Singapore skyline tour is a high priority for any tourist

The passport control officer offered us sweets as she stamped our passport - in conversation we agreed that this was the friendliest passport experience ever.

With just a few hours to spend in this great bustling city, the perfect place to spend at least some of it is on the Singapore Flyer.

The first thing you will be told is that it is even taller than the London Eye - it stands at 165m, the height of a 42-storey building.

And in a city of skyscrapers, it's probably just as well.

The 30-minute flight costs S$29.50 (R174) for an adult and includes an audio guide to the city.

The audio points to the iconic and historical landmarks and views, from the Marina Bay to the Singapore River, Raffles Place, Empress Place and the Padang.

From it you can see the city's most beloved icon - the Merlion, which is wrapped in blue protective sheeting awaiting repairs after being struck by lightning recently.

You can also see a full-scale model of a new casino development and, in the background, the jungle of cranes as the real thing is built. The casino development is Singapore-style - three skyscrapers linked together by a roof.

And if that doesn't excite you, you can always go shopping on Orchard Road or visit Sentosa island, walk around the Chinese quarters or if you have time, go and have a a G & T at Raffles. Delve a little and you will find Singapore a fascinating place. But should you need a new camera, Singapore offers competitive prices.

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Flu scare affecting Johor tourism

JOHOR BARU: The influenza A(H1N1) virus has come as a double whammy to the tourism industry that is still reeling from the effects of the global recession.

Tour groups in Singapore have cancelled plans for travel in June, which is a popular holiday period during the island republic’s school break.

Malaysian Tourist Guides Council president Jimmy Leong said there was also a slowdown in bookings from countries like Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

“The industry has already seen a 40% slump in the past six months due to the economic uncertainties.

“We expect to see a drop in revenue as people hold back their travel plans because of the unpredictable situation of the pandemic, he said.

However, Leong said the real impact of the flu on tourism would only be felt in the next few months as those, who had paid in advance for their tours, would usually continue with their plans.

“Johor is particularly vulnerable as it is dependant on Singapore for the bulk of its tourist arrivals,” said Leong.

The last time the tourism industry was badly hit by a pandemic was during the SARS outbreak in 2003.

He said hotels had learnt from the SARS episode and were now prepared to separate and isolate their guests in special rooms if any showed signs of illness.

“It is worrying as the livelihood of those dependent on the tourism industry is also at stake,” he said.

However, Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) president Ngiam Foon said the outbreak had yet to affect outbound travel, with many Malaysians still going ahead with their vacation plans.

He said Malaysians did not panic easily although they would monitor the health status of their destinations before departing.

“At present, there is minimal impact on Malaysian travellers. There are no cancellations as yet.

“The consumers are smart as they will find out the true status of their intended destination before travelling. Regional travel is not affected,” he said.

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Singapore’s strategy: Sops for cos to prevent lay-offs

Recently in Singapore If you can’t keep them, train them. And get an incentive for it. That’s the strategy corporates in Singapore are adopting in the face of increasing lay-offs in the manufacturing, banking and financial sectors as fallout of the recession in the West.

With factory production lines grinding to a halt and businesses in banks, airlines, printing and publishing slowing down, the Government is giving incentives to companies to retain staff and use the downturn period to upgrade skills and ready employees for the upturn.

This could hold lessons for most countries, including India, where job losses of about half a million in the organised sector were reported by the latest Labour Bureau estimates for September to December 2008.

Five months ago, Singapore rolled out SPUR (Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience) to help companies manage excess manpower and reduce retrenchment rates. Under the programme, laid off individuals can approach career centres to enhance skills or learn new ones in fields where job opportunities exist.
Subsidy

SPUR, run by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency in consultation with the country’s manpower ministry and largest trade unions and employee federations, has built the $600-million (Singapore dollar) scheme to cater to the needs of blue-collared workers and skilled professionals. Under the programme, companies are offered a higher absentee payroll subsidy for sending their employees for training programmes and a lower course fees. The subsidy offers companies a payment per employee for each hour the staff attends a training programme. The course fee for employees has also been slashed, making it an attractive proposition for corporates.

Companies who were planning to shed their staff are also resorting to a shorter workweek. For instance, companies that used to work six days a week are now making the workweek four or five days, with staff taking a 50 per cent cut in idle day salary or utilising the time for upgrading skills or retraining for another or additional jobs.

“I used to work with the shipping industry. With exports to the US and UK down, I was one of those laid off. Through SPUR, I retrained for my present job,” said a taxi driver.

He, however, said in this business too the last few months have been tough as food prices are still high and tourist arrivals are fewer.
Career Shift

Under SPUR, the programme for PMETs (Professionals, Managers, Executives, Technicians) has a number of conversion programmes which enable employees to switch to a range of new occupations where vacancies are available, such as registered nurses, occupational therapists, media professionals, property officers and even preschool teachers. Technically-qualified PMETs are also given industry specialised training for employment in the same industry.

