Visitor Information
The long arm of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) reaches many overseas audiences through its branch offices, which will gladly provide brochures and booklets to help you plan your trip, and through its website, at www.visitsingapore.com.
After you arrive in Singapore, several Visitors' Centres are staffed to assist, beginning with information desks at the Arrival Halls in Terminals 1 and 2 at Changi Airport, open daily from 6am to 2am. Other Visitors' Centres are located in the city as follows: at the junction of Orchard and Cairnhill roads (cattycorner from the Meritus Mandarin Hotel), open daily from 8am to 10:30pm; on the first floor of Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Rd. (near Ghoby Ghaut MRT), open daily from 10am to 10pm; and on Level 1 at the Liang Court Shopping Centre, 177 River Valley Rd. (near Clarke Quay), open daily from 10am to 10pm.
STB operates a 24-hour information hot line that is toll-free within Singapore at 1800-736-2000. By in large STB has up-to-date information, but if you need accurate information about travel timetables, I recommend you call respective airlines, ferry services, bus companies, or train stations directly.
Online Traveler's Toolbox
Veteran travelers usually carry some essential items to make their trips easier. Following is a selection of online tools to bookmark and use.
Cybercafes.com (www.cybercafes.com) or Net Café Guide (www.netcafeguide.com/mapindex.htm). Locate Internet cafes at hundreds of locations around the globe. Catch up on your e-mail and log onto the web for a few dollars per hour.
Foreign Languages for Travelers (www.travlang.com). Learn basic terms in more than 70 languages and click on any underlined phrase to hear what it sounds like. Note: Free audio software and speakers are required.
Intellicast (www.intellicast.com) and Weather.com (www.weather.com). Give weather forecasts for all 50 states and for cities around the world.
Mapquest (www.mapquest.com). This best of the mapping sites lets you choose a specific address or destination, and in seconds, it will return a map and detailed directions.
Universal Currency Converter (www.xe.net/currency). See what your dollar or pound is worth in more than 100 other countries.
U.S. State Department Travel Warnings (www.travel.state.gov). Reports on places where health concerns or unrest might threaten U.S. travelers. It also lists the locations of U.S. embassies around the world.
Visa ATM Locator (www.visa.com) for locations of Plus ATMs worldwide, or MasterCard ATM Locator (www.mastercard.com) for locations of Cirrus ATMs worldwide.
