Not-So-Obvious Tips for First Time Visitors to Singapore – By a Local Resident

Singapore is smartly positioned as one of the most convenient places to visit in the world. With this kind of reputation, many travelers might be quick to dismiss by making little preparation or advance research before visiting the country. 

As a resident here, I have noted of the nuances which I think might benefit first-time visitors if they knew these points beforehand.

So without further ado, here are things to consider when coming to Singapore, from hotels to the type of clothes to bring. I tried my best to highlight those things which are not so obvious to travelers, especially first-timers.

Hotel Prices in Singapore are higher during weekends (unlike pre-pandemic days)

Before the pandemic, prices of hotel rooms had a tendency to be cheaper during weekends rather than weekdays (with the exception of properties in Sentosa) as Singapore depended heavily on corporate guests as well as those attending conventions and meetings. Since 2020 however, the local hospitality industry had somewhat effectively shifted to targeting locals and staycations have become heavily popular among Singaporeans since then. If you are visiting Singapore this year, expect to pay a premium if your stay crosses over the weekends. During these periods, you will see plenty of locals staying and leisure facilities such as the pool, spa and gym tend to be quite full as well. 

That being said, cheap hotels in Singapore are still not hard to come by. There are certain properties which will never be popular for staycations and these can be easily identified with their lack of amenities. These types of hotels don’t usually increase their room rates that much during weekends.

Get a Travel Pass

For those who are visiting Singapore for the first time, it might be more economical to purchase a travel pass especially if you intend to visit multiple attractions. The SG55 City Pass for example, includes a boat ride around Marina Bay as well as access to 2 tourist attractions such as Gardens by the Bay and Trick Eye Museum.

Singapore is hot and humid but it will be wise to be flexible and bring extra layers of clothing aside from just tropical attire

Singapore is a tropical country with temperatures rarely going below 24 degrees celsius. It might at first sound counterintuitive to bring extra layers of clothing but first-time visitors might not realize that Singapore is also known as the airconditioned nation. Practically every indoor space is airconditioned and locals tend to blast it to the coldest level. Tropical attire works best when outside or when relaxing in some alfresco space but when indoors, you might want to consider bringing a light jacket along if you are the type who feel cold easily.

Singapore is a Haven for Food Lovers but foreign visitors may need to be aware of the spice

Singapore is a foodie’s paradise where visitors can sample the cuisine of the country’s main ethnic groups – Chinese, Malays, Indian and Eurasian. Locals tend to take this for granted but many local dishes have varying levels of spice in them. If you come from a country where eating spicy food is not the norm, you may wish to familiarize yourself with the local cuisine before deciding what to order. Staples such as laksa, chili crab, otah, nasi lemak, bbq stingray, etc are spicy. There are other dishes where one can order non-spicy versions such as wanton mee, minced meat noodle and hokkien mee so do let the eatery know of your preference when ordering so that you can enjoy these sumptuous dishes without any issues.

Trying Local Coffee? You Need to Know the Lingo!

While western-style cafes abound in Singapore, the country also has a very localized coffee culture. If you intend to try some of the homegrown caffeine options, you need to be aware that you can’t just walk in and order an Americano or latte. You can check out this guide on the terminology to use when ordering coffee from a kopitiam.

Chope-ing is a way of life

Locals have a way of marking spaces in public areas such as hawker centers or food courts by placing a packet of tissue or a card on an empty table as a means of “reserving” it while they go and order food. There’s a local term for this called “chope” and it’s become an acceptable part of local culture. Before finding a place to sit, be mindful of these small objects. Seeing some on top means the table is no longer available.