Ah, that's not totally fair. There's places to go that aren't shopping malls - I miss the hawker centres and food streets, and there's some great walking to be had.
That said, the single best thing about Singapore is that it's a gateway to the rest of SEA. Changi is the best airport in the world, IMO, and you can be in Thailand or Vietnam in an hour for $100. No malls there! (Well not by CapitaMalls, anyway)
Changi Airport, both on arrival, and departure, is amazing. If you have a work permit, then the arrival process is 15 seconds to clear immigration - I kid you not. You swipe your passport, and entry gate pops open (quickly), you walk ahead five steps, punch down your thumb, and then a message appears, "Welcome to Singapore, ghshephard" - and then the second gate opens.
I thought YVR (Vancouver) was fast - (You submit your entry form, answer a couple questions on a kiosk, and then present it to an immigration person who makes sure you match the passport - about 2-3 minutes) - but Changi beats it hands down.
Departure is just as good - no long lines at security or worry about missing your flight - everything is done at the departure gate (which also makes a helluva lot more sense from a security perspective as well).
Makes SFO feel like a miserable cast-off of an Airport after spending time in Changi.
Schiphol is run the same way and is arguably more plush than changi, though both have nice outdoor areas behind security. Honestly, my layovers in changi seem like a drag, you run out of things to do waiting for that Mumbai or Bangalore connection.
I'd say every country I've been to has been incredibly efficient when it comes to immigration procedures. Except for the USA and UAE, both of which I wasted 3+ hours queuing.
>>> Ah, that's not totally fair. There's places to go that aren't shopping malls - I miss the hawker centres and food streets, and there's some great walking to be had.
Those usually get old after a few months/years..
Often said by tourists. Singapore is a lot less online that similarly developed Western nations (in part because professional PR staff game all the ratings and reviews), so it's harder to source the nice places. But it has a thriving "hipster" (for lack of a better word) scene and if you're willing to dig a bit, you can have as much fun as in London or Sydney, without ever stepping into a mall. My advice would be to ask local friends for recommendations.
I also think that MacRitchie Reservoir Park is a lot more fun to walk around (with its giant lizards, multicolored parrots, flying squirrels, hordes of monkeys and general lack of crowds) than Hyde Park or Central Park.
That said, the single best thing about Singapore is that it's a gateway to the rest of SEA. Changi is the best airport in the world, IMO, and you can be in Thailand or Vietnam in an hour for $100. No malls there! (Well not by CapitaMalls, anyway)