Population – 4.6 million, Area – 271.8 sq. mi. (704 sq. km.), Currency – Singapore Dollar (SGD, $) and Cents.

Flight times – From UK it takes 14-15 hours, from New York it is an 18 hour flight.

Cities - Singapore, Time Zone - GMT +8, Weather - Warm and humid; November and December is the rainy season.

Languages - English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil.

Religion - Buddhism - 42.5%, No religion - 14.8%, Christianity - 14.6%, Islam - 13.9%, Taoism - 8.5%, Hinduism - 4%, Other religions - 1.6%.

Electricity - 230V/50Hz (British Plug); power outlets accept only flat three pin plugs.

LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY:

Located in southeastern Asia, between Malaysia and Indonesia, Singapore is an island nation consisting of the island of Singapore and about 60 smaller islands. It is situated between latitudes 1'09'N and 1'29'N, and longitudes 103'38'E and 104'25'E, about 60 miles (137 kms.) north of the Equator. The main island is about 42km in length and 23 km in breadth and 586.5 sq km in area. It has a coastline of approximately 150.5 km.

Singapore's immediate neighbors are Malaysia to the north and Indonesia to the south. Singapore is linked to Peninsular Malaysia by a 1,056-m-long causeway, which carries a road, a railway and a water pipeline across the Strait of Johore.

From a sleepy fishing village in the early 1900’s, Singapore has become one of Asia’s leading economies popularly referred to as ‘Asian Tigers’. In 1819 Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles landed in Singapore and established a British trading station. Singapore's landscape was transformed by British colonial rule, Japanese occupation, Communist insurrection and finally, independence. Since becoming a republic in 1965, the island has experienced increased prosperity and exponential economic growth. Shimmering skyscrapers tower above the slick financial districts and elegant colonial buildings preserve a lingering old-world charm.

By and large, year-round temperatures in Singapore remain uniform, with a daily average of 81°F (27°C), afternoon temperatures reaching as high as 87°F (31°C), and an average sunrise temperature as low as 75°F (24°C). Relative humidity often exceeds 90% at night and in the early morning. Even on a "dry" afternoon, don't expect it to drop much below 60%.

Flight times – From UK it takes 14-15 hours, from New York it is an 18 hour flight, Cities - Singapore, Time Zone - GMT +8, Weather - Warm and humid; November and December is the rainy season, Languages - English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil, Religion - Buddhism - 42.5%, No religion - 14.8%, Christianity - 14.6%, Islam - 13.9%, Taoism - 8.5%, Hinduism - 4%, Other religions - 1.6%, Electricity - 230V/50Hz (British Plug); power outlets accept only flat three pin plugs.

Medical Tourism in Singapore is an upcoming field. Singapore's strategic location, exceptional healthcare facilities, captivating cultural contrasts and varied tourist attractions contribute to its success as one of the world’s leading destinations for both medical tourism and pleasure.

Singapore is emerging as an excellent health care destination due to its excellent health care service, quality, safety, trustworthiness and advanced research and international accreditation. Many of the hospitals and clinics in Singapore have obtained JCI (Joint Commission International) accreditation. Many people travel to Singapore from all over the world to get quality treatment in areas like Cardiac care, Cosmetic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery and Dental procedures.

Singapore is a state deserving of its reputation for cleanliness, order and its ultra-high standard of private medical care. While in no means as cheap as say, India or Thailand, the medical staffs have a good command over English and the healthcare infrastructure is easily comparable with those in US and Europe.

Raffles Medical Group (www.rafflesmedical.com), Healthway Medical Group (www.healthwaymedical.com), CK Yong Surgery and Breast Clinic (www.ckyongsurgery.com.sg), Joyce Lim Skin and Laser Clinic (www.joycelim.com/eng/profile.htm) and Parkway Health (www.parkwayhealth.com/Hospitals) are among the best known clinics in each of their respective fields.

In 2003, the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) ranked Singapore’s healthcare system as the third best in the world.

In 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) voted Singapore’s advanced healthcare network as the best in Asia and sixth best in the world.

Singapore’s blood supply ranks among the safest in the world. It is recognized as a World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre.

