What to avoid during your stay

Singapore is an extremely functional, clean and impeccable city and manages to reach such high levels of perfection thanks to a series of prohibitions to which citizens and tourists are subjected. Sometimes the bans are quite rigid and fines are common for those who do not respect the city laws.

1. It is forbidden to take the durian on public transport or wherever there are other people. It is essential to consume it only in your own home. The durian is a very popular fruit in Southeast Asia, especially between Singapore and Malaysia, but its smell (as well as flavor) is very special and very strong, so much to be banned in public places. It is in fact sold only and exclusively in special sealed stalls and never in supermarkets. As for the durian there is no real fine, it is forbidden almost everywhere and if you ever come into contact with one of these mythical fruits, you will also understand why. Most of the inhabitants of Singapore seem to love it despite the terrible smell, on which they manage to overthrow.
2. The importation of chewing gum in large quantities is forbidden, because prohibiting it is possible to protect the streets, which are not smeared by the sticky tires, thus saving on the costs of cleaning the streets themselves. Chewing gum is not allowed to be imported or sold. It seems they can be owned for personal use and chewed, but must be trashed specifically and not thrown away. On this law, however, there is still some shadow zone.
3. The use and trade of drugs is also illegal in Singapore, as in the rest of the world, with the exception that here the penalty is quite extraordinary: in fact, the death penalty is still applied, which happens by hanging, after a fine salary, the detention in rather rigid conditions and even the flogging. The penalties are applied already from the smallest dose of drug possessed, because against the drug there is zero tolerance.
4. Appearing naked in a public place is illegal, but it is equally illegal to walk naked in your own home, if seen by someone. You get a $ 1000 fine and up to three months’ imprisonment if reported by someone wandering without clothes inside a house or hotel.
5. It is absolutely forbidden to throw waste in public places that don’t have the appropriate wastebaskets and litter the streets. This also includes cigarette butts and ash which is why smoking is forbidden in all public places. There are often ashtrays for those who want to stop in a corner of the street and smoke and fines for those who are surprised to smoke walking are very salty. It is also forbidden to smoke in rooms or in public places indoors and the price of cigarettes is very high. You should know that life is hard for smokers in Singapore!

The bans are many, but still respectable and make life in this city much more pleasant, clean and safe.