Singapore Visa traveller guide

original: Setu, 21-Apr-1999
update: Setu, 21-Apr-1999

Intro

this is a guide for visiting singapore to get 5 year visa, talking about visa process, staying in singapore, visiting Tioman Island to wait visa process, staying, eating, playing. Reason why you go Tioman is that it's cheaper then Singapore. You may use a money for a weekfor Pune in a day in Singapore or more. Malaysia's cost is like Pune or little more. Tioman is a coral Island and good beach many place. I was swimming with sea turtle (80 or 100 cm long).
You are strongly recomended to add your experience on this document and spread. this moment (April-1999), this document is maintained by Setu ([email protected]). original document is in http://www.pune.osho.net/travel/visa-singapore.html Many of information came from Sw mahasukh (Japanese, Osho Far East Connection). without his infomation, I may not manage things. So, with this info, I hope you manage things.

History

21-apr-1999, setu - html version
21-apr-1999, setu - original text version

Cource

starting

day 1: arrive singapore, apply visa, arrive Tiomann Island.

day 1: arrive singapore, rest and shopping and enjoy.
day 2: apply visa, srriva Tiomann Island.

day 1: arrive singapore, apply visa, rest and enjoy.
day 2: arrive tiomann Island.

waiting in tiomann for 3 nights to few weeks.

finishing

day n-1: back from tiomann, rest and enjoy.
day n: give passport to embassy, enjoy, collect passport (4pm), leaveing singapore.

I am not sure this is possible or not. may be posible.

day n: back from tiomann, give/collect passport, leaving singapore.

Information

Money: Singapore Doller (S$) and Cent
US$1 = S$1.7 (April-1999)
you can change Indian Rs (only 500 Rs paper) in special place but I
did not try. friend said "it's a better rate then US$). there is
Little India in the town.
time zone:
GMT+8:00 (Glinige? Mean Time)
IST-2:30 (Indian Standard Time)
JST-1:00 (Japan Standard Time)
Indian Embassy
Singapore (High Commision)
   working hours
    9am-11:30am (submission)
    4pm-5:15pm (collection)
   Mr Girish in Visa Section
   31, Grange Road (near Orchard Road)
   tel 02-737-6777 (from Malaysia). Operator takes phone only for
    working hours.
   fax: #?#
   how to reach:
    bus: 106, 111 stops (ask driver for bus stop. they
are quite nice "okay, next stop for you". "can you see that white
house with red roof? it is")
    metro (subway): 5 minutes from Orchard
Japan, Tokyo
   Mr Singh in Visa Section (Embassy)
   email: #?#
   they don't send reply for clearance quiery. no reply after 72
hours means "no problem" for them, but Singapore need "reply" for 5
year Visa. So, you need to call Japan after 3,4 days. Japan need
[legal name and the date you ask in Singapore). They can send reply
fax within 5 minutes. they close 5:30pm(JST)

Flight to singapore
Quantus - Rs14000, 23:30 Mumbai,4:30 flight, 6:30 Singapore.

Preperration
If you connect with Mr.Girish few weeks before arriving Singapore,
and exchange document, you may receive Visa next day of applying in
Singapore. Sw. Neerjo (Multiversity office, [email protected]) has this
experience. Setu don't have experience but Setu has document sample
from Neerjo.
If your passport countory is in Pacific area (near Singapore), you
may need to call Indian Embassy in your passport countory. Get
contact information (tel, fax, email, who to talk).
Indian Enbassy takes holiday at the holiday in India. Please check.
If i found the date, I will write here. I am not sure they are open
for the hiliday of Singapore.

Visa for Singapore
Spanish (European?) and Japanese dont need Visa for Singapore. got
30 day visa in Singapore airport, and Malaysia border.

Arriving Singapore

Many years before, they don't allaw "long hair" to come in. I am not
sure about now. but they were allowing someone doesnot looks "long
hair" nor hippie. like some indian has long long hair under turban.
Setu has long long hair and long bears, I made nott to make it short
and putting nice shirts. many years before (I am not sure 1995 or
1990), Kitaro, Japanese Musician, Sw Deva Setu, refused to enter for
his concert.
If you have illegal drugs, you can stay forever in Singapore. Please
don't think about. maybe because of this low, they did not check my
bugs, if you like you can try and see what happen x_x.
Before Immigration, you may find "free Map of Singapore" from
Singapore Hotel Association. This is good map and good enough. I did
not think to get another map.

Airport to town

Bus: S$1.5. Base floor has public bus #36 takes you to town (others I
don't know). 45 munutes to town. avarable every 15 minutes. A/C is
fucking colder then Sahajanand's office :) and cold air directory touch
your body. Bus is clean and fresh like West or japan. you and think
it is better bus then your countory. If you don't have big suite
case, you may not feel problem. prepair small coins, driver doesn't
have change. not crowded at all.
there is bus directory to Indian Embassy, please ask in air port.
Shuttle Bus: S$9 for a person.
Taxi: I don't know.

Where to stay.

