For non-Singapore residents:What is your impression of Singapore?

Question

Thanks

Answer 1

Modern-day Singapore is well known for its clean, modern attitude but part of the efficiency involves a continued tough civil order stance, especially with regard to hard-line criminals. Since 1991 the Singapore government has executed over 400 murderers and (more commonly) drug-traffickers, giving the tiny nation the highest execution rate per population in the world.

Singapore is probably the safest Asian country in which to live and travel, and sexual harassment is very rare. Women are not cloistered in Singaporean society and enjoy much more freedom and equality than in the rest of Asia. Government policy favours sexual equality, and abortion is available on request, although not for 'foreign' (non-Singaporean) citizens.


Although you're perfectly free to be homosexual in Singapore, homosexual sex is illegal and you can be sentenced to between 10 years and life if you're caught having it. That said, Singapore is far from completely straight and there is an increasingly active and visible local gay and lesbian scene. Gay men can also check out www.sgboy.com for local happenings and hang-outs.


Singaporeans are quite conservative about displays of public affection; women and straight Indian men can get away with same-sex hand-holding, but an overtly gay couple doing the same would attract attention. It is highly unlikely, however, that you will encounter vocal or aggressive homophobia.

Singapore is the food capital of Asia. Chinese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian and Western foods are all on offer, and some of the most tasty creations are those sold from the atmospheric street stalls. Nonya cooking is a local variation on Chinese and Malay food, mixing Chinese ingredients with local spices such as lemongrass and coconut cream. Singapore is also a great place to discover unusual tropical fruits.

At first glance, Singapore appears shockingly modern and anonymous, but this is an undeniably Asian city with Chinese, Malay and Indian traditions from feng shui to ancestor worship creating part of the everyday landscape. It's these contrasts that bring the city to life.

My verdict - Singapore is one of the best Asia city to live and travel.

Answer 2

I've travelled a fair bit and I'm always happy when I land in Changi and a sense of calm settles in me again. Ah, home! (Then the humidity hits you...) I've never really felt unsafe here even while walking outside in the wee hours and it's something I never truly appreciate until I go to another country. Of course I remind myself that I love living here also because I'm the majority race, middle class and all that. But would I feel this way if I were underprivileged? Perhaps not. Sometimes when I'm overseas I perceive some racial snubs and I'm quickly put in my place by Singaporean friends who are of the other races that that's not even half of what they face in Singapore. The country's not perfect but it's home. And all those people who sit behind their computers critisizing their own country in online forums should just get off their butts and do something about it.

Answer 3

My first impression of the country was that it was spotlessly clean, very cosmopolitan, etc just like any other major capital city in the world; they all are equipped with the same thing i.e. hotels, airports, shopping malls, hospitals

For a holiday, it's OK... but to live there? I'd contemplated that, seriously... had decided that home is better; that being M'sia.

I find S'pore *no offense* to be rather rigid, regimented to say the least. Surely, now the nation is trying its best to "loosen" up a little but overall it's (S'pore) still rather conservative.

Answer 4

I dont have any impressions of Singapore. I've never been there, and never really considered going there. It isn't a very talked about place here in the US.

Answer 5

I love Singapore--it's a great city getaway for the weekend. My ideal weekend would be to arrive in S'pore Friday afternoon, lunch down at Takashimaya and close with one of those famous desserts from the ice station (haiyah, you know lah which one i'm toking about) then go for a shopping trip at Orchard Road.

I would get some fine Asian dinner somewhere downtown then hit the club with my friends and close the evening with a fast drive downtown (not too fast, though, we don't wanna get fined or caned!).

Wake up early on Saturday and get bubur ayam (even if it's McSingaporridge haha!) then go sightseeing, say, to Sentosa Island. Otherwise, do some career-oriented recreation like getting acquainted with someone who works for MTV and ask them on an off day to take us for a tour around in the studio.

In the evening we'd be back in the city for a relaxing spa treatment and a chat over some wine down in the bar.

I'm a Christian so of course I go to church on Sunday... they've got good churches too there in S'pore. After one last dessert from that ice station in Takashimaya I think I'm ready to close my weekend and fly back to Jakarta ;)

Answer 6

I have been to Singapore several times and really enjoyed myself. Clake Quay and Boat Quay are great places to hangout and eat and have a jug of beer. It is a little too hot and humid but is fun never the less.

Answer 7

Love Singapore!!! Defenetly want to come back and lived there.
Its clean and the peoples speak english.and yes I feel save while im walking around singapore

Answer 8

Singapore seems like an upscale small asain city that is very very strict when it comes to it's laws. But I have never been there, so I don't know for sure.

Answer 9

SE Asia's crown jewel

Answer 10

very clean and very busy
pretty dull as not much happens
ok for a few days but woodnt like to live there