Singapore short-trip guide

Hainanese Chicken Rice: Singapore's national dish. A plate of fragrant jasmine rice cooked in chicken fat, topped with poached chicken, served with ginger sauce and chili sauce. SGD 3–5 ($2.20–3.65) at hawker centres; SGD 8–15 ($5.80–11) at sit-down restaurants.

Laksa: Spicy coconut milk noodle soup with cockles, fish cakes, bean sprouts. Two main types: Katong laksa (thick noodles, coconut-heavy) and Curry laksa (thinner broth). SGD 4–6 ($2.90–4.40) at hawker centres.

Chili Crab: Mud crab stir-fried in tomato chili sauce, eaten with fried mantou buns. SGD 50–80 ($37–58) per crab at restaurants. Not a budget meal, but the most Singaporean thing you can eat.

Kaya Toast: Toast with kaya (coconut jam) and butter, served with half-boiled eggs and soy sauce. SGD 3–4 ($2.20–2.90). Traditional breakfast at Kopitiam like Ya Kun.

Satay: Grilled skewers of chicken/mutton/beef, served with peanut sauce and cucumber-onion relish. SGD 0.60–1 ($0.45–0.73) per stick, order 10-15. Lau Pa Sat hawker centre is the most famous spot.

Roti Prata: Indian pancake, can be plain, butter, cheese, or onion. SGD 1–3 ($0.73–2.20) per piece. Best eaten with curry gravy.

Chilli Padi Tofu / Other hawker staples: Char Kway Teow (fried rice noodles SGD 3–5), Hokkien Mee (prawn noodle soup SGD 4–6), Mee Goreng (fried spicy noodles SGD 4–6).

Durian: Queen of fruits. Season is June–September. SGD 10–20 ($7.30–14.60) per kg for common varieties, SGD 50+ ($37+) per kg for Mao Shan Wang. Hawker centre stalls let you taste before buying.

Chewing gum: Illegal to import or sell. You can chew gum legally only for medical reasons (diabetes gum, nicotine gum — bring your prescription). Caught chewing ordinary gum in public, you could face a fine.

E-cigarettes and vape: Completely prohibited. Importing, using, or selling carries fines and even jail time. Don't bring one.

No eating/drinking on MRT: Not just politeness — it's a SGD 500 ($365) fine if caught. Also no chewing gum, no spitting.

Littering: SGD 300 ($219) first offence, up to SGD 1,000 ($730) and corrective work orders for repeat offences. Singapore enforces this quietly but consistently.

Hawker centre seat reservation: A pack of tissue (tissue packet) on the table means "this seat is taken". Don't sit there and don't move it.

Hawker centre no-smoking: Smoking is banned in all food and beverage areas. Fines apply.

Jaywalking: Fines are real. Use the designated pedestrian crossings. Singapore has very few places where crossing outside a crosswalk is legal.