Singapore Guide > Travel Tips
Travel Tips
Like any other place of tourist destination, Singapore too has some specific set of rules that you must know before making a trip. Ensure the following tips to have a good stay in Singapore.
- You must have a valid passport and visa to get an entry to Singapore. You can apply at the respective country’s high commission or overseas missions. No visa required for a Commonwealth citizen, a British passport holder and a citizen of Republic of Ireland if he/she has to stay up to 14 days.
- From the time of their arrival, all onward visitors are required to have at least three month valid passport.
- The visitors must have sufficient funds for the duration of their stay in Singapore along with their return tickets. Business hours in Singapore are generally from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p. m. on Mondays to Fridays and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. during Saturdays. Usually shopping is daily allowed from 10 a. m. to 9:30 p.m.
- The currency of Singapore is the Singapore dollar(S$) and the coins of 1c, 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, and S$1 are also in use. The island uses notes in the denominations of S$2, S$5, S$10, S$50, S$100, S$500, and S$1,000 along with a S$10,000 note. You can change your currency at Changi Airport. Most of banks, hotels and shopping complexes also offer the money changing services.
- You can make IDD calls from many cards and credit card phones located at post offices and other such places in the city. Denominations of S$2, S$5, S$10, S$20, and S$50 are available in phone cards also. Although there is no city code for Singapore; the country code is 65.
- In case you fall sick in Singapore, you do not need to worry since the place is well-equipped with qualified doctors and dentists. Generally pharmacists work from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. with some open till 10 p.m. Most of the hotels too offer services of their own doctor on 24-hour call.
- Since Singapore has a moderate temperature throughout, you need to carry loose and light summer clothing. Except for formal business dining or at specified occasions, ‘smart casuals’ like long or short-sleeved shirts with trousers or skirts are usually acceptable. Business men too rarely wear suits due to tropic heat, but they usually wear ties.
- You need not to worry for drinking water facility as the city is one of the cleanest in the world.
- The language mostly spoken here is English, so you do not face problem while communicating or conducting business in Singapore.
- Remember to value time as business people here expect this. So be punctual for meetings and appointments. Take note that when they meet you for the first time, they give and receive business cards with both hands after the handshake. However, admire the card before you put it away.
- Tipping is not allowed in Singapore especially at the airport. If a 10% service charge is included in the bill, then tipping is surely discouraged.
- If you are visiting the city for the first time then you should be well aware about Singapore’s laws. Trafficking in narcotics is a severely punishable act here. Chewing-gum is strictly prohibited, even sale and importing is not allowed. It is illegal to smoke in air-conditioned areas while littering and jaywalking is quite offensive.
Having earned the distinction of being one of the most crime-free countries in world, Singapore is usually safe barring a few cases of pick-pocketing or purse snatching here and there. So it is better to avoid travel alone in night or in dark areas. However, remember to have all the emergency numbers in case you need them any time.
|
| |
|
