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Practical information about Singapore

Practical information about Singapore
Practical information about Singapore

Practical information about Singapore

CLIMATE
Best time to travel

Located on the equator, Singapore has a tropical climate with hot temperatures and high humidity year round. Rain can be expected more or less all year round, so there is no rainy season as such, but two monsoon seasons instead.

The first monsoon season is from November to March and comes from the north-east, while the second monsoon season is from June to September and comes from the south-west. Particularly during the south-west monsoon, there may be early morning thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds. In both seasons, the rain starts in the morning and tails off during the afternoon.

You should also be aware that Singapore is susceptible to tropical cyclones from June to December.

The dry season, or its equivalent, is from June to August, with June usually being the driest month. During this period, you will find that the humidity is not nearly as high due to less rain, and there will also be more hours of sunshine and fewer clouds in the sky. This is also true of the spring months – especially in February.

However, despite the country’s humid climate and large amounts of rainfall, there are just as many hours of sunshine as rain, and both the air and water temperatures remain stable all year round.

Weather statistics for Singapore:
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Average maximum temperature 30 31 31 31 31 31 31 31 31 31 30 29
Average minimum temperature 23 24 24 24 25 24 24 24 24 24 24 23
Rainfall mm 243 160 186 179 171 162 159 175 169 194 257 287
Average sea temperature 28 28 29 30 30 30 30 29 29 29 29 29
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR TOUR
Passport & visa

As a British citizen, you must be in possession of a valid British passport. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the day you leave Singapore.

No visa is required upon entry to Singapore for British nationals for stays of up to 90 days.

You can also read more about Singapore’s visa rules on the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office website.

You are required to complete an entry form called SGAC (Singapore Arrival Card) 72 hours before you arrive in Singapore. The entry form can be found here. On the page, you should select “Foreign visitor” and then “Individual submission”. Once you have filled in your personal information, you will be sent your entry form by email. This should be printed out and presented upon your arrival in Singapore.

Travel documents

Before departure, you will be sent a document containing contact information for TourCompass.co.uk and our local partner in Singapore, as well as your itinerary. Remember to bring these with you on the tour.

We recommend that you download the WhatsApp app to your smartphone and add the phone numbers of our business partners. You can send messages and call them for free using the app when you have a Wi-Fi connection.

Vaccinations

We recommend that you contact a medical specialist, your GP or an authorised vaccination clinic for information about vaccinations. You can also read more about the rules regarding travel vaccinations here.

Please be aware of the rules about yellow fever – especially if you are entering via another country where yellow fever is present. Some countries require proof of yellow fever vaccination upon entry. Your vaccination certificate should therefore always be carried with you in your hand luggage when you travel.

 

Covid-19

There is currently no Covid-19 vaccination requirement for entry into Singapore. These rules may, however, change at short notice. It is your responsibility to check these rules before departure.

Please note that certain Covid-19 rules may apply at the stopover airports on your way to/from Singapore. It is also your responsibility to check this before departure.

You’re always very welcome to contact us if you have any questions about this.

Travel terms and conditions

Please read our general travel terms and conditions carefully, as these are part of the agreement terms for tours purchased at TourCompass. Tours purchased from us are covered under the “Package Travel Act”.

Click here to read our travel terms and conditions.

All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it.
Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate click here.

Travel insurance

We always advise you to obtain comprehensive travel insurance when heading off on your dream holiday. It is also highly recommended to acquire cancellation insurance for extra protection. 

Click here to proceed to our page on insurance, where you can read more about our recommendations.

BEFORE YOU TRAVEL
Currency, price level & tipping

The Singaporean currency is called the Singapore dollar (SGD). The current exchange rate of the Singapore dollar can be found here.

Visa and Mastercard can be used at hotels, restaurants and shops, but not at small local markets. There are also cash machines in many places in Singapore where you can withdraw cash.

Price level:

Obtain an idea of the price level in Singapore here.

Tips:

Tipping is not the done thing in Singapore. It is, in fact, seen as a downright insult. A service charge is typically added to the bill instead, so adding more is not recommended.

Food & allergies

At the vast majority of our destinations, we are able to take allergies, as well as allergens or preferences into account when it comes to food, however it is important that you inform us of this when you book the tour.

Telephones, Wi-Fi & electricity

Telephones & Wi-Fi:

It’s expensive to use data and roaming abroad if it’s not already included in your mobile subscription. Contact your mobile company to find out what services are included in your subscription and what prices apply to you when travelling abroad.

If data and roaming are not included in your mobile subscription when travelling abroad, we recommend that you use Wi-Fi when you’re at your hotel or restaurants. That way, you can call and write home free of charge via various services such as Facetime, Messenger and WhatsApp. Otherwise, it is also possible to buy a local SIM card including data on your arrival.

 

Electricity:

The voltage in Singapore is 230V, and their plugs are flat with 3 pins. We recommend that you bring an adapter with you.

What to pack

Make sure you pack all your important and indispensable things in your hand luggage. This applies to items such as passports, visas, vaccination cards, travel documents, insurance documents, credit cards, money, computers, mobile phones and cameras, as well as information about your health and vital medicines.

