Anybody here been to Singapore?

[MilesColtrane]

I'm going next month.

I'd appreciate any "can't miss" tips.

[TreasonousBastard]

1. Do NOT chew gum.

[MilesColtrane]

3. Or, litter, jaywalk, or fail to flush a public toilet

Yeah, those cats like their laws like Republicans....stiff and petty.

[KamaAina]

5. Or eat a durian in the subway

a delicious fruit (or so I've heard) that happens to stink to high heaven.

[MilesColtrane]

8. That looks like a tribble with a an outie to me.

[KamaAina]

9. Or a hand grenade

whuich, I assume, is also banned in the Singapore subway. :-)

[NewJeffCT]

11. I can verify that durians reek - and then some

I was driven from the room once when my wife & a friend of her had a durian. The smell was so bad I could not enjoy the taste.

[MilesColtrane]

13. I've never smelled one, but there are some colorful descriptions on Wiki.

"like eating sweet raspberry blancmange in the lavatory."

Chef Andrew Zimmern compares the taste to "completely rotten, mushy onions."

] Anthony Bourdain, a lover of durian, relates his encounter with the fruit as thus: "Its taste can only be described as...indescribable, something you will either love or despise. ...Your breath will smell as if you'd been French-kissing your dead grandmother."

Travel and food writer Richard Sterling says, "... its odor is best described as pig-shit, turpentine and onions, garnished with a gym sock.

[XemaSab]

2. If you go through the turnstyle sideways

you're going to Bangkok.

[MilesColtrane]

6. You think that's funny? What's sumatra you!?

[AngryAmish]

4. Maybe you can spray-paint some cars while reading the Economist?

[MilesColtrane]

7. If I'm looking for a little hot caning action, I'll...

make an appointment with Mistress Sophia thank you very much.

[RFKHumphreyObama]

10. I lived in Singapore for ten years during the 80s

The problem with Singapore is that it changes so rapidly that what was there one year may be gone the next

It's a lovely place to visit though. Lots of cultural diversity, good shopping and nice places to visit. Clean, modern and efficient but it can be expensive unless you know where to look for cheap prices. It's usually very good value for money though

Rather than drawing on my sometimes faulty memory, which may be out of date anyway, I recommend this link.
http://wikitravel.org/en/Singapore

I do recommend visiting the island of Sentosa, exploring the various cultural hubs of the various ethnic communities (including Little India and Chinatown) and sampling some of the various local cuisines. Singapore Zoo is a great place to visit, although unfortunately Ah Meng, the orangutan with whom you could have breakfast, is no longer alive.

I loved growing up there and am sure that you'll enjoy visiting there! Have fun!

[MilesColtrane]

12. Thanks.

I'll check out the link.

:hi:

[HERVEPA]

14. The Botanical Gardens (nt)

[MilesColtrane]

16. I hear that they are incredible.

[HERVEPA]

19. Yes they are!

[cordelia]

15. I haven't been in a while

But check out Bugis Street.

Also, the new Marina Bay Sands Hotel opened recently with an infinity pool at the top - 55 stories up. Might want to check that out.

[MilesColtrane]

17. Is Bugis Street still the transtastic center of Singapore?

I would have thought that the government would have cracked down on such free expression.

I've seen photos of the infinity pool and it's a little disconcerting for my inner acrophobic. Still, I may check it out.

[JI7]

18. i went 3 years ago

but was there just a couple days or so.

if you are going for a long time you might want to do the city tour thing on the first or 2nd day just to get an overview of the place and learn some history facts etc. you might see places you would like to come back to and spend more time in.

they have a zoo that is open at night. after that the ride through part of the zoo you can walk around the trails. if you are really into this you should go on your own rather than with a tour group since you might be limited in time with the group.

the botanical gardens for sure. this also might be better to go on your own than tour since you want the freedom to spend as much time as you like there.

but mostly just take in the place, culture etc.

if i went there for a longer period of time i would just walk around and enjoy seeing people, sites etc.

the cabs are cheap from what i remember and they are available everywhere and easily so use those to get around.

they have good food also. avoid mcdonalds, kfc, and all the american chains. we went to an indian restaurant that served food on a banana leaf. it was really good.

[Orrex]

20. We sail tonight for Singapore

Don't fall asleep while you're ashore.

[Jean Louise Finch]

21. EAT!

Oh, glorious Singapore. You should have as the top priority for your trip the consumption of absolutely anything that looks remotely appealing. I ate non-stop for five days while I was there, and no doubt it was the best eating of my life (and I lived in Thailand for more than three years). I think they have the best food in the world: Malaysian, Chinese, Indian, etc. Every influence under the sun. Some key things to eat:

Laksa (for breakfast, lunch and dinner, it is this spicy, coconutty noodle soup that may be the most perfect food on earth)
Nasi lemak (a rice dish with fried anchovies, pickle, curry, and everything good)
Mee goreng
Kaya toast with soft boiled eggs

Oh, the list goes on and on and on. Everything is SO good. Be not afraid of the Hawker stalls - they are your friend! Unlike other places in Asia, they tend to cluster together in big hawker food centers, so you get to wander around and see what looks appetizing and fits your needs.

And mentioned above, you must try Durian. I love it, but even if you don't, it's worth it to just say that you tried it. And eat every other fresh fruit you can find.

I am now starving.

[MilesColtrane]

23. Thanks.

Fried scorpion, here I come.

[bikebloke]

22. I was there in the mid-80's.

Just a couple days between flights. It was hot and humid. Yet they had christmas decorations up with fake frost sprayed on the windows. I had come from Nepal, India and Burma, so it was just a big modern city. They were razing the older parts of town that had character. Probably nothing left by now.

Take a gander at Raffles. Walk in like you own the place or least staying there. if you're a drinker, then (I'm not) go to the bar for the famous Singapore Sling (where it was created). There's a Tiger Balm park (I skipped that).

The food halls were good places for cheap food. Along the backpacker trail, people said you could get cheap electronics and music on cassette tapes (those were dirt cheaper in Indonesia). But I didn't see any difference in prices.

Or just go walkabout and explore.

There are some Singapore shots in my photo/video of the trip:
http://veloroo.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html

[MilesColtrane]

24. re:Raffles and a Singapore Sling

Capital idea.

[musette_sf]

26. I've done that

and I too recommend the experience.

[musette_sf]

27. I've done that

and I too recommend the experience.

[yawnmaster]

25. be prepared to enjoy eating...

go to different areas and try the food.
Eat some durian.
Try the Orchard Towers at night.
Spend an afternoon/evening at the riverfront.
Eat some seafood.
Eat some Indian food.
Eat some Chinese food.
Try some Malaysian food.
Eat some durian cookies.

[InvisibleTouch]

28. Just to the airport.

Very modern, great shops. That's all I can really tell you.

[kimi]

29. This isn't much help

but I went there when I was about 12, when we lived in Bangkok during the Vietnam war. (My dad was stationed at the US embassy in Bangkok.) I vividly remember the Tiger Balm Gardens and also going to the Raffles Hotel. The Raffles? - even as a non-drinking kid, I could see that it was a special place. Lots of neat shops everywhere too. Also, the flight there from Bangkok, I'd never met such nice flight attendants on, I believe it was Singapore Airlines. A kid remembers that sort of thing. Have a great time! :)