Ro's Recz

Introduction: It is important to note that Singapore is one of the hottest cities in the world; when people say that there are only two seasons in Singapore, “hot, and hotter”, they are not joking. It is almost guaranteed to be above 90 degrees regardless of what time you go. Aside from this fact though, Singapore is one of the most perfect countries in the world. I would say there is no cleaner, more organized city than Singapore. It is especially important to follow the law when visiting Singapore because punishments are extreme; as long as you can do this though, you will have an amazing trip.

Local Cuisine (how good the cities local cuisine/food was): 10/10

As has been the case with the past 3 Asian countries, Singaporean food is amazing. Still, for Chinese food, I would say that it surpasses Hong Kong and Taiwan. Singapore has the hawker centers (like the Newton Food Center that was in Crazy Rich Asians), as well as plenty of great sit-down restaurants. My personal favorite food center was the Chinatown Complex, but you cannot go wrong with any of them. I mentioned Hainan Chicken Rice in my Hong Kong post; however, this dish is actually a signature Singaporean dish. This is the must try food in Singapore. I would recommend just walking around and trying anything though, as almost any type of food is good there.

Safety (how safe I feel the city is): 10/10

As I mentioned before, Singapore has extremely strict laws. If you have not heard of the gum law, you are not allowed to sell gum in Singapore. There are also other significant penalties such as a couple thousand dollar fine (if I remember correctly) for eating durian in the subway. However, the great thing about having a super strict law system is that crime virtually disappears. If you visit Singapore, as long as you do not commit a crime yourself, you will be completely safe.

Scenery/Beauty (how pretty/cool the sites and nature were to look at): 10/10

Singapore is one of the coolest modern cities in the entire world. With buildings such as Marina Bay Sands Singapore, the city has some of the most incredibly designed buildings in the world. As you can see in the first picture above, Singapore has an incredible skyline that is not topped anywhere else. If you can afford to stay at the Marina Bay Sands, you can use the pool at the top of the hotel, which overlooks the entire city. It is definitely an incredible city to see.

Non-Local Food (how good food from other places was): 10/10

Singapore also has great food from other cuisines. Since it is bordering Malaysia, Malaysian food is also extremely good. Really though, they will have a good place for any type of cuisine you want in Singapore.

Public Transportation (whether they had trains, subways, buses, etc. and how accessible they were): 10/10

Public transportation is on a very similar to that of Hong Kong. The one downside of the subway system in Singapore is that it is expensive. Still, Singapore is generally a very expensive city (this is where Crazy Rich Asians was based after all). Also, at least in Singapore, the quality of the public transportation reflects the price.

History Monuments (how the city’s historical monuments are): 6/10

One of the drawbacks of Singapore is that it really only became an economic powerhouse within the past 50 years. This means that there is not as much history as other areas in Asia. I would recommend visiting The National Museum of Singapore if you are interested in the history of the country. Still, I think if you visit Singapore, you are probably visiting to experience its current state, rather than reflect on its history.

Price (how expensive it was to visit the city, not including airfare (lower score means more expensive, higher score means good value)): 7/10

Singapore is such an expensive city to live in. Similar to Hong Kong, the wealthy people are incredibly rich, while many others have to live in poverty. If you are trying to replicate the trip of the Crazy Rich Asians, you are going to have to spend a fortune doing so. However, there are also low cost options, and hawker centers serve some of the best cheap food you will ever find.

Cleanliness (how clean the city was in general): 10/10

As I mentioned before, Singapore is probably the cleanest city I have ever been to in my life. I am sure you would get fined if you were found to be caught littering.

Tourist Friendly (how accessible and accommodating the city is for tourists (mainly English speakers)): 10/10

Singapore has completely transformed itself into a business hotspot, as well as tourist hotspot. They even have casinos and plenty of other tourist attractions to visit. I will repeat this because it is very important, DO NOT COMMIT A CRIME IN SINGAPORE; as long as you follow this one rule, you will have an enjoyable experience.

Walkability (how easy it is to walk around the city): 10/10

Singapore is a great city to walk around in, as long as you can handle the heat. Walking down places such as Orchard Road is a great experience. Overall, Singapore just has so many things to visit within a compact space.

Conclusion: Singapore is my #2 favorite city in Asia, both for living and for visiting. In my opinion, it is a cleaner, more organized Hong Kong with better food. I was lucky that when I went it was “only” 90 degrees or so. Living there 365 days a year bearing 100 degree heat could become tiresome, especially if you have to wear suits. However, you should be able to deal with the heat for 3-4 days (or however long your vacation there is). The only problem is that Singapore is relatively far from the other main cities within Asia, but I believe it is worth its own special trip.

Total Score (Combined Score of all the categories): 93/100