Discovering Singapore: 8 Fun Facts from an American on the Road
My first trip to Asia uncovered a jewel.
The wall of sticky, dense humidity hit me hard.
Stifling heat and humidity. That was my first impression of Singapore as I exited the airport with my teammates, lugging my suitcase and computer bag behind me as we made a beeline for the taxi stand. In a matter of seconds my clothing was clinging damp and warm against my skin and I could feel my sleek long curls morphing into a frizzy tangled mess.
It’s hard to tell what a new place is going to be like when you arrive at the airport. Every terminal has the same vibe with glittering duty-free shops, restaurants and lounges and the occasional passenger making a mad dash for their connecting flight. The real first impression comes upon stepping outside to greet the country first-hand.
My work takes me to some interesting places. This week it was a dermatology conference in Singapore. It was my first trip to Asia, and I had no idea what to expect. What I found was a busy modern metropolis punctuated by gleaming high rises, posh hotels, and an incredible range of cuisines and cultures — and that oppressive humidity.
Viewed through my American eyes, I found Singapore an interesting blend of Asian culture served up with a westernized vibe. Here are my takeaways after my first trip to Singapore.
It’s super clean
“Don’t litter!” That’s the first thing everyone said when I mentioned I was headed to Singapore. The country has incredibly strict laws against littering, vandalism and graffiti. During our week in the country, we walked everywhere around the city center and I never saw so much as a scrap of paper on the ground. The sidewalks were spotless, and graffiti was non-existent.
It’s different from so many American big cities where people carelessly discard used water bottles and food wrappers on the ground and where graffiti graces the cityscape in most metropolitan areas.
It has a national drink
In 1915, Raffles Hotel bartender Ngiam Tong Boon invented a delightfully fruity libation: The Singapore Sling. It’s a drink with an interesting backstory. In the early 1900's, convention said it was impolite for women to enjoy an alcoholic beverage in public (imagine!). Boon created the Sling to resemble an innocent (and ‘appropriate’ for the ladies) fruit juice, hence its delicate pink hue. The feminine look of the drink helped it gain acceptance, allowing women to (at last) enjoy an alcoholic beverage in public.
With a story like that, we had to try it. After getting settled, we popped over to the historic Long Bar at Raffles for liquid refreshment. The gleaming wood bar and interior is a throwback to a different era and the cocktail delivered on it’s promise — light and refreshing — perfect to counter the hot and heavy tropical environment.
Gum is banned
Chewing gum is illegal in Singapore. I kid you not. The country banned it in 1992 due to the copious amounts of used gum discarded on streets and sidewalks. Vandals even got in on the act, using gum to block door sensors of public transit trains, causing countless delays. Before the ban, the country spent $150,000 a year in Singapore dollars to clean up the gum mess.
The ban means you can’t buy or sell gum, television stations can’t feature commercials promoting the stuff and you can’t bring it into the country.
People are incredibly polite
No matter where we went, we encountered the kindest, most polite people. If we looked lost, someone would walk right up and ask us if we needed help. Every time my husband and I tried to take a selfie, someone would step up and offer to take our picture for us, giving us advice on the best poses. The vibe was super friendly and we felt welcomed everywhere we went.
It’s a tiny country
Singapore is small — smaller than New York City. Our cab driver told us you can drive from one side to the other in less than an hour. While it’s small, it has one of the highest population densities in the world, with more than 5 million people living there.
Don’t let its size fool you. Singapore is a huge banking and financial center, named as the leading financial center in Asia. It’s home to global insurers, capital firms and fintech businesses who make this country their base of operations in the Asian market. Despite its size, there’s a lot to see, including the Night Safari and botanical gardens including Gardens by the Bay and the Singapore Botanical Garden, an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It rains a lot
Singapore has a tropical climate and it rained around 3 o’clock in the afternoon almost every day we were there. Thunder and lightning storms are common, but the rain is warm and brief, and it doesn’t keep people from going about their business. While walking the city center, we got pelted with rain more than once. I enjoyed the rainfall, feeling like it offered a brief cooling respite from the sweltering heat. If you’re coming to Singapore, bring a travel umbrella and you’ll be fine.
Malls are a big deal
I didn’t expect the prevalence of ginormous indoor shopping malls in Singapore. In America, indoor malls are a dying breed but you can find them everywhere in the Singapore city center. As you walk over gleaming marble floors, you’ll find all kinds of shops, services and restaurants offering something for everyone. These malls are virtual indoor cities where the locals go for social bonding, group dining and a welcome respite from the heat and humidity.
It’s very westernized
For 144 years Singapore was under British rule, leaving the commonwealth in 1963 and becoming an independent republic in 1965. Vestiges of British influence are still found in the country, like the plantation style architecture of the Raffles Hotel. CHIJMES is another popular destination known for dining and entertainment that started as a Catholic Monastery in the 1850’s and Caldwell House, the 2nd oldest building in Singapore.
This British historical influence combined with Singapore serving as a world financial center, gives it a westernized vibe. You’ll find authentic Singaporean fare and dining experiences like several course traditional Chinese dinners. What I didn’t expect was the number of burger, pizza and Mexican food restaurants found in the city center. When shopping, we encountered a lot of unique shops, as well as many iconic western brands that are surprisingly popular around the world.
Conclusion
I enjoyed my week in Singapore and look forward to visiting again in the future. I even grew to like the humidity which made my skin feel more hydrated than it’s ever been in the dry northern California climate.
If you’ve been to Singapore, what are your impressions of the country?
