Due to the geological position of all of the Southeast Asia countries, including Singapore, the climate is warm and humid. That might be daunting and unbearable for first-time visitors and even some of the residents. SEA is an exciting and exotic region of the world to visit and explore, don’t let the heat hold you back with this guide. Here are 20 tips to staying cool in South East Asia.
The tips will cover all types of people, whether it is tourists looking to beat the heat, or residents looking for tips and tricks to make their day a little easier. There are also general tips that apply to everyone.
For visitors/ tourist
These tips are labeled in blue because it is more applicable to tourist and visitors. However, residents of SEA might find it useful too.
For residents
These tips are labeled in red because it is more applicable to residents of SEA.
For everyone
These are general tips are labeled in green and they may help you even if you’re not living in SEA or plans to visit. These tips will help you in the warm summer of any country in the world.
1. Hydrate
This is simple, yet one of the easiest and most effective ways to stay cool in Singapore and Southeast Asia (SEA). In the warm and humid climate of SEA, spending a little time outdoors would render you glistening with sweat. The body is rapidly trying to cool your body down via perspiration.
With the liquid lost through perspiration, it’ll have to be replenished. This is highly critical, not doing so could lead to headaches, inability to focus, irritability weakness, and many more. These are symptoms of dehydration, and if you’re experiencing them, it’s a huge signal from your body. Drink water instead of sodas to best replace the liquids lost through sweating.
2. Nutrient-rich fruits
With the body losing precious liquids through perspiration, another way to replenish those liquids would be to eat nutritious fruits and vegetables. This is an easy and delightful way to refill the liquid in the body besides drinking water.
Fruits and vegetables like watermelon and cucumbers are prime examples. These fruits and vegetables are rich in water content, thus increasing the essential fluid intake to keep the body cool. As its name implies, watermelon is made up of 90% water.
It is also rich in a variety of essential nutrients at high concentrations. You may also have heard that vegetables like celery and cucumbers are almost 100% water, making it the perfect snack in the year-round summer of Singapore and SEA.
3. Dress lighter
Cotton is the premium choice. It is cooling and wouldn’t cling onto the body like polyester and other synthetic fabrics. The fiber allows the body to breathe and absorbs sweat. Natural fibers are viable alternatives, like linen.
Clothing with lighter color also helps to reflect the heat, as darker clothes tend to absorb more heat. Clothing with a looser fit also helps with air circulation. Tight clothes provide little space between the skin and the fabric, producing more sweat in the process.
Additionally, it is advised to cover up more of the skin by wearing long sleeves. It might not sound like the more appropriate advice, but it provides coverage from the sunlight and heat. The perfect outfit would be a looser-fitting white long sleeves linen top and pants.
4. Mattresses, bed sheets, and pillows
Ideally, sleeping takes up a least a ¼ of the day. It is vital to get a good night’s sleep. During some of the warmer months, it is really difficult to get a good night’s rest without air conditioning. The mattress plays a big role in keeping us cool and rested. Latex mattresses provide uniform comfort and the adaptability of memory foam, but without the heating issues that come with memory foam.
The air bubbles in the latex compound provide better air circulation and breathability. Similarly, switch to latex pillows. It contributes to keeping your head cool by increasing breathability. In the same vein, bed sheets are just as important.
Try sleeping on a cotton single sheet, instead of quilt or flannels. Flannel sheets and fleece blankets are great for insulation in cooler climates, but they aren’t the best choice in Singapore and SEA. Synthetic fabrics are not great choices either, as it retains heat and can make it difficult to sleep in hot weather.
5. Acclimatise
The only way to get better at the things you do is to keep at it, to keep practicing it. This is also how the best athletes in the world get to where they are right now. This means the best way to adapt to the weather in Singapore would be to acclimatize to it. One of the ways is to adapt by exercising outdoors.
