# Singapore guide book



## Judy (Jan 1, 2012)

We'll be spending two nights in Singapore.  Already have a hotel booked.  We need a small up-to-date guidebook that has maps and covers major sights, but doesn't waste  a lot of size and weight on lodging information.  Any suggestions?


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## bass (Jan 2, 2012)

Judy,

Try Fodor's "Singapore's 25 Best"   What to See  Where to Go  What to Do

130 pages very compact and has a pull out map.  We used it last year when we visited Singapore.

Nancy


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## Judy (Jan 2, 2012)

I checked _Fodor's Singapore's 25 Best_ out of the library today.  I like it very much.  I can even read the maps without a magnifying glass!

But the latest edition I can find is 2009.  Is that the one you used, Nancy?  Did you find it out-of-date?


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## bass (Jan 3, 2012)

Judy,

Yes, the one I have is 2009.   I bought it at Borders before they closed last year.   I used it in Singapore last April.   Seemed pretty up to date.  

Nancy


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## colamedia (Jan 5, 2012)

2009 is probably OK for the historic landmarks (unless they have been closed down), but a lot of new major landmarks have opened, like Marina Bay Sands, which includes a lot of amazing book well in advance restaurants like Waku Ghin, Resorts World Sentosa which includes Universal Singapore.  If heights aren't a problem the Sands SkyPark will give you an amazing view (57 floors up)
http://www.yoursingapore.com/ is probably a good place to check for up to the minute ideas, and their online guide book, where you make your own guide up according to your interests can be printed out.  

One thing to remember is Singapore is bascially hot all year, the main weather variation is the humidity level, afternoon storms are common in the wet season, you could almost set your watch by the storm clouds rolling in and dumping rain, then rolling on. What looks like an easy walk usually isn't due to the heat and/or humidity.  Use the taxi cabs, they are pretty cheap.  The MRT train system is very easy to use and very cheap, but it's mainly underground so you don't see much while you are using it, and you will almost always come out of the underground train station on the wrong side of where you thought you would be, delightful as exploring by accident can be, with your limited time, probably not the best use of your time. Buses/taxi's you see a lot more and you know which side you are on.


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## Judy (Jan 6, 2012)

Thank you.  I'm checking them out.


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## Passepartout (Jan 6, 2012)

Judy, if you are only going to be there 2 nights, you have probably already picked out the few 'must-do's' for your interests. I would probably print/copy the few pages that cover those sights then see the concierge at your hotel to get their recommendations for anything to add or remove from your list.

Obviously, if you were going to be there longer, a longer list and carrying a guidebook would be of value, but for a couple of days, keep it simple.

I used to carry guidebooks, video and still cameras, printouts of everything I could scour from the internet when we traveled. Then I came to realize that I was seeing places through a viewfinder or constantly referring to a map or guidebook and not experiencing the culture that I was traveling to see.

Travel became a lot more fulfilling when I started seeing and interacting with the people rather than just seeing the 'sights'. 

Happy travels!

Jim


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