Visiting Singapore

Quick facts:

- Singapore is an island country in Southeast Asia. 

- It is a city state and does not have states and cities like other countries. The country is a well-planned urban area.

- The country has an estimated population of 5,917,600 people.

- The official languages are Malay, Chinese, English and Tamil. The population is a mix of people originating from China, Malaysia, India and others. 

- Their currency is Singaporean Dollars (SGD).

- Singaporeans kind of sound like Nigerians when they speak English, hahaha

Visa requirements

i) Valid Passport with minimum of 6 months validity from the date of entry

ii) Photocopy of passport

ii) Previous passports (if any)

iv) One recent passport size colour photo with white background (taken within the last 3 months)

v) Completed Visa Application form (Form14A)

vi) Sponsor Letter of Introduction (LOI) from Singapore (V39A)

vii) Proof of employment letter with salary & leave entitlement, employment letter approving annual leave

viii) Pay slips or bank statements

ix) Hotel Booking

x) Copy of round trip air ticket booking/itinerary 

xi) $22 visa fee

There is an Embassy in Yangon, so I made enquiries on the visa process. Once I had all the documents, I booked an appointment and submitted my application. I had my passport back in 3 days. By the way, a Singaporean friend who lives here in Yangon filled the V39A form for me. The form contains an NRIC number which is the equivalent of a social security number.

Unfortunately, I hear the visa process from Nigeria is not straight forward. I was told by a friend who applied recently for a training, that it was a bit of a herculean task for them to get someone to fill the V39A form with their NRIC. They were turned away at the Embassy as that part was left blank at first, then the hotel staff in Singapore who was their relay was kind enough to use hers, trusting the group would not share with other people.

The requirements are the same and if you apply from Abuja, it costs 80,000 naira but 50,000 naira from Lagos. Abuja only has a liaison office while the Embassy is located in Lagos. If you apply in Abuja, the rest of the fee covers postage. I was told that you should have the visa fee in cash as there is no other payment method. Otherwise, prepare to do an ATM tour for the cash. Once all requirements were fulfilled, the visa was issued in 3 working days.

Arrival

My arrival was smooth, everything was automated at the airport. Travellers are expected to fill an arrival card/form online, which is used by the officers to track entry. There was a woman checking with passengers on arrival if they had filled the form. If not done, she pointed passengers to a spot to scan the bar code and do so. There is wifi at the airport so you can connect and get it done. That's what I did. I received an e-mail acknowledging receipt of the arrival card and health declaration submission. As I had been in Nigeria six days prior to my arrival, an officer had to check my yellow fever vaccination card to ensure it was up to date. Then I was allowed in. Just as I was leaving the airport, I received an electronic visit pass by e-mail with the instruction to 'retain the e-mail for the entire duration of my stay in Singapore'.

My friend who visited from Nigeria on the other hand mentioned that they had to fill the arrival card/form from Nigeria, or else they would not be allowed to board the plane. I guess the rules are more stringent depending on where you arrive from. A yellow fever vaccination card is required for people visiting from African countries and some other tropical parts of the world. 

I spent 10 days in Singapore and happened to also be working remotely.

I got around mostly by bus, used the train sometimes and good old uber. I bought a transport card and topped it up with 30SGD which I used through my stay there. It gave me access to both trains and buses.

Things To Do in Singapore

1) Visit Sentosa

There are a number of things you could do out there like explore Fort Siloso, visit the Universal Studios, ride in cable cars, have fun in the mega adventure park, see Madame Tussauds, go to the S.E.A aquarium etc

I visited the adventure S.E.A aquarium and there was soooo much to see. I have way more pictures than I would ever possibly post. Entry cost 44sgd per person.

The universal studios are also right there in Sentosa, but I visited in Paris before, so decided to skip it.

2) Museum of Ice cream

Located in a residential area, this was something different and off the beaten path that I had been looking forward to. It is a colourful and fun idea and you can get unlimited ice cream at each spot but once you go forward, you aren't expected to go back, but keep moving. The ice cream itself is not exceptional but average. This place is child friendly and they would love it.

