Singapore travel checklist: what to do before you go

Singapore is one of the easiest arrivals in Asia: English is the working language, the MRT runs from the airport, and most visitors need no visa in advance. That means the early work is mostly about price and passport, not paperwork.

Book flights first. Fares from the US east coast, the UK and Australia move a lot by season, and the cheapest beds in the city (hostels, small hotels near an MRT station) sell out for school holidays and the Formula 1 weekend. Pick a bed within a 10-minute walk of a station on the East-West, North-South or Downtown line; that single choice saves more time than any itinerary tweak.

Check your passport expiry and your entry status now, not at the airport. Then read the rules that catch visitors out: drugs, vaping and e-cigarettes, chewing gum imports and littering are all enforced with fines, and some carry criminal penalties.

Buy travel insurance that covers medical care in Singapore. Treatment here is excellent and priced accordingly, and a hospital visit without cover is the single biggest avoidable cost of the trip. Check whether your policy covers the activities you plan: Sentosa rides, kayaking, cycling on Pulau Ubin.

Sort money. The currency is the Singapore dollar (S$). Cards and contactless payment work almost everywhere, including hawker centres, so you need very little cash — a small float for the odd stall is enough. Tipping is not expected, and restaurant bills already carry a 10% service charge plus 9% GST.

Book the few things that sell out: Universal Studios on Sentosa, the Night Safari at Mandai, and any Marina Bay rooftop bar you have your heart set on. Everything else — Botanic Gardens, Southern Ridges, Chinatown, Little India — needs no booking.

Submit the SG Arrival Card online in the three days before you land. It is free and quick, and it is not the same thing as a visa. Have your passport number, flight details and address in Singapore to hand.

Pack for heat and rain, not for a season. It is hot and humid all year, with short heavy showers, so a light rain shell and quick-dry clothing beat an umbrella you will leave behind. One smart-casual outfit covers most restaurants. Bring a UK-style Type G adapter; Singapore uses the same three-pin plug as the UK at 230 V.

Download the apps you will actually use: an MRT map, a ride-hailing app, and your bank's card app for travel notifications. Tell your bank you are travelling if it still asks. Save your accommodation address and the emergency numbers: 999 police, 995 ambulance and fire, 1777 non-emergency ambulance.

Carry your passport, the arrival card confirmation and your insurance details in one place you can reach without unpacking. Wear the clothes you would wear in Singapore, not the ones you left in — you will step out into 30 °C and high humidity.

At Changi, follow the signs to the MRT rather than the taxi queue if you are on a budget; the train runs to the city and is far cheaper than a cab. If you land late, a taxi or ride-hail is the simple choice. Buy a stored-value transit card or tap a contactless bank card on the gates.

On day one, do not over-plan. Drop your bags, eat at the nearest hawker centre, and walk one neighbourhood. The city rewards slow evenings over packed mornings.

Your passport is the main document. Most visitors from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland enter visa-free for a short stay, commonly 30–90 days depending on the passport — confirm your own case before booking. The safe rule on validity is six months beyond your arrival date.

The SG Arrival Card is a free online health and entry declaration, submitted in the three days before you arrive. It is not a visa and does not replace one. Keep the confirmation on your phone.

If you are staying longer, working, or travelling on a passport that needs a visa, apply in advance through the official channel. Do not pay a third-party site for something the government gives away free.

Singapore runs on the Singapore dollar (S$). Cards and contactless payment are accepted almost everywhere, including most hawker centres, so you can travel with very little cash. Keep S$20–50 on you for the occasional cash-only stall.

Tipping is not expected. Restaurant bills add a 10% service charge and 9% GST, so the total on the menu is not the total you pay. Hawker centres and food courts have no service charge.

Use a card that does not charge foreign transaction fees, and always choose to pay in Singapore dollars rather than your home currency when a terminal offers the choice. ATMs are everywhere and generally cheap to use.

No vaccinations are required for entry to Singapore from most countries, and the city's water is safe to drink. Routine boosters — measles, tetanus, hepatitis A and B — are worth checking with a travel clinic a month out, especially if you are continuing to elsewhere in Southeast Asia.

The main health issue is heat and humidity, not disease. Drink more than you think you need, plan outdoor sights for early morning, and take breaks in air-conditioned malls or museums in the middle of the day. Mosquito-borne dengue occurs; use repellent for evening walks in parks and gardens.

Pharmacies are easy to find and English-speaking. For anything serious, Singapore's hospitals are among the best in the region — which is exactly why insurance matters.

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