Singapore

Singapore's universities are generally well-regarded and draw exchange students from near and far.

Singapore's oldest university, strong in law, computing and science. One of the premier universities in Asia.

The Asian campus of European business school, INSEAD.

culture

On the cultural side of things, Singapore has been trying to shake off its boring, buttoned-down reputation and attract more artists and performances, with mixed success. The star in Singapore's cultural sky is the Esplanade theatre in Marina Bay, a world-class facility for performing arts and a frequent stage for the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Pop culture options are more limited and Singapore's home-grown arts scene remains rather moribund, although local starlets Stefanie Sun and JJ Lin have had some success in the Chinese pop scene. On the upside, any bands and DJs touring Asia are pretty much guaranteed to perform in Singapore.

Going to the movies is a popular Singaporean pastime, but look for "R21" ratings 21 and up only if you like your movies with fewer cuts. The big three theatre chains are Cathay (http://www.cathay.com.sg), Golden Village (http://www.gv.com.sg/) and Shaw Brothers (http://www.shaw.sg/). Censorship continues to throttle the local film scene, but Jack Neo's popular comedies showcase the foibles of Singaporean life.

In summer, don't miss the yearly Singapore Arts Festival (http://www.singaporeartsf...). Advance tickets for almost any cultural event can be purchased from SISTIC (http://www.sistic.com.sg/), either online or from any of their numerous ticketing outlets, including the Singapore Visitor Centre on Orchard Rd.

Asian campus of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. It offers courses that are film-related, including animation, writing and producing.

The second university in this island state, more geared towards engineering, media and business studies. Host for the Youth Olympics 2010

A number of foreign universities, business schools and specialised institutes have also setup their Asian campuses in Singapore.

Casual work is nearly impossible to come by, as you must have a work permit WP or employment pass EP to work in Singapore. In practice, receiving either requires that you have a firm job offer and the sponsoring company applies on your behalf; however, highly skilled people can apply for an Employment Pass Eligibility Certificate EPEC, which allows you to stay in Singapore for a maximum of one year while you look for a job. There is also a Working Holiday Programme (http://www.contactsingapo...) for recent university grads who want to live in Singapore for up to 6 months.

Work permits are mostly intended for menial, low-skilled labourers. To be eligible for an employment pass, you would generally need to have a minimum salary of more than $2,500 per month and hold at least a bachelor degree from a reasonably reputable university. There is also an intermediate known as the S pass, which is usually granted to mid-skilled workers who have been promoted to positions of junior leadership such as worksite supervisor, and would require you to have a minimum salary of more than $1,800 per month as well as your employer's recommendation. Employment pass holders as well as S pass holders with a monthly salary of more than $2,500 are allowed to bring in their family members on a dependent pass.

If your employment is terminated, you will get a social visit pass a visitors visa with no employment rights which allows you to stay for no longer than 14 days. You can look for another job during this time, but don't overstay your visa, and do not think about working without the right papers, this will result in a short stay in the local prison, with added fines, possibly caning and certain deportation. For more information, contact the Ministry of Manpower (http://www.mom.gov.sg/).

Once you have been working in Singapore for a year or so with an employment pass or S pass, applying for permanent residence PR is fairly straightforward. If granted — and the rule of thumb is, the higher your salary, the more likely you are to get it — you can stay in Singapore indefinitely as long as you can show some income every 5 years and can change jobs freely.

As one of the most vibrant economies in South-east Asia, and supported by a highly-educated population of locals and foreign talents, Singapore is a natural choice for multi-nationals who wish to have a presence in the region. The government is also highly supportive of entrepreneurship in the country, offering a full 3-year tax exemption on profit for new companies for the first S$100,000 and having one of the lowest corporate tax rates in the world at 17% a year. Even the company incorporation process (http://www.company-regist...) is done entirely online these days and can be completed as quickly as within a day.

While you can find a place to practice nearly any sport in Singapore — golfing, surfing, scuba diving, even ice skating and snow skiing — due to the country's small size your options are rather limited and prices are relatively high. For watersports in particular, the busy shipping lanes and sheer population pressure mean that the sea around Singapore is murky, and most locals head up to Tioman Malaysia or Bintan Indonesia instead. On the upside, there is an abundance of dive shops in Singapore, and they often arrange weekend trips to good dive sites off the East Coast of Malaysia, so they are a good option for accessing some of Malaysia's not-so touristy dive sites.

The Asian campus of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, offering one of the most expensive MBAs in the world.

golf

Despite its small size, Singapore has a surprisingly large number of golf courses, but most of the best ones are run by private clubs and open to members and their guests only. The main exceptions are the Sentosa Golf Club (http://www.sentosagolf.com/), the famously challenging home of the Barclays Singapore Open, and the Marina Bay Golf Course (http://www.mbgc.com.sg/), the only 18-hole public course. See the Singapore Golf Association (http://www.sga.org.sg/) for the full list; alternatively, head to the nearby Indonesian islands of Batam or Bintan or up north to the Malaysian town of Malacca for cheaper rounds.

spas

Singapore has recently been experiencing a 'spa boom', and there is now plenty of choice for everything from holistic Ayurveda to green tea hydrotherapy. However, prices aren't as rock-bottom as in neighbours Indonesia and Thailand, and you'll generally be looking at upwards of $50 even for a plain one-hour massage. Premium spas can be found in most 5 star hotels and on Orchard, and Sentosa's Spa Botanica also has a good reputation. There are also numerous shops offering traditional Chinese massage, which are mostly legitimate. The less legitimate "health centres" have been shut down. Traditional asian-style public baths are non-existent.

When looking for beauty salons on Orchard Road, try out the ones on the fourth floor of Lucky Plaza. They offer most salon services like manicures, pedicures, facials, waxing and hair services. A favorite of flight crew and repeat tourists due to the lower costs as compared to the sky high prices of other salons along the shopping belt. Shop around for prices, some of the better looking ones actually charge less.

races

The inaugural F1 Singapore Grand Prix (http://www.singaporegp.sg) was held at night in September 2008, and will be a fixture on the local calendar.The F1 Organizers have confirmed that the night race will be extended till 2017. Held on a street circuit in the heart of Singapore and raced at night, all but race fans will probably wish to avoid this time, as hotel prices especially room with view of the F1 tracks are through the roof. Tickets start from $150 but the thrilling experience of night race is definitely unforgettable for all F1 fans and photo buffs. Besides being a uniquely night race, the carnival atmosphere and pop concert held around the race ground as well as the convenience of hotels and restaurants round the corner, distinguish the race from other F1 races held remotely away from urban centres.

The Singapore Turf Club (http://www.turfclub.com.sg/) in Kranji hosts horse races most Fridays, including a number of international cups, and is popular with local gamblers. The Singapore Polo Club (http://www.singaporepoloc...) near Balestier is also open to the public on competition days.

International campus of the business school in Mumbai.

Cooking classes in an old colonial black-and-white home, with themes varying by day and cuisines from all over the continent. 8 students maximum.