Tips & Tricks for your visit to Singapore

Going for a short trip to Singapore and want to make most out of it? These are my tips and tricks for maximizing the fun and minimizing the hassle.

Getting to and from airport

While you can get to and from the airport with transportation, it really does take a long time and typically involves at least one change of trains. So, especially if you’re travelling with more people or have a lot of luggage, I highly recommend taking a taxi which should cost roughly 25€ if you’re staying in downtown Singapore.

All taxis are metered and overall it’s always safe to hop on an official taxi.

Getting around with Taxis

While getting around with taxis is fast and affordable, there are three important things to note:

1. Getting a taxi during rush hour may take a while so if you are pressured with time, order one in advance through one of the apps or calling one. Detailed instructions and options can be found here. During our trip we mostly used calling to ComfortDelgro taxis.
2. In the city center, taxis can only pick up people at designated areas, and you can also only call a cab to these pick-up points. Check the list here.
3. If you visit Sentosa in the evening and especially after the Wings of Time light show, prepare for a really really long lines or order a taxi with an app / calling (see point 1 above). Otherwise it may take up to an hour to gt a taxi.

Getting most out of Attractions & Restaurants

Singapore is super popular with tourists and lines and crowds at most attractions get really long. Given the heat, waiting in lines can be even more frustrating than usual. To manage this there are two main tips:

1. Go as early  in the morning as possible
2. Buy your tickets in advance e.g. through GetYourGuide, Klook, or GoVoyagin. Typically this means you not only get your ticket at a cheaper price (typically upto 10% discount) but you also avoid lines. I found there being good availability for most activities even on the day before, but if you know your program it’s always good to book early.

For things to see, see my recommendations here.

For restaurants, make sure to book the best ones early. Especially the ones with a view typically require being reserved even weeks in advance. For booking, I recommend using Chope.

Climate & managing the heat

Singapore is one of the most hot and humid cities and if you’re not used to it you’re going to feel it. I spend large part of my year in Hong Kong and still I thought Singapore was hot even though it was “only” 33C when we were there. So prepare with these tips:

• Always carry a water bottle. You can buy water anywhere, or you can fill in your empty bottle with tap water which is drinkable in Singapore.
• Use a strong sun block that is intended for sports as you will be sweating a lot – and put it on well before going out
• Use a hat to protect from the sun along with loose clothing

Singapore laws

There’s a reason why Singapore is so clean and functional: they are very strict at monitoring their laws. However, if you’re a normal tourist and leave your chewing gum behind and otherwise behave well, there’s nothing to worry.

Here the most important things to note:

• It’s illegal to bring chewing gum or e-cigarettes to the country
• Littering and smoking in some public places will get you fined
• Drinking and disorderly behavior not allowed in public and may get you into jail
• No eating or drinking allowed in public transport or the stations

What else?

Singapore is an amazing city so I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

And if I forgot something essential from my tips, feel free to comment!