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Singapore is famous – rightly so – for its eclectic cuisine, best experienced at a hawker centre Food courts might look drab and lack air con, but you can’t beat ’em for delish local fare. Dig in Mad dogs and Englishmen... there are two types of weather here: wretchedly hot and humid or wretchedly hot, humid and raining Have a packaway umbrella with you at all times, plus a towelling bra, absorbent underpants, sunnies and plenty of talcum powder. You have been warned Changi Airport to CBD by taxi: 30 mins / ~SG$20-30 Cabs are affordable, but vanish in rain and peak hours, most take credit cards (10% surcharge), advance booking fees are a pricey $8 (see V. Useful) The ERP road toll system means you will be subjected to fare add-ons during peak hours The island-wide MRT is admirably fast and efficient – perfect for when taxis are as scarce as hen’s teeth English is widely spoken, lah The currency is the Singapore dollar, and there are banks and ATMS everywhere No smoking in restaurants, bars or hawker centres A 10% service charge is added at most restaurants and bars. Tipping isn’t expected Not all stores do GST rebates, but if they do, you’ll be given a form to hand in at the airport GST counter Mall, mall, mall, mall. This town needs another shopping centre like Kanye needs an ego boost International calling code for Singapore is +65 Dial 100 for directory enquiries; 104 for int’l Emergency numbers: police 999; fire/ambulance 995

These Singlish phrases will have you talking like a local...

Hello, lah / Bye-bye, lah : Hello / Goodbye Don’t talk cock, can? : Would you mind not talking such rubbish? ...’kay, let’s party