With restrictions finally easing up, it’s no surprise that Filipinos are starting to travel more. One popular international travel destination at the moment is Singapore. After all, it’s only a quick 3-hour trip away, you don’t need a visa if you’re a Filipino traveler, and you no longer require a pre-departure test as long as you’re fully vaccinated.
If you plan on traveling to Singapore soon, here are some tips that’ll help make your vacation much easier, more convenient, and hassle-free!
Buy a Commuter Card
Most places around Singapore are easily reachable via commute so expect to frequently hop on and off a bus or a train during the course of your trip. We highly recommend getting your own commuter card such as the NETS FlashPay (available at any 7-Eleven store). This will save you the hassle of having to pay in exact cash every time. A card costs S$10 each (around Php400) and already includes about S$7 (around 280) consumable load. To top up later on, simply visit an MRT station or convenience store.
Download Navigation Apps
It’s easy to get lost in a foreign country. With navigation apps, though, you can find your way around with ease, know which buses to ride, and estimate how long each commute might take.
Download a Ride-Hailing Service App
If you don’t want to take the bus or the MRT, you can hail taxis instead. You can do so by conveniently booking one through any cab-hailing service app that’s available in Singapore: GrabCar, ComfortDelGro, Gojek, or Tada Mobility. This is particularly useful for instances when you’re planning to go somewhere far, are way too tired to commute, or have tons of shopping bags or luggage with you.
Rent Pocket Wi-Fi
Singapore has many spots that provide free WiFi connections, including Changi Airport, major tourist spots, cafés, and hotels. However, if you’re heavily reliant on the Internet, particularly if you’ll be taking public transportation the whole day, it would still be best to rent pocket Wi-Fi so you have Internet whenever you need it. (Bring a power bank so you can recharge it as well.)
Eat at Hawker Centers
No Singapore vacation is complete without eating at a hawker center. In fact, you can get a whole lot of bang for your buck when grabbing lunch or dinner at the many hawker centers around the city. Not only will you be able to indulge in affordable yet satisfying meals; but you’ll also be able to discover different kinds of cuisines in the process.
Bring a Tumbler
Tap water is generally safe to drink in Singapore! Major tourist spots like Gardens By The Bay and Universal Studios Singapore have drinking fountains, so it’s pretty useful (not to mention less wasteful compared to buying bottled water all the time) to bring your own tumbler on your trip.
Pre-Purchase Tickets to Attractions
Beat the long lines and pre-purchase your tickets to tourist attractions via booking websites like Klook and KKday. You’ll automatically be able to head straight towards the entrance of the attraction where you’ll present your electronic voucher and be swiftly accommodated.
Go Cashless
Hate changing money when traveling? If you haven’t made the switch to cashless transactions yet, now is the best time to do so. Contactless and digital payments are safer, more convenient, and, in some cases, more cost-efficient too. Plus, almost every place you’ll visit in Singapore highly encourages you to use your cards and mobile wallets.
From purchasing your airfare and paying for your accommodation to buying your meals and paying for taxi fares, all of this can be done with just a simple tap of your card. No need to worry about finding the best exchange rates!
Don’t know which card is the best to use? You may want to consider one that has the added perk of rewarding cashback for every transaction—like the Maya VISA card!
The Maya VISA card is a must-have payment option to get better deals and bigger savings whenever you travel. It’s accepted practically anywhere and it lets you enjoy 1% cashback on each transaction worth at least Php800 (capped at Php200) until July 31, 2022! Just imagine how much money you’ll get in return when you use this card to pay for everything!
It’s super quick and easy to get a Maya VISA card too. All you need to do is sign-up for an account with Maya’s free mobile all-in-one money app where you can enjoy other features like savings, crypto, banking, and everything you need to help you save, spend, grow, and master your money.
You can also buy the Maya VISA card from the Maya website (https://store.maya.ph/), SM Store Business Services, Robinsons Department Store Business Centers, and select Padala Agents nationwide. If you purchase now, you can get 25% off!
With the Maya VISA card, you won’t have to worry about going over budget during your trip either. Because it’s linked to your Maya e-wallet, you can monitor your transactions in real-time. It’s also a reliable payment partner with a 99.94% uptime rate. Plus, for instances when you need physical cash, you can simply withdraw from ATMs anywhere.
By practicing these travel hacks, you can ensure that your Singapore vacay is hassle-free and stress-free so you can focus on making the best memories.
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