TRAVEL
TIPS
| Driving |
U.S
Driving Permit accepted |
| Currency |
(SGD)
Singapore Dollar |
| Electrical |
230 Volts |
| Telephones |
Country
Code 65, City Code, Bedok 624+5D, North 635+5D, |
Singapore
is much more expensive than other South-East Asian countries,
which may come as a shock if you are travelling on a shoestring
budget. You can still stay here without spending too much money,
as long as you can forego the temptation to run amok in the shops
or indulge in luxuries you may have craved while travelling in
less-developed Asian countries. It's possible to stay in Singapore
for US$25 a day, if you stay in hostels and eat cheaply. If you're
staying in mid-range hotels and eating at good restaurants, US$80
is a more realistic daily minimum.
All
major credit cards are widely accepted, although you're not going
to make yourself too popular after a hard bargaining session for
a new camera if you then try to pay for it with your Visa card.
ATMs are widespread, although it's probably still a good idea
to take cash and travellers' cheques for emergencies. You'll find
moneychangers in shopping centres all over Singapore.
Tipping
is not usual in Singapore: expensive hotels and restaurants may
impose a 10% service charge, and a gratuity is not expected in
excess of this. Bargaining is falling by the wayside, but tourists
should still expect to haggle for luxury items and souvenirs.
It is unnecessary to bargain for everyday goods or transport.
Attractions
Colonial
Singapore
The mark of Sir Stamford Raffles is indelibly stamped on central
Singapore. By moving the business district south of the river
and making the northern area the administrative centre, Raffles
created the framework that remained the blueprint for central
Singapore through generations of colonial rule and the republican
years of independence. Places of interest include: Empress Place
Building, an imposing Victorian structure, built in 1865, that
houses a museum, art and antique galleries and a chic restaurant;
the incongruous Padang, where flannelled cricketers once caught,
bowled and batted in the searing heat; Raffles Hotel, a Singaporean
institution which has become a byword for oriental luxury; and
any number of imposing churches, such as St Andrew's Cathedral
and the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd.
Chinatown
Chinatown is Singapore's cultural heart and still provides glimpses
of the old ways with its numerous temples, decorated terraces
and its frantic conglomeration of merchants, shops and activity.
Unfortunately much of Chinatown has been torn down and redeveloped
over the past 30 years. Faithful restoration by the Urban Redevelopment
Authority has saved some parts but it has also posed a new threat,
since the restored buildings are now desirable properties commanding
high rents, and traditional businesses - such as shops selling
incense to temple worshippers, letter writers and chop (stamp)
makers - are moving out and a new gentrified Chinatown of fashionable
restaurants and expensive shops is taking its place. It's still
a fascinating place to explore though, especially in the early-morning
hours when activity is more pronounced. The Thian Hock Keng Temple
in Chinatown is arguably the most interesting in Singapore.
Arab
St
The Muslim centre of Singapore is a traditional textile district,
full of batiks from Indonesia, silks, sarongs and shirts. Add
to this mix rosaries, flower essences, hajj caps, songkok hats,
basketware and rattan goods, and you have a fair idea of the products
haggled over in this part of the city. The grand Sultan Mosque
is the biggest and liveliest mosque in Singapore, but the tiny
Malabar Muslim Jama-ath Mosque is the most beautiful. There's
fine Indian Muslim food along nearby North Bridge Rd and the foodstalls
on Bussorah St are especially atmospheric at dusk during Ramadan.
Little
India
This modest but colourful area of wall-to-wall shops, pungent
aromas and Hindi film music is a relief from the prim modernity
of many parts of the city. Centred around the southern end of
Serangoon Rd, this is the place to come to pick up that framed
print of a Hindu god you've always wanted, eat great vegetarian
food and watch streetside cooks fry chapatis. The Zhujiao Centre
is the main market, but there are also interesting spice shops
nearby. The best temples are Veerama Kali Ammam, Sri Srinivasa
Perumal and the glitzy Temple of 1000 Lights.
Orchard
Rd
This is the area where the high-class hotels predominate. It is
also the domain of Singapore's elite, who are lured by the shopping
centres, nightspots, restaurants, bars and lounges. A showcase
for the material delights of capitalism, Orchard Rd also possesses
some sights of cultural interest where a credit card is not required.
Jurong
Jurong Town, west of the city centre, is a huge industrial and
housing area that is the powerhouse of Singapore's economy. This
might seem an unlikely spot for a number of Singapore's tourist
attractions but it is home to the Haw Par Villa (an incredibly
tacky Chinese mythological theme park), the beautifully landscaped
Jurong Bird Park, Chinese & Japanese Gardens and the hands-on
Singapore Science Centre.
Sentosa
Island
Considered the granddaddy of Singapore's parks, Sentosa Island
is the city-state's most visited attraction, especially on weekends.
It has museums, aquariums, beaches (with imported sand), sporting
facilities, walks, rides and food centres. And if a day isn't
enough to take in all the sites and activities, the island has
a camping ground, hostel and luxury hotels.
