Best Time to Visit: As a tropical island located one degree North of the Equator, any season is ideal to visit Singapore. If you are travelling to Singapore for business, do note that the streets during festive periods like Christmas and the Lunar New Year may be more crowded than usual. Also, the school holiday periods in June and mid November to end December may see more locals thronging the streets.

Language: Although it is a small country, Singapore has a diversity of languages. English is the main language here, with Mandarin, Malay and Tamil being widely spoken as well, depending on the ethnicities of its residents. Most Singaporeans are bilingual, learning English as their first language in school, followed by their Mother Tongue language. As a former British colony, Singapore uses UK English in its spelling.

Local currency: The local currency is the Singapore dollar (SGD). Notes come in $2, $5, $10, $50 and $100 denominations. Coins are in 5, 10, 30, 50-cent denominations as well as $1 denomination. As of October 2020, the exchange rate is 1 USD to 1.36 SGD.

Credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB and Diners Club are commonly accepted in Singapore. 

Currency exchanges are easily available at banks, hotels and malls, but to get the best rates, consider going to places like People’s Park Complex in Chinatown. Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) are also dotted across the island. 

Tipping: It is not a common practice to tip in Singapore. Most fine dining establishments include a 10-percent service charge on the final dining bill. 

Weather: Singapore’s weather is warm all year round, with high levels of humidity. During the year-end months (the Monsoon season), the island nation is wetter than unusual with frequent showers. Do bring with you an umbrella or a poncho, and you are good to go. Also, note that the period between May and August are typically the hottest months of the year. 

Internet Connectivity: Gearing itself up to be a “Smart Nation”, it is easy to stay connected in Singapore. Most international mobile phone companies have roaming services which are ideal for short business trips. If you travel to Singapore frequently or for a more extended period, consider buying a local SIM card at any of the telcos or the airport (your passport is needed for the purchase).

Free Internet access is available in many places. Many of the cafe chains (like Starbucks and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf) as well as accommodation in Singapore offer Wi-Fi access. You can get free Wi-Fi access on selected public buses and MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) train stations. There is also a free country-wide Wi-Fi service available called Wireless@SG, which offers surfing speed of up to 5Mbps. Anyone can access by registering using a smartphone, laptop or tablet. 

Meeting Spaces: Conducting meetings during your business trip to Singapore is convenient at the Pan Pacific Singapore—our Pacific Centre is equipped with built-in projectors, WIFI, and F&B catering to make your meetings fruitful. Alternatively, you can check out shared working and meeting spaces across the city in rental facilities such as WeWork, JustCo or The Hive. Some of these working spaces have facilities such as printers, lockers and beverage options.

Alternatively, go for a swankier and more comfortable working space at Pan Pacific Singapore’s Atrium. The spacious and cosy room is the perfect blend of business and pleasure, with all-day coffee and tea service. The high speed Wi-Fi connection makes work a breeze, while associates are on hand to be your temporary assistants, helping with administrative duties such as printing and courier services. 

What To Wear for Business in Singapore: Being located so close to the equator means Singapore is hot and humid all year round. While most workplaces follow international business dress standards, the tropical weather makes suits somewhat impractical. Business casual is widely accepted, with business shirts and slacks for men, and blouses and dress pants for skirts for women. If you have a formal meeting, a jacket would be great. Otherwise, you can leave it at your hotel. 

Useful Apps to Download: Singapore is a modern, highly digital and connected country. To make your business trip more pleasant, consider downloading these apps.

Google Maps is useful for helping you to navigate around the city, ensuring that you do not miss your next meeting place. 

Grab is one of Southeast Asia’s largest mobile ride-sharing booking apps. Having this app would help you to hail private-hire cars to take you to different places. If you prefer to take the trains or bus, download the MyTransport Singapore app (Download on Google Play or Apple App Store). It offers useful travel information to get around Singapore on both trains and buses. 

Singapore has a healthy food culture. If you are looking for recommendations of places to eat, the HungryGoWhere app shows you the local food gems, complete with reviews and menu. The app also comes with a handy map function to guide you to the nearest foodie hotspot.