In 2007, Singapore was voted the “Best Medical/Wellness Tourism Destination” by TravelWeekly (Asia) Industry Awards 2007

The inhabitants of the Malaysian peninsula and the island of Singapore first migrated to the area between 2500 and 1500 B.C. British and Dutch interest in the region grew with the spice trade, the trading post of Singapore was founded in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles. It was made a separate Crown colony of Britain in 1946, when the former colony of the Straits Settlements was dissolved. The other two settlements on the peninsula—Penang and Malacca—became part of the Union of Malaya, and the small island of Labuan was transferred to North Borneo. The Cocos (or Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island were transferred to Australia in 1955 and in 1958, respectively.

Singapore attained full internal self-government in 1959, and Lee Kwan Yew, an economic visionary with an authoritarian streak, took the helm as prime minister. On Sept. 16, 1963, Singapore joined Malaya, Sabah (North Borneo), and Sarawak in the Federation of Malaysia. It withdrew from the federation on Aug. 9, 1965, and a month later proclaimed itself a republic.

Under Lee, Singapore developed into one of the cleanest, safest, and most economically prosperous cities in Asia. However, Singapore's strict rules of civil obedience also drew criticism from those who said the nation's prosperity was achieved at the expense of individual freedom.

A cosmopolitan society, Singapore is country with many different races living in harmony. The cultural diversity was the result of immigrants of the past namely Malay, Chinese, Indian, and European. Behind the facade of a modern city, these ethnic races are still evident.

The old streets of Chinatown can still be seen; the Muslim characteristics are still conspicuous in Arab Street; and Little India along Serangoon Road still has its distinct ambience. Furthermore, there are marks of the British colonial influence in the Neo-Classical buildings all around the city. Each racial group has its own distinctive religion and there are colorful festivals of special significance all year round. Although the festivals are special to certain races, it is nonetheless enjoyed by all.

In Singapore, food is readily and widely available in different cuisines like Chinese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian and Western, Italian, Peranakan, Spanish, French, Thai and even Fusion. It is very common to savour other culture's food and some of the food can be very intriguing. Indian food is relatively spicier, whereas Chinese food is less spicy and the Chinese enjoy seafood. Malay cooking uses coconut milk as their main ingredient which makes their food very tasty.

Festivals & Events

Chinese New Year

The most important festival of the Chinese culture, Chinese New Year is a 15-day celebration of the New Year according to the lunar calendar and a huge occasion in Singapore. It was originally called Chun Kie, or Spring Festival, to celebrate the passing of winter and spring's promise of a fertile and prosperous growing season. In modern times, it's still seen as a chance to put the past behind and start afresh, with new hopes for prosperity, health, and luck. During the celebration, homes and businesses display large red banners with the characters Gong Xi Fa Cai, which mean "Wishing you great prosperity". You'll also witness lion dances outside businesses to attract good luck, staged by troupes of young men who don the traditional lion costume and perform an age-old dance to accompanying drum and cymbal clashes. Singapore's Chinese New Year Light Up is the highlight of the year. All the Chinese districts are illuminated and the celebrated Chingay Parade makes its way down Orchard Road.

Thaipusam

Thaipusam is an auspicious festival of the Hindus, celebrated in Singapore in the month of October according to the Hindu calendar, which fall either in the month of January or February. Thaipusam is the day of when the Goddess Parvati asked his son Murugan to annihilate the demons. In Singapore, the devotees begin their ceremonial journey by observing dietary retractions, meditation and prayers. Men pierce their bodies with barbs and metal clips to hold kavadis adorned with peacock feathers and filled with offerings. They cover the distance of 4 km from Sri Srinivasa Temple in Serangoon Road to Sri Thandayuthapani Temple in Tank Road carrying kavadis. Women and children carry pots of symbolic milk.

