What is Singapore Best Known For

From cocktails to cleanliness, we've rounded up Singapore's most famous associations.

By Adam Fraiel
Published: July 18, 2024
Singapore Marina Bay Sands hotel

All who visit admire the vibrant city of Singapore. From the city’s stunning skyline to iconic landmarks such as Marina Bay Sands and the Gardens by the Bay, Singapore is jam-packed with iconic attractions.

The seamless mix of technology, innovation, and natural beauty makes visiting Singapore an unforgettable experience. We’ll look at what Singapore’s best known for, including the landmarks, attractions, and cultural events that make this city-state such a unique destination.

  • Safety
  • Cleanliness
  • Technology meets nature
  • An unforgettable airport
  • Internationally renowned events
  • The Singapore Sling
  • Learn to speak Singlish

Singapore is one of the safest cities on earth

What is Singapore Best Known For

The “Lion City” is known worldwide as a safe destination for travelers. The country has a low crime rate and a low murder rate compared to other countries. However, if you dig deeper and look at the statistics of crimes per 100,000 people, there are a few countries that are safer than Singapore. Here are some of the safest cities in the world.

Singapore comes top of the list in the 2022 Safety Perceptions Index, plus ranks in the top 10 most peaceful countries, according to the 2022 Global Peace Index.

 

Singapore is one of the cleanest cities in the world

Singapore is clean because of strict policies in place to ensure that the city remains that way. Here are some ways Singapore keeps the streets clean.

Littering in Singapore is an offense carrying a substantial fine or even imprisonment. You’re not allowed to litter any kind of food packaging or containers, and they also banned chewing gum.

Spitting in public is an offense that could land you a hefty fine

Smoking is prohibited in all public buses, trains, and taxis.

The city has also invested heavily in a workforce of cleaning and sanitation workers who patrol the city 24/7. The city’s cleanliness is a source of national pride, and they encourage everyone to take an active role in maintaining it.

 

The fusion between technology and nature makes Singapore truly unique

What is Singapore Best Known For

Singapore is constantly innovating, blending its traditional roots with contemporary technology. Singapore’s rich heritage is clearly visible in its architecture, monuments, and cultural heritage sites. Yet, it sits seamlessly alongside state-of-the-art buildings, vibrant nightlife, and world-class shopping destinations.

In some countries, new buildings and attractions are purposely built to stand out and be noticed, often to the detriment of the overall aesthetic. Not so in Singapore. There’s. a vision and theme that runs throughout, from the airport to downtown.

Admittedly, that’s easier to do in a small city like Singapore compared to London or New York, but they do it and do it well.

 

Changi Airport is one of the best in the world

What is Singapore Best Known For

When you think of the word airport, what comes to mind? Long queues, expensive shops, and stressed-out travelers?

Changi Airport has won over 600 awards to date, including 11 times for World’s Best Airport, the Best Airport Staff in Asia, and the best airport in the world in the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards.

Why? Because of the stunning design, level of comfort, and facilities available to the public. There’s no time for boredom here, with a children’s play area, cinema, and game console stations all available for free. There’s also a tropical rainforest vivarium, water lily garden, and giant waterfalls for those looking for a more chilled experience.

You can even have your wedding at Changi Airport! With a spa, Butterfly Garden, and giant slide all accessible to the public, it’d be a ceremony to remember.

 

Singapore has a calendar full of world-class cultural events

Singapore is a thriving city that hosts a variety of world-class cultural events every year. Here are a few that you’ll not want to miss:

Singapore Arts Festival

Held every year in January and February, the festival showcases over 100 performances and art exhibits from local and international artists, many of which are free to the public. Singapore Arts Festival is a platform that celebrates local arts and provides a platform for cultural exchanges.

Singapore Food Festival

Spanning an entire month through June and July, Singapore’s incredible cuisine comes to the forefront, with workshops, cooking classes, and competitions springing up all over the city. Shop around for amazing deals in restaurants and sample a multitude of mouth-watering meals.

Lantern Festival

Marking the last day of Chinese New Year, the spring lantern festival is one of the most popular festivals in Singapore. Thousands of paper lanterns are lit and released into the air, creating a magical atmosphere and an incredible photo opportunity.

