VISITING SINGAPORE

    Singapore is one of the major tourist destinations in Asia, and extremely well connected to the rest of the world, so that it is a convenient gateway to South and Southeast Asia. Interesting places to visit while in Singapore include Sentosa Island, the Jurong Bird Park, Reptile Park, Botanical Gardens, Tiger Balm Gardens, the Singapore Zoo (including the Night Safari), Discovery Centre, Science Centre, Chinatown, the Malay Quarter and Little India. Singapore also has many excellent museums and innumerable facilities for shopping and dining. Apart from the many fine restaurants, food courts and hawker centres, Boat Quay, Clarkes Quay and Mohammad Sultan Road are among the areas offering a variety of bars, discos and pubs.

     Indians require a visa to enter Singapore, unless they are travelling on diplomatic or official passports, in which case they are given a 72 hour entry permit on arrival. Whatever the duration of the visa, entry permits for either 14 days or 30 days are stamped on the passport by Singapore immigration. For any further extension of stay, a formal application has to be made to the Singapore Immigration Department at 10, Kallang Road (toll free Information Hotline at 1800 391 6400).

    While no export duties are imposed on goods being taken out of Singapore, export permits are required for firearms, ammunition, explosives, animals, gold in form, platinum, precious stones and jewellery (except reasonable personal effects), poisons and drugs. Chewing gum, chewing tobacco, firecrackers and obscene articles/films/books etc are among the items which cannot be imported into the country, while a limited amount of liquor (generally a litre) is allowed to be imported duty-free. Apart from liquor and cigarettes, almost everything else can be imported duty-free, though a 7% GST (Goods and Services Tax) is levied. GST is also levied on all expenditure in Singapore, and refunds are available at the airport.

     Licensed moneychangers are found all over Singapore. Most establishments accept international credit cards. Littering, and smoking indoors and in enclosed spaces, are strictly forbidden. Drug abuse is also taken very seriously, with sentences ranging from the death penalty to long-term imprisonment. Anybody found shoplifting is also liable to imprisonment or at the very least, fines from S$ 3000/- upwards. Tipping is not encouraged and in hotels and restaurants should be done only when a 10% service charge is not included in the bill. Four mobile phone networks (AMPS, ETACS, GSM900 and GSM1800) are operational in Singapore. Coin-operated public phones are available, but most phones require a phone card or credit card. Singapore’s voltage is 220-240 AC, 50 Hertz.

     For more information on various aspects of Singapore, check out http://www.sg