Singapore has been known to some as the Garden City. Singapore’s strategic position has helped it grow into a major center for trade, communications and tourism. From Singapore to Malaysia, you can take a bus or train ride or even walk across one of the two causeway bridges. Not only that, it is just a quick ferry trip to the key islands of the Riau archipelago of Indonesia. Thailand and the Philippines are a short plane journey away. Singapore, with an airport served by more than 69 airlines, is very much the gateway to Southeast Asia.
Singapore has a population of about 4 million, which comprises of 77% Chinese, 14% Malays, 8% Indians and 1% Eurasians and people of other descent. It certainly is a dynamic city rich in contrast and color as you’ll find a harmonious blend of culture, cuisine, arts and architecture here.
Moving around Singapore is easy not only because of the good transportation system, but also because English is the language of business and administration, and is widely spoken and understood in Singapore.
If you are an adventure seeker, this could be the things you can do in Singapore.
First, visit the Underwater World, which is Asia’s first and largest tropical fish oceanarium with over 2,500 marine specimens including the World’s Largest Display of Sand Tiger Sharks! It is located in Sentosa, one of the 63 Islets of Singapore. Sentosa is easily accessible by a cable car ride, the new train system that link the islet directly to the mainland. For more information on Sentosa: http://www.sentosa.com.sg
If you have survived the heart-stopping experience with the sharks, reward yourself with lunch at Holland Village, an enclave of charming shops, cafes and restaurants. Holland Village is popular with expatriates and yuppies. You may also want to do a spot of shopping for Asian arts and crafts at the Holland Village Shopping Centre and the Holland Village Complex.
After lunch, proceed to the Jurong BirdPark, which is a 20.2 hectare open-concept park. It is the largest in the Asia Pacific and the best in the world. Its collection of more than 9,000 birds from 600 species is among the largest in the world. The Park specialises in birds from Southeast Asia. This is where you can be a falconer for a day, learning to handle trained birds of prey. This is your chance to practise falconry – a sport, which traditionally had been associated only with royalty and aristocracy. For more information on the Jurong BirdPark: http://www.birdpark.com.sg
After all that excitement, it’s time to relax with some light shopping at Bugis Street – Singapore’s largest permanent street bazaar. Besides unexpected bargains, you can also find interesting sights like the co-existence of a Buddhist and an Indian temple side-by-side. Also, stop by Bugis Junction, the only shopping mall in Singapore with a glass-covered and air-conditioned shopping walkway, on top of a rich historical background and interesting shophouse architecture.
For a different view of Singapore, proceed on to Clarke Quay and have a go at the Reverse Bungy Jump. Feel your heart drop to your feet as you are flung up at great speeds and then jerked back down to earth. This experience is certainly not for the faint-hearted!
The day’s activities should have worked up your appetite and imagination. Join the Magical Makansutra Food Safari, where you will be able to sample some of Singapore’s finest street food. Each safari lasts about three hours and features five food types. We guarantee that our local food like Bak Kut Teh (Pork Ribs in Tea Soup); one very unique food that you must definitely try. Laksa (noodles in a spicy coconut broth); this is one of the Singaporeans’ favorites. Roti Prata (Indian pancakes) will leave you wanting more.
After dinner, it’s time to walk off those calories… if you dare. Go on the unique walking tour of the historic Kampong Glam area where you will be spooked by little-known supernatural stories of Sultan Mosque, Old Istana, Kris shop, perfume shop and the royal graveyard. Embrace thousands of years of Malay folklore and discover forgotten places – places that still haunt the memories of some in eerie twilight.