 

Enjoy a Singapore Sling cocktail

What is Singapore Best Known For

Singapore Sling cocktails are famous worldwide and they’re a must-try during your visit. Invented in 1915 at the Long Bar inside the Raffles Hotel in Singapore, the Singapore Sling cocktail’s made with gin, cherry brandy, pineapple juice, lemon juice, and sugar syrup, and garnished with a slice of lime and cherry.

This refreshing drink became an instant classic and its popularity spread throughout the world. Today, you can find the Singapore Sling cocktail in bars all over the world, and in all the local bars.

An authentic Singapore Sling cocktail in Raffles will set you back around $30, but it’s worth it for the nostalgia and history.

 

Learn to speak Singlish

Singlish is Singapore’s very own local language. It is a unique blend of English, Chinese and Malay. Singlish has its own distinct grammar and vocabulary, and learning a little will help you communicate better with the locals.

Here are a few Singlish words to practice.

Onz (on-z) -Yes

Bo - No

Can - Used to mean, “Yes I can”, or “Can you?”

Shiok (she-oak) - Excellent or very good

If you want to learn more, don’t be afraid to ask the locals. As with most countries, locals appreciate you making the effort and you’ll be rewarded with a much richer travel experience.

 

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Adam Fraiel
Go City Travel Expert

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festivals in singapore
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Festivals in Singapore

Singapore is a melting pot of so many beautiful cultures, so it's no surprise you'll find dozens of festivals there throughout the year. If you're visiting this beautiful country and want to join in the festivities, you'll need to know when they are, what they're about, and what you can expect to do and see during them. So, let's talk about festivals in Singapore. We've run our fine-tooth combs through the wealth of offerings to find the very best ones you won't want to miss. So, without further ado, this is our guide to the best festivals in Singapore! And by the by, this list is in chronological order. So you'll find your early-year ones at the top and your later-year ones at the bottom! Enjoy! Including: Pongal Chinese New Year Thaipusam Lantern Festival Hari Raya Puasa and more! Pongal When: January 15 - January 18, 2023 This four-day festival is widely celebrated by the Indian population of Singapore, as it originated there. Dedicated to the Hindu god of the sun, Surya, Pongal is honored to bring wealth and a rich harvest to the people. Head to Singapore's Little India, and you'll find it ablaze with lights, celebrations, and events. It's customary to exchange gifts and wear new clothes during Pongal, so bear those in mind if you want to get in on the festivities. Chinese New Year When: January 22, 2023 Chinese New Year is celebrated all over the world, and in Singapore, it's no different. In 2023, the big day falls on January 22, so expect Chinatown to be full of fun and fancy! This year is the Year of the Rabbit, and people born in these years are said to be witty, ingenious, and vigilant. You can be all of those things, too, believe it or not. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Expect to find plenty of red and gold decorations, dancing in the streets, and lively processions to boot. And, like with many of these festivals in Singapore, gifts are often exchanged. Because gift-giving is fun, and fun is all we have in this cruel, cruel world. Thaipusam When: February 5, 2023 'Thai' is a month in the Tamil calendar. 