Singapore Things to Do Tips by stmlnyc

English is spoken; most everyone in Singapore is at least bilingual. It's a colorful mix of Chinese (all taught Mandarin), Tamil Indians, and Malays and there are a wide variety of foods to try. (Note: bring your own napkins/tissue paper, local eateries tend not to provide them, and try the ice desserts--shaved ice with various toppings).

The Chinatown is being developed and replaced by large shopping malls and restaurants. Temple Street, however, still retains some of the old world charm with outdoor bazaars and sidewalk eateries.

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Little India is a compact area full of Indian restaurants, shops, and wonderfully colorful temples.

The main street is a short walk from the Little India MRT stop. It gets quite busy and hectic at night, so for a quieter stroll, try going before noon.

The different groups in Singapore seem to
get along (same as in Malaysia) at least that is what the government wants to portray with happy ads and annoucements in the different languages.

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Singapore isn't as clean as you would think,
especially in certain ethnic neighborhoods, although it is purportedly the cleanest in Asia (which may not be saying much!).

But along Arab Street, it is especially clean with quaint textile stores and restaurants. The Sultan Mosque is the spiritual center of the Muslim community in Singapore made up mostly of Indonesians.

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You'll see the statue of Sir Stamford Raffles, founder of modern Singapore along the Clarke and Boat Quay.

I didn't notice any homeless or police officers in Singapore, there are suppose to be patrol
cameras in public areas. For a city-state that just recently prohibited Cosmopolitan and Sex and the City, it does allow Maxim, FHM and other 'sexy' mags, of course no pornography or other 'immoral' products are
unavailable, same in Malaysia.

There is no 'sin' in Singapore...wonder what Sir Stamford Raffles would think of the city he created, especially given its formerly sinful reputation.

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Singapore Zoo is world class and features
orangutans and white tigers; the Night Safari and Botanical Gardens are supposed to be good.

There is no direct MRT connection so you'll need to take a bus to Singapore Zoo. For a discounted deal, buy an entry ticket to both the zoo and the Night Safari...its a good way to spend a full day.

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Sentosa Island is a pretty beach resort and park, although you can see oil refineries and freight carriers not far from the swimming areas. Be sure to see:

Underwater World, the highlight of which is a moving walkway were sea creatures would be swimming all around you.
Images of Singapore museum, an excellent displays of the history of Singapore, seem very focused on WWII though.
Fort Siloso, a nicely designed tour of a colonial era fort.

I would skip the Dolphin Lagoon, the show is geared more towards small children, I found it a bit lame).

And of course, dont forget the nice beaches, Siloso Beach is probably the busiest, right next to Underwater World.

There are free color coded circular buses that takes you to the different attractions but the tram is a nicer way to view the island and its attractions.

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