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Currently reported don'ts for 'Singapore': 37

Singapore

Singapore
  • Capital

    Capital

    Singapore

  • Local time

    Local time

    4:47

  • Population

    Population

    5.6 m

  • Driving side

    Driving side

    Left

  • Calling code

    Calling code

    +65

  • Currency

    Currency

    $ SGD (dollar)

Read more facts about Singapore
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Singapore

Singapore
Socket
  • Capital

    Capital

    Singapore

  • Local time

    Local time

    4:47

  • Population

    Population

    5.6 m

  • Driving side

    Driving side

    Left

  • Calling code

    Calling code

    +65

  • Currency

    Currency

    $ SGD (dollar)

  • Average Salary

    Average Salary

    $ 4 123

  • Petrol price

    Petrol price

    € 1.58 pl

  • Precipitation

    Precipitation

    2 497mm /year

Geography & travel

  • Country Area

    Country Area

    719 km2

  • Protected Area

    Protected Area

    6%

  • Forest Area

    Forest Area

    23%

  • Annual air passengers

    Annual air passengers

    34.97 m

Population

  • Ethnicity

    Ethnicity

    Chinese - 76 %
    Malay - 13 %
    Indian - 7 %

  • Religion

    Religion

    Buddhist - 43 %
    Islam - 15 %
    Islam - 15 %

  • Literacy rates

    Literacy rates

    97.0%

  • Languages

    Languages

    Mandarin - 35 %
    English - 23 %
    Malay

  • Armed Forces

    Armed Forces

    147 600

  • Murders

    Murders

    0 per 100k

  • Alcohol consumption

    Alcohol consumption

    2.9 l/person

  • Smoking

    Smoking

    28%

  • Diabetes

    Diabetes

    10.5%

  • Tuberculosis

    Tuberculosis

    44 per 100k

Economy

  • Industries

    Industries

    electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, rubber products, food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction

  • Agriculture

    Agriculture

    orchids, vegetables, poultry, eggs, fish, ornamental fish

  • Natural Resources

    Natural Resources

    fish, deepwater ports

  • Energy Import

    Energy Import

    97%

  • Natural Resources

    Natural Resources

    fish, deepwater ports

  • Renewable Energy

    Renewable Energy

    0%

  • CO2 Emissions

    CO2 Emissions

    56 373kt

  • Ease of Business

    Ease of Business

    2 (Best=1, Worst=200)

  • ATMs per 100k people

    ATMs per 100k people

    60

Back to results

What not to do when visiting Singapore

1/37
Marker Singapore
Business & Communication

Don't forget to shake hands for a warm greeting, but be aware that Malays will not always shake hands. Muslims will not shake hands with the opposite sex. Give a slight bow for older Chinese people.

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2/37
Marker Singapore
Street & Behavioral

Don't finish everything on your plate - leave a little food on the plate to indicate you've finished eating.

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3/37
Marker Singapore
Business & Communication

Don't use first names unless you are invited to. Address someone using the title of Mr., Mrs. Or Miss with the surname.

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Did you know

Did you know?

Singapore derives from the word for “lion city” in Sanskrit because an Indian prince saw a tiger on the island and thought it was a lion.

4/37
Marker Singapore
Street & Behavioral

Don't bring in food into MRT (Mass Rapid Transport) - you can be fined.

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5/37
Marker Singapore
Business & Communication

Don't wear tight and super revealing clothes. Be conservative in your behaviour. Dress conservatively for business functions and dress casually in other situations.

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6/37
Marker Singapore
Business & Communication

Don’t give clocks, handkerchiefs or straw sandals - they’re associated with funerals and death. Don’t wrap the gifts in white, blue or black colours these are mourning colours.

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7/37
Marker Singapore
Business & Communication

Don't accept a gift immediately - refuse a gift two or three times before accepting to show that you're not greedy.

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8/37
Marker Singapore
Business & Communication

Don't, for a Malay descent, give alcohol, or anything made of pigskin, as Malays are Muslim. Give the gift upon departing, not arriving, and use your right hand or both hands to give or receive presents. Never use only left hand.

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9/37
Marker Singapore
Business & Communication

Don't, for an Indian descent, give alcohol or something made of leather. Use your right hand to give or receive presents and not your left. If it's large, you may use both hands.

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10/37
Marker Singapore
Street & Behavioral

Don't walk around naked or look at porn, even in private - at least ensure you don't get caught!

