10+ Best Things You'll Extremely Love About Singapore

I'm only just a month here in Singapore, but I'm beginning to fall in love with this country. Not only how advanced this country is, but also how clean and friendly it is to all nationalities. I'm going to quote some of my favorite things here in Singapore in this blog.

As a soul with a travel thirst, it's overwhelming to be able to visit one of Asia's most developed countries and considered a global hub for many worldwide sectors such as technology, health, trade, tourism, and so much more.

Not everybody has the opportunity to travel abroad. And it's pretty hard for me to do international travel with an average monthly income in my country, especially you need to pay your bills first and budget your daily expenses. That's why I decided to try my luck in Singapore and look for a job, luckily I got one. It feels like what happened was conspired by the universe and was really meant to happen. Landing a job in Singapore was truly unexpected for me since I just went here as a tourist. 

So let me tell you why I extremely love Singapore and why I'm going to recommend it to be on your bucket list. Here are my main reasons for this:

Photo by Christoph Theisinger on Unsplash

1.| Don't Compromise Nature with Country's Development

Singapore has a reputation as the Garden City because of its eco-friendly public parks, tall buildings, and roads. Evidently, you will see how they never compromise nature with the development of their city. You will often see flowery bushes and shrubs lining the overhead bridges and tall shadowy trees planted along the central expressway divider. You will notice how bougainvillea (thorny ornamental vines) put colors on bridges, roads, and sidewalks. No smoke-belching vehicles and public transportation and sidewalks are mostly crafted with the beautiful garden landscape. 

2. | Government Services are Fast and Efficient

Government services are superb in terms of their efficiency. I went to the Ministry of Manpower last March 2019 to process my SPass. My employer submitted an online appointment for me to process my card, I went to the place two hours in advance thinking I might be late but in surprise, the flow of applicants is so smooth and the processing only took me 3-5 minutes! The camera they use is DSLR and most of the workers are senior citizens already but still strong, well-organized and competent, truly amazing! 

3. | Security and Safety for the Citizen is Superb

Singapore is one of the best in terms of security and safety. Elders get priority seats on public transportation, for Singapore, senior citizens have well-cared benefits such as medical and wellness program, pioneer generation package (PGP), discounts from Unity Pharmacy, Watson, Medisave, Comcare Long Term Assistance, Silver Support Scheme, Eldershield, Interim Disability Assistance Program for Elderly (IDAPE) and many more. The country has a very low crime rate and the streets are safe at night, which is why it is considered one of the safest and cleanest cities in the world.

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

4. |  High Exchange Rates for Other Currency 

As of now, the Singaporean dollar's exchange rate to Philippine Peso is 38.38. This is also one of my reasons why I choose to work in Singapore because of the strong currency. Another good thing about their economy is that basic commodities are very cheap and affordable.

5. | Multicultural and Multiracial Island-City State

If you are a person who loves cultural and racial diversity, Singapore is the best place for you because of its multicultural and multiracial society. According to the 2018 Singapore Demographic Profile, the majority of the population is Chinese Ethnic, followed by Malaysians, Ethnic Indians, Eurasians and many more. 

6. |  Diverse Cuisine Selections from Ethnic Groups

Because of its diverse society, which consists of several ethnic groups, Singaporean cuisines offer a wide selection of delightful cuisines. These cuisines are influenced by native Malaysians (the largest ethnic group), Chinese (the third largest ethnic group), Indians, Indonesians, Peranakan, Eurasian, Sri Lankan, Thailand, and the Middle East. That's why food topic is a common topic of conversation among local Singaporeans.  Many restaurants here in Singapore offer a wide selection of cuisine from a wide variety of countries around the world. 

Changi Airport via financialexpress.com

7. |  Changi is the "Best Airport in Asia"

Singapore's Changi Airport has consistently won the 2014 Asian Freight and Supply Chain Award for ' Best Airport in Asia since 1987 – 28 consecutive years which is dope! Skytrax, a UK - based customer service reviewer who has ranked airport since 1999, has ranked Changi Airport as the world's top airport for six years in a row! I myself have witnessed it twice and have been amazed at the architectural design and the efficiency of the service they provide - a truly world - class airport.

8. |  Public Transportation is Hassle Free

The well-organized scheme and hassle-free experience for commuters are what I really like about Singapore's public transport. Usually, I go to work by bus because it's the fastest and most economical. The bus system in Singapore has an extensive network of routes that cover most of the places if you're visiting the country, most busses have air conditioning that's comfortable in a tropical city. By train, Singapore's MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) system is the fastest way to walk around. The extensive rail network provides tourists with the ease of visiting tourist attraction within walking distance from MRT stations. And by taxi, if you want to visit places that are not accessible by MRT or buses.

9. |  Internet Speed is Fast and Reliable

According to Speed Test Index, Singapore has topped the chart for the 12th time in a row for the fastest fixed broadband speeds globally beating 132 countries and regions in Ookla's Speedtest Global Index with an average download speed of 181.47 Mbps which is more than three times the global average download speed of 46.41 Mbps. 

Photo by Lily Banse on Unsplash

10.| A World-class Tourist Spots

Singapore is well known in Asia for its manmade tourist attraction. To quote some of this destination-Merlion Park, Marina Bay Sands, Sentosa, Garden by the Bay, Universal Studio Singapore, Night Safari, Singapore Flyer, Clarke Quay, Resorts World Sentosa, Esplanade-Threatre on the Bay, and many more. As a matter of fact, tourism is a major industry and contributor to the Singapore Economy that attracts 17.4 million tourists in 2017 and what is more breathtaking is that it has more than 3 times the total population of Singapore. 

11.|  Land of Shopping Malls

Last 2015, there were 103 malls in Singapore, i.e. 1: 53,000 people living in Singapore, although it is not sustainable for malls and retailers from a business perspective. But because of this, you've got a wide selection of brands to choose from. Let's take an example from ION Orchard, considered Singapore's leading mall spreading over 8 levels, it provides a unique shopping experience in over 300 retail, F&B and entertainment stores, and six luxury duplex brands.

Photo by Kym Ellis on Unsplash

12.| All Year Round Summer

The temperature of Singapore usually ranges from 28-29 degrees Celsius all year round, which is the main reason why it feels like summer all year round. This is the main reason why locals prefer to stay indoors because of the high humidity that means a lot of sweating and sticky feeling that I really don't like too.