Planning to travel to Singapore? Here are 10 mental preparations you should make first.

By / Trend Magazine

If you’re planning to visit Singapore, here are 10 basic mental preparations you should understand..

1. Everything is expensive
It’s not entirely wrong, but compared to Hong Kong and Macau, the cost of living here is quite noticeable — you can definitely afford it if you choose the right places and items. Hawker centers are naturally affordable and high quality, Orchard Road often has discounts up to 70%, and some high-end restaurants and hotels are relatively reasonable in price.

I’ve had buffet meals at hotels that cost just over 70 Singapore dollars with unlimited lobster and tiger prawns, and French brunch at the Michelin-level L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon for just 50 Singapore dollars. Keep an eye out for special deals at restaurants.

Also, tourists will be happy to know that local taxis aren’t expensive (just pay attention to the car type rates), and in the end, if you’re traveling with two or three people, you can almost skip the subway.

2. No winter clothing for sale
Of course they sell winter clothing — long-sleeve leather jackets, wool coats, etc., are all available, and at reasonable prices. Don’t forget that Singaporeans go to the Arctic for New Year’s, and besides, movie theaters can get really cold.

3. It’s hot, so you don’t need to pack long sleeves

Don’t pack them and you’ll freeze. Malls, indoor spaces, public transport like taxis and buses are all icy cold. Compared to power-and-temperature-restricted Taipei, Singapore’s average temperature is definitely lower, and the sea breeze at night adds a cool touch. For this reason alone, I’d consider moving to Singapore in the summer.

4. Singapore is overly clean
Depends on your perspective. Generally, you rarely see piles of trash, messy construction sites, or dusty buildings and cars, but it’s not so obsessively clean as to be unbearable. You’ll still spot some trash, dirt, and cigarette butts in small corners and stairwells — a small comfort for those used to Taiwan’s messier streets.

5. You can’t jaywalk
It’s best not to, but if you see foreigners crossing illegally, just follow them. I’m lazy and impatient — which is to say, I’m both — and I often cross wherever I want. Usually, nothing happens. But honestly, there aren’t many opportunities to be rebellious since the city has plenty of convenient underground passages and mall-subway connectors that are cool and shaded. Why bother?

6. You can’t just hail a taxi
In the city center or big malls, regular taxis usually won’t stop. You need to find a Taxi Stand. But it’s much easier to hail one in slightly more suburban areas (and by “slightly suburban” in Singapore, we still mean central) or at night. So don’t worry about getting back from a bar at midnight — you don’t have to hunt for official taxi stands. Just flag down an empty cab, and you’re rarely turned down.

7. Police are everywhere
Strange — I’ve been to Singapore seven or eight times, and I still can’t tell you what Singaporean police look like.

8. There’s no nightlife

You underestimate the people who live in Singapore. Do you think these finance professionals go to nightclubs and bars, or churches to read scripture? Singapore has nightlife — lots of it — and tons of bars. There are even entire streets dedicated to clubs, just as lively as Bangkok, Lan Kwai Fong, or Xintiandi. But there are even more strapless beauties and exotic vibes, water pipes in the air, endless drinks and food, and you don’t have to worry about getting drugged.

9. Cold Singaporeans

They may not be used to expressing emotions and can seem reserved at first, but Singaporeans aren’t so direct. As long as you give off a harmless vibe, you’ll find their warmth — it’s actually quite touching, even a bit nosy at times.

Taxi drivers are all chatty and love giving recommendations. One even got upset because I didn’t want to go to Bugis. The vibe at small eateries is especially warm — they always recommend other places to eat, carrying on the hospitality of the older generation of Chinese, always willing to share their likes (or dislikes) about Singapore. That’s the real Singapore, isn’t it?

10. It’s such a small place, two or three days is enough
Singapore covers 718 square kilometers (and it’s growing every year). Taipei is only 271 square kilometers. Do you think two or three days is enough to explore Taipei? Or would visiting only the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, the National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine, or Taipei 101 really give you the full Taipei experience? Singapore has several districts and countless neighborhoods. I spent a whole day just at the zoo. Little India — shopping and eating — takes up two-thirds of a day easily.