Korean Job Discussion Forums

mijkie · Joined: 27 Jan 2006

Greetings all.

I have been browsing this forum for some time now, and decided to finally post a question.

I am flying to Singapore on the 17th of February and returning the 20th.

I have read all of the usual Frommers, Lonely Planet, etc, but would like to know some first hand experiences from any of the posters here.

My questions run along the line of: where is the best spot for nightlife (bars/clubs/etc) what you really recommend seeing that may not be in a standard guide, and just your opinions on Singapore as a whole.

I appreciate any help I receive!

Michael

keninseoul · Joined: 09 Mar 2004 Location: Seoul

I would pass on Singapore - bloody hot without much recourse except the malls. Sing food is not appealing - go Indian or Malay. I am sure the travel guides cover most of the nightlife - not cheap. SIN girls are called 4(5)C for a damn good reason; their only interest is Cash, Career, Club membership, Car, and Condo.

justagirl · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Cheonan/Portland

Well, not any help, but I hope you have a great trip! With just a few days to go somewhere, I almost think it's better to go to a small country like Singapore...if you went to Malaysia or Thailand, 2 1/2 days isn't really worth the time, because there's so much to see or do. It's almost better not to go if you don't have enough time to really enjoy it, if you know what I mean. With your short break, you'll get to enjoy a clean, beautiful city and get a refreshing breather.

mijkie · Joined: 27 Jan 2006

Justagirl, thanks for the vote of confidence.

Kenin, I appreciate your input as well. As far as the climate, I seriously doubt I will be bothered by it. I love hot weather. As far as the women, I will have to see.... lol

subjectd · Joined: 30 Jan 2006

I went to singapore last summer and I really enjoyed it. I loved chinatown and had amazing indian food. there are some great quiet parks, quite the change from seoul. i stayed at a place in the lonely planet, i wish i had my book or remembered the name. it was a christian/catholic run place, and the only reason i stayed there was i figured it would be clean, which it was. it had a good location and they didn't have a single room available so they put me in a huge 'family style' room for the price of a single room. have fun!

articulate_ink · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 3:34 am Post subject:

I like Singapore a lot and have been there five times. The most recent trip was July 05, not long after I had moved to Korea. Several good friends of mine live there. I've considered moving there, and every now and then I think about it again, but ultimately it's too small. Everyone there is a little stir-crazy, because going out of town involves getting your passport stamped. However, it caters well to visitors, more so than anywhere else I've visited. The airport is wonderful, not as ultramodern as Incheon or Hong Kong but they've thought of everything. It's a great place to spend time and it's a pleasant welcome to the country.

Shopping and eating are the Singaporean national pastimes. Go to Orchard Road and kill some time wandering around the malls. What the Strip in Vegas is to gambling, Orchard Road is to retail hedonism. You can get away from that, though... Little India's got cool shops, for example. As for food, it's hard to go wrong, and sanitation standards are draconian. You can eat well on Orchard Road but I'd actually suggest going elsewhere for that. There's a lot of standard-issue mall food, as well as some upscale places.

One other thing that's worth doing: IKEA. Singapore has one. If you have to buy stuff for your apartment -- like towels and linens without PIERRE CARDIN or whatever embossed on them in huge letters -- you should go. You'll need a taxi.

Taxis in Singapore are refreshing after the ones here. They're cheap, the drivers stop for you, they speak English, they know how to get to wherever you need to go, and they won't rip you off.

For nightlife, it depends on what sort you're looking for. The gay spots are mostly in and near Chinatown. Not sure where the straight folks go. Timeout.com used to have listings, not sure if they still do.

As for things to see and do, Sentosa Island is supposedly not to be missed but I've been to Spore 5 times and always missed it. You can catch a ferry over to Bintan, Indonesia; it's like 1 hour away. Johor Bahru in Malaysia is an interesting day trip, but Malacca is even more interesting.

Hope this helps.

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

I'm another who loves Singapore.

People new to Asia usually don't appreciate it.. because its not 'exotic' enough.. too western they say. Actually thats how I felt my first trip.

But now that I've seen a lot more of Asia.. I really love Singapore because of its English abilities.. the enormous variety of really incredible food.. and I think Singaporean women are hot too! Plus the architecture, the variety of cultures, etc.

One of my favorite cities in Asia..

J.B. Clamence · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Orchard Street is the best place to wander around and hang out. If you like animals, the Zoo is world-class, and also has a Night Safari next door, which is also really cool. If you want to walk on the beach or see some amusement attractions, head to Sentosa Island. If you like sightseeing, check out the famous Merlion statue downtown, the symbol of Singapore. There are some good restaurants on the riverfront there, as well as some boat cruises.

Moldy Rutabaga · Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Location: Ansan, Korea

Pictures of my trip last week to Singapore: http://keneckert.com/pictures/picasia.htm

I wasn't crazy about Singapore meself. I stayed with my wife in a cheapie hotel in Geyland-- avoid this area as it's low cost but seedy and full of prostitutes. I found the people exceptionally cold and impatient. If I have a choice, I'd go to Georgetown in Malaysia.

Nevertheless, I won't knock those who like the place, and I must admit that it's pretty navigable. There's a tourist bus that runs along the major haunts every fifteen minutes, and the $5 day pass is worth it as you can get off and look around wherever it looks interesting.

Ken:>

animalbirdfish · Joined: 04 Feb 2004

My wife and I also love Singapore and wouldn't mind moving there someday. Really, when you consider it, the best places to live are often boring places to visit. That said, for upwards of five days, I think Singapore's a worthwhile trip. Check out Little India, Chinatown, or around the Kampong Glam for food. The botanical gardens are great for a morning stroll before breakfast or for a picnic.

Overall, it's worth seeing if only for the contrast to Seoul. It's so damned orderly, clean and efficient - rather like Switzerland in the tropics.