Singapore – home to one of the world’s most efficient airlines and ‘The Sling’ – is one of the most fun places to stay in Asia. It’s the smallest nation in Southeast Asia and officially a ‘city state’ like the Vatican City or Monaco. The population is just under five million (as of 2009). Over 76 percent of Singapore’s population is Chinese, and the official language is Malay, but the language most widely used is English.

Singapore proves that size really isn’t everything, and what it doesn’t have in landmass it more than makes up for elsewhere. Singapore's Changi Airport is one of the busiest in the world – with arguably some of the best duty-free shopping known to man (or woman) – and Singapore City boasts a super-efficient transport system consisting of well-designed, tree-lined expressways and the MRT train line.


Merlion

The culture of Singapore is difficult to pin down. It’s an eclectic mix of Asian – Chinese, Indian and Malay – with a little bit of western and British colonial influence thrown in to shake things up a bit. You could find yourself enthralled by shops on the famous Orchard Road selling the latest designer gear, or charming bargain stores where you can pick up art and antiques that you’d never be able to find anywhere else.

Climate wise, if humidity is your thing, Singapore will be perfect. But if you have frizz-prone hair, beware...and make sure you pack an umbrella. Singapore’s location, almost smack in the middle of the Equator, gives it a unique climate, where the temperature never drops below 20 degrees Celsius – and is usually closer to 30. When it rains in Singapore, though, it rains properly, and it’s not uncommon to experience a full-on torrential soaking and then bright sunshine soon after, which gives way to a lovely steamy effect. The wettest months are November to January, the driest May to July, but even on wet days it’s unusual for the rain to last all day. For detailed weather information and statistics, visit www.worldweather.org

History
Singapore became part of the British Empire in 1819, when Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles decided that the place would make an ideal trading post and set about colonising an island that had originally been the site of a fishing village. At the time it was reported to be opium infested, disease ridden and badly sanitised. Singapore prospered as a colony, until the Japanese invaded in 1942. The island was returned to British rule after the Second World War.
In 1963, a newly independent Singapore attempted to merge with Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak to form Malaysia, but the merger failed and Singapore became an independent republic two years later.


Singapore skyline

Today, Singapore boasts a thriving economy and a high standard of living, and as of 2009 it was the fifth wealthiest country in the world in terms of GDP; this does also make it an extraordinarily expensive place to live.

What to do in Singapore

The country is well known worldwide for the twin obsessions with shopping and eating, so it would be remiss not to mention those particular activities in any description of Singapore, but it’s not all about fantastic food and fabulous stores.

If you can, try to take in the June Singapore River Festival with its intriguing bumboat parade dancing, musical and stunning aerial performances. All the events take place along the Singapore River and they are free. There are plenty of opportunities for eating and drinking while you soak up the atmosphere.

Sentosa is one of the places to be for a lively nightlife, and even during the day it’s packed with attractions. History buffs can find out all about Singapore’s past at the Heritage Centre, while nature lovers will enjoy the Nature Park, too.

Carrying on the nature theme, Singapore Zoo is in a lush rainforest setting, and it’s an ‘open concept’ zoo with its own research centre and impeccable conservation credentials. Experience a rainforest walk and actually see orang utans, gibbons, tamarins and more. You can view all the zoo’s inhabitants living happily in a near natural environment – it certainly beats looking at animals in cages. The zoo also recreates other habitats, including that of the elephants of Asia and the Australian Outback – so it’s a fascinating way to see animals close up without cages in the way.

Singapore is one of only two cities in the world that still retains a patch of primary rainforest, which you’ll find at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. The reserve contains more species of tree than the entire continent of North America.

Little India is the focal point of Singapore's Indian community. As well as the heady scent from the spices on sale, you can pick up ethnic jewellery, jasmine garlands and silk saris. During Deepavali/Diwali (the Indian Festival of Lights occurring between mid October and mid November), Little India is transformed into a veritable fairyland with decorated streets and stalls. You can also see the rituals of Thaipusam in January or February.

For a bit of history, Fort Siloso was built by the British in the 1880s to protect the western entrance to Singapore harbour. It became a concentration camp for British prisoners of war when the Japanese were in occupation in the 1940s, and today it’s the only preserved British coastal fortification in Singapore. You can visit the fort at the western tip of Sentosa.