Vesak Day

Vesak or Buddha Day is an important Buddhist Festival of the Theravada Buddhists, which celebrates the birth, enlightenment and salvation of Buddha. The festival is celebrated in Singapore on the full moon day of the Lunar month of Vesakh, which falls on 30th April in Singapore. Vesak Day is observed in different manners all over the world. In Singapore, the celebration begins with the chanting of the Sutras by the monks and devotees in Buddhist Temples followed by ritual of releasing of small animals or confined birds. Buddhist youths also organize blood donation camps and giving away of gifts to the poor on this day. The festival is concluded by a candle-lit procession being carried throughout the street.

Lantern Festival

Lantern Festival is celebrated in Singapore during late September or early October to honor Lord Buddha. It comes right after the Chinese New Year. The celebration of the festival includes lighting of the fireworks, folk dances, preparations of delicacies and making of lanterns. The people head to the gardens during the night to enjoy picnic and relish on Chinese pastries and moon cakes. The lion dancers wander around the street with cymbals and drums followed by celestial prince and princess. People float lanterns on the lake, which makes an absolute heavenly sight.

Organized Tours

Although touring Singapore is simple enough for DIY travelers, visitors with little time, or who want to delve deeper into local sights, can take advantage of convenient organized activities. Coach tours, Walking tours, River tours & cruises, and Trishaw tours.

Places of Interest

MandaiZoo: The Singapore Zoo or the Mandai Zoo as it is popularly called, is the finest zoo in the whole of Asia and one of the most beautiful in the world. It occupies twenty eight hectares of land and encompasses 315 species of animals with 2530 total number of varied animals in their natural habitat. The zoo is visited by 1.4 million people annually. The main attraction here is the ‘Breakfast with an orangutan’ program where tourists can interact and meet with the orangutans in the zoo and feed them too.

Jurong Bird Park: Features a huge, open air dome, a 30m waterfall, and thousands of free ranging birds. Attractions include a flamingo lake, pelican cove and underwater viewing gallery.

Little India: Centred around the southern end of Serangoon Road, this street features shops selling traditional Indian handicrafts, spices and streetside vendors selling tantalizing eats. Three famous temples, the Sri Veeramakaliamman, Sri Srinivasa Perumal and the glitzy Temple of 1000 Lights are much visited tourist spots.

Orchard Road: Orchard Road is a major shopping street in the city of Singapore. The road derives its name from the nutmeg, fruit and pepper orchard trees that lined the road in the 1830’s and which still provide shade and shelter today. The road is elaborately decorated and lit up each year for Christmas. Ngee Ann City is the largest shopping mall on the road and other malls and hotels here include the Plaza Singapura, the Wisma Atria, the Paragon, the Hilton Singapore and more. There are also several museums, restaurants and eateries situated on the street. It offers everything from premium apparel brands and Southeast Asian antiques to the latest electronics and kitschy souvenirs.

Singapore Botanic Gardens: Spread across 157 acres, the various attractions in the garden include the National Orchid Garden with more than 60,000 varieties of colorful orchids, The Rainforest which is 6 hectares in size and has a small tropical rainforest, The Evolution Garden which explains the evolution of plant life on Earth, and the Ginger Garden with a huge collection of zingiberaceae and a waterfall, restaurant and garden. The Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden has several play areas for children, a visitor’s center and a café, the Botany Center and Tanglin Gate which houses the Singapore Herbarium, the library of Botany and Horticulture, workshop classrooms and Orchid Breeding and Micropagation. It is a must see for its collection of frangipanis, prehistoric plants and a small slice of the rainforest that once covered the island.

Sentosa Island: At this famous resort you can view dolphin performances at Underwater World, party at the Siloso beach, visit the World War II monuments, sit around on the beach or view the spectacular giant Merlion and Musical Fountain.

Other tourist activities include visits to the Night Safari, the Singapore History Museum and the Singapore Art Museum.

Side Trips

Kusu & St. John's Islands

Kusu Island and St. John's Island are both located to the south of Singapore proper, about a 15- to 20-minute ferry ride to Kusu, 25 to 30 minutes to St. John's.

