Holidays in Singapore

Modern, multi-ethnic and amazingly green, Singapore has become one of Asia’s most exciting cities, making a must-visit on a luxury holiday. It’s an island state that’s a combination of historical and contemporary sites and a walk along its various precincts tells you how smoothly blended history and high-tech is here.

Its glitzy architecture is like something from the future, the tri-towered Marina Bay Sands a national icon. Singapore is also a shoppers’ heaven, home to top international brands and outdoor artworks to local designer shops scattered around the island overflowing with a seemingly infinite number of options. Also known as the “City in Nature”, Singapore is a place where you can combine an urban city getaway with your passion for nature as lush areas like the UNESCO-listed Botanic Gardens and Gardens by the Bay make Singapore one of the planet’s greenest cities.

Blending among its state-of-the-art skyline are picturesque heritage buildings and around each corner you’ll stumble across old-world markets, temples and shophouses that are nods to its mix of Chinese, Malay and Indian heritage. A place that lives for its food, cuisine mirrors Singapore’s culture, with its legendary hawker centres home to sumptuous street food, with its hawker culture officially added to the Unesco Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity; as well as fine-dining establishments never in short supply.

Attractions like Singapore Zoo, its pioneering Night Safari and the resort island of Sentosa are fun escapes for families and couples alike, another ingredient in the endless box of wonders we call Singapore.

Singapore is a city that firmly has one foot in the future and another rooted in the past. Its range of places to stay mirror the city's image, with historic hotels like Raffles, The Warehouse and The Fullerton rubbing shoulders with more modern offerings like The Fullerton Bay and the eco-friendly Parkroyal on Pickering. They're like little oases away from the city buzz.

Less than 100 miles from the Equator, Singapore is hot and humid throughout the year. Daily temperatures are consistent, staying around 27°C.

Though the thermometer stays the same, rainfall during Singapore’s year varies far more greatly. It experiences two rainy seasons, with the Northeast Monsoon occurring from November through to March, when temperatures start to dip (slightly). Showers can last for long periods of time, although most are only short and sharp.

The Southwest Monsoon is from June to September. June and July are Singapore’s hottest and (oddly) driest months, with temperatures often around 30°C. These months can get quite hazy, too, with prevailing winds bringing over smoke from yearly forest fires in Sumatra. Despite the increased threat of rain, June to August can be a good time to plan a holiday to Singapore, especially for lovers of cuisine and shopping, as the city’s annual Food Festival and Great Singapore Sale bring a buzz.

Rain can still fall during the rest of the year but it’s often in the form of quick showers in the afternoon. On its hottest days, we’d recommend doing Singapore’s outdoor attractions either in the morning or late afternoon and taking refuge in the air-conditioned shopping malls during the midday sun.