Capra in Singapore
Getting To Singapore
Check that your passport has at least 6 months validity from the time of your departure from Singapore.
Attendees travelling with passports from certain countries will require a visa, refer to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority of Singapore website.
Singapore has strict laws. The immigration and customs procedure is generally pretty smooth. Information on prohibited items can be found here.
Everyone will need to fill out the SG Arrival Card (here) anytime within the two days prior to your arrival. It's just a short form and there's no fee. It's fine to fill it out upon arrival prior to proceeding through immigration.
Changi airport (SIN) on the eastern edge of the island is the main gateway to Singapore. It should be fairly straight forward to find regular flights to and from most major cities with minimal or no connections.
If you plan on arriving via land transport from Malaysia or taking the ferry from Indonesia or Malaysia we'll presume you already know what you're doing!
Practicalities in Singapore
Tips
English is the lingua franca in Singapore.
There's no culture of tipping here.
When packing, keep in mind it will be hot and humid outdoors! The Capra dates are outside of the rainy season but being in the tropics, there could be occasional rain during your trip.
You may need a plug adapter. The power socket in Singapore is type G (the same one as the UK and Ireland with three rectangular shaped prongs).
When eating in Singapore's famous hawker centres (and food courts etc), you are typically expected to return your tray/dishes to a drop point.
On busy escalators - the left hand side is the 'standing lane' and the right hand side is the 'fast lane'. This mirrors road traffic; vehicles drive on the left and overtake on the right (when crossing the street - look right first).
The first day of the conference (Monday 17th of June) is Hari Raya Haji, a public holiday in Singapore. As a result some places/services may be closed while others may be more busy. Public transport will still be frequent.
Currency and Going Cashless
The local currency is the Singapore Dollar with 1S$~0.75US$~0.69€ (as of 03 Jan 2024).
The usual credit/debit cards are accepted pretty much everywhere. However most hawker centre and cafeteria food stalls do not accept card. For eating at either (including many of the lunch options at the conference venue) you can:
Get some cash from an ATM.
Go cashless. Check out GrabPay, a digital wallet that allows you to load money in via card payment. To pay at a foodstall you just scan a QR code and enter the payment amount. Make sure to load in cash into the digital wallet in advance though. Grab is also the Uber equivalent in this part of the world and you can hail a ride with the same app.
Tourist Sim Cards
While not necessary, it can be handy to have a data plan to navigate the city and use ride hailing apps etc. Tourist sims and esims are available from the main local providers such as Singtel and M1. You can pick up sims in Changi airport. Airalo is handy alternative for short stays that provides esim data plans for most countries including Singapore. You can get 3US$ off with a referral code such as "JOSH3300" (the name of the code is of course, a total coincidence).
Getting Around
In General
The public transport system is excellent and pretty cheap. You pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay or a contactless credit/debit card as you get on and off. You can purchase a physical EZ-Link card if you don't already have a contactless option.
For specific information on commuting around NUS campus and to the conference venue, see the Conference Venue page.
MRT (Metro) Lines: Labelled by name and colour. The map of all the different lines can be found here. Usually the most efficient way of getting around. Tap your contactless payment to get through the barrier in the station and tap again to get out through the barrier at your destination station. If swapping metro lines you don't need to exit though the barriers. The 'Kent Ridge' stop is on NUS campus and on the Circle Line (yellow). There is an interchange at Buona Vista with the East-West Line (green) which goes towards the city centre and airport.
Bus: Labelled by number. Flag the bus at the bus stop by sticking out your hand. Tap your contactless payment at the front while getting on and tap again when getting off at the back. Buses are frequent and Google maps gives reliable routes and scheduling.
Taxi: Taxi fares in Singapore are metered. The 'Grab', 'Zig' and "Gojek" ride hailing apps are the easiest way to get a reasonably priced taxi and offer pay by meter or fixed journey fare options. For the latter, prices for each vary by time as well as journey. You can pay via card with each app or select the option to pay with cash in the taxi. Grab is similar to Uber while Zig is the app for ComfortDelgro cabs recognisable by their blue or yellow colour schemes. You can hail a ComfortDelgro cab from the street or taxi rank and still pay with the Zig app by scanning a QR code in the car.
Getting From Changi Airport
MRT: The East-West MRT Line (green metro line) goes from the airport to the city centre and onwards to Buona Vista nearby to most of the conference accommodation options. The journey is just over an hour to Buona Vista since Changi is on the eastern tip of the island and you'll have to swap trains at the Tanah Merah stop. The green line is busy on peak commuter hours.
Taxi: The faster option from the airport is to take a cab. At each terminal there is a taxi rank and separate ride hailing app waiting area (typically right next to each other). I prefer to hail a Zig or Grab ride so I know the price in advance but if it takes a moment to find one, the taxi rank is another good option. At the taxi rank be aware that:
Not all cabs take card payment. Best to ask in advance.
Some are more pricey (larger and more expensive vehicles).
You can ask to take one of the ComfortDelgro cabs so you can pay with the Zig app anyway (scan the QR code in the cab to pair with your app). They are frequent and that way you avoid the more expensive options. Expect ~20-30S$ depending on the time of day to get to accomodation near NUS.
Things to do and see
If you have any questions or want any recommendations be sure to approach the local organizing committee! Also check out the Visit Singapore website.
Some Classic Singapore To Dos
Visit the Botanic Gardens.
Keep an eye out for wildlife (sometimes even on NUS campus). You may spot otters, monitor lizards, hornbills, various primates, jungle fowl etc.
Walk around Chinatown.
Visit Gardens by the Bay.
Sundowners CÉ LA VIE SkyBar on top of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. While a ticket to visit the Observation Deck at the Marina Bay Sands is 20S$, a ticket up to CÉ LA VIE SkyBar is 30S$ but can be redeemed for food and drinks.
Take the Cable Car to Sentosa Island. There's even a fun luge.
Grab a meal at a classic hawker centre such as at Maxwell or the Old Airport Road.
Eat at Lau Pa Sat, a touristy take on a hawker centre near the CBD. It's still cool to visit, especially Satay Street from 7pm.
Off the Tourist Trail
Take a ferry to Pulau Ubin. Great for bird watching.
Head to Bishan-Ang Mo Kio park to spot the families of otters. The park is formerly home to the Bishan 10 (an infamous family of otters) though they were driven out by a rival family of otters and now live in Marina Bay.
Walk to the Treetop Walk and spot wildlife at Macritchie Reservoir. Great for seeing primates!
Walk in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. If you're lucky you'll see a flying squirrel.
Take a ferry to St.John and Lazarus Islands. Easy to spot macaques here and there's a nice beach.
Cycle the old Rail Corridor. There are bicycle sharing apps such as Anywheel for bicycle rental.