check with your home cellular service provider to establish compatibility of your phone with systems abroad. Rent a locally compatible cellular phone before you arrive to obtain reasonable rates and reliable service.

The local currency is the Singaporean dollar (SG$). Currency can be exchanged at banks, some hotels, and licensed money changers. Some shops accept foreign currency, but the applied exchange rate tends to be lower. ATM is widely available in Singapore, and banks provide cash advances on credit cards. Travelers' checks and credit cards are accepted in many shops and restaurants.

Tipping beyond the pre-set service charge is prohibited at the airport and in most hotels and restaurants. It is not customary to tip taxi drivers and discouraged by the government, though it will not be refused by the driver

• Taxis
Round fare to nearest dollar
• Restaruants
10% service charge is added to the bill
• Hotel porter
One dollar

Singapore is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

3% goods and services tax (GST) applies to all goods and services, but visitors can claim a refund on purchases of SG$300 or more at retailers displaying a Tax Free Shopping sticker. Many hotels and restaurants feature rates followed by "+++." The first + is the GST. The second + is a 1% tax levied by the STB on all tourism-related activities. The third is a 10% gratuity.

The electrical current in Singapore is 220V to 240V, 50 Hz AC. Electrical plugs are three-pronged with a square pin, the same of those found in the U.K.

Driving is on the left in Singapore, and traffic, albeit city-like, is fairly safe and logical. Taxis are a simple way to get around the city, and one can usually be hailed with little effort. The standard rate is around SG$2.40 for the first kilometer and 10 cents for each additional 240 meters. There is a 50 percent surcharge between midnight and 6am. The bus system in Singapore is excellent. Fares start at 60 cents for the first 3.2 kilometers and 10 cents for each additional 2.4 kilometers (a little more for air-conditioned buses). You can pick up a Singapore Explorer ticket for unlimited bus travel for one or three days (SG$5 or SG$12). The easiest way to travel between downtown and the airport is by Airbus. This transport serves most of the downtown hotels and runs every 20 minutes from 6am to midnight (tel. 542-1721). The cost is around SG$5. Bus number 16 has a half-hour ride to the downtown area for SG$1.50. Anyone who is used to subway travel in an urban district is sure to be impressed by Singapore's world-renowned underground Mass Rapid Transit system (MRT). Fares run from 60 cents to SG$1.50 for a longer trip.

No proof of vaccination is required unless you have come from an infected area within the past six days. The risk of dehydration is fairly high due to extreme heat and humidity, so drinking plenty of water is recommended.

Man Fu Yuan is an elegant restaurant that serves up an exquisite selection of Cantonese dishes with a unique slant. Hai Tien Lo offers refined dining in a sumptuous setting with a spectacular view of Singapore. Fusion cuisine can be found in an elegant interior at the Compass Rose Restaurant, spread over three levels of the Westin. Doc Cheng's provides an upscale trans-ethnic cuisine, which uses unusual combinations of ingredients such as char-boiled miso butter fish. For French cuisine in a setting that evokes Paris's cafés of legend, La Brasserie merits a visit. Freshly made pasta with refined sauces made from ingredients imported from Italy is on the menu at Da Paolo e Judie. One of Singapore's most lauded establishments is the Tiffin Room in the Raffles Hotel.

For those who love to shop, Singapore offers a multitude of choice and bargains.

Electronic goods, watches, jewelry, fabrics and custom-made suits are some of the items that might be worth investigating. Good deals may also be found on certain antique objects like brassware, porcelain, idols and Chinese furniture. Shopping districts with a high concentration of retail outlets, as well as of people, include Orchard Road, Chinatown, and Little India. Many interesting items can also be found in Singapore's curio shops, which sell merchandise ranging from souvenirs to small crafts items from China to antique objects.

Singapore's cultural offerings include the National Museum and Art Gallery, the Asia Civilizations Museum, the Mandai Orchid Garden and the Singapore Art Museum. Proof of the numerous religious communities present in Singapore, Chettiar Temple, Thian Hock Keng Temple, Sri Marimman Temple, Temple of 1,000 Lights, Sultan Mosque, St Andrew's Cathedral and the Armenian Church may all be visited. Walking tours are a popular way to experience Chinatown, the city's cultural center. Another favorite attraction of historical interest is the Raffles Hotel, which is among Asia's most regal hotels.

Singapore's liveliest nightlife venues are located in the Colonial District, and on Boat Quay and Orchard Road.Sentosa Island, near the city, is the setting of several recreational sites. The Bukitt Timah Nature Reserve and Singapore Botanical Gardens offer calm, green spaces.