For example, a finance industry professional can specialise in risk management or product control through various training institutes.

Customer service managers can work towards a diploma in tourism, while engineering professionals in the pharma and biologics sectors can train in pharmaceutical manufacturing, a sector in need of skilled professionals.
Allowance

To make the courses even more viable, WDA announced that jobless citizens who join these courses would not have to wait to finish their training to receive a training allowance. They would start receiving a small amount when the course starts.

“This is so that the trainees are ensured of some cash to spend during their training period in this difficult period of their lives,” explained a trainer who has been involved in the exercise.

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Launch of Singapore Tourist Pass to make visitor travel easier

By Wong Mun Wai, Channel NewsAsia

Using the Singapore Tourist Pass, tourists can now have an unlimited number of rides on buses and trains here.

Some 30,000 of these cards have been printed and are on sale at TransitLink Ticket Offices, and the following MRT stations: Changi Airport, Orchard, Chinatown, City Hall, Raffles Place, Ang Mo Kio, Harbour Front and Bugis.

For S$8 a day, the card gets tourists one, two or three days of unlimited travel on buses and trains.

The tourist pass, which is similar to an EZ-Link card, is also bundled with retail promotions at merchants such as Goldheart and Cheers.

An adult EZ-Link card costs S$15, including a stored value of S$7. But a one-day tourist card costs a total of S$18, with S$10 to be refunded if the tourist returns the card within five days.

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said data on how tourists use the card will be applied in future planning.

"One is the usage, as to where they go. And that gives an indication of the places… they would like to visit. And also maybe from a retail point of view, the kind of goods they consume," said STB’s communications director Mohamed Rostam.

EZ-Link is also preparing for an influx of visitors in the coming years.

EZ-Link’s senior vice-president of business and technology Nicholas Lee pointed out, the IRs will boost local tourism industry, "but the challenge for us is, how do we get those people to use the card? How do we make them aware that this is a value-for-money proposition?"

Also launched Wednesday was a more comprehensive transport guide for tourists, which includes key bus services around the city, as well as train, taxi and information on tourist hotspots.

ARTICLE SOURCE: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/317059/1/.html

*** For Singapore pictures and itineraries, visit www.traveljournal.com.ph.

What to See in Singapore

*** For Singapore pictures and itineraries, visit www.traveljournal.com.ph.

When many people in the western world hear of Singapore, it's often the Singapore Sling cocktail that comes in mind. Most people don't really know where the country is and would probably never consider it as a travel destination. For any trip to southeast Asia, especially on longer excursions to multiple countries, Singapore is worth a stop as it provides a nice change compared to the usual crowded, polluted and chaotic large cities of Hong Kong or Bangkok. Singapore is an island, country and city all rolled into one.

Compared to other destinations in southeast Asia, Singapore is ultra clean thanks to its somewhat restrictive government. There are heavy fines for littering, spitting in the streets and jaywalking. It's even illegal to bring in chewing gum into the country. Drug offences can result in death penalties so travelers definitely should not take the risk by bringing any illegal narcotics into Singapore. But the result of all the tough laws is a place in the region that is quite low in crime rates. It is one of the safest destinations for female travelers where equality is encouraged.

With its gleaming high rise buildings, Singapore is one of the most modern cities in Asia due to its economic success. It also makes great efforts to make itself presentable and beautiful. On the trip from the international airport to the city center, it can be noticed that the bridges passing over the main highway are covered with orchards and flowers. This is something that one doesn't see often anywhere else in the world. The city center itself is well designed with the Singapore river running through it. River cruises are available to take in the local sights from the water. There are numerous outdoor cafes, restaurants and shops along side the river which makes for a pleasant stroll. Because of the hot temperatures here since Singapore is pretty well on the equator line, the city can feel like a giant sauna. So extended walks are suggested in the early mornings, late afternoons or evenings when things get a bit more comfortable rather than in the midday hear.

Singapore with its mixed population including Chinese (77%), Malay (14%) and Indian (7%) is a case study in multiculturalism. Everyone here lives and works together in harmony. Only in Singapore can one see a Buddhist temple, a Hindu temple and an Islamic mosque all in close proximity to each other. The country has four official languages being English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. One of the great advantages of such a multiracial scene is that there are different ethnic neighborhoods to check out including Chinatown, Little India and Arab Street. All have their own distinct flavors in little shops, markets and cuisine. In addition to restaurants, there are outdoor food vendors which serve very low priced meals so one can dine well at any budget level.

