Helpful Things to Know When Visiting Singapore

Posted by on May 10th, 2019 in All About Singapore | 0 comments

When visiting other countries, it is obviously important to get to know your destination before you’re even there. Singapore is an exciting place to go to, but there are a lot of things you need to know to make your visit as smooth as possible.

Singapore is generally safe
Singapore is considered the safest country in the world. Most of the crimes committed in Singapore are petty crimes like scams and pickpocketing, most commonly. So it does not necessarily mean that you should be care-free when in Singapore. It is safe, but not entirely crime-free.

Consider the weather
Being a tropical country, much of the weather in Singapore is dictated by the monsoon seasons. Basically, there’s dry weather earlier in the year and a wet season near the end. When they say dry weather, it’s not your simple “dry weather”, it’s going to be really hot. That is why flip flops, tank tops, and shorts are the typical go-to’s when walking around.

The transportation is great
You won’t have any problems not having a car in Singapore as a tourist. The subway system is quite reliable and can get you almost anywhere. Major areas and landmarks are connected through the train systems. Taxis, on the other hand, can have pros and cons. For one, you won’t have to worry about being scammed because taxis are regulated and metered. But, it can still get pretty expensive because of airport charges or highway tolls.

You’ll rarely get hungry
Food is a great part of Singapore’s culture given the diversity in the country. Hence, Singaporeans are very passionate when it comes to food. Along with all the tourist spots, it’s a grave mistake to not explore Singapore’s hawker center, food stalls, and restaurants. An added bonus is that many places also stay open day and night.

“Singapore is a Fine City”
Singaporeans and many tourists alike joke around with this statement as it has a double meaning. Singapore has been known to impose fines on so many things. If you think about it, it does make sense because they just want to discourage unpleasant behavior. There are fines for spitting, chewing gum, smoking in certain areas, littering, peeing in the elevators (this makes absolute sense!), and a lot more.

Tap water is safe to drink
The quality and standard of water in Singapore is very high. The tap water is clean and even safe to drink. Although that’s the case many Singaporeans still shun the idea of drinking tap water from hawker center or old coffee shops. Given that, you should still avoid being overly reliant.

Escalator etiquette
If in your country you follow a stand on the right, walk on the left rule, it’s the opposite in Singapore. You stand on the left. If you’re new to this concept, you’re basically just standing on one side of the escalator to allow those in a hurry to walk on the other side.