Singapore is expansive place like West or Japan. It means 10 times
expansive then Pune for everything. but it's a clean and beautiful.
it's a too beautiful and feeling too artifisissial. they made clean
by control of low. I saw the sign in old lift (smoking is $500- by
low). I have hard slowing gabage on the road will welcome from police.
Commune is clean and beautiful because love (some by duty and beleaf).
my friend (Sw. Mahasuk) gave me this place and was nice enough. if
you are good for cheap travelling for asia. then fine. if you never
trvel asia and you know only better then normal hotel in WEST then
not fine. but it was better then Shreemaan hotel in Pune for me.
guest house: LEE boarding house pte ltd. 46-52 Bencoolen Street
46-52 peony mansion.
fee: S$40- for double, atached bus, A/C, include break fast (from
8am, with 3 slise of bread, butter and jam, 2 boild eggs (hard
boild), any cups of tea. they have a domitory for less then S$10-. I
saw many of western young travellers. I did not see but I guess clean
and enough. not like india's domitory which I never tried.
tel:338-3149/336-5509, tax:333-1997.
setu has many cards. I will scan and put here for the map.
bus: #36 from airport, stop at YMCA hotel, 5 minute walk. if you
are looks like looking for a hotel, I am sure someone will ask you
"you want a room?". they are in ordinary old mansion's 7th floor. bus
to indian embarssy stops in front of hotel (106 and 111 bus, S$0.7).
5 to 15 minutes to embarssy (ask driver where to stop. 1 minutes from
stop to embassy). you can use merto too (S$0.7).

Lloyd's Inn: walking distance to Embarssy and Orchard road.
S$80 (I don't now what knid of room).
2, Lloyed Road, tel:737-7309, fax:737-7847.

where to eat.

this is only for LEE.

vegitalian restrant 5 minutes from LEE boarding house.

everything arround S$3- good taste (better then our Zorba :)
something good is you can eat anything which is cooked in singapore or chinese way. many thing looks like meat or fish. but all pure vegitalian. people here also nice. well vibe. clean. you can order from menu but also you can point some ready made things "this and that and it and ....". they have chinese tea. I amazed china has 2000 age of vegitalian cooking.
when you get out from LEE, go right, then turn right next, you will see it in next cross on your left side. grand floor, the corner of the building of some buddhist thing....

see tioman island if you need to wait and you want to go beach.

if you give Passport you can get Visa 4pm.

leaving singapore

from Embassy to airport directory.

i don't konw the number of bus. but it must stop near the embassy in Orchard road. it will be 45 to 60 minutes.

from LEE house to airport.

bus: bus stop is 3 minutes from house. 36 bus. it takes 45 minutes. avarable every 15 minutes.
others: i don't know.

i got Visa 4:10pm, then back to LEE house by metro to pick my bags. I was in airport at 6:15pm. flight on 7:50pm.
I changed my flight in Tioman. I did not have sticker on my ticket and there was no problem for Quantus. Anyway you can get sticker at Quantus's office in the airport.

Tioman Island....

Info

money

RM (Ringe Malasiya) US$1 = RM3.7
if it is 1RM you can think Rs10-
stay in Island was RM25 == Rs250-
one disk is RM3 = Rs30-
beer is RM6 or 7 in restrant
it is good to exchange in Singapore. rate is better. I changed US$300 for 2 weeks and 2 person. It was tight but fine. Vigitalian meal and beer and fresh juice for everyday.

way:

theret will do few way to reach.

by bus and boat. 8 to 12 hours. S$8 + 25RM.

chepest way and not so difficult.

by boat #?# hours (S$#?#)

sorry no info yet.

by air #?# hours (S$#?#)

if you can use air, you don't need this suvival guide. your agent will do everything for you. and you can get best place easily.

how to reach

by bus and boat.

from Embassy.

getting 111 or 106 bus in Orchard road. ask driver where to go Malaysia by bus. he shows where to stop and where to visit. 10 minutes from bus stop to bus station for Malaysia.
it may possible to go bus terminal for Malaysia bu metro. i did not try. get Metro in Orchard road (5 minutes from Embassy) stop at Dhoby Ghaut (maybe). walk 15 minutes to terminal (ask your hotel the detail). ask your hotel for detail. they may gives you better info. then this.
actually I don't know where was the bus terminal. bus driver just show me the path.
from Singapore to JB (malaysia). JB to Marcing by bus. Marcing to Tioman by boat. (there must be a direct bus from Singapore to Marcing. but I don't know the detail).

at boarer of malaysia.

you need to go out from bus twice to check out from Singapore, check in to Malaysia. I visit infomation counter and getting out little bit later then other people. I was in Express bus but it left me. but I could get ordinary bus (was bit clawdy). I manage to reach Bus terminal in JB. It was like 60 minutes from Singapore town to JB's bus terminal. but I tell you if you find direct bus from Singapore to Mercing, it's best. I was direct bus from Mercing to Singapore and it was so easy and fast.

at JB bus terminal, getting bus to Mercing.

make sure that you go till bus terminal. my bus's last stop was terminal. So, in here they have many company's counters. so, visit many counter to find best bus for you. It was 12.5 RM. and 2.5 hours.
I reach here 11:00, I left here at 12:00.
if you a Japanese you are happy if you find Daifuku here. It's a sticky rice sweet coverd with soya beans powder, sweet beans (with coconuts!) inside. I was so happy because I am a way from Japan for three years. I ate 5 of them.
If someone tells you all bus is finish you take taxi". leasten only your heart. remember bus is 12.5RM. They will tell you "Bus for two is 50 RM. Taxi is 60 RM. almost same". Or they will tell you "this is the only bus and you need to wait 2 hours here". So, leasten to your heart or Osho.

okay you got a bus.

