Singapore

Normally, products are subject to a 9% consumption tax (GST), and a service charge of 10% is added to hotel fees and restaurant charges. During the F1 Singapore Grand Prix, hotels in the marina area add a 30% tax. Some local eateries do not add a service charge and consumption tax. They are not added at hawkers. When travelers (excluding residents) take purchased goods outside of Singapore, the paid GST can be refunded if specific conditions are met, minus a percentage taken by the company that processes the refund (refunds are not possible for meal and hotel charges).

Basically, Singapore does not have a custom of tipping.

The Blu-ray region code is A, same as Japan, so Blu-ray discs purchased in Singapore can be played on Japanese media players. Please keep in mind that there may be no Japanese subtitles.

Below are national holidays in 2024.

Below are guidelines for general business hours, which differ by shop, department store, restaurant, etc.

Although hours vary by bank, most are open from 9:30 to 16:30 on weekdays and to 12:30 or 16:30 on Saturdays (some are closed on Saturdays). They are closed on Sundays and public holidays. Most ATMs are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

11:00 to 21:00. Many department stores and large shopping centers open from 10:00. Seven-Eleven and Cheers convenience stores are found throughout towns and are often open 24 hours.

10:00 to 21:00 or 22:00. Some restaurants serve breakfast, and some close between lunch and dinner. Some food courts stay open until late at night.

Tobacco and alcohol is restricted to persons 18 years old and older. Entrance to persons under 18 years of age is prohibited for movies rated R (A). In the case of a NC-16 rating, persons under 16 years old are prohibited from entering. Identification, etc. must be shown. Persons under 21 are prohibited from entering casinos.

Various regulations and laws have been established to unify this small island country where many races live together. Fines to thoroughly enforce them have also been established. Even travelers are subject to fines, so care must be taken.
The primary example of a fine is a maximum of S$1000 imposed for littering. There are also fines for smoking outside of designated smoking areas, and spitting/hawking phlegm in public areas. There is a fine for eating/drinking in the MRT (trains). From 2022, you are legally required to clean away your food containers and trash after eating in a hawker center, food court, or kopitiam (facilities full of hawkers). A first offense will receive a warning, but a second offense brings a fine of S$300. Bringing chewing gum into Singapore is prohibited. Also, crackdowns on drugs are extremely harsh. For instance, even foreigners who bring in an excess of specific amount of drugs will not get off with just a fine. Capital punishment is imposed.

Tobacco Control Laws in Singapore prohibit bringing in tobacco unless it meets all of the following requirements. *Tobacco products sold in Japan do not meet these requirements and are therefore prohibited from bringing in.

Since there was a three-year period when the Imperial Japanese Army occupied Singapore during WWII (Shonan Island era), some elderly Singaporeans harbor anti‐Japanese sentiments. There are no particular religious taboos, but avoid wearing clothing that exposes the skin when visiting Islamic temples.

It is illegal to sell alcohol between 10:30 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.

Both indoor and outdoor eating/drinking facilities are non-smoking, excluding some designated smoking areas. Even nightspots are non-smoking, but there are some establishments with smoking areas (restricted to those authorized by the National Environment Agency). Areas where smoking is allowed are required by regulation to clearly mark the place with a symbol (floor markings, table colors, etc.) or sign.