The body will facilitate perspiration and cooling. Your body will get more used to the humidity and heat of the climate, moderating the skin and core temperatures. It is like visiting places of high altitude, you might not feel too good upon arrival, the body then adapts to the environment. The human body is a true marvel.
Attempt moderate exercises in warm conditions for one to two hours a day to help your body adjust to the high temperatures of Singapore and SEA. Fun fact, I was a firefighter here in Singapore, after training in a fire retardant suit under the hot sun with heavy rescue equipment, I’m less prone to heat and sweat less now.
6. Blinds, curtains, and heat-reflecting window films
With how strong the sun shines down on Singapore, the natural and common practice would be to utilize blinds and curtains. These are great tools. This point might seem like it’d come naturally, but I still do see people leaving their curtains and blinds open during the day.
The stream of sunlight coming in through the windows creates a mini greenhouse effect. In general, 30% of unwanted heat comes in through the windows. A good habit would be to close the blinds and curtains during the day, before leaving the home, then pull them open when you get home at the end of the day.
The room absorbs less heat this way. Another product that might help is heat-reflecting window films. These clear films have the ability to insulate your windows, reducing glare, heat, and the number of ultraviolet rays entering your home.
7. Plants
Apart from blinds, curtains, and heat-reflecting films, plants are a more natural way to get shady. Leafy plants and shrubs may reduce the amount of heat exposure by nearly 50% in place right. Placing plants smartly around the home where the sun can get in will give it a landscaping look in addition to providing shade for the home.
An added benefit of plants is a unique process that it performs, transpiration. Transpiration is the process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts, such as leaves, stems, and flowers. That translates to keeping your house cool because the plants are cooling the air around it, leaving it purified and fresh.
8. LED bulbs
Conventional incandescent bulbs are the cheapest type of bulbs and are also the ones that are responsible for giving out a lot of heat and requiring the most electricity. Incandescent bulbs generate light by turning the filament inside really hot. The heat is a by-product of the light it generates. LED bulbs, on the other hand, do not suffer from this problem. They do not heat the room whilst illuminating it. In addition, they use up less energy and may last longer too.
9. Turn off and unplug
Echoing the previous point of light bulbs generating unnecessary heat, it also applies to all electrical appliances and gadgets. One of the biggest culprits might be your refrigerator. It requires a good amount of electricity, thus heat as a by-product. As a countermeasure, replace it with the latest energy-efficient model to keep the room cool and save on the bills.
Unlike the refrigerator, which might not be the best idea to turn off and unplug, there are some gadgets and appliances that you can. Things like an unused television still give off heat even when it is switched off. Some of them still draw electricity, therefore get turned into unnecessary heat.
10. Dehumidifier
Singapore and SEA are known for their incredible humidity. In Singapore, an average day could reach 90% humidity. The combination of heat and humidity makes the climate almost unbearable without means of cooling down. One of the ways to lesser one of the two will be to invest in a dehumidifier. It is a household appliance that reduces the level of humidity in the air. With less humidity, the heat is slightly more bearable.
11. Swimming
Residents know how warm and sticky the climate of SEA is, therefore, there are swimming pools dotted all over the place. Going for a swim is an easy way to dramatically reduce the body’s temperature. Some of these swimming complexes may be accompanied by water activities, like slides and wave pools. You may also choose to visit the beach for a similar experience and more exciting water activities.
12. Hats, caps, and shades
Here in sunny Singapore and SEA, caps or hats are vital accessories. The sun is prevalent almost daily. A cap or hat may serve as a shield for the face and eyes from the sun’s rays. A pair of shades may be essential for blocking out the harmful Ultra Violet rays, protecting the eyes.
13. Umbrellas
In the same vein as hats, caps, and shades, an umbrella will provide much-needed shade and protection from the sun’s harmful rays. You’d notice a big number of people walking with open umbrellas in bright daylight; it is a common sight in Singapore. It is a common practice. Aside from protection against the sun, it will also be an asset in the rain.
