When to Go
A steady supply of business travelers keep occupancy rates high year round in Singapore, however, some hotels report that business travel gets sluggish during the months of July and August, when they target the leisure market more aggressively. This is probably your best time to negotiate a favorable rate. Peak season for travel falls between December and June, with "super-peak" beginning in mid-December and lasting through the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls in January or February, depending on the moon's cycle. During this season, Asian travel routes are booked solid and hotels are maxed out. Favorable deals are rare, because most of Asia takes annual leave at this time.
The Chinese Lunar New Year presents problems and opportunities for travelers. On the one hand, it's the biggest holiday for the Chinese, who make up the majority of Singaporeans, so you'll get a chance to see fun street markets, festive decorations, curious traditions, and the popular Chingay Parade. On the other hand, in the weeks leading up to the holiday, prices for everyday items are grossly inflated -- don't shop before Chinese New Year! -- and Chinatown turns into a swarming sea of panic stricken last-minute shoppers. Then on the first day of the holiday, virtually everything Chinese closes -- eateries, shops, businesses. Forget about it! Most reopen on the third day of the holiday, but many choose to stay closed for the full 2 weeks, the traditional amount of time for Chinese to observe this holiday. Not to fear! If you're in Singapore for the holiday, your hotel will still be serving meals, and you can always trek down to Little India or Kampong Gelam for some tasty Indian or Malay eats.
As for weather, because Singapore is 137km (82 miles) north of the equator, you can pretty much guarantee that it's hot. In terms of seasonal variations, you've got some months that are not as warm as others, but for the most part, they're all still hot.
What does vary greatly is rainfall. Singapore lies between two monsoon winds. The Northeast Monsoon arrives the beginning of November and stays until mid-March, when temperatures are slightly cooler, relatively speaking, than other times of the year. The heaviest rainfall occurs between November and January, with daily showers that sometimes last for long periods of time; at other times, it comes down in short heavy gusts and goes quickly away. Wind speeds are rarely anything more than light. The Southwest Monsoon falls between June and September. Temperatures are much higher and, interestingly, it's during this time of year that Singapore gets the least rain (with the very least reported in July).
By in large, year-round temperatures 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%. (The daily average is 84% relative humidity.)
Holidays
In recent years Singapore has also been building up the Chingay Parade, a colorful procession of floats, marching bands, acrobats and dancers, martial artists, and stilt-walkers who perform en parade through the downtown area. Contact the STB to find out which day they will host the parade during your visit. There are 11 official public holidays: New Year's Day (Jan 1), Hari Raya Haji (Jan 10 and Dec 31, 2006; and Dec 20, 2007), Chinese New Year (Jan 29, 2006; Feb 18, 2007) or Lunar New Year (2 days), Good Friday, Labour Day, Vesak Day (May 22, 2005; May 12, 2006; and May 1, 2007), National Day, Hari Raya Puasa (Nov 3, 2005; Oct 24, 2006; and Oct 13, 2007), Deepavali (Nov 1, 2005; Oct 21, 2006; and Nov 9, 2007), and Christmas Day (Dec 25). On these days, expect government offices, banks, and some shops to be closed.
Ringing in the New Year, Chinese-Style--Chinese New Year, a 15-day celebration of the new year according to the lunar calendar, is the most important festival of the Chinese culture 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.
Outside private homes, the Chinese hang the character fu, which means luck. The fu is usually hung upside down because in Chinese the words for "luck upside down" sound similar to the words "luck arrives." Red, the most auspicious color according to the Chinese, is predominant in banners and is the color of hong bao, packets of money given to children and single young adults by parents and married friends. Oranges and tangerines are given as gifts, symbolizing gold and luck both in their colors and according to Chinese puns. Also important are noisy firecrackers, which are believed to ward off evil spirits and serve (through their noise) as a sign of life. Unfortunately, firecrackers are banned in Singapore, so you won't find much of that going on.
New Year's Day, the first day of celebration, can fall anywhere between mid-January to end of February. In preparation for New Year's Day, the Chinese pay off old debts, because debt is believed to lead to bad luck in the coming year if not taken care of, and clean their homes, sweeping the floors in a symbolic clearing away of old misfortunes. All cleaning is done before New Year's Day because to sweep on this day would be to clear away good luck. Most go so far as to hide the broom. New Year's Eve is the night of the Reunion Dinner, where family members put on bright new clothes (red colors are best), get together, and invite the spirits of deceased ancestors to gather for a meal. The central dish of the feast is the yu sheng, a raw fish salad. Once placed on the table, everyone gathers around the yu sheng, digs in with their chopsticks, and tosses the salad high -- the higher you toss the better your luck.
If you are visiting Singapore around Chinese New Year, there are a few things to note. Shopping leading up to the holiday is insane. The streets of Chinatown are a mob scene, with people chasing last minute holiday goodies. Crowds are thick and queues are long. Prices are also inflated for things like haircuts, clothing, traditional foods, and decorations -- not a good time to come looking for bargains.
On Chinese New Year's Eve, most businesses let their staff off early to prepare for the Reunion Dinner -- this is when crowds are thickest. However, expect Singapore to be a ghost town on the first and second days of the new year, when almost all local businesses, including restaurants, are closed tight. Although folks spend the first and second days visiting friends and family, the third is considered unlucky for socializing, so most return to work. Still, many "Mom and Pop" businesses use this time to take annual leave and will close for a full 15 days. If you find yourself in Singapore during this time, don't panic. Hotel restaurants are always open, and, if worse comes to worst, there's always the ethnic Indian and Malay enclaves at Little India and Kampong Gelam for good food and shopping!
