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I've lived in Singapore for 20 years, and there are 5 mistakes I keep seeing tourists make when they come visit

Marielle DescalsotaJul 6, 2022, 07:31 IST

Marina Barrage, Singapore.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

I was born in the Philippines and moved to Singapore 20 years ago.
Over the years, I've seen tourists making the same few mistakes when they visit the city-state.

Singapore is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Southeast Asia.

Marina Bay skyline, Singapore.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

1. Choosing to eat only at big-name hawker stalls in the city center.

The morning crowd on a weekend at Changi Village Hawker Center.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

2. Not venturing beyond popular landmarks like Marina Bay Sands and Sentosa.

Me at Pulau Ubin in 2019.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

3. Staying in hostels.

A shared hostel at the top floor of Galaxy Pods at Chinatown, Singapore.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

4. Not making a day trip to Malaysia's Johor Bahru or Indonesia's Riau Islands.

A fishing village in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

5. Not realizing just how seriously Singapore takes its rules.

Graffiti in Singapore has to be commissioned, and is therefore limited to only certain areas such as Haji Lane.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

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