Singapore is a futuristic city-state, which is one of the five richest countries in the world. If you think that Asia is a constant hustle, bustle and low standards of living, Singapore will change your perception at once you step here. It is rather a city of the future, preserving the exotic and originality of the East.
Singapore is perfect for those who want to make the first acquaintance with Asia. It is more European and clear for the inexperienced travelers than, for example, China or Cambodia. Skyscrapers and wide traffic lines are adjacent to parks, the scheme of public transport is clear for tourists, and the city itself is adapted for walks and relaxed rest.
Visa
Visa is not needed for transit to the third country (up to 96 hours), otherwise it is necessary. Its cost is 30 Singapore dollars (approximately 23$).
The language barrier
In Singapore many people speak English fluently. It is one of the state languages as well as Chinese, Malay and Tamil. If you know English at least a little, you will not face any difficulties. But be prepared for a local accent.
Climate
The climate in Singapore is hot and humid. There is no winter and bad weather, the average annual temperature is 26 ° C. In November and January it rains more often, but tropical rainfall happens any month.
Such a climate brings certain inconveniences: it’s hot and hard to walk, you can burn in the sun. But in Singapore there are a lot of places where you can hide yourself from the stifling weather: in the shopping malls, parks, transport and public places there are air conditioners. When leaving the hotel, take a bottle of water with you and drink more, use sunscreen and wear a cap or a hat.
Local cuisine
In Singapore there is so called highly developed food culture. In the city there are more than 6 thousand stalls with street food and 27 Michelin restaurants. Delicious food is cooked everywhere. For example, Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle and Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle have Michelin stars.
The MA MAONON and Chihuly Lounge restaurants offer a 10% discount on the JCB card, and the Chatterbox and Shinsen Hanten restaurants – 15%.
Even the simplest dishes, pork noodles or chicken rice, will be cooked so that you want one more portion. Try lax – rice noodles with shrimps in coconut milk sauce or chili crab – crab with a fragrant tomato sauce. Do not be afraid to order food right in the street: local vendors monitor the freshness of products and the cleanliness of the kitchen.
Where to go
Gardens by the bay
It’s a natural park in Singapore with fantastic supertrees, a cloudy forest and a flower dome. In the evenings, the park hosts the free light show The Garden Rhapsody.
Singapore Zoo
It is considered as one of the best in the world. In the zoo you can go boating, take part in the show “Breakfast with an orangutan” or “Singapore’s night safari.”
Ferris wheel
This is a giant attraction the height of which is of 55-storey house.
A ticket for the Ferris wheel can be purchased at a 10% discount. To do this, pay the ticket with a JCB card.
Laser show at Marina Bay
The free Wonder Full show takes place every day at 20:00 and 21:30, and on Saturdays and Sundays at 23:00.
MegaZip ride in Mega Adventure Park
Enjoy a bungee flight over the jungle, beach and sea with a final stop on the opposite island.
To ride the MegaZip zip-line with a 30% discount, buy a ticket with the JCB card.
How to save on a trip
Stay at the hostel. In Singapore there are a lot of decent hostels located mainly in the city center, where you can rent a separate room with a shared shower and toilet. You can save an additional 10% on the JCB card by booking a room in the Trip.com application.
Attend free attractions. There are a lot of them in Singapore: the Botanical Garden, Chinatown, Gardens by the Bay, the city’s main mosque, the Marina Bay Sands Wonder Full show and the Gardens by the Bay light show.
Buy EZ-Link Pass. It is sold at the entrance to the subway and 7-Eleven supermarkets. For each trip you will save up to 0.4 Singapore dollars.
Dine on food courts in supermarkets and in hockey centers. These are food courts for local people with Chinese, Korean and Japanese dishes. Prices are several times lower than in cafes and restaurants.
Take a JCB card on a trip. It gives discounts and privileges in restaurants, bars and souvenir shops.
Hope you will enjoy your trip around Singapore and spend a great time there.
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