The Courtyard at Raffles Hotel

One of the most famous buildings in Singapore is the Raffles Hotel – a retreat for many of the world’s rich and famous, including Somerset Maugham, Rudyard Kipling, Joseph Conrad and Charlie Chaplin. You don’t have to be a paying guest to soak up some of the atmosphere of the hotel – there’s a museum that features lots of memorabilia from the hotel’s bygone era, or if you want to take in some culture you could always watch a play in Jubilee Hall.
The hotel wouldn’t be Singaporean if it didn’t feature some pretty awesome shopping opportunities, and there are more than 70 high-end stores in the hotel, including Tiffany’s and Louis Vuitton. Alternatively you could just decide to chill out in one of the hotel bars and sample a Singapore Sling in the place they were invented...


Singapore Flyer

For a spectacular aerial view of Singapore, the Singapore Flyer is the biggest observation wheel in the world, larger than the London Eye. Situated in Marina Bay, you can hop on for a 30-minute ride and see some exhilarating views from on high. Save the Flyer for a clear day, to get the best views, or better still go up on a clear night and witness the lights of Indonesia and Malaysia, as well as an amazing Singaporean panorama.
Now for the shopping..

The currency in Singapore is the Singapore Dollar, and you’ll find plenty to spend those dollars on. For current exchange rates, visit www.xe.com
Depending on what you’re looking for, it’s almost guaranteed there’ll be a place in Singapore that sells it. The largest mall is VivoCity with a fantastic array of shops that could take you all day to peruse. Orchard Road is an absolute shopping paradise with malls and stores practically everywhere. This is where you’ll find the designer boutiques and labels, but there are also one-off shops, department stores and a café or two to rest your credit card after a hard day’s work.

IT and gadget geeks should head to the Funan Digitalife Mall and Sim Lim Square for a massive selection of everything electronic, and if sound is your passion you can find hi-fi brands at The Adelphi. Peninsula Plaza is the place to find all the best cameras and accessories.

If all the high-end, brand-name shopping fails to float your boat, and you want to find something a little less mainstream, your best bet is probably Little India, or perhaps the Bugis Street Market where you should be able to pick up street designs and eclectic fashion. The market has a reputation for cheap clothes, shoes, accessories and touristy bits and pieces. It can get a bit crowded though, so get ready to jostle through the crowds, especially at the weekend.

Taxes & refunds
If you’re planning a splurge in the shopping haven that is Singapore, remember that anything you buy will cost an extra five percent in goods and services tax (GST), although if you buy anything that costs S$300 or more, make sure that you buy it from a shop displaying the ‘Tax Free Shopping’ logo because you’ll be able to claim a refund of this extra five percent later.
You need to fill in a claim form when you buy the item, and they will give you what’s called a global refund cheque. You’ll have to present this along with your passport and whatever you’ve bought at the Customs GST Inspection counter in the departure hall at Changi Airport before you check in. Customs will inspect it, stamp your cheque and then you can cash it at the airport or opt to have the money credited straight into your bank account.

Singapore nightlife.


Marina Bay at night.

Unlike some Far Eastern countries, Singapore has a great nightlife, and a lot of the best clubs, bars and restaurants are close together so you can take in as many of them as you can handle! Boat Quay and Clarke Quay are top spots for clubbing, and there are themed nights at Zouk, Café del Mar and Helipad.
If you want to carry on with shopping into the night, there’s no reason why you can’t. The stores and malls along Orchard Road stay open until 9.30pm on most nights, and offer late-night shopping on Saturdays until 11pm. The largest mall in Singapore, Vivo City, has more than 300 shops and restaurants, not to mention a massive 15-screen Cineplex. The mall’s promenade also has some views of Sentosa Island at night.

Food is the other national obsession. If you are feeling adventurous you could try some of the more exotic dishes Singapore has to offer a discerning traveller – Sambal stingray, oyster omelette, clay-pot seafood, fish head curry and beef rendang, to name a few. If your palate is more conservative, fear not though, as all cuisines are well represented and the usual array of fast-food outlets are available too.

If you ever thought that Singapore was just a place to stop off on the way to somewhere else, you’re missing out on a real gem...and a great shopping opportunity!

For current visa requirements, visit www.projectvisa.com