Essential Singapore
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ESSENTIAL SINGAPORE A savvy guide to maximising your visit A savvy guide to maximising your visit ESSENTIAL IMPORTANT 8 SINGAPORE ORCHARD ROAD INFORMATION 12 Drinking Water MARINA BAY & The water supplied by the Public Utilities Board (PUB), Singapore’s CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT (CBD) national water agency, to all faucets across the island is potable. Singapore treats water from its reservoirs, and also uses modern technology to recycle waste water into clean water once again. 16 CIVIC DISTRICT & CITY HALL Electricity Singapore’s power supply runs an alternating current of 220-240 volts at 50 hertz. Electricity is supplied to the entire island at all times of the day, and blackouts are extremely rare. 18 THE SINGAPORE RIVER Language Although Malay is the national language of Singapore, English is 20 the language of commerce and is spoken fluently by just about BRAS BASAH.BUGIS Shiok! the entire population. English, Malay, Mandarin, Tamil, other Indian languages and foreign languages are taught in schools, while the Chinese population also speaks dialects like Cantonese, Hakka, Hokkien and Teochew. wah Singlish (English influenced by Malay, Mandarin and Tamil sentence 22 Lah lau SENTOSA HARBOURFRONT structure and peppered with Chinese dialect) is a widely used form of communication among locals, whom you can ask to speak slower if their Singlish is too fast for you. 26 CHINATOWN Tipping Tipping is not common, as many Singaporean establishments onsistently ranked among the already include a 10% service charge. Increasingly, restaurants and world’s most business-friendly bars are giving customers the option to tip by omitting the service C charge. In this case, a 10% tip is appreciated. 30 countries by the World Bank, LITTLE INDIA Singapore is also one of the most culturally diverse nations WiFi in the world. WiFi is available at selected hotspots in popular tourist destinations, 32 MRT stations and even some bus routes. Need a mobile connection? Besides reigning as a global finance KAMPONG GLAM Pop into a hotel or cafe and chances are you will be welcome to tap and banking powerhouse, as well on the establishment’s WiFi. Alternatively, SIM cards with mobile as a hotbed for entrepreneurial data are inexpensive and widely available at convenience stores, initiatives, this rapidly advancing mobile phone shops and outlets of service providers. city-state persists at the forefront 36 KATONG & JOO CHIAT not just of urban-planning, but also entertainment, art, pop culture and, Currency Exchange of course, food and drink. Singapore uses the Singapore Dollar (abbreviated as SGD or S$). Money changers can be found in Changi Airport, shopping malls and 38 hotels. Automated teller machines (ATMs) across the country accept With a dizzing array of award- HOLLAND VILLAGE winning food choices, world-class major credit cards like Visa, MasterCard and American Express. retail options and annual citywide celebrations, from Chinese New Year to the Grand Prix Season Singapore, 40 GST Refund exciting moments come fast CHANGI Making a purchase of at least S$100 from participating outlets that display a and furious. So keep this guide 3 48 ”Tax Refund” or a ”Tax Free Shopping” logo IMPORTANT INFORMATION ITINERARIES handy and start exploring and entitles you to a refund of the 7% Goods TAX FREE 4 50 enjoying today. GETTING AROUND BUSINESS TOURS and Services Tax (GST). 6 51 Request a refund voucher when making your purchase, and present FAST FACTS MOBILE APPS this voucher at Changi Airport’s Tax Refund Counter, along with Published By: 42 52 MUST EAT CHANGI AIRPORT your purchases, receipts and passport, before you depart the country. 44 54 Visit www.customs.gov.sg for more information about the Tourist MUST BUY EVENTS & FESTIVALS www.asia-city.com.sg Refund Scheme. 46 MUST DO 2 3 A savvy guide to maximising your visit GET TING AROUND System map *Punggol Point PW3 PW2 Teck Lee* *Samudera PW4 PW1 Sam Kee Nibong PW5 Kranji Woodlands Sembawang Sumang PW6 7 NS7 NS8 NS9 NS10 NS11 PW7 Marsiling Admiralty Thanggam SW4 Soo Teck SW3 Kupang Punggol Fernvale SW5 NE17 PTC Yew Tee NS5 SW2 Farmway NS13 Yishun Damai Layar SW6 Ten Mile PE7 Junction SW1 Cheng Lim PE6 Oasis Tongkang SW7 BP14 11 PE1 SW8 Cove Jelapang Segar PE5 Kadaloor NS14 Bukit BP12 BP11 Khatib Renjong South Teck Meridian PE2 Panjang BP13 Senja View Whye Sengkang NE16 STC PE4 Riviera 2 Choa Chu Kang NS4 BP1 BP2 BP3 BP4 BP5 BP6 BP10 Fajar Coral Edge PE3 Keat Phoenix DT1 BP7 Petir NS15 Yio Chu Kang EW33 Hong Buangkok NE15 SE1 Compassvale Tuas Link BP8 BP9 DT2 Pending Bangkit Cashew SE2 Rumbia Hougang NE14 Ranggung SE5 EW32 Tuas West Road Hillview DT3 NS16 Ang Mo Kio NE13 SE3 To be commissioned Kovan Kangkar SE4 Bakau Bukit Gombak NS3 EW31 Tuas Crescent