Tourism is a major industry in Singapore. The city-state welcomed more than 16 million visitors in 2016. Architectural gems, a delectable cuisine, a flourishing art scene, and family friendly theme parks, you name it and the Lion City has it. Singapore has been a tourist hub for quite some time now, and is also very popular among migrants who apply PR Singapore and live in Singapore as permanent residents. However, there are some things about the city-state that even ardent travelers are not aware of. To help brush up your knowledge base before you book a Singapore tour package, the post lists some interesting and lesser known facts about the Garden City. Take a look.
1. Singapore has a ‘Hug me’ Coca Cola Machine
Hugs for a free coke can? As unrealistic as the idea may seem, Coca Cola has turned it into a reality in Singapore. The ‘Hug me’ vending machine is installed in the campus of the National University of Singapore. All you have to do is hug the machine and it will reciprocate your gesture by dropping a Coke can that will help you stay cool.
2. The City-state has 63 Islands
Very few people know that Singapore has not one but 63 islands including Pulau Ubin, Sentosa, St John’s Island, and Sister’s Islands, which means lots of water based fun activities for visitors. If you have a Singapore holiday coming up, taking swimming lessons would be a good idea; most importantly do not forget to include a set of your beachwear in the things to take on the trip.
3. You can Find Singapore’s National Anthem at the Back of $1000 Notes
Every Singapore $1000 note has the city-state’s national anthem in microtext at the back. Though these notes are in limited circulation, if you do get a chance to lay your hands on one of them, flip it and grab a magnifying glass to see the lyrics printed at the backside.
4. Singapore has Changed the Timezone six Times
As hard as it may be for you to believe, Singapore since 1905 has changed its time-zone six times. The current timezone was adopted in 1982 when Malaysia decided to standardize the time across its territories. The nation-state followed suit and created Singapore Standard Time which is eight hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time.
5. There are no Lions in the Lion City
Singapore was given its name by a Srivijayan Prince who called the city-state Singapura, which means Lion City in Sanskrit. However, never in the history of Singapore has a Lion been sighted on its land.
Conclusion
These are some lesser known facts about Singapore. To appreciate the local culture and beliefs, research more facts about Singapore. Discuss with your operator about some unknown or lesser known things to do and places to see in the city-state. You will find some reputable providers of Singapore tour packages from Ahmedabad and Singapore tour packages from Mumbai. Make sure that you choose a tour package provider who offers customized vacation plans for a more relaxed and memorable experience.
