Singapore Travel Notes

1. Dining and Shopping:

1) Tipping is not encouraged in Singapore, and 10% will be listed on the bills of hotels and restaurants. service fee. Tipping is prohibited at the airport.

2) In addition to Food Court and Hawker Centre, most restaurants and restaurants in Singapore charge a 10% service fee and a 7% consumption tax.

3) Be aware of some inexplicable surcharges when dining in restaurants in Singapore. For example: Some restaurants will hand customers a plate of side dishes or tea when they sit down, but will not inform them that this is a charge. In high-end restaurants (especially restaurants with bars), if you want free water, please tell the waiter to ask for tap water (tap water in Singapore can be drunk directly).

4) Small shops in Singapore can generally try to bargain, but almost none of them accept returns.

5) During the Chinese New Year, almost all Chinese stalls in Food Court and Hawker Center in Singapore will be closed for the festival.

6) Most shops in Singapore open after 11 o'clock and close at 10 o'clock in the evening.

2. Transportation:

1) Singapore is very small, and the distances that appear to be very far on many maps are actually very short to walk, so when looking at the map of Singapore, be sure to Pay special attention to the ruler above.

2) When hailing a taxi, first check to see if there are taxi stands around you. Most tourist attractions and shopping malls have their own taxi stands. In Singapore, if there are taxi stands around Stations, especially in the city center, taxi drivers will not stop along the road.

3) In Singapore, you need to wave before the bus enters the stop - even if there is only one bus at the stop, otherwise the bus will drive straight away. There is no stop announcement system on the bus. If you are not sure which stop you want to get off at, you can sit closer to the driver and ask him to tell you when you arrive at the stop. Usually they will be enthusiastic to help. Remember to ring the bell and swipe your card before getting off the bus.

4) The driving direction and driver's seat position in Singapore are opposite to those in China, on the left. When crossing the road, if you see a zebra crossing, pedestrians can pass at any time, and vehicles will stop to let pedestrians go first. However, at intersections without zebra crossings, pedestrians need to follow the traffic lights to cross the road.

5) Singapore has the lowest crime rate in the world, and there are generally no thieves or liars.

3. Some local regulations:

1) Those who violate Singapore’s anti-smoking regulations can be fined up to S$1,000, and those who spit or discard materials can be fined up to S$1,000.

2) Singapore advocates a ban on smoking. Public buses, theaters, cinemas, restaurants, air-conditioned shops, and government offices are all no-smoking areas, and any violation will result in a fine of S$500.

3) Pedestrians must use crosswalks. The fine for climbing over the railing is S$50. If there is no crosswalk within 50 meters, you must cross the road under the traffic lights.

4) Chewing gum is not allowed to be imported, carried or eaten. Violators will be fined.

5) In addition to durians, eating is strictly prohibited on all buses and subways (including platforms) in Singapore, and water and drinks are not allowed.

6) Please stand on the left when going up and down the escalator; the right is the "passing lane".

7) Singaporeans have a perfect interpretation of "order" and truly embody "There is no queue in the world. When there are more people in line, a queue becomes a queue." There are almost always queues at subway stations, roadside taxis, restaurants, etc. wherever there is a need to wait.

4. Taboos:

1) Clothing: When visiting temples and mosques, you must dress modestly and cover your hands and feet.

2) Take off your shoes: When visiting Indian temples and mosques, you must take off your shoes before entering. The same is true for visiting local people's homes.

3) Eating: When eating Indian or Malay meals, please use your right hand.

Malaysian travel tips

1. Travel precautions

Basically, shaking hands is an etiquette acceptable to both men and women. However, it is Malaysian women who take the initiative in shaking hands, because some Malaysian women are more accustomed to welcoming each other with a nod or a smile.

The right hand is usually used for eating, picking up and delivering things, and shaking hands to show courtesy.

Don’t point your index finger at people or anything as it is impolite. The correct fingering method should be to put the thumb and other four fingers of the right hand together in the palm.

Malays in Malaysia do not drink alcohol, so please do not toast in Malaysia.

Security Generally speaking, the security in Malaysia is relatively good, and violent attacks do not often occur. Motorcycle bag snatching cases often occur in Kuala Lumpur and Penang, and theft cases often occur in hotels and dormitories. Travelers should take careful precautions. Please Take good care of your valuables. In addition, female travelers should dress relatively conservatively.

2. Mobile phones and phone cards

Malaysia has three major mobile communication service providers, namely Maxis, DIGI and Celcom. The famous AirAsia TuneTalk cooperates with Celcom.

You will see large and small purchase points at airports, stations and roadsides, but try to buy at specialized counters. Recharging is more convenient. You can recharge at major convenience stores and even small grocery stores in the city. These cards are charged one-way, and there are no local or long-distance calls in Malaysia. Even if the pre-stored call fee is 0, you can still answer the call. When you buy a card, you get free phone credit. When opening a number, you need to ask an employee or clerk to help you change it to English and activate the Internet.

