Some Interesting Facts About Singapore

Public Holidays
Date 2005  Occasion
January 1  New Year's Day 
January 21  Hari Raya Haji (Eid Al Adha)
February 9 - 10  Chinese New Year 
March 25  Good Friday
May 1 - 2  Labour Day
May 22 - 23  Vesak Day
August 9  National Day
November 1  Deepawali/Dipabali
November 3  Hari Raya Puasa
December 25  Christmas Day 

Note:
That holidays falling on a Sunday will generally be celebrated on the Monday following. Also, should two holidays coincide, an extra day may be given immediately after to make up.

Weekends - Sunday

Electricity

220-240 volts AC, 50 Hertz.

Embassies and Consulates

Singapore has diplomatic relations with nearly seventy countries, which have their embassies, consulates and high commissions in Singapore. Most embassies work from 9am to 5pm, five days a week but this is not true for all. It is wisest to call and check beforehand. The telephone numbers of all foreign missions are available in the telephone directory and the yellow pages, or you can call telephone enquiry to find out.

Post & Communications

The Post Office at Changi Airport functions twelve hours daily, from 8 to 8. Other post offices in the city work the regular business hours, 9am to 5pm. Singapore Post provides fairly efficient postal services as far as letters, telegrams and other basic postal facilities are concerned. Packages, however, are not handled by the postal service, and should be routed through the many courier companies in town; many hotels offer postal services. 

Telephone calls, local as well as international, can easily be made using call cards, from telephone booths at post offices, in housing complexes, service outlets and some retail shops; fax, telex and other communication facilities are available at all large hotels, business/communication centres and some shops. Internet and e-mail facilities at available at a number of cyber- cafes and communication centres dotted around the city.

Weights and measures

Metric system is followed in Singapore, meaning all weights are measured in kilograms, liquids in litres and distances in kilometres.

Tipping

Tipping isn’t the norm in Singapore, as most establishments- hotels and restaurants- levy a service charge of 10%. Tipping, in fact, is banned at the airport and at hotels, which add the 10% service charge to their bills.