Singapore,
or the Lion City is an island-state located in Southeast Asia. Founded as a
British trading colony in 1819, Singapore is one of the world's most
prosperous countries. Still today, the district designated by the former
British colonists for ethnic groups are in use. Singapore's strategic
location has helped it to make the gateway of Asia and generating
opporunities to develop into a major centre for trade, coummunications and
tourism. Singapore boasts of world's busiest port, which trades in tin,
rubber, coconut, oil, rice, timber, spices and coffee. With an area of 692.7
sq.km, Singapore is inhabited by a population of 4,425,720. The population
is a mix of Chinese, Indian, and Malay cultures. Influenced by the Western
culture, the small country creates a wonderful blend and celebrates its
uniqueness in its own special way.
Climate & Clothing
Singapore is located 135 kms north of the Equator, the weather is generally
sunny, without distinct seasons. During the months of December and January
the temperature averages around 26°C and remains around 31°C for
the rest of the year. Northeast monsoon brings most of the rainfall during
the months of November to January. Light clothing made from natural fabrics
like cotton is best for everyday wear. Thunder storms can occur any time in
the year, normally in the afternoons, so it's better to carry an umbrella,
both as a shade from the sun or cover from the rain.
Accommodation in Singapore
Some of the most popular hotels in Singapore include Singapore Marriott
Hotel (5 Star/ 320 Orchard Road), Hotel Intercontinental (5 Star/ 80 Middle
Road), Raffles the Plaza (5 Star/ 80 Bras Basah Road), Holiday Inn Park View
Hotel (4 Star/ 11 Cavenagh Road), The Sentosa Resort & Spa (4 Star/ 2
Bukit Manis Road), Le Meridien Changi Village Hotel (4 Star/ 1 Netheravon
Road), Swissotel Merchant Court Hotel (4 Star/ 20 Merchant Road), Tristar
Inn (3 Star/ 970 Geylang Road), Robertson Quay Hotel (3 Star/ 15 Merbau
Road) and The Metropolitan Hotel (3 Star/ 60 Stevens Road).
Tourist Attractions of Singapore
»
Singapore History Museum : Situated on the Merchant Road, the Singapore
History Museum has an interesting collection of artifacts exhibiting the
region's diverse cultures and history. The museum also has a fantastic
collection of 380-piece Haw Par Jade, donated by the Aw brothers.
» Haw Par Villa (Tiger Balm Gardens) : About 10 kms
west of the city, the Haw Par Villa is located on Pasir Panjang Road.
Originally built by the Aw brothers, it is a theme park of Chinese
mythology. In the Jade House of Haw Par Villa, the private collection of Aw
family is displayed.
» Sentosa Island : The Sentosa Island, Singapore's
most popular attraction, draws over three and half a million visitors every
year. The island houses a wide variety of museums, sights and activities
including South-East Asia's largest oceanarium.
» Singapore Zoo : Established in early 1970s, the
zoo is home to more than 2000 animals and around 250 avian species. The
Night Safari in the Zoo is a unique opportunity to study nocturnal animals.
» Thian Hock Keng Temple : Built in
1841, Thian Hock Keng Temple is Singapore's oldest Hokkien Chinese temple.
This temple is dedicated to Ma Cho Po, the Queen of Heaven and protector of
sailors.
» Peranakan Place Museum : The 'Chinese palladian'
or ''Chinese baroque' styled museum depicts the unique fusion of cultures of
the Peranakan, the 'local born' or Straits-born Chinese, through artifacts,
furniture and clothing.
Airports
Changi Airport is the main airport of Singapore. The airport has three
terminals, Singapore Airlines and most Star Alliance partners operate their
flight from Terminal No 2 (T 2), while other airlines use Terminal No. 1 (T
1). Singapore airlines operate flights connecting to major cities across the
world.
Local Modes of Transport
Local
modes of transport are among the best in the world as taxis and cars are
cheap. If you plan to stay in Singapore for some weeks, farecard called
ez-link is the good option to travel around Singapore. By storing value on
it, you can use the card in MRT (Mass Rapid Transit)services and in buses at
15% discount.
Entertainment Options
With a glittering nightlife and large number of pubs, bars and discotheque
- Singapore offers the best entertainment options in the region. From the
classical cultural Asian experience by visiting a Chinese opera to rocking
with Western pop groups or singing along in a musical band, tourists can
fully enjoy themselves in Singapore after dark.
Adventure Activities in Singapore
Due to smaller size of the country adventure options are limited and
charges are relatively high, but you can find nearly all the popular
adventure sports here. Adventure enthusiasts can enjoy adventure sports like
golfing, surfing, scuba diving and even ice skating.
Shopping
In Singapore shopping is one of the favourite pastimes. It is a shopper's
paradise, where you can find countless shops which deal in handcrafted
rosewood furniture, Chinese objects d'art and carpets at reasonable prices.
Most antiques selling stores deal in a variety of small items like
porcelain, brassware, idols and Chinese furniture as well. Singapore is also
a good place to buy jewellery, and there are so many jewellers that offer
competitive prices. Orchard is the main shopping area, which houses almost a
dozen malls and department stores. Other main shopping centres are
Centrepoint, Far East Plaza, Delfi Orchard, Forum Galleria, Funan Centre,
The Heeran Shops, Hillton Shopping Gallery, Liang Court Complex and Marina
Square.
Tourist Office
Singapore Tourism Board
Tourism Court, 1 Orchard Spring Lane,
Singapore : 247729
Phone: +65 - 6736 6622
Fax: +65- 6736 9423