Travelling in Singapore is easy. Its robust public transportation system covers all parts of the country, while its taxis are reasonably priced and readily available. Most business visitors find it effortless to go around Singapore by the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit), with five major lines connecting the country. Grab a copy of the train network at the train station, so you know how to get to places without having to figure out how to do so on the go. 

Buses are an alternative mode of transportation but are slower and more challenging to navigate than the MRT. However, the advantage of taking buses is that you can get to see the sights around you.

Metre-run taxis are another convenient way to get around Singapore. They can be flagged down conveniently, and fares are affordable.  In recent years, ride-sharing services such as Grab and Gojek have also become increasingly popular in the country. The plus side of using Grab or Gojek is that you can use their built-in Google Maps to key in your destination, leaving you to enjoy the ride. You are also assured of a fixed fare for your ride.

Take a break from your laptop to appreciate lush greenery while learning about Singapore’s heritage at this iconic hilltop landmark located right in the middle of the city. According to legend, Fort Canning Park was once the home of Sang Nila Utama—the Palembang prince who founded Singapore (then Singapura) in 1299. Today, the park flourishes with nine historical gardens, including Singapore’s first botanical garden founded in 1822. 

The garden welcomes visitors with Javanese gates reminiscent of the famous Bali Gates of Heaven—a tribute to Sang Nila Utama’s homeland of Indonesia. Look out for planted crops first introduced to Singapore in the colonial era such as forest fruits like rambutan and duku. If you love nature-based artworks, pop by the Farquhar Garden to find giant “living paintings” of floral and faunal species that William Farquhar—the first British Resident and Commandant of colonial Singapore—commissioned and compiled during his encounters in the Malay Peninsula. 

Directions to Fort Canning Park

Take a breather from the city at this hidden oasis of tranquillity tucked away in a corner of Singapore’s Chinatown. Pearl’s Hill City Park, built around a pond on a hilltop, offers a wooded escapade surrounded by Tembusu trees. The best way to enjoy its serene surroundings is to pack a light snack and sit by the pond. When in full bloom, the pond’s lotus plants cast splashes of gorgeous colour across its placid waters. If you are lucky, you might catch a glimpse of squirrels leaping between trees or the occasional bopping of heads from the terrapins in the pond. 

Directions to Pearl’s Hill City Park

Got a morning off from work? Work up a sweat in the great outdoors at the Southern Ridges. Consisting of 10km of green spaces that connect five parks, you will be rewarded with panoramic views of Singapore’s harbour and southern islands. If you are a walking enthusiast and nature lover, the ridges are a great way to exercise and be in touch with nature. The Southern Rides is also home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, and attracts a healthy number of birds and insects. 

Directions to Southern Ridges

If you want to wow a client, swanky Black Swan fits the bill. Oozing an old-world charm and housed in a beautifully restored 1930s landmark building, the art-deco style stuns the moment you enter. Set lunches of two (at $39++) and three ($45++) courses are available. Try dishes such as Half Lobster Thermidor, Pan-roasted Spatchcock, and Grilled Rainbow Trout. Private rooms are also available for booking if you have a serious business lunch meeting to host. 

Directions to The Black Swan

Offer your clients a taste of authentic Japanese cuisine at the Keyaki Japanese Restaurant. Discuss business matters over immaculately prepared sashimi, teppanyaki, sukiyaki and more. 

The restaurant is ideal for both casual and formal business meals. For a relaxed meal experience, be seated at the garden pavilion, which opens up to a lush green landscape, highlighted with a beautiful koi pond. For more formal business appointments, you can choose to dine in Tatami or western-style dining rooms, which gives you privacy when discussing business matters.

Put your guests in a relaxed mood at the gourmet seafood restaurant—Pince & Pints. Located close to the vicinity of the central business district, it has a casual atmosphere while serving up yummy crustacean goodness. 

Popular dishes include the Signature Lobster Rolls and Whole Live Grilled Lobster. If your business associates love seafood, Prince and Pints’ Lunch Specials would be ideal. 

