Tourism in Singapore facts for kids

Orchids at the Singapore Botanic Gardens

The historic Raffles Hotel is a national monument

Tourism is a really big deal in Singapore! It's a huge part of their economy. Lots of people from all over the world love to visit this amazing country.

In 2019, Singapore welcomed over 19 million international tourists. That's more than three times the number of people who live there! Singapore is known for being very clean and safe, with one of the lowest crime rates in the world. It also works hard to protect its natural places and historical sites.

It's easy for visitors to get around and talk to people in Singapore because English is one of its four official languages. The public transport system, like the famous MRT train, makes it super convenient to explore the city. Singapore is actually the 5th most visited city globally and the 2nd most popular in Asia-Pacific.

A report from 2017 ranked Singapore as the 13th best country for travel and tourism out of 136 countries. It was the third best in Asia, just behind Japan and Hong Kong. The report praised Singapore for its great business environment and travel policies.

Singapore Ducktours

Awesome Places to Visit

The Orchard Road area is like the heart of tourism in Singapore. It's packed with huge shopping malls and hotels. But there are many other cool spots too!

Animal Adventures

Singapore has some fantastic places to see animals:

• The Singapore Zoo lets you see animals in open, natural-looking homes, not small cages. Hidden moats or glass separate you from the animals.
• River Wonders is a park that shows you 10 different river environments from around the world, like the Nile and Amazon River. It has 300 animal species, including some that are endangered.
• The Night Safari is the world's first zoo that's only open at night! You can explore habitats from Asia, Africa, and America and see wild animals after dark.
• Jurong Bird Park is a huge bird zoo with thousands of birds from all over the world, including a flock of one thousand flamingos!

Sentosa Island Fun

Sentosa is a popular island in the south of Singapore. It's full of exciting things to do, and over 19 million people visited it in 2011!

• You can visit Fort Siloso, a fortress built during World War II to defend against the Japanese. You can even see old guns there!
• Ride the Tiger Sky Tower for amazing views of Sentosa.
• Try the Sentosa Luge, a fun sled ride where you steer by shifting your weight.
• Sentosa is also home to Resorts World Sentosa, which has a Universal Studios theme park and Adventure Cove Waterpark.

Other Cool Spots

Singapore also has two amazing integrated resorts with casinos: Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa. And don't forget Gardens by the Bay, a stunning park with giant "Supertrees" and beautiful conservatories.

Shopping Paradise

ION Orchard in Orchard Road

Singapore is a fantastic place for shopping! You can find many shopping areas, including Marina Bay, Bugis Street, Chinatown, Little India, and of course, Orchard Road.

Orchard Road is famous for its many huge shopping centres and hotels. It's a main hub for both tourists and locals who love to shop. Singapore aims to be a top business center in Southeast Asia, and its shopping scene definitely helps with that!

Island Getaways

Universal Studios Singapore Entrance Archway

Marina Bay, with Marina Centre in the background.

Sentosa is a large island just south of Singapore. Besides its beautiful beaches, it has many attractions:

• Fort Siloso and its historical museum.
• The SEA Aquarium, one of the largest aquariums in the world.
• Madame Tussauds Singapore, where you can see wax figures of famous people.

Singapore also has two big resorts with casinos: Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa. Resorts World Sentosa is where you'll find Universal Studios Singapore and Adventure Cove Waterpark.

History and Culture

Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore's oldest Hindu temple in Chinatown, Singapore

Singapore used to be a British colony, so you can see British and Asian influences in its buildings.

• The Masjid Sultan is an important mosque finished in 1826.
• The Thian Hock Keng Temple is one of Singapore's oldest Chinese temples, completed in 1839.
• The Sri Mariamman Temple was built in 1827 and is the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore.

Other historical places include the Kranji War Memorial and the Civilian War Memorial.

