Singapur

Important Travel Information

• •Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay: Marina Bay Sands is Singapore's most iconic building - massive integrated resort with three 55-story hotel towers connected by SkyPark (rooftop terrace shaped like surfboard, 340m long, 191m high). SkyPark features infinity pool (world's largest rooftop pool, exclusively for hotel guests - one reason people book expensive rooms $300-600/night to access pool), observation deck (open to public $26 SGD / $19 USD, 360° views over Singapore), and restaurants/bars. The building is architectural marvel and symbol of modern Singapore. Adjacent Gardens by the Bay (sprawling 101-hectare garden) features Supertree Grove (16 artificial 'trees' 25-50m tall, metal structures covered with plants, lit up nightly with sound-and-light show 7:45pm and 8:45pm - free viewing from ground), Cloud Forest and Flower Dome conservatories (climate-controlled glass domes - Cloud Forest has indoor mountain and waterfall 35m tall; Flower Dome showcases Mediterranean and semi-arid plants; combined entry $53 SGD / $39 USD), and OCBC Skyway (aerial walkway between Supertrees, $14 SGD). Gardens by the Bay is stunning modern garden blending nature and technology - free entry to outdoor gardens, ticketed for conservatories. Marina Bay area also includes Merlion (Singapore's symbol - half-fish, half-lion statue), Marina Bay waterfront promenade, F1 street circuit, and ArtScience Museum. Evening visits recommended (Supertree light shows, cooler weather).
• •Hawker Centers and Food Paradise: Singapore is food paradise - from Michelin-starred restaurants to $3 hawker stalls. Hawker centers are open-air complexes with dozens of food stalls selling affordable Chinese, Malay, Indian, and fusion dishes. Famous hawker centers: Lau Pa Sat (downtown, Victorian-era market building), Maxwell Food Centre (Chinatown, Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice - Michelin Bib Gourmand stall, $4-5 plates with 1-hour queues), Newton Food Centre (seafood stalls - avoid tourist touts pushing expensive menus, check prices first), Tekka Centre (Little India, South Indian food), Chomp Chomp (local favorite, satay and BBQ). Must-try dishes: Hainanese chicken rice (national dish - poached chicken, fragrant rice, $3-5), char kway teow (flat noodles with seafood, $4-6), laksa (spicy coconut noodle soup, $4-6), satay (grilled meat skewers with peanut sauce), nasi lemak (coconut rice with sambal, $3-5), roti prata (Indian flatbread, $1-2), chili crab (iconic but expensive $40-80 at seafood restaurants - more affordable at hawker-style places $20-30). Hawker etiquette: find table first (place tissue packet to 'chope' - reserve table, uniquely Singaporean practice), order from multiple stalls, return trays to designated areas. Hawker meals typically $3-8; full dinner $10-15. Singapore also has high-end dining - several restaurants hold Michelin stars (Joel Robuchon, Odette, Burnt Ends, etc., $150-400+ per person). Food courts in malls offer air-conditioned hawker-style dining (slightly more expensive $5-12). Singapore's multicultural cuisine reflects Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Peranakan (Straits Chinese) heritage - eating is national pastime.
• •Strict Laws and Fines: Singapore is famous for strict laws earning nickname 'fine city' (both excellent and expensive fines). Key laws tourists must know: chewing gum banned (cannot import, sell, or consume - exception for therapeutic gum with doctor's prescription; violators face fines $500-1,000 SGD / $370-740 USD; introduced 1992 after gum disrupted MRT trains); littering illegal (fines $300-1,000 SGD, repeat offenders may be sentenced to Corrective Work Order - picking up litter in public wearing bright vest); smoking banned in most public places (designated smoking areas only - not in bus stops, near buildings, parks; fines $200-1,000; cigarettes expensive $13-15 per pack); jaywalking illegal (cross at designated crossings only; fines $20-500 if caught - rarely enforced but legal); feeding pigeons illegal (fines up to $500); eating/drinking on MRT trains banned (fines $500). Drug laws extremely harsh - trafficking carries mandatory death penalty (even small amounts of certain drugs); possession results in long prison sentences and caning. Vandalism punished with imprisonment and caning (American teenager Michael Fay received international attention 1994 when caned for vandalism). Caning is judicial corporal punishment involving striking buttocks with rattan cane - painful and leaves scars; applied for various offenses including vandalism, robbery, drug offenses, overstaying visa. Singapore enforces laws strictly - police present, CCTV everywhere, society orderly. Laws contribute to Singapore's exceptional cleanliness, safety, and order but limit personal freedoms compared to Western countries. Respect laws - ignorance not excuse; fines substantial and strictly enforced.
• •Changi Airport and Efficiency: Singapore Changi Airport consistently ranks as world's best airport (Skytrax awards multiple years). The airport features shopping, dining, entertainment (movie theater, butterfly garden, rooftop pool, themed gardens), efficient connections, and legendary service. Jewel Changi (opened 2019) is architectural marvel - glass dome with world's tallest indoor waterfall (40m high, 10,000 m² of gardens, canopy park with attractions, luxury shopping and dining). Transit passengers can enjoy free Singapore tours (Heritage Tour, City Sights Tour - 2.5 hours, free for transit passengers with 5.5+ hours layover - register at iChangi counters). Changi reflects Singapore's efficiency and attention to detail. Beyond airport, Singapore's public transport system is world-class: MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) subway covers island efficiently ($0.90-2.50 SGD / $0.70-1.85 USD per trip depending on distance; buy EZ-Link card for easy tap-and-go, $10 card with $5 stored value at stations); buses extensive (same EZ-Link card); taxis and Grab (Southeast Asian Uber) convenient ($10-30 typical fares across city). Singapore is small - crossing island takes 45 minutes by car. Everything is organized, clean, on-time, and English-language accessible. First-time Asia travelers find Singapore comforting mix of Asian culture and Western efficiency.
• •Costs and Practical Information: Singapore is expensive by Asian standards but manageable with planning. Budget: $60-100/day possible (hostels $25-45/night, hawker food $15-25/day, public transport $5-10/day). Mid-range: $150-250/day (hotels $80-150/night, mix of hawker and restaurants $40-70/day, activities). Luxury: $400+/day (upscale hotels $200-500+/night, fine dining, attractions). Accommodation: hostels $20-50/night, budget hotels $60-120, mid-range $120-250, luxury $250-800+. Activities: Gardens by the Bay conservatories $39, Marina Bay Sands observation deck $19, Universal Studios $70, Singapore Zoo $35-40, Night Safari $45, river cruises $15-30. Alcohol expensive (beer $8-15 at bars, cocktails $15-30) due to high taxes; cheaper at supermarkets. Singapore dollar (SGD): approximately 1 USD = 1.35 SGD, 1 EUR = 1.45 SGD. Credit cards widely accepted. English is primary language (all signs, menus, services). Best time to visit: year-round (tropical climate, hot and humid 25-32°C / 77-90°F constantly); wettest November-January; Chinese New Year (January-February) sees crowds and higher prices; avoid F1 Grand Prix week (September) unless attending (hotels expensive, booked out). Singapore is clean, safe (virtually no crime - walk anywhere anytime safely), organized, and ultra-modern - ideal for first-time Asia travelers, short city breaks, or Southeast Asia gateway combining Western comforts with Asian culture.