Bringing plant products into the UK

Visitors are not permitted to bring plants, seeds, fruit and other plant products into the UK from their travels outside the UK, unless they are accompanied by a plant health (phytosanitary) certificate. These rules also apply to smaller quantities of plants and plant products.

Read more about the rules here.

Travellers with impaired mobility

Please note that this tour is not generally suitable for people with impaired mobility. Please contact us for information about your options in relation to your specific needs.

THE FLIGHT
Airline tickets

Most airlines have electronic tickets (e-tickets).

It is important that you check your name for spelling errors, as the name on the reservation must be exactly as it appears on your passport. If your name needs to be corrected, please contact us as soon as possible. Please note that this may incur a fee from the airline.

Seat reservation

The airline will assign you a seat on the plane at check-in. If you have specific wishes regarding where you sit on the plane, you can make a seat reservation yourself on the airline’s website or in their app. Please note that most airlines require payment for a seat reservation.

It varies when airlines open for seat reservations, but as a general rule, you can book seats from the time of booking and up to 48 hours before departure.

We also point out that the airline has complete control over all seats on the plane and that they are therefore entitled to make changes to the reservation at any time.
If you do not make a seat reservation before departure, the airline will assign you a seat at check-in.

Check-in

Your passport and your booking reference, which appears on your itinerary, are required to check in.

We recommend that you download the airline’s app on your phone. In the app, there is an option for online check-in, which typically opens 24 to 48 hours before departure. The app also allows you to stay informed of any flight changes and other important information about your flight.

Please note that the flight times may have changed in relation to those listed on the travel itinerary you received when you booked your holiday. It is always the flight times in the airline’s app or on the airline’s website that apply.

At the airport

We recommend that you arrive at the airport to check in at least two hours before departure. It is a good idea to check the airport’s website for the latest updates.

Baggage

We use many different airlines for our destinations. You can check the exact rules for hand luggage and checked baggage on the airline’s website or in their app.

Delayed baggage

If your baggage is delayed, please contact the staff in the baggage reclaim area to report your missing baggage.

It is important that you have your baggage receipt when completing your PIR (Property Irregularity Report).

Please note that you must not leave the baggage area at the airport until you have completed the report.

In the event of delayed baggage, we ask you to contact our partner, who will ensure that your guide/driver waits for you.

Flight delays or cancellations

Should any changes occur in connection with your flight reservation before departure, we will of course contact you to let you know.

Should your flight be delayed after check-in, the airline is responsible for rebooking your flight. They will typically book the next possible flight and arrange any meals and accommodation if necessary.

Our partner checks for any changes in arrival times and will naturally still wait for you, even if your flight is delayed.

If, due to a delay or cancellation, the airline books you on another flight number after you have arrived at the airport, please contact us on TourCompass’ emergency number.

AT THE DESTINATION
Immigration & Customs

Immigration:

When you arrive at your final destination, you will go through immigration, where your passport and any entry documents and visas are checked. In many places, you will be required to provide fingerprints, and a photo of your face will also be taken for biometric recognition. You may also be asked questions about your travel plans in the country and possibly where you are staying.

 

Customs:
Once you’ve cleared immigration and picked up your luggage, you will head through customs. If you have nothing to declare, you can go through “nothing to declare”. If, on the other hand, you have something to declare, it is important that you go through “declare”. It’s your own responsibility to check the customs regulations that apply in the country you are travelling to.

Arrival

On your arrival, you will be met by a guide/driver who will be ready to welcome you with a TourCompass sign.

In the unexpected event that you cannot find your guide/driver, please contact our partner on the emergency number which appears on the travel documents.

Hotel check-in and check-out

Normal check-in is typically from 2 pm, and you cannot therefore count on getting your room earlier.

When you check in, the receptionist will generally register your credit card and may reserve an amount. This is not an additional fee, but customary at hotels to ensure payment of any consumption from the minibar and the like. When you check out, the amount will be automatically released if you have not made use of this.

It is very normal for hotels to take a copy of your passport. In some places, this is a requirement of the local authorities.

Check-out is normally by 10 am. If you’re not travelling until the afternoon or evening, you can have your luggage stored until it’s time to leave. If you would like a late check-out instead, this can be arranged for a fee when you book the tour.

Type of tour and transport

Our tours to Singapore are individual tours, however transfers take place in international groups of 1–14 people and with TourCompass’ own guests only.

Need for help during the tour?

We have a 24-hour emergency hotline so that you can always get in touch with us should anything unforeseen occur during your tour. You will also be sent the telephone numbers and emergency telephone numbers of our partners at the destination. In some cases, it may be easiest and fastest to contact our partners due to time differences, if, for example, you find yourself in a situation where your pick-up for an excursion or transfer is more than 15 minutes delayed.

AFTER THE TOUR
Feedback/Contact

We rely on happy travellers, and we would therefore very much like to hear from you after your return home. Send us an email at info@tourcompass.co.uk or call us on tel.: 01279704135.

Asia
Laura Arundell Trelborg

Laura loves to travel and is extremely passionate about helping others achieve their travel dreams.

Opening hours
Monday-Thursday 9-15
Friday 9-13