Tips and Tricks for Singapore (As Of 2011)

Getting There – No matter which terminal you fly into, it’s really easy to get to the city. There’s a free shuttle bus that will take you to the beginning of the MRT, which will get you to anywhere you need to go.

Staying – Ali’s Nest wasn’t a bad option, but we weren’t the biggest fans of being screamed at by his mom. You can get a dorm bed for 15 SGD each, or a fan room for 2 for 35 SGD.
The Inn Crowd is a great hostel to stay at. There’s free breakfast every morning until noon, clean hot water showers, air-con dorm rooms, free wifi, and lockers. A bed will run you 20 SGD each, which is actually one of the cheapest places to stay at and a lot of bang for the buck. The staff is also very friendly and always willing to help with whatever they can. One thing to keep in mind though is that check-in isn’t until 1pm, but you can chill out in the common area and use the free internet, watch tv, or have a coffee if you need to kill some time.

Eating – If you turn left leaving The Inn Crowd and take a right on the main road, follow it down for about 10 minutes until you see a little Indian restaurant with tables and chairs outside. It’s one of the only places in town that serves naan and the curry is amazing! Plan on spending about 10 SGD for 2 people and you’ll be plenty full! There are also a couple of places to get banana leaf sets right down the road from The Inn Crowd. You can get a vegetarian set for about 4 SGD or 5 SGD with chicken.

Getting Around – The MRT is by far the best way to get around the city. It’s cheap, VERY efficient, and reliable. You can’t go wrong. Tip: Be sure to keep your plastic card you use to get through the gates and redeem them before you leave Singapore at the same machines you purchase them at. You get 1 SGD for each card. Considering our average trip didn’t cost more than 2 SGD, that’s pretty awesome! If you’re going to the Zoo, you can get a bus from the MRT line. We paid 7.30 SGD for both of us round trip.