You can buy its Hotlink SIM card at the Maxis counter in LCCT, next to the KFC exit at domestic arrivals. DIGI has a counter on the first floor of KL Sentral. Celcom has a counter in the International Arrival Hall (3rd floor) of KLIA. TuneTalk can be purchased when booking on the AirAsia website, and there are also counters at LCCT. When booking online, be sure to add the reservation to the flight ticket to Malaysia. Do not book it in a separate return ticket, otherwise you will have to wait until you leave Malaysia to get it. to that SIM card.

Hotlink card Maxis’ Hotlink card has relatively stable signal and Internet access, and has wide coverage. When calling back to China, dial 132+0086+area code (for example, Beijing area code 010, remove the leading 0, and so on)+number. Whether calling a landline or a mobile phone, the cost is 0.05 ringgit every 30 seconds. The cheapest way back home. Buying and recharging cards is very convenient. In addition to agency points and supermarket chains such as 7-11 and 99 Speedmart that can be found everywhere in the airport and urban areas, there is also the Maxis headquarters building next to KLCC.

3. Network environment

Wireless outlets can be found everywhere in Kuala Lumpur, and cheap Internet cafes only charge RM3 per hour for broadband access. Even on the peninsula's remote beaches or in Malaysian Borneo, the network is so strong that you can't get a signal anywhere except into the heart of the jungle. Digital gamers should prepare a three-phase flat plug or adapter for their computers.

4. Power supply and voltage

Malaysia uses the British standard three-phase flat plug to connect to a stable power supply (220-240 volts, 50 Hz).

Things to note when traveling in Thailand

1. When traveling to Thailand, you must first exchange Thai currency. Since the climate in Thailand is relatively dry, you should pay attention to your diet and bring some daily medicines.

2. When you arrive in Thailand, be sure not to touch Thai people’s heads. Thai people believe that everyone has elves on their heads (even children’s heads are not allowed).

3. Thailand is a Buddhist country. You must take off your shoes and hat before entering a temple where Buddha statues are enshrined. You cannot enter when there is a religious gathering inside. Women cannot touch the monk, otherwise his years of practice may be ruined (if you want to pass something on, let a man pass it on).

4. Gambling is prohibited in Thailand, even in hotels.

5. Toiletries are not provided in accommodation places in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries, and passengers need to bring them by themselves.

6. In Thailand, you need to be prepared to tip one dollar, five yuan, etc.

Social Norms

Meet and greet: In Thailand, a polite way of greeting is to clasp your hands in front of your chest and say "Sawadee". It is also the most commonly used among Thai people.

Littering: Do not litter anywhere, especially on the street, not even a small cigarette butt or a small toothpick, otherwise the offender will be fined and the garbage should be put back In original packaging bag.

Spitting: In Thai social norms, spitting is an unacceptable and despicable behavior and should be wrapped in a tissue or handkerchief when necessary.

Smoking cigarettes: Smoking is not allowed in public places except in designated areas. Smoking is prohibited in all air-conditioned places such as cinemas, theaters, indoor restaurants, hotel lobbies, etc., as well as temples, schools, public green spaces, parks, etc. International airports have special smoking rooms.

Conversation: Do not make loud noises in public places. Thai is a soft-spoken language, so Thai people speak softly and never speak loudly in public, and they also dislike other people talking loudly.

Emotional control: It is very rude to get angry and quarrel in public places. You should try to resolve disputes rationally and calmly, or like the Thais, take a step back and compromise and be considerate of the other party. In addition, it is impolite for couples to hug and kiss in public.

Extended information:

Folk custom

Thai people are accustomed to calling elders they don’t know uncle, uncle, aunt, aunt, grandpa or grandma. Peers are also called brothers or sisters. They have received family education since childhood, and they must respect their parents and elders at home. The school cultivates a culture in which students should respect their teachers and be polite to their senior classmates, and teach students to respect their teachers as they respect their parents. During the annual Songkran Festival, people are accustomed to blessing their respected elders and superiors with holy water. On Teacher Respect Day, students should pay tribute to their teachers. The custom of respecting elders and teachers is related to the social education that promotes gratitude and kindness. Thai people do not favor boys over girls. Many families are more happy when they have a girl than a boy. Thai women have achieved equal status with men in all aspects, such as education, voting and the right to be elected.

Food

Thai cuisine is internationally renowned. Whether spicy or mild, harmony is the guiding principle behind every dish. Thai cooking is essentially a combination of centuries-old Eastern and Western influences that form the unique Thai cuisine. Thai cuisine is designed to suit everyone's appetites, depending on the chef, diners, occasion and location. Thai cooking originally reflected the characteristics of an aquatic lifestyle. Aquatic animals, plants and herbs are the main ingredients. Avoid large pieces of meat. Later influences led to the use of rather large pieces of meat in Thai cuisine as well.

Because of their Buddhist background, Thais avoid using meat from larger animals. Chunks of meat are minced and tossed with herbs and spices. Traditional Thai cooking methods are steaming, baking or grilling. Due to Chinese influence, frying, stir-frying and deep-frying methods were introduced. Since the 17th century, cooking methods have been influenced by Portuguese, Dutch, French and Japanese influences. In the late 17th century, Portuguese missionaries in South America introduced red peppers to Thai cuisine as they became accustomed to the taste.

Baidu Encyclopedia: Thailand