Singapore/Malaysia

[PALESTINIAN HEARTED MANC]

Hey mate. I live in Singapore.Fell free to pm me if you need any advice and I will do my best to assist you. same applies to m'sia.

 

[EalingBlue2]

Our head office is in Singapore and I spent nearly a month there last year and you will love it or hate it. I won't say what I think but...

Positives:
Food is amazing, food from everywhere in the world and really good quality
It has more shops and especially luxury shops per head than any other country in Asia. You get Chanel shops the size of a small supermarket.
It is an incredibly safe city , crime is in the main areas meaty non existent and you do feel safe at all times
Public transport is great and very cheap you can get around
If you have a half decent job you can get a maid or two and never have to do an ounce of housework ever again.
Amongst the young it is one of the richest places on earth and everyone has jobs and high paid ones at that
Tax is very low and academic standards are very high
Singaporeans are obsessed with the EPL and there are 24 hour EPL channels
It has lots of bars, restaurants, places to go things to do.....


But.....
It is the most materialistic place you will ever go, everything is about wealth, people but feraris just to put floodlit in their garage and you will never see more diamond studded iphone cases
It is a very clean place but at the same time if you go to the beach there will be 500 cargo ships offshore and there isn't much space.
The weather can be brutal, hot humid and not a break from it and it gets dark the same time all year.
Singapore has a strange corporate culture too, Singaporeans struggle to be wrong in front of bosses or subordinates and therefore are incredibly detail focused as they want to know every answer to everything and can also be with that quite controlling.
Whilst academic standards are incredibly high they are narrow in thinking and not encouraged to think outside the normal paradigms it is not a place for a free thinker or the unconventional
It is full of Rags as well
It is busy there are lots and lots of people

Regardless of what you think and which camp you are in you'll love a holiday there I am sure, lots to do and good fun. Go to the night safari at the zoo, sentosa, marina bay sands , botanic gardens, little India, China town and have a sling at raffles you will feel like an early 20's writer

 

[aka blue jambo]

recommend Langkawi stayed at The Datai ( I think ) superb place

 

[EalingBlue2]

Going to be in Singapore all week, probably have dinners out organised a couple of nights but will have a few out on my own. Will be staying near raffles any great suggestions for restaurants or bars within walking distance that aren't criminally expensive?

 

[cyberblue]

You will love it the rain normally last 10min then 5 min later every thing is dry .drinks at hotels very expensive best buying duty free and from supermarkets go on a half day guided tour easy way to get your bearings

 

[PragueBlue]

Wowsers! Wasn't expecting so many tips ....

So far have read through each post and the list looks like this:

Singapore:
orchid garden
Orchard towers
Istana
Sentosa Island
Little India
Chinatown
Sim lim square
Marina Bay Sands

Malaysia:
Bugis St
Gentinng Islands
Batu Caves
Kuantan
petaling st market
Langkawi

Have I missed out anything?

Reason for our travels is we want to check out and decide whether Singapore or Malaysia are places worth moving to for good. So will see.

Thanks for the tips folks....

Not sure if you'll be working or retiring but if retiring in Singapore is very difficult visa wise unless you already have rights of residence there. Malaysia has an excellent visa scheme called Malaysia My Second Home (or something like that) which gets you 10 year visas, tax breaks and the right to own some property.

We looked at relocating from Thailand several years ago as we love both Singapore and Malaysia. Singapore is good if you are working but very expensive (especially property).

 

[Manc in London]

Skip them and go to Thailand instead.

I'd recommend Indonesia above any other country in that part of the world. Much cheaper too. Although the food is dire.

 

[Scottyboi]

recommend Langkawi stayed at The Datai ( I think ) superb place

Posh bastard I lived in a bungalow with no air con haha!

 

[dronefromsector7g]

Skip them and go to Thailand instead.

I'd recommend Indonesia above any other country in that part of the world. Much cheaper too. Although the food is dire.

Indonesia is a beautiful country but I felt like I had pound signs painted on me. Makes Thailand seem like a doddle.

 

[Manc in London]

Skip them and go to Thailand instead.

I'd recommend Indonesia above any other country in that part of the world. Much cheaper too. Although the food is dire.

Indonesia is a beautiful country but I felt like I had pound signs painted on me. Makes Thailand seem like a doddle.

I do remember going to local stores and having to pay the 'tourist' price. However, it was still amazingly cheap. At the time, I was getting 13,000 Rupiah to the pound. I could get accommodation, three meals and two large beers for less than £10 per day.

I would also suggest that young, blonde women avoid the country.

Saying that, on some of the islands, the people are very accomodating, friendly and helpful. Especially, the Balinese.