South Asian Diaspora Convention 2013

Regular banking hours are on average, 9am to 5pm from Mondays to Fridays, and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays. Passports are required when cashing travellers' cheques. You will also find money changers at the conference venue, major shopping centres and hotels along Orchard Road. Automated Teller Machines (ATM) are generally working 24/7 and accept most of the main credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard and American Express.

Tap water in Singapore is perfectly clean and safe to drink. Bottled mineral water is available at any local supermarket or convenience store.

Singapore views drug abuse very seriously. The importation of drugs carries the death penalty. The use of drugs in Singapore is a criminal offence.

The voltage primarily used in Singapore is 220-240 volts AC, 50 hertz. The plug sockets tend to accept 3 pronged pins; failing which, adapters are cheap and easy to find. Most hotels also provide transformers and adapters on request.

Most major hotels, cafes and fast-food outlets offer wireless internet. Connectivity, however, may come at a price. In selected commercial areas, free wireless internet access may be available.

There are four official languages in Singapore: English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil. English is the main language of business and study, and is widely spoken and written.

There are three mobile telephone service providers in Singapore – SingTel, M1 and StarHub. All three offer prepaid cards which are sold at their retails shops and 7-Eleven or Cheers convenience stores.

Over-the-counter medicine is available from supermarkets, departmental stores, hotels and shopping centres. Registered pharmacists work from 9am to 6pm.

Singapore is a very safe country with low crime rates. "Low crime", however, does not mean "no crime", so please take the regular precautions with your belongings.

Useful phone numbers:

Smoking is not permitted in most indoor locations in Singapore, as well as eateries, entertainment centres (including night spots), sports and recreation facilities, healthcare facilities and on modes of transport. However, certain premises have designated areas for smoking.

There is a 7% Goods and Services Tax (GST). Tax refunds may be obtained at Changi International Airport for purchases from retailers participating in the Tourist Refund Scheme if you meet the eligibility criteria and conditions. Click here for more information.

Tipping is not customary in Singapore. Most hotels and restaurants already impose a 10% service charge, and a gratuity is not expected in excess of this.

Singapore is consistently hot and humid. Generally, temperatures reach around 31°C (88°F) during the day and 24°C (75°F) at night.

Loose and light summer clothing is highly recommended, and unless otherwise specified, casual attire is acceptable for most situations. Business attire is recommended during all conference sessions.

Singapore has a comprehensive bus network with frequent services and a convenient Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) train system. Both are cheap and simple to use. For road directions in Singapore, please visit www.streetdirectory.com.

Taxis are plentiful, air-conditioned and reasonably cheap. The flag down fare starts at about SGD2.90. Booking, peak hour, location and Electronic Road Pricing surcharges apply. Taxi booking number: +65 6342 5222.

Approach the Ground Transport Centre (GTC) located in the Arrival Hall of all terminals for all your transportation requests and queries.
Transportation options available at the Ground Transport Desk include:

4-seater Airport Limousine ($55 per trip to any destination in Singapore)

7-seater Large Taxi ($60 per trip to any destination in Singapore)

9-seater Mini-Bus ($60 per charter to any destination in Singapore)

Airport Shuttle Bus ($9 per passenger to selected downtown hotels. Please check with counter staff for route information)

Taxis are available at the taxi stands at the arrival levels of each terminal. The journey to the city is estimated to cost between $18 and $38 and takes approximately 30 minutes. Fares are metered and there are additional surcharges for all trips originating from the airport ($3/$5) as well as trips between 12am and 6am daily (50% of final fare).

The Changi Airport MRT station is located at the basement of Terminals 2 and 3 and also accessible via the Skytrain from Terminal 1. It takes about 30 minutes and less than $3 to reach the city.

For more information on train operation times and fares, please visit the Singapore Mass Rapid Transit website.

Bus terminals are located at the basement of Terminals 1 and 2. Information on bus services is available near the bus stands. Estimated travel fare is less than $3. For more information, please visit the Changi Airport website.