Singapore Tourist Tips

This is Friday, our last full day in Singapore before our next adventure begins. I’ve learned a few things that will be helpful to anyone planning a trip to Singapore. As I sit by the pool sipping a cool one, here it is:

1. There are no ATM’s in hotels or tourist spots, such as zoos, bird sanctuaries, etc. Plan ahead! There are ATM’s in malls.

2. If you have traveled to several countries, keep each country’s money separate so you don’t give a Singapore taxi driver Hong Kong money.

3. Eat local. There’s plenty of McDonald’s, Subways, Tony Roma’s, California Pizza Kitchen’s and Starbucks to keep you feeling like you never left home. The local Malaysian, Chinese and Indiana food is excellent, plentiful and cheap. You are bound to find something you will like.

4. Practice using chopsticks before you leave home. Someone can find you a fork and spoon if you ask, but it isn’t always readily available.

5. Knives are only used at the hotel dining rooms. You won’t need one for your meals here.

6. Towels in bathrooms or napkins with your food are scarce. Carry Kleenex or a small wash cloth.

7. If the weather is clear, it is HOT! Carry a wash cloth to wipe the sweat away.

8. If the bathroom stall has a squat toilet, check the other stalls. There’s probably at least one western toilet in the bathroom.

9. Women should bring a long scarf or shawl to cover their shoulders if they plan to visit mosques or temples. Sometimes there’s a bin with extras, sometimes not.

10. If you are with a male and only he is allowed to take pictures in the temple, let it go. It isn’t the time to assert your independence.

11. You probably won’t need a converter for your Blackberry or computer since they run on 220-240v but you may need an adaptor. Our hotels supplied adaptors.

12. Hotel room doors have security chains inside the door. Very efficient.

13. Four is an unlucky number. Few buildings have a 4th floor.

14. No need to tip since it isn’t expected. As one Australian tourist said, “nobody but those bloody Americans tip. Can’t they see the 10% added to the bill!”

15. Bring an umbrella and use it in the rain (and the sun) to keep you dry. Everyone does.

16. It rains briefly and then dries up. Pray for rain. It cools the place off. This is a tropical island.

17. Mall stores are everywhere. In the USA all malls have the same stories from Maine to Hawaii. Here, the malls have stores from all over the world. Consumerism runs amuck.

18. Buy, buy, buy but there’s few deals to be had except in Chinatown, India and Arab enclaves and those good can be of questionable quality. The exchange rate is not good for anyone but the Japanese who love Singapore prices.

19. The hotel rooms have light panels to control all the lights. Cool. But be sure to bring your glasses.

20. The hotel privacy/do not disturb light glows outside your door. Nice touch.

21. Taxis can refuse to take you anywhere they do not want to go. Don’t argue. Wait for the next taxi, or head to the closest hotel and ask the concierge for one but be warned, some hotels require you to produce a room key for such service.