20 Things You Need to Know about Singapore [#shookt Moments for a Filipino Tourist]

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Hooray! My trip to Singapore, being my first outside the country vacay, was definitely one of the most unforgettable trips that gave me a chance to see a different perspective of the world. No matter how well-traveled one could become, one still gets that naive-childlike feels; well, especially for me that I have not been very exposed to different cultures. Reading blogs and watching videos could never be parallel with being actually there. Sure I've read a lot of how-to's and tips in getting around the city but I still had my share of #shookt moments.



I certainly won't compare Philippines and Singapore in this blog because I'd be comparing oranges and apples in that case. Each country would always have somewhat an upper hand on a particular category so I'll be sharing the top #shookt moments I and my friends had in Singapore. 

#shookt here means bewildered, amazed, shocked, stupefied and other emotions that correspond to the word surprised (in a nice way).

1. They apologize for one-minute delay of their MRT. 

We were absolutely taken aback by how efficient their transport system is. Among the three public transpo, MRT was our favorite [more exciting than Universal Studios' rides]. Since we were ona DIY trip, we made use of the MRT to go around the city and we didn't regret our choice; we fell in love with the MRT! We even found it funny how they were so apologetic for a minute of delay but  we realized how they value so much everyone's time. Even during a rush hour, we never experienced long queues or pushing our way through. Everything seemed so orderly and everyone is so disciplined to always walk on the right lane and to give way to other passengers. This is definitely one thing in SG that other Asian countries should benchmark.


2. You don't get a change for your bus fare. 

Because we opted to use the public transpo all throughout our stay in SG, a friend advised us to get the EZ Link card so we could just tap and ride. That was pretty convenient, I'd say. It made our lives easier really! However, on our first day we had to take the bus to Punggol Station from Sengkang (where we stayed). The bus was the nearest option that we had to get a card in going to Harbourfront. As we boarded on the bus, we never knew that we had to tap a card, otherwise drop the fare in a coin container (like a still bank) until the driver called our attention in a way we didn't understand LOL. Thanks to our friend (SG resident) who saved us and dropped the fare for us. #shookt but grateful

after 48 years of trying to figure out how to use the machine :p

3. No buses and MRTs after midnight. 

We had an impression that MRT operates 24/7 [lol] so we had to take a taxi back to our hotel after strolling the streets of SG and seeing the mystical lights of the Gardens by the Bay. The taxi fare wasn't so expensive as we thought it would be but the taxi we took from Changi Airport cost more since it was a seven-seater. That was the only available ride then since we arrived at around midnight.

4. Don't ask where the lounge is.

It was rather a funny experience. We were looking for a place to hangout or at least rest our feet after a long walk so we asked some bystanders along Rangoon Road of a nearby lounge. They directed us to somewhere I can't exactly recall only to find out the lounge was a KTV bar or music lounge [if you know what I mean]. That gave us a hint as to why that old man we asked somewhat smiled as he gave directions. woah!

5. All the streets are spotless. 

Everybody knows it, I guess so I don't need to elaborate [lol] but I was still #shookt that every nook and cranny of SG is free from trashes. Despite the commercialism, trees still sprout even in between cemented pathways. Changi Airport also made an impression to us. Well, being known as one of the best airports in Asia, it never fails expectations of tourists visiting Singapore.

6. Never eat inside the MRT. 

This is just one of the simple rules you have to follow as a tourist in SG yet I almost forgot about this. I almost - just almost- took a snack bite while inside the MRT. Luckily, I didn't because I was amusingly preoccupied with how great my balance and coordination skills were while standing. [lol]

7. City down under. 

I'm not talking about Australia here [sorry for the misleading reference] but I was bewildered of the vast underground of SG. The MRT stations, malls, hallways - they are all underneath the ground.

 8. Shopping for souvenirs is way cheaper in SG than Indonesia.

We thought of visiting Indonesia not just for the heck of crossing borders but to also shop for souvenirs because we heard it was really cheaper in Batam, Indonesia. You guess it right, we regretted having shopped in Indonesia when we saw great and unique stuff in Bugis Junction, SG that are cheaper than the ones we bought from  Batam. SG also had souvenirs from Indonesia and Malaysia, which had better quality.



9. Booking Universal Studios ticket online is cheaper than purchasing it there. 

We didn't know. That's it. LOL. Seriously, I was also hesitant to do bookings online but it turned out safe and the best thing to do to get a discount. We got ours at the ticket booth just outside Universal Studios but there was another tourist who told us that she reserved her ticket online and it was cheaper and more convenient. Well, maybe next time. 

