Beguiling Singapore is a modern city-state embracing economic progress against the backdrop of age-old tradition. Gleaming skyscrapers, restful parks and hundreds of temples provide a varied backdrop to the click of mah-jongg tablets and the Muslim call to prayer. Safe and well organized, the city represents a great opportunity to enjoy a range of different Asian cultures.

The customs that underpin community life are created out of a cultural mix that includes predominantly Chinese, Indian and Malay ethnic groups. Some residents would say that the recent massive influx of professional expatriates from all over the world, using English as their linguistic bond, represents the city’s fourth (and entirely unofficial) ethnic group.

As befits a city frequently voted Asia’s top business destination, and regarded as one of the finest venues for international conferences, conventions and exhibitions, modern consumer culture is prolific. The Great Singapore Sale dominates the early summer in the city center (in 2008, the sale runs from May 23 to July 20), and most visitors to Singapore will indulge in its competitive prices and great selection, especially in electronics equipment.

Food, glorious food!

Singaporeans adore eating and it is no surprise that the city-state has the reputation as the food capital of Asia. The native cuisines of Malay, Chinese and Indian are joined by a riotous array of Thai, Japanese and Korean restaurants; glamorous French and Italian spots; and (globalization carries a price) McDonalds, KFC, Dairy Queen and Starbucks outlets at every step.

But the best way to get a taste of real Singapore is at a hawker center, the name given to open-air complexes in Malaysia and Singapore housing many stalls that sell a variety of inexpensive food. Subject to strictly enforced public health regulations, they are typically found near public housing estates or transport hubs (such as bus interchanges or train stations). Browse – and eat – to your heart’s content on dishes such as Hainanese chicken rice, laksa (spicy coconut soup with quail’s eggs, prawns, chicken, bean curd, bean sprouts and noodles), satay, roti paratha (spicy curry served with flaky fried bread) and char kway tiao (fried black noodles, normally served with cockles).

Among the best-known hawker centers in Singapore are:

• Adam Road
• Chomp Chomp
• Lau Pa Sat
• Zion Road Riverview
• Newton Circus

Culture, culture everywhere

There’s no shortage of ways to “feed your mind� in Singapore, either. Try checking local listings to see what’s on at the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay. Located on Marina Bay near the mouth of the Singapore River and purpose-built to be the island nation’s center for performing arts, the Esplanade’s unique design has led most Singaporeans to affectionately dub it “The Durian,� thanks to its striking resemblance to a regional tropical fruit. Its crown jewel is its elegantly-designed 1,600-seat concert hall, which boasts extraordinary acoustics.

National Museum and Art Gallery
Stamford Road, Singapore 178897
A fascinating permanent collection featuring exhibits from the region’s diverse cultures and history plus the superb 380-piece Haw Par jade collection, donated by the Aw brothers. The neighboring Art Gallery houses work by Singaporean and other Asian artists and regularly hosts temporary exhibitions of local crafts.

Peranakan Place Museum
180 Orchard Road, Singapore 0923
Built in “Chinese palladian,� or “Chinese baroque,� style, the museum details the unique fusion of cultures of the Peranakan, the Straits-born Chinese, through artifacts, furniture and clothing.

Thian Hock Keng Temple
158 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 0106
The “Temple of Heavenly Happinessâ€? is Singapore’s oldest Hokkien Chinese Temple. Completed in 1841, it is dedicated to Ma Cho Po, the Queen of Heaven and protector of sailors.

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

If you’re looking for the wild side of Singapore, you’ll find a number of places to indulge your animal instincts (both literally and figuratively) – entirely appropriate for the Lion City.

Singapore Zoo
Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729826
Built in the early 1970s with the emphasis on natural habitat, the zoo is home to more than 2000 animals of nearly 250 species. The night safari offers an unrivalled opportunity to study nocturnal animals.

Jurong Bird Park
Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim, Singapore 628925
Home to 8000 birds from nearly 600 species, the Jurong Bird Park features a five-acre walk-in aviary and a simulated rainforest thunderstorm, held at noon each day.

Sentosa Island
Singapore 0409
Cable-cars and ferries run from the World Trade Center to this former offshore military base. Attracting over 3.5 million visitors each year, it is Singapore’s most popular attraction. The island has a wide variety of museums, sites and activities including south-east Asia’s largest oceanarium, a nineteenth-century British fort complete with bunkers, tunnels and gun emplacements, a butterfly park and an insectarium.

Haw Par Villa (Tiger Balm Gardens)
West Coast Highway, Singapore 118628
About ten kilometers (six miles) west of the city, the Haw Par Villa was originally built by the Aw brothers with the profits from their wonder salve, Tiger Balm. It is a theme park of Chinese mythology with older exhibits of legendary figures and tableaux, recently renovated and reopened as “Dragon World,� featuring multimedia displays and flume rollercoaster rides.

Festivals: What’s your pleasure?

Singapore’s full calendar of events showcases a spectrum of cultural celebrations. One of the most spectacular is Chinese New Year, when shops and houses are brilliantly decorated with streamers and lights, and lion and dragon dances are accompanied by a riot of drums and gongs. This is followed by the Chingay Procession a week or so later, with floats (chingay) accompanying the dances, to mark the end of the New Year Festival.

June sees the Dragon Boat Race, famous (and emulated) throughout the world, attracting top international teams of longboat oarsmen and drummers, plus the biennial Singapore Festival of the Arts, the biggest in south-east Asia, attracting international performers both to the festival and to its contemporary “fringe� counterpart.

Getting around town

Because of government-induced deterrents towards drivers to combat traffic congestion and air pollution, hiring a car is very expensive, but getting around Singapore without one is easy, thanks to efficient, modern and inexpensive public transport. An extensive bus network and the reliable MRT train subway system are both cheap and user-friendly and service all parts of Singapore. Electronic ez-link passes cover trains and buses and save carrying loose change for fares as well as giving a slight discount on standard ticket prices.

There is also a Tourist Day Ticket that is valid for 12 rides of any length. The city also has thousands of metered taxis, which are safe, air-conditioned and surprisingly affordable, driven by helpful and honest drivers. The only drawback is the long taxi queues during rush hour.

Other services offered to travelers include the Singapore Explorer shuttles, which stop at most tourist destinations, and the SIA Hop-on bus, which offers passes for unlimited rides for a day and is free for visitors who traveled to Singapore on Singapore Airlines.

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