Singapore

Things we love:

Chilli crab is epic, but black pepper crab is even better. There's always a festival on somewhere with awesome local food, bonfires and wicked décor. Newton Circus, Maxwell or Serangoon Gardens: hit any of these for local food. You'll thank us later. The city empties when there's a downpour. Singaporeans hate the rain.

Things we wish we’d known:

Taxis are cheap, but beware of the night charges. Legally, you can get caned for pretty much anything (not flushing the toilet, for example), but $500+ fines for not throwing your cigarette butt in the bin are the most common. Expect hours of queuing outside new shops alongside tons of unhappy locals. They love to queue and they love to complain. Walking through Chinatown any time after 10am is a nightmare. The MRT is a whole different experience than the underground: no one keeps to the left and train etiquette is null and void. However they do run on time.