Its name meaning "Tortoise Island" in Chinese, many popular legends exist about how Kusu Island came to be. The most popular ones involve shipwrecked people, either fishermen or monks, who were rescued when a tortoise turned himself into an island. Kusu Island was originally two small islands and a reef, but in 1975, reclaimed land turned it into a (very) small getaway island. There are two places of worship: a Chinese temple and a Malay shrine. The Chinese temple becomes a zoo during "Kusu Season" in October, when thousands of Chinese devotees flock here to pray for health, prosperity, and luck. There are two swimming lagoons (the one to the north has a pretty view of Singapore Island), picnic tables, toilets, and public telephones.

Historically speaking, St. John's Island is an unlikely place for a day trip. As far back as 1874, this place was a quarantine for Chinese immigrants sick with cholera; in the 1950s, it became a deportation holding center for Chinese Mafia thugs; and later, it was a rehab center for opium addicts. Today you'll find a mosque, holiday camps, three lagoons, bungalows, a cafeteria, a huge playing field, and basketball. It's much larger than Kusu Island, but not large enough to fill a whole day of sightseeing. Toilets and public phones are available.

Ferries leave at regular intervals from the Marina South Pier (tel. 65/1800-736-8672; take the MRT to Marina Bay then bus no. 402 to the pier. The boat makes a circular route, landing on both islands. Adult tickets cost S$11 (US$7/£3.65), and tickets for children under 12 are S$8 (US$5.10/£2.65). Tip: Pack a lunch and bring drinks, sunblock, and mosquito repellent.

Palau Ubin

Situated off to the southern coast of Singapore, Pulau Ubin has a little village community that consists of rural folk. If you want to experience the traditional 'kampong' (i.e. village) lifestyle in Singapore about 20 to 30 years ago, Pulau Ubin is the place to visit. Stop by for a coconut drink, stroll through the greenery and look at the granite formations on the island.

To get to Ubin, take bus no. 2 to Changi Village (or just take a cab - the bus ride is long). Walk past the food court down to the water and find the ferry. There's no ticket booth, so you should just approach the captain and buy your ticket from him -- it'll cost you about S$2 (US$1.30/65p). The boats leave regularly, but only when they've got enough passengers to justify a trip, with the last one returning from the island as late as 11pm (make sure you double-check with the ferryman so you don't get stranded). Once you're there, bicycle-rental places along the jetty can provide you with bikes and island maps at reasonable prices. A few coffee shops cook up rudimentary meals, and you'll also find public toilets and coin phones in the more populated areas.

Kuala Lumpur

Believe it or not, you can drive straight from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) in 5 hours. It can be tiring, in which case you can try taking a bus (6 hours) or a flight.

Malacca

This little state in Malaysia is about 2 hours from Singapore and has a very old world charm. You'll see lots of Portuguese influence in the buildings there. The hotels there are also pretty economical - costing about SGD$80 a night.

Johor Bahru

The most southerly state in West Malaysia, Johor Bahru is a favorite haunt of Singaporeans on weekends. Simply take bus number 0170 from Singapore and it will bring you right across the Causeway Bridge (linking Singapore and Malaysia) and you can exit at the immigration counters at the Malaysian side. Alternatively, take a bus there.

Bintan

Bintan is in Indonesia, but is a great place to visit from Singapore (just take a ferry from the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal). There are nice little hotels there by the beach.

Batam

A popular Indonesian island off the Singapore coast.

Genting Highlands

The Genting Highlands in Malaysia boasts a great casino and is a very popular tourist destination in Malaysia. If you like to try your hand at the slot machines or card table, Genting Highlands is the place to go.

Chek Jawa

Chek Jawa is a preserve of natural beauty and the island belongs to Singapore. If you're in the mood for some good nature and views of birds and flora or fauna, Chek Jawa is a great choice.

Hotels

Ultra-luxury to budget hotels are available in all corners of Singapore such as Orchard Road, Sentosa, China Town, City Hall and Little India. Small boutique hotels are best bets for affordable and personalized services.

http://singaporehotels.com/

Credit Cards, ATMs

All the major credit cards are widely accepted, with Visa and Mastercard being the most common. Some retailers - especially after a hard session of bargaining - may charge you 3% to 5% extra if you decide to pay by credit card. This practice is frowned upon by the tourism board, and you may want to report the incident to the credit card company if such a thing happens.

