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Social Profile
Food & Drink: Singapore is a gourmet’s paradise, ranging from humble street stalls to five-star restaurants. There are over 30 different cooking styles, including various regional styles of Chinese cuisine, Indian, Malay, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Swiss, American, Russian, French and English. Malay cuisine is a favourite, famed for its use of spices and coconut milk. Satay (skewers of marinated meat cooked over charcoal) served with peanut sauce, cucumber, onion and rice is popular. Hot, spicy or sweet Indonesian cuisine includes beef rendang (coconut milk beef curry), chicken sambal and gado gado (a fruit and vegetable salad in peanut sauce). One of the best ways to eat in Singapore is in the open, at one of the ubiquitous street foodstalls. Some are quiet and casual while others are in areas bustling with activity. All have a vast selection of cheap, mouthwatering food. Newton Circus and La Pau Sat are food centres where all types of Asian food can be sampled cheaply. Although there are many self-service establishments, waiter service is more common in restaurants.
Bars/cocktail lounges often have table and counter service. There are no licensing hours. ‘Happy hours’ are usually from 1700-1900.
Nightlife: Singapore has a vibrant and exciting nightlife. Entertainment ranges from bars, clubs, discos, karaoke pubs, street opera, night markets, river cruises, multiplex cinemas to theatre productions and international stage shows. Boat Quay and Clarke Quay are popular riverside landmarks which offer exclusive restaurants, alfresco dining and lively bars. Moored Chinese junks have been refurbished into floating bars and restaurants. Bugis Street, Changi Village and Holland Village, known as Holland V, are popular areas for food, drink and entertainment. Muhammad Sultan Road is one of the latest entertainment hubs in Singapore with a wide variety of pubs, nightclubs and wine bars, as is Club Street.
Shopping: The vast range of available goods and competitive prices have led to Singapore rightly being known as a shopper’s paradise. Special purchases include Chinese, Indian, Malay, Balinese and Filipino antiques; batiks; cameras; Chinese, Persian and Indian carpets; imported or tailored clothing; jewellery and specialised items made of reptile and snake skins, including shoes, briefcases, handbags and wallets. Silks, perfumes, silverware and wigs are other favourite buys. The herding of shop owners from ‘Chinatown’ into multi-storey complexes lost some of the exciting shopping atmosphere, although these huge centres do provide an air-conditioned environment. Orchard Road is the main shopping street, although many of the large hotel complexes, such as Marina Square, have shopping centres attached. Although most outlets operate Western-style fixed pricing, bargains can still be made in some places but generally only after good research and shrewd negotiating. Electrical equipment of all types can be bought at Sungei Road, but caution is advised as there are many imitation products around. For more information on shopping in Singapore, see the Singapore Shopping brochure published by the Singapore Tourism Board. Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 1000-2100, Sat 1000-2200. Note: A three per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) is levied on most goods and services purchased from taxable retailers. Tourists whose purchases total S$300 or more from a single retailer participating in the Tourist Refund Scheme are eligible for a refund of the GST paid on goods not consumed in Singapore. Refunds may be received at the airport, prior to departure flights.
Special Events: The cosmopolitan character of Singapore means that a great number of festivals and special events are regularly celebrated; visitors staying for more than a few days would be unlucky not to catch at least one. For more information and for exact dates, see the Singapore Calendar of Festivals leaflet published by the Singapore Tourism Board. The following is a selection of the main festivals taking place during 2003:
Jan 11-Feb 15 2003 Lunar New Year Light-Up. Jan 16-19 Aviva Asian Bowling Tour Grand Slam Finals. Jan 18-31 Flower Garden Fair. Jan 23-26 Caltex Masters Presented by Carlsberg. Jan 24 MTV Asia Awards. Jan 30-Feb 9 Singapore River Hong Bao. Feb 1-2 Chinese New Year. Feb 8 Chingay. Feb 12 Hari Raya Haji. Feb 15-16 Singapore River Raft Race. Feb 28-Mar 15 Explore A Cappella Festival. Mar 1-Apr 30 Take Art! Mar 15-23 Heritage Festival. Mar 21-Apr 6 Singapore Fashion Festival. Mar 28-Apr 6 Feria de Espana and Streats Singapore International Latin Festival. Mar 28-Apr 30 Singapore Food Festival. Mar 30-Apr 12 World Gourmet Summit. Apr 3 Singapore Sevens. May 17 Singapore Airlines International Cup. May 23-Jul 6 Great Singapore Sale. May 29-Jun 22 Singapore Arts Festival. May 31-Jun 1 Singapore Dragon Boat Festival. Jun Sentosa Sandsation. Jul UBS Private Banking Singapore International Piano Festival. Aug Live and Loud Dance Festival; Yonex-Sunrise Singapore Open. Aug-Sep WOMAD Singapore. Sep 11 Mid-Autumn Festival. Sep 1-Nov 16 For Art’s Sake! Oct-Nov Deepavali Light-Up. Nov-Dec Hari Raya Light-Up. Nov-Feb (2004) Celebration Singapore. Nov 15-23 Singapore River Buskers’ Festival. Nov 15-Jan 5 Christmas Light-Up. Nov/Dec The Singapore Million Dollar Duck Race. Dec Asia Cup; Singapore Marathon; Singapore Internationl Dragon Boat Regatta.
Social Conventions: Handshaking is the usual form of greeting, regardless of race. Social courtesies are often fairly formal. When invited to a private home or entering a temple or mosque, remove your shoes. For private visits, a gift is appreciated and, if on business, a company souvenir is appropriate. Dress is informal. Most first-class restaurants and some hotel dining rooms expect men to wear a jacket and tie in the evenings; a smart appearance is expected for business meetings. Evening dress for local men and women is unusual. Each of the diverse racial groups in Singapore has retained its own cultural and religious identity while developing as an integral part of the Singapore community. Over 50 per cent of the population is under 20 years of age. Laws relating to jaywalking, littering and chewing gum are strictly enforced in urban areas. Smoking is widely discouraged and illegal in enclosed public places (including restaurants). Dropping a cigarette end in the street or smoking illegally can lead to an immediate fine of up to S$500. Tipping: Officially discouraged in restaurants, hotels and the airport. A ten per cent service charge is included in restaurant bills.
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
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