There were fun facts about ice cream like this at different spots

Sprinkles pit

It is one of those places that is made for instagram pictures as the colours are bright and will make any photo pop. I didn't book ahead online so I paid 47SGD. I enjoyed being in the sprinkles pit and overall, I had fun, so it was worth it.

Out and about on Orchard road where many designer brands can be found

3) Gardens by the Bay - Flower Dome and Cloud Forest

You'll find a very beautiful display of trees + plants and it was cool inside, a respite from the heat. You could spend a fair amount of time discovering the area and taking pictures. 

The popular Marina Bay Sands is a resort that has a hotel, a casino, a convention exhibition centre, a mall, a museum, 'celebrity chef' restaurants and other things. I went into it and was fascinated at the ludicrous amounts certain things cost. It's definitely worth a visit.

Hils and Geekay, this one's for you

The views were beautiful, the experience was great, and I waited till night to see the garden light show. The burst of colours was impressive, I quite liked it. 

You can also see the helix bridge and walk in it which is on the way

I caught the end of the spectra light and water show which was lovely. 

4) Singapore Zoo

Entry fee was 45sgd

There was a lot to see. I was quick to notice that the animals were out in the open with no cages. They seemed to be well looked after and there is a forest feel to the zoo, making it appear as a natural habitat for the animals.

Rainforest fights back show

Look at this tiger without a care in the world!

The zoo is far from town, so requires some planning to get there. I would say plan to go early so you can catch the morning shows. The heat can also drain you of energy when the sun is in full blast by afternoon, if that is something you prefer not to deal with, you might want to aim for an early morning outing. I only saw the 'rainforest fights back' display as the timing of other shows were too far off for me to wait.

Bird paradise and the night safari were also recommended, but there was only so much I could/wanted to do. Maybe, next time.

To get to the zoo, I went by train and by bus. I took the MRT to Khatib station, then walked out to get the Mandai Khatib shuttle bus which takes everyone right to the zoo. There are different stops, so pay attention to get off where your planned activities are.

5) Boat quay

The boat quay is a strip by the river with lots of restaurants. If anything, you'll be spoilt for choice. I was and took my time to decide.  I finally decided to try the crab, it was huge and I definitely had to work to get the flesh out. Be warned that the restaurants on the quay aren't cheap... 

I was well equipped with the right tools for the attack, hahaahaha

6) Visit the Botanic Gardens

I took a long walk in the garden discovering different corners.

As we wandered on the streets on Saturday, one uncomfortable thing I saw was a large gathering of people from the Philippines with suitcases and travelling bags. I was told that during the weekend, they are allowed out from their workplaces, so they gather en masse to catch up, send money home, do their shopping and generally stay in their communities. Almost like they have freedom only on those days. This plaza where they were gathered was on orchard road so it couldn't be missed. I was told that there was another plaza where people from Myanmar gathered too. I gathered that many of these people were live in house helps or people doing menial jobs. 

7) See Little India and China town

I wandered around these areas and it was rather interesting to see a melting pot of cultures in one city. There are big populations from these countries who maintain their culture, attires, restaurants etc. 

8) Go to as many Instagrammable places as possible

Singapore is a haven for instagram influencers. There are so many places set up with the necessary aesthetics for the best photos, sometimes even in random locations. I walked past a café and there was such a long queue to get in, when I peeped, I instantly understood why. One good thing also is that people in Asia know how to take good photos, so you don't need to worry about asking even a random person to take your photo. The lady who took these photos told me the spot to sit at for the 2nd photo above and of course she knew what she was doing, hahaaha 

I do quite a bit of solo travel and in general I rely on the kindness of strangers to get photos of me. It works out some times. Other times, not so much but I'll ask people nonetheless.

Of course, I got my signature photo at the jewel at the airport on my way out.

Singapore is beautiful and there are so many activities to do. However, be prepared for the heat and for your pocket to bleed after the trip, as the country is not a cheap one to visit :-)