Just when you thought this blog was a waste of time with zero useful information… here’s a random-but-handy travel fact:
You can chew gum in Singapore—but don’t get cute with it.
The sale of chewing gum has been illegal since 1992. The reason? People kept sticking used gum in places it absolutely did not belong—like subway door sensors, lock cylinders, and elevator buttons. Singapore responded the only way Singapore knows how: hard rules, zero tolerance.
Since 2004, there’s been a small exception for therapeutic, dental, and nicotine gum, which you can buy from a doctor or registered pharmacist.
Important clarifications:
Chewing gum itself is not illegal
Importing and selling it (with limited exceptions) is
Travelers can bring in a small amount for personal use
Spit it out improperly? 
There’s a fine for that
So yes—this blog did just save you from a mildly embarrassing (and possibly expensive) international gum incident.
You’re welcome. 
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This was my sixth time passing through Changi Airport—but the first time I actually left the airport.
I grabbed a hostel right in the center of Singapore and picked up a two-day MRT (subway) pass to explore the city properly. The subway system was clean, fast, and stupidly efficient—exactly what you’d expect from Singapore.
The hostel? Honestly… it sucked. But it was the only affordable option I could find in an otherwise very expensive city—unless you’re cool paying $100+ a night to stay in a rougher area. That said, there are tons of options on Booking.com if you’re willing to hunt and compromise a bit.
Singapore isn’t cheap—but it’s incredibly easy to navigate, even on a budget, if you lean on public transport and keep expectations realistic.
Here was my route from Changi Airport into the city—smooth, fast, and almost comically efficient thanks to the Singapore MRT.
And then… the destination.
After that flawless transit experience, I checked into what can only be described as an absolute cubby—a tiny hostel bunk that barely qualified as a sleeping space. Two nights. No privacy. Questionable airflow. Just enough room to lie down and reconsider my life choices.
Was it glamorous? Not even remotely.
Was it cheap (by Singapore standards)? Unfortunately, yes.
Did it get the job done? Also yes.
That’s the tradeoff sometimes: world-class infrastructure on the way in, followed by a brutally humbling reminder that budget travel in expensive cities is all about lowering expectations and raising tolerance.
I survived.
I slept (kind of).
And I got out into the city—which was the whole point anyway.
The first thing most people think of when they hear Singapore is Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay.
And to be fair—they’re incredible. Seeing the building and the landscape in person absolutely lives up to the hype. It’s futuristic, perfectly manicured, and feels like something dropped in from another planet.
That said… this is as close as I’m getting.
Rooms at Marina Bay Sands run $560+ a night, which is—no exaggeration—more than I paid for my hostel. For that price, I’ll happily admire it from the outside, take a few photos, and keep my money for food, transit, and actually doing things.
Singapore does spectacle extremely well.
I just don’t need to sleep inside the spectacle to appreciate it.
Some people collect infinity-pool selfies.
I collect stories—and a much lower nightly burn rate.
Singapore is undeniably clean, efficient, and impressively built. The infrastructure is world-class. That said, I didn’t personally find much beyond that pulling me in.
That doesn’t mean you wouldn’t love it—this is just my opinion. Travel is subjective, and different places click with different people. Honestly, you could visit Singapore and never even leave the airport and still feel like you saw something special… which is a little wild when you think about it.
And that’s the strange part for me: one of the coolest things in the city was the airport.
To be fair, Changi Airport isn’t just an airport—it’s routinely ranked as one of the best in the world. Inside, you’ll find an entertainment corner, the world’s tallest airport slide, a butterfly garden, a movie theater, a swimming pool with runway views, the Skytrain, the massive Rain Vortex, and multiple indoor garden spaces. It’s less “terminal” and more “destination.”
So yeah—Singapore does precision, cleanliness, and efficiency better than almost anywhere. It just didn’t light me up the way other places have. And that’s okay. Not every stop has to be a favorite to be interesting.
Sometimes the takeaway isn’t “I want to stay longer”—
It’s “I’m glad I saw it.” The airport was enough for me now.