Singapore has four main museums that show off the country's art and history:

• The Asian Civilisations Museum focuses on the history of China, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and West Asia.
• The Peranakan Museum is the first of its kind, exploring Peranakan cultures in Singapore and nearby areas.
• The National Museum of Singapore is the oldest museum, dating back to 1849. It tells the story of Singapore's history from the 14th century.
• The Singapore Art Museum shows modern art from Singapore, Southeast Asia, and Asia.

Smaller museums include the Changi Museum, which shares stories from the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, and the Mint Museum of Toys, with its collection of old toys.

Exploring the City

Sightseeing Buses

You can explore Singapore on special sightseeing buses. These buses often have open tops, giving you great views of the city. As of 2020, several companies offer these tours, including Singapore Ducktours, Big Bus Company, Golden Tours/Gray Line, and Singapore City Tours.

Sightseeing Bus Routes

Nature and Green Spaces

The monument to Chopin in the Singapore Botanic Gardens, near Symphony Lake.

Singapore is known for its beautiful parks and tropical environment.

Amazing Zoos

As mentioned before, Singapore has three fantastic zoos:

• The Singapore Zoo lets you see animals in natural-looking homes with hidden barriers.
• The Night Safari is the world's first zoo open only at night, letting you see nocturnal animals.
• River Wonders shows you different river ecosystems and is home to giant pandas, Kai Kai and Jia Jia!

Gardens and Parks

Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay, at night.

Some of the most popular green spaces include:

• The Singapore Botanical Gardens is a huge tropical garden and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has an amazing collection of over 3,000 types of orchids.
• Jurong Bird Park is one of the largest bird parks in the world, with a huge variety of exotic birds.
• Gardens by the Bay is famous for its giant "Supertrees" and two huge conservatories: the Flower Dome (with plants from dry climates) and the Cloud Forest (with plants from cool, moist mountain regions).

Nature Reserves and Islands

Singapore also has special nature areas:

• The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is one of the last places on the island with original rainforest.
• The Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is a great spot for birdwatching and seeing crabs and mudskippers.
• Pulau Ubin is an island off the coast that feels like stepping back in time. It has old villages, quarries, and lots of plants and animals. It's also an important area for birds. One popular spot there is Chek Jawa, which used to be a coral reef thousands of years ago and now has several different ecosystems in one place.

Delicious Food

The food in Singapore is a fantastic example of its diverse culture! In places called hawker centres (like big food courts), you can find all kinds of delicious dishes. For example, a Malay food stall might sell halal versions of Chinese or Indian food. Some dishes even mix ideas from all three cultures!

This mix of cultures makes Singapore's food scene incredibly rich and exciting for visitors. Many tasty meals are found in these hawker centres or food courts (like Lau Pa Sat or Newton Food Centre), rather than fancy restaurants. These places are common, so prices are usually low, which means everyone can enjoy the food.

Food is a huge attraction for tourists, and the Singapore Tourism Board often promotes it as one of the best things about Singapore, along with shopping. Every July, the government holds the Singapore Food Festival to celebrate Singapore's amazing food. With so many different kinds of food from all over the world, and prices to fit every budget, Singapore truly feels like a "food paradise."

Some must-try Singaporean dishes include Fish soup bee hoon, Bak kut teh, Chilli crab, Nasi Padang, Hainanese chicken rice, and Kaya toast. You can also find many popular fast-food chains like McDonald's and KFC, and it's easy to find Halal and vegetarian food options too.

Fun Tourist Events

Aerial Panorama of Merlion Park and its surrounds

The Singapore Tourism Board organizes many exciting events throughout the year for tourists. Some big events include the Chingay Parade, the Singapore Arts Festival, and the Singapore Garden Festival.

The Singapore Food Festival happens every July to celebrate all the delicious food. Other yearly events are the Singapore Sun Festival, the Christmas Light Up, and the Singapore Jewel Festival.

Singapore also hosted a Formula One race, the Singapore Grand Prix, in 2008. It was the first night-time Formula One race ever! In 2010, Singapore hosted the first ever Youth Olympic Games, which brought many visitors to the country.

See also

• Transport in Singapore