There are other interesting things to do in Singapore.   If the transit allows you at least 5 hours to spare before your connecting flight,  take  a free city tour of Singapore, courtesy of the airport.

Register for a 2-hour sightseeing tour of Singapore at the airport!

You are open to two choices: a Colonial Tour or a Cultural Tour.

Registration is based on first-come-first-serve basis, and you must satisfy the entry visa requirements stipulated by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority.    Find out more details from the  Changi Airport.

Cultural  Tour

This is the route:  From Changi Airport to Kampong Glam, Little India & Chinatown.

The itinerary takes you to experience the culture of the three major ethnic groups  in Singapore.

Kampong Glam is the showcase of the rich history and culture of Singapore’s Malay community.   Started as a fishing village long time ago at the mouth of Rochor River, it is an area where the Malay royalty in Singapore took root.  Little India is, as the name implies, Indian.  You will enjoy its spice-scented streets, as well as shops of ethnic jewellery, jasmine garlands and silk saris.  There is also a number of wonderful Indian restaurants around.  The last leg of the tour is a visit to Chinatown,  where you will have a 15-minute stopover at the oldest temple in Singapore, the 160-year-old Thian Hock Keng Temple.  In the event of rain, nevertheless, the visit to Thien Hock Temple will be cancelled.

Colonial Tour

This is the route: From Changi Airport to Singapore River & Raffles Landing Site

The tour traces the footsteps of history of Singapore, and showcase the country’s colonial legacy.   Among the highlights is a 20-minute walk along the scenic Singapore River,  as well as the Raffles (who found Singapore in 1819) Landing Site.   You will then proceed to enjoy the sights of Pandang, Supreme Court, City Hall, War Memorial and St Andrew’s Cathedral, as well as the famous Raffles Hotel – Singapore’s most graceful colonial landmark named after its founder Sir Stamford Raffles.

In the event of rain, the 20-minute walk at the Singapore River will be cancelled.

Find out more!

Enjoy your Singapore holidays!

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If you are new to Singapore for holidays, probably one of the first things that comes to your mind is the weather. Especially for the ladies, what to wear is always at the top of the list –  and this has a lot to do with the weather.

The good news is:  the weather in Singapore is pretty consistent throughout the year. Except the year end when you’d  expect more thunderstorms,  the weather is  warm and humid all year round.  There is no real difference in terms of seasons, so you can visit the country any time of the year.

The temperature is consistent as well.  It varies only slightly, between the average maximum of 31 degrees Celcius and minimum of 23 degrees Celcius.   It is great for people who enjoy outdoor activities like sunbathing or swimming. if you like sunshine,  allocate a few hours to be at the seasides to enjoy the sand and sun.

If you are in Singapore for shopping and sightseeing, wear something simple. The dress code in Singapore is generally casual, so you can be in your T-shirts and jeans for most of the places you go.

The monsoon season takes place from November to January. This is the time when you see more consistent rain.  If you are having your Singapore holidays around this time, It’ll be good if you can bring along umbrellas or raincoats.

Even then,  the infrastructure of Singapore is pretty good. Most of the places where  tourists go, such as Orchard Road, are very well sheltered. That’s why for me,  I’m rarely bothered by the rain.

It rains in other seasons, and the showers are usually sudden and heavy. They are,  however,  usually brief and refreshing.

This is the weather forecast today. Do note that Singaporeans are more used to Celsius, rather than Fahrenheit,as far as temperatures scales are concerned.

Weather Singapore

Weather Singapore

If you are buying from smaller operators like the mom-and-pop shops, chances are you would not have to pay the GST in addition to the prices for the goods and services. For most established retailers, however,  they will charge you the 7% tax for your purchases.

There is one huge shopping complex in Singapore, nevertheless, where you don’t have to pay for the GST, even when you are making your purchases from the established retailers.

It is none other than the Changi International Airport.

I’m not talking about the airport transit area where it has been tax-free all the while.

I’m talking about the shopping areas outside the transit area, where you can shop even when you are not  flying.

The airport has introduced the ‘Flying Or Not, You Shop We Absorb’ programme.   Under the scheme, many retail outlets are absorbing the 7% GST in Terminals 1, 2, 3 and the Budget Terminal.

To find out more, click here.

Enjoy your Singapore holidays!

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Since mid 2011, Singapore has introduced the Electronic Tourist Refund Scheme (eTRS).   The scheme is being introduced in phases.   You may still use the paper-based refund, but the scheme will no longer be used by the 3rd quarter of 2012, when the eTRS is fully implemented.

The eTRS self-help kiosks are already operational at the Changi Airport and Seletar Airport.

When shopping at retailers who are on eTRS, an eTRS ticket will be issed to you at the point of purchase, and you are expected to use the electronic system for the tax refund.  Otherwise, you will be issued with paper refund forms duly signed by retailers who are not on eTRS, and you will proceed with the refund the conventional way.

The video below shows how the electronic system works.

Technorati Tags: Electronic Tourist Refund Singapore, eTRS, singapore holidays, singapore shopping

Under the scheme, known as TRS for short, a tourist may  get a refund of GST on the goods she purchases from retailers who participate in the scheme.   To enjoy the scheme,  you have to bring the goods out of Singapore via Changi International Airport or Seletar Airport.

There is a time limit as well.   You’ll have to make the claim within two months from the date of purchase, subject to conditions of the scheme.

Starting from Jan 2013, the scheme  is going to be extended to cover goods that are brought out of Singapore by international cruise passengers via the Singapore Cruise Centre at Harbourfront and the International Cruise Terminal at Marina South.  However,  those who are taking cruises-to-nowhere, round-trip cruise and regional ferry passengers will not be able to enjoy the privileges.   More details are expected to be released by 1 Sep 2012.

Read more ……

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The camping sites are under the management of National Parks.  The sites are accessible to  public. What you need to do is simply to obtain a permit from the authority.

Camping is not new to Singapore, and it is especially popular among the  young people. Most of the parks  that offer camping sites are open 24-hours a day. They are equipped with  amenities such as bath houses and camp stores.  You don’t even have to bring your own equipment, as there could be shops surrounding the parks that offer camping equipment for rent.

Singapore is a safe and clean, and the camping grounds are very pleasant, so there is not much for you to worry about security, although the necessary precautions are still called for – especially in the wee hours of the days.

Some of the more popular parks in Singapore are:

• the East Coast Park
• Changi Beach
• and Pasir Rais Park

To find out more about the camping site, check out this page of National Parks.

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