Beauty World DT5 Marymount Bishan Lorong Chuan Serangoon 1 CC16 NS17 CC15 CC14 NE12 CC13 EW1 King Albert Park DT6 Pasir Ris EW30 Gul Circle CC17 CC12 To be commissioned Caldecott NS18 Bartley Braddell Woodleigh NE11 DT7 Bukit Batok NS2 Sixth Avenue EW29 Joo Koon NS19 Stevens Toa Payoh CC11 Tai Seng EW2 Tampines Tan Kah Kee DT8 CC19 DT9 DT10 Botanic NE10 NS20 Potong Pasir EW28 Pioneer Gardens Novena CC10 MacPherson NE9 Boon Keng Lakeside Jurong East NS21 DT11 CC20 Newton EW3 EW27 EW26 EW25 NS1 EW24 Farrer Road Simei Boon Lay Chinese NE8 EW23 Clementi Farrer Park Paya Garden 4 Orchard NS22 Lebar Eunos Bedok EW8 CC9 EW7 EW6 EW5 EW4 CC21 Holland Village EW22 Dover NE7 DT12 Little India Kembangan Tanah Somerset NS23 EW9 Aljunied Merah 3 CC8 Dakota CG1 CG2 Buona Vista EW21 CC22 8 EW10 Kallang Expo DT13 Rochor Changi NS24 NE6 CC1 EW20 Dhoby Ghaut Airport Commonwealth CC7 EW11 Mountbatten one-north CC23 Lavender Queenstown EW19 CC2 EW12 DT14 Bugis CC6 Kent Ridge CC24 Bras Basah Stadium NE5 Clarke Quay Redhill EW18 12 CC5 Nicoll Highway Tiong Bahru EW17 Haw Par Villa CC25 NE4 DT19 Chinatown CC3 Esplanade Legend : DT15 CC4 Promenade Outram Park EW16 NE3 DT18 Telok Ayer City Hall EW13 NS25 Pasir Panjang CC26 Raffles Place EW14 NS26 DT16 CE1 Bayfront Tanjong EW15 Labrador Park CC27 Pagar Downtown DT17 Telok Blangah CC28 Near Station: Bus Interchange Cruise Centre HarbourFront NE1 CC29 Marina Bay NS27 CE2 Note: 6 9 10 Transfer at NS28 Marina South Pier for journeys to & from FOOTNOTE: 5 Please board the Sentosa Express at VivoCity Lobby L, Level 3 * Denotes station which is currently not in operation along existing lines Mass Rapid Transit System Map, C 2016 Singapore Buses Numbers to Note Buses travel to almost every part of the island and fares start from 78 cents with an Credit Card Services Emergency Hotlines EZ-Link card (a pre-paid card used by public transport commuters), and from S$1.40 for cash American Express: +65 6396-6000 Police: 999 fares. For information on bus routes and related enquiries, call the TransitLink Hotline at UnionPay: 800-860-0028 Ambulance/Fire Brigade: 995 1800-225-5663 or visit www.transitlink.com.sg. Diners Card: +65 6416-0800 Flight Information: 1800-542-4422 JCB: +65 6734-0096 Mastercard: 800-110-0113 Trains Visa: 800-448-1250 The world-class Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) trains here are air-conditioned and comfortable, and run from about 5:30am to midnight. Single trip Singapore Visitor Centre tickets for adults start from S$1.40 and can be purchased from vending machines You are welcome to drop by any of the Singapore Visitor Centres at these locations: at the stations. Or get a stored-value EZ-Link card and enjoy fares starting at just 216 Orchard Road (next to orchardgateway@emerald) 78 cents. For information, call the TransitLink Hotline at 1800-225-5663 or visit 8.30am-9.30pm daily www.transitlink.com.sg. ION Orchard Level 1 Concierge 10am-10pm daily Taxis Kreta Ayer Square, 2 Banda Street (behind the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum) 9am-9pm daily There are several major taxi companies and services in Singapore, many with their own hotlines and apps. Book a cab by calling Dial-A-Cab at 6342-5222. Alternatively, you can SMS "BOOK<space>six-digit postal code" to 71222. Fares start from S$3.20, and charges vary For any queries related to your stay, call Touristline at 1800-736-2000, Mon-Fri 9am-6pm. depending on type of taxi. Peak hour and tollway surcharges may apply. 4 5 A savvy guide to maximising your visit SINGAPORE IN NUMBERS 2 The area of Singapore— 719.1km it was 581.5km2 before land reclamation. Singapore has There are over About 6,800 flights land 500 START-UPS at Singapore’s BLK71 63 at and depart and JTC Launchpad, offshore from Changi both in Ayer Rajah Crescent, Singapore is one of only islands. Airport each affectionately called three sovereign city-states Singapore’s Silicon Valley. week, making in the world, the others being Singapore one Monaco and Vatican City. of the most connected cities in Asia. One of the largest in the world, the Fountain of Wealth at Suntec City Changi Airport occupies an area of connects 2 travellers to 1,683.07m . an amazing Singapore’s world cities. 164-ha Bukit Timah Nature Reserve has more tree There are more than species than in the entire Singapore is the 2nd North American most digitally connected 7,000 MNCs continent. country* in the world. in Singapore. *According to the 2016 Global Connectivity Index by Huawei. 6 7 A savvy guide to maximising your visit ORCHARD ROAD Once a plantation where fruit, nutmeg and pepper grew abundantly, the Orchard Road precinct became a massive shopping belt as retail powerhouses LES AMIS like heritage department stores TANGS and Robinsons set up along this 2.2km #01-16, Shaw Centre, 1 Scotts Road, stretch of road.