Directions to Pince & Pints

Long known as an international business hub, Singapore has invested in developing a burgeoning arts and culture scene in recent years. After your business meetings, take some time out to appreciate its museums and galleries, or go on a culture walk to two.

Music, dance and theatre take centre stage at Esplanade- Theatres on the Bay—a world-class performing arts centre in downtown Singapore that is just a stone’s throw away from Pan Pacific Singapore. 

The building itself is an artistic architectural masterpiece that still sets tongues wagging. It comprises two rounded space frames fitted with more than 7,000 triangular aluminium sun shades that cover its two circular glass shell structures. Modelled after a pair of insect eyes, it has been affectionately called “The Durian” (a popular spiky tropical fruit) by local Singaporeans—the name has stuck since.

The theatre has daily programmes that cover art and culture, such as dance performances, music showcases and art exhibitions. There are also restaurants and cafes to rest your feet and catch a break. 

Directions to Esplanade- Theatres on the Bay

Take the stress off the day’s work by experiencing the world’s largest display of contemporary Singapore and Southeast Asian art. Stretching over two Singapore National Monuments—the former Supreme Court and City Hall buildings— National Gallery Singapore is the largest visual art institution on the island.

Marvel at over 8,000 artworks that captured the art and soul of Southeast Asia, presented through a variety of media. At the Singapore gallery, you can gain an in-depth understanding of Singapore’s multi-cultural heritage through a collection of paintings from local masters like Cheong Soo Pieng, Liu Kang, Chen Wen Hsi and Georgette Chen. 

The permanent collection focuses on Singaporean and Southeast Asian art from the 19th century to present, while travelling exhibitions are varied, covering anything from Impressionism, Chinese calligraphy, Japanese pop-art to Vietnamese lacquer paintings. Do check out their upcoming programmes before you plan your visits. 

Direction to National Gallery Singapore

If you are a frequent business traveller to Singapore, the Asian Civilisations Museum is a great place to learn more about the country and its surrounding regions. The museum’s collections straddle 5,000 years of history across the vast Asian subcontinent—from West Asia (the Islamic World) to South Asia, East Asia and Southeast Asia.

Dive into the historical connections between the different cultures of Asia, and between Asia and the world. Beyond the different galleries exploring the history, art and culture of the ancestral cultures of Singapore, you can also glimpse into the early years of Singapore as a trading nation at the Trade gallery at level one. 

Directions to Asian Civilisations Museum  

Lose yourself in the wonders of art and technology at the ArtScience Museum. Located along the Marina Bay waterfront, the museum combines the art of science and the science of art to offer both permanent and temporary exhibits that awe and inspire. The museum’s main exhibition—FUTURE WORLD, features interactive art installations themed to nature, Science and urban architecture.

Directions to ArtScience Museum

In your free time from work, get an insight into Singapore’s past with a walk down memory lane. The “Balik Kampong” (Malay for going home) tour is an immersive experience that lets you uncover the heritage of the Kampong Glam cultural precinct, steeped in history and once the home of Malay royalty. 

For an intimate look into Singapore’s Southern Chinese heritage, head to the cheerful lantern-decked streets of Chinatown. The Red Clogs Down the Five-Foot Way is a walk that takes you to Chinatown’s heritage district, with an experienced guide sharing lesser-known stories of its vibrant past. Learn more about the different facets of Chinese culture, from the nuances of culinary traditions to the intricacies of Chinese medicine. 

Go on a Wet-market Adventure at the heart of Little India. Take a more in-depth look at the stories behind the bold tastes of Indian cuisines such as briyani (Indian spiced rice dish with meat or vegetables) and roti prata (South Indian flatbread). Along the way, you will be regaled with enchanting tales of the local Indian community.

There’s nothing more comforting than retreating to a sanctuary of luxury after a hard day’s work. At the centrally-located Pan Pacific Singapore, you get to be near the city’s financial and commercial districts while enjoying a home away from home.  Book 7 days or more in advance to enjoy 20% off your stay, and enjoy complimentary WiFi access as well as round-the-clock use of the fitness centre and swimming pool. Business—and leisure—have never been more enjoyable.