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11/37
Marker Singapore
Business & Communication

Don't point at someone with your index finger, which is considered very rude.

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12/37
Marker Singapore
Street & Behavioral

Don't feed birds in public - it's prohibited.

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13/37
Marker Singapore
Street & Behavioral

Don't get involved in any drugs - Singapore carries a mandatory death penalty for drug-trafficking and harsh penalties for possession and use within the country.

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14/37
Marker Singapore
Street & Behavioral

Don't stay on the right side of the escalator - remain on the left side of the escalator, the right lane is for all those people in a rush.

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15/37
Marker Singapore
Street & Behavioral

Don't forget to remove your shoes when entering a private home, a temple or a mosque.

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16/37
Marker Singapore
Business & Communication

Don't tip. Tipping is not customary in Singapore, and it's even frowned upon by the government.

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17/37
Marker Singapore
Business & Communication

Don't discuss religion or politics, and don't make jokes about it either.

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18/37
Marker Singapore
Business & Communication

Don't show the bottoms of your feet or use your feet to point - feet are considered dirty.

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19/37
Marker Singapore
Street & Behavioral

Don't litter, chew gum, sell gum, jaywalk, or smoke in public - it's punishable by jail or even death.

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Tell us your experience

Tell us your experience

We love to hear from people who have travelled the world and know ‘what not to do’. Why not help other people on their travels?

Submit your story

20/37
Marker Singapore
Street & Behavioral

Don't smoke in public and don't even drop the cigarette end in the street.

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21/37
Marker Singapore
Business & Communication

Don't touch someone's head - the head is considered sacred.

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22/37
Marker South-Eastern Asia
Street & Behavioral

Don't lose the temper and cause "loss of face". The concept of "saving face" is extremely important in East Asian social relationships.

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23/37
Marker Singapore
Street & Behavioral

Don’t disrespect or criticise elders - always give special consideration even you don’t know them.

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24/37
Marker Singapore
Business & Communication

Don’t be surprised by silence or pausing before responding to a question in conversations - it’s essential and it indicates that the question has been considered.

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25/37
Marker South-Eastern Asia
Business & Communication

Don't provide your passport as collateral when hiring vehicles - better use cash as deposit.

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26/37
Marker Singapore
Business & Communication

Don’t consume alcohol in public places between 22:30 and 07:00 local time, and all day at weekends in certain areas.

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27/37
Marker Singapore
Business & Communication

Don’t bring vaporisers like e-cigarettes into the country - it’s forbidden.

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28/37
Marker Singapore
Business & Communication

Don’t be a victim of mosquito-borne diseases - protect yourself against bites by mosquitoes.

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29/37
Marker South-Eastern Asia
Street & Behavioral

Don't be too affectionate in public - kissing, cuddling and similar behaviour are frowned upon if in public, especially amongst older locals.

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30/37
Marker Singapore
Social Events

Don’t bring food if invited to dinner - it can insult the host.

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31/37
Marker South-Eastern Asia
Business & Communication

Don't pull the motorbike in the middle of the road when trying to turn right as you might be hit from behind or from the front by others. Most of the traffic accidents are caused by this as it's common vehicles are overtaking within each of the sides in parallel and stopping in the middle can cause you big troubles.

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32/37
Marker South-Eastern Asia
Business & Communication

Don't point at people or things with your feet - it's considered very rude as the feet are considered as the most inferior parts of the human body.

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33/37
Marker South-Eastern Asia
Street & Behavioral

Don't show disrespect to Buddha or its images - large or small, ruined or not, it's regarded as a sacred object.

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34/37
Marker Singapore
Business & Communication

Don’t forget the rainy season occurs twice per year from December to March and from June to September.

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35/37
Marker Singapore
Business & Communication

Don’t be surprised by increased air pollution due to forest fires in neighbouring countries - it usually happens between July and October.

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36/37
Marker South-Eastern Asia
Business & Communication

Don't try to outrun the rainstorm on your moped.

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Tell us your experience

Tell us your experience

We love to hear from people who have travelled the world and know ‘what not to do’. Why not help other people on their travels?

Submit your story

37/37
Marker South-Eastern Asia
Street & Behavioral

Don't touch a monk. Treat monks with the highest respect. Buddhist monks are forbidden to touch or be touched by a woman, or to accept anything from the hand of woman.

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