'Pusam' is the name of a star in the night sky. What do you get if you combine the two together? Thaipusam, of course! And you can bet your stars that Singapore's burgeoning Tamil population will celebrate it with abandon! Over the festival, you'll see those taking part walk from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple to the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple, carrying all sorts of symbols of divinity, but the celebration itself actually takes place over two days. Lantern Festival When: February 5, 2023 Taking place on the fifteenth day of the Chinese New Year, the Lantern Festival is unsurprisingly celebrated by lighting paper lanterns and letting them drift up into the sky. It's one of the most popular festivals in Singapore, so if you're visiting at the beginning of February, you're sure to see some of these bright tributes floating in the air. Head to Chinatown to get the best views of the festivities. If you've never seen countless lanterns lighting up the sky, you're in for a treat. Hari Raya Puasa When: April 21 - April 22, 2023 Hari Raya Puasa marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. So it's no surprise that the following day is called the 'day of celebration'! Following a month of fasting, you can understandably expect plenty of delicious food making the rounds. On the holy side of things, many Muslims also flock to local mosques, visit the graves of their forebears, and wear new clothes to signify the purity and renewal that comes in the wake of Ramadan. If you're a Muslim and visiting Singapore at the back end of Ramadan, you'll be pleased to know you can share Hari Raya Puasa with others! Vesak Day When: May 5, 2023 Don't worry, Buddhists, we see you. And thankfully, you're catered to too here, thanks to Vesak Day. For those that don't know, Vesak Day marks the enlightenment and death of Buddha. And, given its melting pot of cultures, you'll find many Buddhists celebrating Vesak Day in Singapore. Meditation and charity are the name of the game here, which gives believers a chance to look inward and take part in some nice self-reflection. Duanwu Festival When: June 22, 2023 More commonly known as the Dragon Boat Festival around the world, Duanwu Festival is another celebration of Chinese origin. Falling on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Chinese calendar, it's been celebrated for thousands of years. As you may expect from the Dragon Boat Festival, it primarily consists of dragon boats racing one another. Pretty cool! Even onlookers can enjoy the day, thanks to the food and rice wines often consumed from the sidelines. Hari Raya Haji June 28 - July 2, 2023 Another Muslim festival, Hari Raya Haji is dedicated to the character of Ibrahim, who was willing to sacrifice his first-born son Ismail as an act of obedience to Allah. Sacrifice plays a huge role over Hari Raya Haji, with volunteers from mosques sacrificing goats, sheep, and cows on the holy day. A third of the meat from these animals is given to people that need it most. The rest is given to the families of those who sacrificed their animals. Singapore National Day When: August 9, 2023 No matter your religion or cultural background, August 9 is a special day for Singaporeans. It's the country's National Day, and it draws massive crowds from all over the world every year. Expect massive parades, choreographed dance, and plenty of other festivities to enjoy! Diwali When: November 12, 2023 And finally, we end our guide to festivals in Singapore with Diwali, the biggest celebration in the Hindu calendar. Marking the return of Lord Rama to his kingdom, it represents the triumph of good over evil. But what does it mean for you, oh traveler? Well, plenty! Plenty of fireworks, bright clothes, and dancing. Little India will be buzzing all day, so make sure you go down there and check it out! And that rounds out our guide to the best festivals in Singapore! Looking for more fun things to do on your vacation? Go City's got you covered. With our Explorer Pass and All-Inclusive Pass, you can experience the best of Singapore for one low price, and fit them around your festival itinerary!
Dom Bewley
Wings of Time Firework Show
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Singapore After Sunset: What To Do Near Wings of Time Fireworks

