About Singapore

Area

The main island measures approximately 685.4 square kilometers.

Geographic info

Singapore lies close to the southern extremity of the Eurasian tectonic plate and the northeast extension of the Sumatra-Java oceanic trench.

Getting to Singapore

Airport Information

The Shangri-La Singapore Hotel is 25 minutes from Changi International Airport.

Changi Airport is situated 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of Singapore City. As a hub for Southeast Asia, it handles many international connections, and is a key stopover for flights from Europe to Australasia.

Detailed information about the Changui Airport and how to get to the Shangri-la Hotel Singapore from there can be found at:

Changi Airport
http://www.singapore-sin.com
http://www.singapore-sin.com/transportation.html

Visas & Letters of Invitation

Consular information for foreigners traveling to Singapore can be found at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website: http://www.mfa.gov.sg/internet/idx_foreignVisaFor.html

No visa required for citizens of EU countries, USA, Canada and Latin America. No visa required for citizens of most European countries, some exceptions are: Russia, Ukraine and Moldova.

To view a list of countries whose nationals require entry visas into Singapore, please visit the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority website at: http://www.ica.gov.sg/travellers/entry/visa_requirements.asp

Please apply for your visa well in advance of your journey.

Conference participants requiring a letter of invitation in order to attend the conference must fulfill the Letter of Invitation Request Form and send it to the Conference Registration Office .

Please, note that Registration Office cannot prepare visa documents without receiving this form, completed in full, and without confirmation of advanced registration for the Conference (including confirmation of fee payment). Additionally, note that this procedure aims to assist participants who need to obtain a visa or permission to attend the conference and is not an official invitation covering fees or other expenses. A letter of invitation does not imply any financial support from the conference.

Transportation

Taxis

There are many taxis readily available. Taxis entering designated restricted zones will pass through Electronic Road Pricing gantry posts. Passengers are required to bear the Electronic Road Pricing amount indicated on the In-Vehicle Unit attached to the dashboard. There is an addition of 50% for rides from midnight to 6 am. Surcharges apply during peak hours, and for advance bookings.

Buses

The service is efficient and the prices are low. For most routes, buses run between 6 am to 12 midnight.

Rail

The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) is the fastest way to get around Singapore and is relatively cheap.

Car Rental

One can hire a car and drive around the city, with a valid international driver's permit.
http://www.singapore-sin.com/car_rental.html

• Driving from the airport

The Pan Island Expressway (PIE) and the East Coast Parkway (ECP) connect the airport to the city. More information on driving from the airport can be found at: http://www.singapore-sin.com/maps.html

• Driving in Singapore

For detailed information about driving in Singapore, please refer to the following route planners:

http://www.michelin.com
http://www.shellgeostar.com

• Driving outside Singapore

If you plan to go to Malaysia via the Causeway, it is only permitted if the petrol tank is three-quarters full. Coupons for parking spaces have to be bought beforehand from post offices or petrol stations.

Shangri-La Hotel Guest Shuttle

• Shoppers' Route: The bus travels from Shangri-La Hotel to Orchard Road with stops at Traders Hotel, Orchard MRT and Takashimaya. This daily service is available every hour between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.
• Businessmen's Route: A daily service is provided (except on Saturday and Sunday) to the Central Business District with stops at Suntec City and along Shenton Way. The bus departs at 7.47am from the Tower Wing main entrance.

General information for your stay

Timezone

In June 2005 the local time in Singapore is GMT+8.

For more detailed information, please visit: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=236

Weather

Singapore has a relatively uniform temperature throughout the year. The average temperature is 77oF to 89.6oF (25oC to 32oC) and 66% average daily relative humidity. Rain falls throughout the year with more rain from Nov to Jan. Showers are usually sudden and heavy, but also brief and refreshing.

See forecast for current information:

5-day weather forecast
http://www.singapore-sin.com/weather.shtml

The Weather Channel
http://www.weather.com

Currency, Credit Cards and Exchange Rate

The currency unit in Singapore is the Singapore dollar (SGD or $).

1 SGD = 0,46 EUR (to facilitate calculation, 1 EUR approximately 2 SGD)
1 SGD = 0,617 USD (to facilitate calculation, 2 USD approximately 3 SGD)

There are some on-line currency converters available, please take a loot at:

http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic
http://www.xe.com/ucc

Cash withdrawal machines (ATM), banks and exchange offices are available city-wide. Well-known credit cards (American Express, Mastercard, Visa) are accepted in hotels, most of the restaurants and shops.

Taxes

There is a Government tax and Goods & Services Tax in hotels.

Business Hours

• Bank Hours: In general, banking hours are 9 am to 3 pm Monday through Friday and 9:30 am to 11:30 am on Saturdays
• Office Hours: Most offices are open from 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday and 9 am to 1 pm on Saturdays.
• Shop Hours: Shops are generally open from 10 am to 9 pm from Monday through Saturday. Most are open on Sundays.

Electricity

Electricity voltage is 220 - 240 volts in Singapore. Plug type is G, ie. it has three prongs (two flat and one rectangular) that form a triangle.

Other useful information

Tour

General tourist information about Singapore can be obtained from:

Official website of the Singapore Tourism Board:
http://www.visitsingapore.com/main.htm

Google Directory - Travel and Tourism in Singapore
http://directory.google.com/Top/Regional/Asia/Singapore/Travel_and_Tourism

Singapore Hotel Guide
http://singapore-hotelguide.com

Dress

Lightweight summer clothing is sufficient. A suit is suitable for business. Restaurants that are more formal may also require a jacket.

Tipping

Usually, there is a 10% service charge added to the bill. If not, tipping is not usual nor encouraged in Singapore.

Shopping

In general, the opening hours of most stores is 10:30 am to 9 pm from Sunday to Thursday, and 10:30 am to 9:30 pm on Friday and Saturday. Most shops welcome all major credit cards.

Shopping districts include the Colonial Singapore Area, Chinatown, Little India and Arab Street. However, the main shopping district is Orchard Road situated at the heart of the city, with major department stores and malls stretching up to 1.2 miles (2 kilometers).

Additional information

Most of the information presented on this page was based on the three following web pages:

http://www.visitsingapore.com/main.htm
http://www.singapore-sin.com
http://www.shangri-la.com/singapore/shangri-la/destination/info/en/index.aspx

They are strongly recommended for foreigners who will visit Singapore and would like to obtain additional information about this country.