For horticulture enthusiasts, Singapore is a gold mine where there are world class gardens including the Singapore Botanic Gardens as well as the Chinese and Japanese Gardens. For nature lovers, there are some interesting attractions including the Jurong Bird Park, Jurong Reptile Park, Singapore Crocidilarium, Singapore Zoological Gardens and the very unique Night Safari which is open only during evenings. Sentosa is a small resort island south of the city with a scenic cable car, an aquarium and some nice beaches.

In addition to the modern skyline and the contrasting ethnic temples, there is still some wonderful colonial architecture including the famous Raffles Hotel where the Singapore Sling was originally invented. If one wishes to stay indoors during the hot midday sun, there are several museums including the National Museum to take in. Singapore has some Asian theme parks such as Tang Dynasty City which is a recreation of life during 7th century China and Haw ParVilla Tiger Balm Gardens which has colorful statues depicting Chinese mythology. High end boutique shopping for fashion and electronics will be concentrated on or near Orchard Street.

It is a good idea to take a quick organized city tour to get an overview of what Singapore has to offer. Then tourists can easily take advantage of the very efficient bus and subway system known as Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) to go pretty well anywhere on the island for selected sights of interest. A nice thing about Singapore is that it is pretty compact and easy to get around. It won't take long to see all the sights and attractions one would be interested in so even a few days is all that would be required. Singapore would be the much needed change of pace within a longer hectic southeast Asian tour.

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About the Author

Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery (http://www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca) , an online gallery specializing in Inuit Eskimo and Northwest Native American art including carvings, sculpture and prints. Free Spirit Gallery has numerous information resource articles with photos of authentic Inuit and Native Indian art as well as free eCards.

Tourist in Singapore Itinerary

1st Night- Friday

1. From Changi Airport (budget terminal ride the bus to main Changi Airport) to South East Asia Hotel:
Ride the MRT from Changi (interchange at Tanah Merah) to Bugis.
Bugis MRT is near the hotel, just follow the map on how to get there by foot.
2. After check-in, walk to Sim Lim Square and look for Ipods or any gadgets you like.
3. Walk to Singapore Art Museum at 71 Bras Basah. The entrance is free on Fridays from 6:00-9:00 pm and a guided tour at 7:00 pm.
4. Look around at Chijmes. Take lots of pictures.
5. Eat dinner at Bugis Village.
6. Walk back to South East Asia Hotel.

2nd Day- Saturday

1. From South East Asia Hotel to Singapore Zoo:
Ride the MRT from Bugis to Ang Mo Kio.
Transfer to SBS Bus # 138 and alight in front of the zoo located at 80 Mandai Lake.
2. Zoo Admission Ticket with Tram Ride (Adult)- SG$ 15.00
3. From Singapore Zoo to Grange Road:
Board SBS Bus 138 then alight at Ang Mo Kio MRT station.
Ride the MRT from Ang Mo Kio to Somerset. *** Jomar wanted to see the new Nano 4 GB Ipod release.
He said that there’s an Apple store in Grange Rd’s mall. We went there but was disappointed that there was no available Ipod.
4. From Grange Road to Sentosa:
Ride the MRT from Somerset (interchange at Dhoby Ghaut and Outram Park) to Harbour Front.
Board the orange Sentosa Bus at HarbourFront Bus interchange.
Board the Blue and Green Line Bus to go to

Sentosa Luge (Chairlift: return trip, 10 am - 7 pm),
The Merlion (last admission 7:30 pm)
and the Magical Sentosa Show @ Musical Fountain @ 7:40 pm, 8:40 pm. (Come one hour early).

5. Eat dinner at Lau Pa Sat:
From Sentosa to Lau Pa Sat:
Board the Sentosa Bus and alight at HarbourFront Interchange.
Ride the MRT from HarbourFront (interchange at Outram Park) to Raffles Place.
Walk towards Robinson Road, Boon Tat St. 18 Raffles Quay.
6. To go back to South East Asia Hotel, ride the MRT from Raffles Place to Bugis.

3rd day- Sunday

1. Attend Mass at 8:30 in the Church of St. Joseph.
2. Go to Sim Lim Square to buy a couple of gadgets.
3. Go to Chinatown Heritage Centre located at 48 Pagoda St. Sri Mariamman Temple, 244 South Bridge Road by taxi.
4. See Singapura Mall: From Chinatown, ride the MRT from Chinatown to Dhoby Ghaut.
5. Eat dinner at Glutton’s Bay: Walk to Orchard Road. Board SBS Bus #s 111, 162x, 502. Alight at Esplanade Theatre on the Bay opposite Marina Square. Watch the free free concert in Victoria Concert Hall at 8 pm.
6. Ride CityBuzz C3 “Little India Route” just to take a look around the 2nd level of the DoubleDecker Bus.