Got Wings of Time tickets? Here’s what to add for a magical Sentosa day from start to finish.
Sentosa Cable Car
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A Full Guide to Sentosa Island, Singapore

Sentosa is Singapore’s playground: a tiny island resort just off the main island’s south coast with enough attractions and activities packed into its two square miles to keep you occupied for at least a week. Read on for our full guide to Sentosa Island, Singapore. Getting to Sentosa Island Getting yourself over to Sentosa is all part of the fun, with several different ways to cross Keppel Harbour. Quickest and easiest of these is the inexpensive Sentosa Express monorail. Board on level three of the VivoCity mall above HarbourFront MRT station and you’ll be at your destination (Resorts World, Imbiah or Beach station) in just 3–5 minutes. There’s also a pedestrian boardwalk with a separate lane for cyclists, and a road link means you can even arrive by cab or hire car. But it’s the Sentosa cable car that’s hands-down the most fun (and most scenic) way to arrive on Sentosa, and definitely worth doing at least once, assuming you have a head for heights. The 30-minute ride departs HarbourFront cable car station and cruises across the harbor at heights of around 200 feet above sea level. After arriving on Sentosa, you can easily walk to Imbiah station for cable car connections to the beaches. You’ll find that the monorail and cable car stations drop you close to the majority of Sentosa’s main attractions. A free beach shuttle also operates between the sandy Palawan, Tanjong and Siloso beaches along the island's southwest coast. Resorts World Sentosa There are so many things to do on Sentosa that it can be difficult for a newbie to know where to start. The sprawling Resorts World complex is as good a place as any though, encompassing several of the island’s best attractions, plus luxury hotels, restaurants and more. Undisputed star of the show here is Universal Studios Singapore (USS), where a whole bunch of themed zones offer entertainment for kids and grown-ups alike. Even the most difficult-to-please teen won’t fail to be charmed (and soaked) by The Lost World zone’s Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure, in which friendly families of stegosauruses and gently meandering rivers may well lull you into a false sense of security before you hit the rapids, stalked by hissing velociraptors and a hungry escaped T-rex. Yikes! The most adrenaline-pumping rides are to be found in Sci-Fi City, where the dueling Battlestar Galactica rollercoaster is the tallest of its kind on the planet, and the 3D Transformers ride is guaranteed to leave your heart pumping and nerves jangling. The popular Far Far Away zone offers an altogether calmer (but no less fun!) experience for younger kids, featuring rides based on characters from the Shrek movie series. Take flight over the forests aboard Donkey’s beloved Dragon on the Enchanted Airways ride, and go in search of Mother Goose’s golden eggs on Puss in Boots’ Giant Journey. No less thrilling is Adventure Cove water park, where heart-stopping rides include the Riptide Rocket and Spiral Washout, both every bit as terrifying as they sound. Brave souls grip their floats for dear life as they enjoy/endure gravity defying loops, hairpin bends and hair-raising drops before being flushed out (at very high speeds) into a huge pool at the bottom. For those who like their water-based entertainment a tad more sedate there’s the Adventure River, where you can drift oh-so-gently through 14 different zones in your enormous donut, taking in tranquil grottoes, verdant jungle gardens and marine life along the way. Don your snorkel and get even closer to native tropical critters at Rainbow Reef, home to over 20,000 colorful fish, or pop to the resort’s S.E.A. Aquarium, home to over 100,000 marine creatures including manta rays, bottlenose dolphins and a giant Pacific octopus. Sentosa Beaches The trio of man made beaches along Sentosa’s southwest coast offer opportunities for the lazy sunbather and adrenaline junkie alike. Siloso is the liveliest and most popular of the three, with opportunities for history buffs, adventurers and sun seekers along its sandy, palm-lined length. Fort Siloso saw action in the Battle of Singapore during World War II and is now a museum that provides a fascinating glimpse into the country’s military history. The fort can be reached via an elevated walkway that’s easily accessed from the beach and takes you on an epic adventure through the treetops, with bird-eye views of the fort. Siloso is also home to thrilling luge tracks, a bungee rope and a huge swing that soars high above the beach. Or, you know, you could always just enjoy the feeling of the warm sand between your toes and indulge in a little gentle snorkeling in the emerald-green waters that lap the shores of all three beaches. Sentosa Restaurants Thanks to the proliferation of attractions and hotels here, there are plenty of dining options available, whether you’re after a romantic fine-dining banquet for two, or something much more casual with the kids. On Siloso Beach, Coastes is a relaxed beach bar that’s all rustic woods in marine blues and sandy tones. Kids can play in the sand while grown-ups linger over a languid weekend brunch of fruit-laden waffles, fluffy pancakes and smoked salmon with poached eggs and avocado. Yum! Just along the coast, FOC Sentosa serves up chilled Mediterranean vibes on laidback Palawan Beach. Resorts World Sentosa is the hub for some of the best big-name brands and fast food joints on the island. We’re talking the Hard Rock Café, Krispy Kreme, McDonalds, Starbucks and more. In other words: plenty to keep the kids happy. Hit up Din Tai Fung to make all your dumpling and dim sum dreams come true, or make for the underwater Ocean Restaurant, where the magnificent rays and other marine creatures peering in at you may make you reconsider that fish starter. Date night is best enjoyed at the W Hotel in Sentosa Cove, where Woobar provides a sultry setting for pre-dinner cocktails including the rum-laced Seaside Queen with mangosteen and the zingy Lesser Known Spice, shot through with tequila and mace from the Sentosa forests. Your resulting double vision will likely do nothing to help you decide whether to opt for a rare grilled steak with all the trimmings at Skirt, or international cuisine at The Kitchen Table. Save on attractions and activities in Singapore Save on admission to Singapore attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak

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