Personally, I tend to stay far away from any place that requires an exit visa.

I didn't even know that existed. Agreed.

It's actually how they facilitate modern day slavery in the Middle East.

I'm curious: what kinds of things would those be? I've always thought Singapore was a quite westernized country, but I guess I'm wrong.

It's a modern, clean and gleaming metropolis --it's quite exciting and clean, but there are some things westerners may not like so much. Censorship[1], criminalization of some male behavior[2] and capital punishment[3],[4] for drug "trafficking"

[1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_Singapore

[1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_377A_of_the_Penal_Code_...

[2]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misuse_of_Drugs_Act_%28Singapor...

[3]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_Singapore

As detailed in William Gibson's '93 article "Disneyland with the Death Penalty":

http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/1.04/gibson.html

Revisited in '12:

http://www.wired.com/2012/04/opinion-jeyaretnam-disneyland-d...

I don't know if the other responders have ever set foot in Singapore, but you're right that it's quite westernized in the sense that a Westerner's first trip to Singapore won't be overwhelming (certainly not negatively) the way it would be in many other places.

They have their laws, and you're better off not breaking them, but none require you to be consciously aware of what you're doing every second of the day.

As for the bumble gum thing, it's commercial import and sale that's prohibited. A tourist chewing gum won't get into any trouble. Is it a silly law? Maybe, but Singapore has a lot of people yet is very clean...and besides, it's not like western countries don't have silly bans.

Details here:

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/si...

Is it a modern country ? sure but westernized ? absolutely not.

Singapore has historically been recognised as the most Western country in the Asian region. Sure they are tougher on certain crimes but then again the US justice system is arguably far worse (trying children as adults, capital punishment for mentally challenged).

But let's be honest what on earth does "western" mean in this day and age. You would be hard pressed to see any different in children from Bangkok, Manila, Seoul, Tokyo, London, New York, Los Angeles etc. They all like Western food/music/culture/websites/technologies/products etc.

I lived there for 18 months. Very westernized, and surpassing the west in modernity.

Not sure where the Singapore bashing comes from on HN. It doesn't sound like most people have been there, yet still comment on how strict it is.. And the bubble gum thing.. geez.. Actually, i never felt safer in any city i have been.

I think it comes from certain notions about what freedom means.

Eg Singapore is far from a democracy. I don't care much about democracy, rule of law being much higher on my list. What do I care about my vote being one of millions? A fair and predictable legal system are more important.

Chewing gum, for one.

There's actually no issue with chewing gum anywhere in Singapore.

It's just that their sale is forbidden. If you have a pack you chew from your travel to Malaysia nothing will happen to you -- but you better not stick it in any public property or throw it down when you're down...

Downvotes, really? As this is misleading or offensive or something? I've lived in Singapore for 3 years on and off, perhaps those downvoting know better?

Check here for information too, if you don't believe me:

http://www.quora.com/Why-do-so-many-people-think-it-is-illeg...

Chewing gum.