- Mercing (boat to Tioman)

my bus stop but no one telling nothing. one of young traveler start
asking driver. then he start getting out. then I asked driver too.
and I find out we are in Mercing. I was sleeping well. I wake up.
almost all of traveller followed us. bus was fine.
good seat, clean, AC. If you are after India, this is the best bus in
the world :).
- one of guy gide to a travel agent. no other agent is there.
So, if you are not in harber like me. Please move to harbar. there
are thousand of agent and you can fine many place to eat and many of
boat. walking 5 or 10 minutes if you are not in harber.
I arrived 14:30. My stupid agent told us to wait till 4:30. but I am
sure if you are in harber you can find Speed boat leaving soon.
my 4:30 boat took 4 hours to Timan Island, ABC beach. Speed boat
takes only 2 hours. I arrived 9pm. Agent told me "It's difficult to
fine hotel in the night. take this...." but If you arrive 7pm, it is
still light (in April). It became dark at 8pm. If you could not see
the sea, ask "where is the Jet?".
- any way, it is easier then india. In Singapore, you can leasten
to anyone. They will agree to your heart or your heart will agree
them.
- Boat: There are 3 kind of boat.

Speed boat. (30RM and 1.5 or 2 hours)
Express boat and it's really express. (25RM and 1.5 or 2 hours)
Express boat but it's not express. (25RM and 3.5 or 4.5 hours)

where to go.

I was in ABC beach (Air Ba... - but people call ABC beach). It was
quite nice place. not so many people. turists and island people were
relaxed. some good restrant. if you are Vegitalian they can make good
vegitalian meal. Just ask for Vegitalian something.

where to stay.

Mahasukh sugest to stay "Muktar's place" but it was not open because
not a really a season. It was looks good. you try. go right from Jet
for 5 or 10 minutes. I sugest to go right side facing the island from
Jet. left site is much busy and beach is not so nice. I was in
Mawar's beach something :).
It was 20 RM (discount to 18RM for a week) with double and shower. no
hot water. no AC. There is 10 RM hut (A frame).

where to swim.
right side (facing island) of Jet, and of the beach is one of bast
place to swim. other place of ABC beach is bit rocky.

any way I was not in a season. my info will be different in a season.
July to October)

where to email.
almost end of left side. there is "Narzi's II cafe". 50 RM for 15
minutes. I sugest to write on the paper before email. or put it in
floppy if you have laptop.

where to phone.

many phone for telephone card is there by the road. Narzi's II cafe also have phone service by cash. If you don't know how long it takes this is fine. telephone card is 10/20/50 RM. but you can not refound.
you can not add another card during the call. If your 1st card finished during the call then hangup and call again with 2nd card. it looks like not so many line going out from Island and often I needed to dial 5 times to get connected. to call Singapore "02" + phone number in Singapore. for International, "00" + country code + phone number. "027376777" is for the number of Indian embassy in Singapore.
When you took a phone, make sure it has small "tone". often it does not have tone then I needed to hangup and wait 10 seconds. If the line going out Island was busy, it will say something in Malasyan language with girl's voice of computer :).

where to eat.

going out from Island to Mercing.

7am boat is fine. It's express boat with real express speed. 2 hours. it was called Sea Gull Express. 25 RM.

going Singapore from Mercing.

12:30 is the only one official express bus. for me, it was full already. I asked few agent in Jet. one of place start arrange extra bus because many people was looking for bus. I got bus at 12:30. 15 Rm for Singapore. 2.5 hours. If you don't find bus, you need to go public bus terminal 10 minutes by walk. I am not sure about it but they said bus at 12:30 and 13:30. It stop at JB and you need to change bus for Singapore.
my bus stoped at "Newton Circus" arround 3pm. there is many small restrant in a garden. It was fine to rest but I did not know here I am. It is near the Metro station called "Newton". I got metro to get back to my guest house. S$0.7 for Dhoby Ghaut near LEE house by 5 minutes (3 stations).
By the way, station for Embassy is next of Newton. This is the reason why I say "you may manage to give/receive passport and leaving Singapore in same day of leaving Tioman Island".
If you don't interested in the days of modern life or shopping at all, it's fine. For me, it was important to get Japanese foods. I got a fresh tofu after 3 years. Nisarg was happy to get dresses. I alway find good one for her. this time I found two of them.

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