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[ferryc2]

I'm an ESL teacher flying through singapore and considering stopping over for a few days to visit the beaches and see singapore.

1 What would you recommend doing in singapore, especially the beaches? 2 I know hotels and food are quite expensive but can I get to a beach without spending too much on transportation?
3 I'm hoping to stay at a hostel to save some money and meet other travellers as I will be alone - any advice on a hostel or ways to meet other people?

Thanks for any info!

[Sonja23]

As someone who grew up in Singapore I can hopefully provide you with some useful information... There are a few beaches on Singapore island itself - Changi being one which I currently recall. However, the beaches on the 'mainland' are nothing special. Most tourists (and Singaporeans) head off to Sentosa, which is a separate island under Singapore rule, for the beach. You can get to Sentosa by taking the cable car (most exciting method), ferry, or bus. You can purchase tickets for these at the World Trade Centre. It's not too expensive to go to Sentosa, certainly not when compared to transport in Western countries. There is an entrance fee though, if I remember correctly...

Food isn't expensive at all in Singapore! It really depends on what you're comparing the prices to. At the moment I live in England, where a McDonald's meal would probably set you back about 5pounds. In Singapore, you would get the same meal for S$5 (check xe.com, but the exchange rate is roughly S$1 to 0.03pounds).

As for ways to meet people.. well as an ex-resident of Singapore I never really had to go out to find people. But, I know lots of tourists and expats hang out at Boat Quay. Also, you can probably find cheap places to stay in Geyland - Singapore's 'red light district'.

Right, hope I've been of some service here. Some of my information may be dated... last time I was in Singapore was 2003, and things are always rapidly changing there. If there is anything else I can help with let me know!