In the tropical climate of SEA, showers from the skies are to be expected. You may choose one of the more portable and foldable umbrellas. They easily accessible and can be stowed away in a bag easily. Umbrellas are seen at many shops in SEA because of the tropical climates.
14. Hand fans
If you really have a hard time bearing the heat of SEA or Singapore, you may choose to buy a battery-powered fan from just about everywhere. These battery-powered fans are incredibly prevalent in Singapore and SEA because of how warm it gets. They are really low priced and portable.
It is designed to be small and easily stowed away in a bag. Don’t be put off by the exposed blades of the fan either; they are typically made of soft synthetic materials to prevent it from hurting users, even when it is turned on.
Alternatively, you may go old school and get an actual straw fan. These are less common in the modern-day. They are still used by hawkers making Satays, a protein skewer barbequed over a charcoal fire, and it makes a good souvenir too.
15. Facial water spray
The warm climate in SEA can take a toll on one’s skin. Facial mist or facial sprays are here to help. These products are meant to be cooling, soothing, and refreshing on the skin after being out under the sun all day. They have nourishing properties too. It helps restore moisture to your skin after exposure to the sun, making your skin dry. It is a pleasant relief after taking a hint of the mist after being in the sun.
16. Regular (not too cold) showers
There is nothing more relieving than taking a shower on a hot day. I tend to take multiple showers a day during the warmer periods of the year. It is in stark contrast to hearing people saying they don’t take shower in the winter. It is common for residents of SEA to take many showers a day.
One important thing to note for showering is to not take really cold showers. It might sound tempting to do so after an entire out in the sun, but it does the opposite of cooling you down.
Humans function at a certain temperature; it is the core temperature of the body. Taking a really cold shower lowers the core temperature of the body. After the chilling shower, the body then tries to bring the core temperature back up to normal, in doing so; the body generates a lot of heat.
You’re back at square one after the shower. Instead, try having a lukewarm shower, or start with cooler temperature water before bringing it up before finishing the shower. Additionally, dry off properly afterward, or it’d be like you’re in a sauna following your shower.
17. Smaller meals
It is better to avoid big and heavy meals. This is done to prevent the body from using a lot of energy for digestion, thus generating more body heat. To stay cool, take in smaller amounts of food throughout the day. The bigger the meal, the more metabolic heat your body will generate to break down the food. It’d be better this way too. You will be able to taste more of the good food in SEA. Taking smaller meals has also shown to be better for the body, figure-wise.
18. Spicy food and warm drinks
It is established at this point in the article that the human body perspires to keep the core temperature down. So to cool the body through sweating, we can fight fire with fire. Try eating spicy food and accompanied by a warm drink. This is done to raise the internal core temperature of the body, triggering the body to react, to cool itself by perspiring. It might seem counterintuitive, but the meal will cause you to sweat more, cooling the body down after the sweat evaporates off your skin. You’d get a lot of help from this department; a majority of the food in SEA is or can be made spicy.
19. Air-conditioned establishments
Because of how warm the climate is in SEA and Singapore, many of the malls and other establishments have air conditioning built-in. You’d immediately notice the stark difference between walking out or into a mall in Singapore. The air conditioning is generally set at full capacity.
This makes it really chilly and cold whilst indoors. This is mainly done to attract shoppers or customers to cool down and probably purchase a service or product. The cold in movie theatres and lecture halls is unbearable without outerwears.
Similarly, the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and buses in Singapore are equipped with really strong air conditioning too. So, if you’re feeling the heat, walk into an air-conditioned establishment to cool down.
20. Slower pace
A way to reduce the heat that the body generates will be to do things at a slower pace. The best representation will be to walk at a slower pace. You’d use less effort, putting less strain on your body to move faster, thus generating less heat. If you’re visiting Singapore or SEA, walking slower will mean spending more time and taking in more of the local culture too.
Hopefully, these tips are helpful. Have fun and hope you have a great time visiting SEA.