Traveler’s checks are another convenient and safe way for you to conduct transactions in Singapore. You can exchange them for Singapore dollars at banks or moneychangers, and some shops and restaurants even accept them as direct payment.

You can exchange your foreign currency for Singapore dollars at almost all major banks in the Central Business District, and many bank branches in the suburbs. Exchange rates vary from bank to bank. A cheaper way to exchange your money is at the moneychangers that can be found along Orchard Road, the CBD, at many tourist attractions and the suburban town centres. These moneychangers don't charge any transaction fees.

ATMs are found all over Singapore, and most allow cash withdrawals from Visa or Mastercard credit cards.

Shopping

According to the people of Singapore, shopping is their national pastime. Shopping in Singapore is real fun as Singapore is a shopper's paradise. Many people visit Singapore especially with shopping in their mind rather than leisure. There are several big air-conditioned malls in Singapore where one can find showrooms of clothes, furnishing, utensils, eatables, footwear, accessories, jewelry, electronic gadgets etc. one can get good bargains in these malls. The early summer months bustle in anticipation of the Singapore Sale - a time when tourists can cash in on the competitive prices of electronic equipment, jewelry and other merchandise.

The popular places for Shopping in Singapore are:

Shopping in Singapore at Orchard Road:

Orchard Road is famous the worldwide for shopping in Singapore. One can find satisfactory products here suitable to their budget. This are is good for shopping of fashionable clothes, footwear, cosmetics, electronic items, furniture and carpets.

The popular departmental stores in Orchard Street are the Robinsons, Ngee Ann City, Tanglin Mall, Tudor Court, Tanglin Shopping Center, Delfi Orchard, Orchard Hotel, Forum Galleria, Palais Renaissance, Shaw House, Shaw Center, Scotts Shopping Center, Far East Plaza, Tans, Wisma Atria, The Promenade, The Pargaon, Center and Orchard Point and Plaza Singapura.

Shopping in Singapore Around Marina Square:

Marina Square is so big that it can fit seven football fields within itself. The tourists are sure to find out clothes, fashion accessories, jewelry, footwears, household items, electronic appliances, souvenirs and gifts to take back home. The famous departmental stores here are the Habitat, Mothercare, Suntec City Mall, Fountain Terrace, CHIJMES and MPH House.

Shopping in Singapore at Chinatown:

Chinatown is populated mainly by the Chinese ethnic communities. Check out the Clarke Quay, Pidemco Center, People's Park Complex, Chinatown Point where you can find clothes, furniture, jewelry, Chinese herbs, Malaysian and Indonesian textiles and handicraft of Singapore.

Shopping in Singapore at Little India:

Little India is inhabited by the Indian in majority. You may shop for flowers, handicrafts and natural health products at Little India Arcade. You can find fruits, vegetables, fresh seafood, spices, brassware and Indian handicrafts at Zhujiao Market. Mustafa Center is a $ 48 Million shopping complex owned by Mohammad Mustafa where you can find household items, hardware and electronic gizmos.

Shopping in Singapore at Geylang and Katong:

If you are looking for batik prints, scarves, curry pots, Indonesian cosmetic, fresh fruits, vegetable and poultry products, Geylang is the place. Here you can shop at Geylang Serai Malay Cultural Village, Joo Chiat Complex, City Plaza and Tanjong Katong Center and Haig Road Food Center. This place caters mainly to Malay community. At Katong, you can shop at Parkway Parade and Katong Shopping Center.

Singapore Hospitals listed below are the most popular for Medical Tourism. Thousand of International patients  receive high quality medical treatment  at these hospitals annually. Our Network hospitals provide exclusive services to our clients due to our long Term relationships,stringent operational rules and contracts that favors our clients comfort and safety. To understand more about these hospitals, with details about its services, specializations, comforts, doctors and staff resumes, accreditation , certifications, specific treatments and success rates, you can discuss in detail with our Professional Medical Case Managers.

The hospitals in SurgeryPlanet Network have state of the art facilities and services with excellent and highly trained staff. Many of them have independent sections and departments to provide Specialized services to our International Customers. 

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