Surgery in Singapore: About the country

Singapore is a small island at the top of the Malay Peninsula in South East Asia.  It is located approximately 100km north of the equator in south-east Asia and is a busy business and touristic destination, popular with shoppers on the hunt for a bargain and as a comfortable stop-over on a long-haul journey. 

Singapore is a bustling and culturally vibrant island and a safe, fascinating place to visit with spotless streets, an impeccable metro system, one of the most impressive and architecturally interesting airports in the world. It also has an extremely low crime rate.  Although Singapore's city centre has a very modern feel with very contemporary glass skyscrapers, air conditioned shopping malls and swanky restaurants, the country's traditional history and culture is very much alive and kicking in the ethnic streets and districts.

Although many visitors to Singapore are on their way to other exotic destinations, Singapore has plenty to offer the visitor including delicious food, excellent shopping bargains and plenty of temples, shrines and historical places of interest.  Singapore is one of the wealthiest countries in the region and with first-rate medical facilities and top class surgeons it is becoming quite the medical tourism destination. Patients from the UK, US and nearby Asian countries are discovering that top quality surgery and treatment is available at more affordable prices than at home.  

Singapore is also known as the food capital of South East Asia so visitors can very affordably indulge in a range of Asian and Western food.  The Hawkers' Centres are based on the traditional hawkers' street stalls and encompass a host of tasty eateries in an air-conditioned space, such as the Newton Circus food centre. 

You can dine on some inexpensive and authentic cuisine like rice noodle soups and Laksa or Satay dishes, then wander the maze of streets in Chinatown or the ethnic district of Little India to see mosques, churches and Sikh temples and get a real taste of old Singapore (and quite possibly the best curry outside of India).

For a taste of Singapore's old Colonial past, the Raffles statue overlooks the river in the old Colonial area, Empress Place and in this district you will find Parliament House, the Supreme Court and City Hall.  It may seem a bit of a cliché but many foreigners enjoy a visit to the Raffles Hotel (named after Sir Stamford Raffles) to sample the famous Raffles Sling cocktail. 

If you are seeking rest and relaxation take a trip over to Singapore's celebrated Sentosa Island, a popular weekend escape for Singaporeans with many hotels and attractions, like an underwater world and golf course.  A cable car goes to Sentosa Island from the World Trade Centre and offers excellent aerial views of the island. 

Singapore also has a handful of parks and beautiful outdoor spaces for some peace and quiet, such as the Botanic Gardens on Cluny and Holland Roads, the Chinese and Japanese Gardens by the Chinese Garden MRT or the Zoological Gardens on the island's north side. 

As far as temperatures go, Singapore is hot and humid all year round so expect high temperatures, high humidity and no shortage of rain.  There are two main seasons, the northwest monsoon season is between December and March and the southwest monsoon is between June and September.  If you want to avoid the rain, the driest times to visit Singapore are between February and early March.  Average temperatures in Singapore range between 26 degrees and 30 degrees Celsius during the day, but it does cool down in the evenings.