Category Archives: Singapore

Before leaving for Singapore last fall, anytime I would mention to both strangers and acquaintances alike that I was getting ready to study abroad in Singapore, they all had the same reaction, “What?! Isn’t it super strict there? So strict that you can’t even chew gum?!” And my quick response would always be yes. Their reactions caused me to do all of this obsessive research, before leaving, on the rules and the penalties for breaking those rules and personal stories relating to breaking the rules… It was honestly quite intimidating at the time.

Now that I have returned from spending five months in Singapore, as an exchange student, I can honestly say while all of these rules are very real and enforced…probably, there was never a moment where I felt watched or bothered by being in Singapore due to these rules.

This post is meant to be both informative, but also lighthearted because I think rules shouldn’t be intimidating, but rather looked at as helpful and orderly laws that are implemented for the general public’s safety and comfort. After all, Singapore is credited as being one of the world’s safest and cleanest cities.

After watching this humorous yet informative video on YouTube from Asian Boss, I realized there are rules that Singaporeans aren’t even aware of in Singapore.

Check that out here:

Here is a quick run down of the rules that were mentioned in the video:

No Gum Selling or Chewing

Chewing gum in Singapore is illegal and while the personal chewing of it doesn’t have a direct consequence, if a person is caught disposing of chewed gum anywhere other than a trash can or is caught carrying large amounts of it (most likely will be considered smuggling) will result in an SGD $1000 fine if you are caught by an officer.

No Loud Singing in Public Without a Permit

Singing in public is only allowed for those who can do it – literally… a person must have a permit in order to be allowed to sing outwardly. If the person is caught by police without a permit to do so, they may be imprisoned for at least 3 months.

Don’t Connect to Another Person’s Wi-Fi Without Their Permission

A person’s Wi-Fi is considered their property, so when a person chooses to connect to a Wi-Fi network without the permission of the owner, that is considered trespassing which is illegal. Therefore, the consequence for doing this, if caught, is an SGD $10,000 fine or three years in prison.

Always Flush the Toilet!

If a person is caught using the toilet and not flushing afterwards, they could be subjected to paying an SGD $150 fine. However, it’s not entirely clear how this is enforced nor monitored…

Today’s SA2L post, is all about Singapore’s magnificent Supertree Grove. I had the pleasure of experiencing this at least three different times and everytime I went, there was something new that I hadn’t noticed before. I was in awe each time while there, and was in awe even more after taking some time to research the reasoning behind the very existence of these so called Supertrees.

First thing – there’s way more to this attraction than just pretty lights, flora and fauna, and weird gianormous robotic looking trees. These were created for a very specific purpose and contribute immensely to Singapore’s initiative in making their city in a garden rather than the other way around. The Supertrees are obviously man-made but they make an amazing difference to the environment by utilizing the energy of the sun and then converting that energy to power up numerous conservatories that are below the trees.

You see, these gigantic trees are particularly eye-catching but the trees are actually apart of something much larger which is the garden itself, “Gardens by the Bay.”

The trees supply this energy to two large conservatories made up of plants that come from various parts of the world:

“The biomes are the equivalent size of four football fields and will become the new home for 220,000 plants from almost every continent.” “The remainder of the Bay South garden will pay homage to the ethnic makeup of the country. In the Heritage Gardens, visitors can explore the Chinese, Malay, Indian and Colonial-themed areas and learn about the links between plants and Singapore’s history.” 

–          CNN, Lauren Said-Moorhouse 

This part of the garden does cost, while walking around and viewing the Supertrees Rhapsody show is free admission.

The Supertree Grove is an impressive science and environmental project indeed, but it also acts as an extraordinary space for entertainment as well. Every night, there’s two shows and the supertrees are the stars – literally! This includes an impeccable 15-minute light show set to music that is different each weekend. The three times I visited, I experienced a Singaporean music themed show (in honor of Singapore’s Independence Day on August 9^th), a Disney music themed show, and a musical theater themed show. I loved them all and fell into an intrinsic trance while laying down in the vast grass field below staring into the sky while the lights danced on the tree’s branches.