4th day- Monday

1. Kampong Glam: Walk along Victoria Street towards Arab Street and Sultan Gate Street towards the Malay Heritage Centre.
2. Route: Bussorah Street - Sultan Mosque - Muslim Good Shop - Old Istana Kampong Glam - Royal Graveyard.
*** If you’d like to enter the mosque, please wear sleeved blouses / shirts (ladies - long sleeves) and long skirts or pants.
4. From South East Asia Hotel to Budget Terminal, ride the MRT from Bugis (interchange at Tanah Merah) to Changi).

Things To Do In Singapore

Things To Do In Singapore
by: Ong Hui Woo


The best way to explore Singapore is to do what the locals do. That’s right, do things that are ‘non-touristy’. I have compiled a list of places and things to do in Singapore that are mostly free, other than a bottle of drink and transport fares. Hope you will find them useful and have fun!

1. Grab your 20 mega pixel camera and head down to Chinatown .... ok, ok, 2 million pixel is just as good. Take some pictures of the old shops and their almost 90 degrees staircases. If you like taking pictures of elderly people, there are many sitting around the wet market doing nothing.

2. Go to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve for mountain biking or walk around and smell the green. Bring a bottle of water and shades.

3. Take a ferry (cost only $2) to Pulau Ubin and explore the island. You can also rent a bike or worn out motocycle. Try taking a taxi if you can find one, they can climb rough terrains better than jeeps. Explore some of the Malay kampungs and prawn farms.

4. Visit the Changi Prison. It's free entrance for both tourist and inmates. Drop by the museum and chapel for some WW2 history and photos.

5. Visit the Siang Lim Si temple at Toa Payoh. Watch people get blessed. For the non-believers, you can count the number of deities inside ... it should occupy you for one hour.

6. Go to the East Coast Park for a swim and followed by satay-bee hoon at the hawker centre.

7. Take a train to Changi Airport. Buy two cups of coffee, find a comfortable pillar in the departure hall viewing gallery, watch planes take off and ask yourself why you are not on the plane heading for a vacation.

8. Take a map and walk through MacRitchie Reservoir.

9. Go Sim Lim Square and check out the latest laptops and hardware.

10. Go jogging from Kallang River to Benjamin Sheares Bridge.

11. Take a train from the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. You can go over to Malaysia and back within a day.

12. Try water skiing at Pungol.

13. Make your own kite and fly them at the Marine South open field. After that, you can have a delicious steamboat dinner at the many steamboat restaurant nearby.

14. Go to the Flea Market at Sungei Road. Some people called it the Thieves Market because most of the things sold there are not bought by the merchants.

15. Go cycling at the Sembawang Park. Quiet and nice even on the weekends. Cycle to the end and you can see some of the big ships refuelling.

16. Bring your own pit and barbeque along the Upper Pierce Reservoir. But if you feel oily, don't jump into the reservoir, you may end up in Point no. 4.

17. Visit the Tekka Market at Serangoon Road for a variety of fruits and vegetables. There is a stall selling one of the best Bryani Chicken Rice I have ever tasted.

18. Go fishing at Pasir Ris Park.

19. Visit the Kinokuniya Bookstore.If your are dizzy after browing the library size bookstore, sit down for a cup of tea at the cafe inside the bookstore. If you feel like a bookworm that day, then head for the Borders bookstore for a second helping.

20. Visit the Sungei Buloh Nature Park. Bring binoculars and do bird watching. After that, you can buy some hydroponic vegetables home at the nearby farms.

copyright : http://www.platimumbooks.com

Tourist In Singapore: How to Go To Singapore Zoo, Super Detailed!

KNOW MORE ABOUT GOING AROUND IN SINGAPORE at
http://www.traveljournal.com.ph

This is for Abe / YugaTech (Ano ba talagang pangalan mo?/what’s your real name?) - He’ll be in SG for an overnight stay only and he wants to go to the Zoo and Sim Lim Square. ONLY.

Upon landing in SG:

If you want to save time, make sure you BUY an MRT card from the Airport (good for say 25(?) singapore dollars. Otherwise you’ll be hunting for CHANGE when you ride the bus or falling in line everytime you ride the MRT. The card has a 5 year validity w/c you can use when you return to Singapore.

How to go to Singapore Zoo (Opening hours 8:30 am - 6 pm)

Ride MRT to Bugis Station. (This is an MRT Hub)
Change trains and Ride MRT (from Bugis –> Ang Mo Kio)
Ride SBS Bus Number 138 at Bus Terminal outside of MRT station.
Zoo is at 80 Mandai Lake Rd, it’s a destination.

This is an Hour Long Trip. Do the reverse to go to Bugis. Why? Because Bugis is where the (CHEAP!) Electronics Shop that’s Internationally Known: Sim Lim Square. Jomar says even the people at TWIT talk about Sim Lim.

KNOW MORE ABOUT GOING AROUND IN SINGAPORE at
http://www.traveljournal.com.ph

Tourist In Singapore

Tourist In Singapore.