10. It rains at night!

This was really unexpected. As we were searching for a place to dine after out Universal Studios tour, it rained heavily that we had to run and find shade which was another problem because we didn't know which way to go [song lyrics?LOL] We're glad we bumped into some kind strangers and directed us to a mall nearby. 

11. Coconut is always part of the recipe. 
coconut milk is non-negotiable in this meal! lol. 


One thing I didn't really appreciate in SG was the food. It's not at all bad but I'm not just a fan of coconut oil. I was delighted to have found a rice meal  (cost SGD12 = approx PHP 475) but ended up disappointed because of the smell of coconut oil/milk in my rice. My consolation [so I thought] was the cold tea until I figured out it was also made with coconut milk. I almost puked.

the five-dollar meal we got from 7/11

12. No internet while sightseeing. 

It was late when we realized that we can't have internet access because we didn't buy a prepaid sim for tourists so we had to find a hotspot which was only available in the hostel we stayed. It was really fine to have no internet connection; we actually forgot about going online while strolling around SG- pretty normal feeling for first-time tourists. 

13. Staying in a hostel is a great economical option. 

Before we left PH, we already booked a backpacker hostel somewhere in Little India since that was probably one of the things the immigration would look for. However, we ended up cancelling it since we had a friend who offered to share her space for a few days but Sengkang was a bit far from Bayfront so we opted to reserve another hostel in Little India. 

It was cheap but the place is not very clean. We knew we had to share the room with other guests but we didn't expect how awful the smell could get when it's a mixed dorm (yes, there were males) plus you have to tiptoe especially when arriving late at night as you don't want others to be disturbed in their sleep. 

The next day, we took advantage of strolling around the city and found another place to stay which was better and tidier. After a series of inquiries and hopping from one hostel to another, we opted for New Society Hostel. The staff were friendly and the rooms are all tidy and less crowded. There were a max of 4 beds in one room which was totally fine.

selfie because we loved our stay here
14. Bus ride to Malaysia.

This part was the most exhausting of all. Since we wanted to squeeze in our schedules so we could still go to Indonesia, we had to sleep the night away from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur and vice versa. Seven hours was enough to get a literal butthurt. LOL. I did enjoy a few countryside scenery on our way to KL but I dozed off eventually. We spent about 2 hours in Petronas Twin Towers and hurried back to SG for another seven-hour bus ride and woke up at around 4AM as we had to go through immigration for the nth time. The most annoying part was the ear-piercing honking of the buses as they neared the immigration which got me completely #shookt.
15. It's a ferry away to Indonesia.

We were a bit ambitious to go on tri-city tour in 4 days. Although we didn't really tour Indonesia and Malaysia, we were able to visit a site or two. We took a ferry from HarbourFront to Batam City in  less than  an hour. The ticket cost was more expensive than the bus ride we took for Malaysia.

 16. Signage is everything and everywhere.

Getting lost in Singapore is next to impossible because of the conspicuous signage everywhere, not to mention, these are in English. It was pretty much easy to see around places even if we were not familiar especially with the entrance and exits of MRTs. The MRT System Map was really helpful in getting around the city. I suggest you save this on your phone.  


17. Older people work.

I just noticed this while dining at City Square Mall. Most of the food attendants/staff were much older. In the Philippines, they could be called a 'retirable' in Filipino slang which refers to people belonging to the retirement age.

18. Indians and Filipinos are everywhere. 

When we disembark from the plane, the first people we've seen were of Indian nationality and we've seen a couple of Filipinos who spoke in Tagalog [so we were really sure] on the information desk. What was more surprising was when we went to one of the shopping centers in Bugis Junction and felt like we were in Manila with people conversing in Filipino (Tagalog). We also met Filipino salesmen/ladies there. Awesome! 

 19. After 99 years, privately-owned house/condo becomes a government property.

We stayed for a night with a friend who rents a flat and she told us about this trivia which really amazed us.  We were also dazzled seeing towering buildings that are all residences and a separate building of parking space. woah! Typical houses in SG are worth a fortune so only a few actually owns such property.

residential buildings
20. Wintermelon Tea is priceless. 

I'm not sure if this is worth-sharing but this drink became my instant fave while I stayed in the hostel. It's a one-dollar drink in a tin that I just can't get enough. Of course I can't promote it here. Seriously, I forgot the brand. 

***
Woah! I still have a few things in mind about Singapore but I think I'd leave it to 20. I had a pleasure writing these while trying to recall my #shookt moments. Can't help but smile as I reckoned how naive I could get. 

What were your aha or shookt moments in Singapore? 





Till our next laag,

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