Cultural
melting pot and dazzling example of the region’s economic successes, wealthy Singapore assails the senses of the first time visitor.
The former
British trading post and colony has carved a unique niche for itself in its two short centuries of existence, nowadays offering a vivid combination of ultra-modern
skyscrapers, remnants of tropical rainforest and colorful ethnic urban areas, each with a character very much of their own.
One of the most noticeable features of this tiny but bustling city-state is its cleanliness - indeed, it is sometimes criticized
for its many seemingly petty regulations, such as the banning of chewing gum - but crime is virtually unknown, and it is one of the
world’s safest places to visit.
Despite its rather sanitised reputation, though, Singapore is anything but dull. The visitor is spoilt for choice, for things to see and do, and in terms of
vibrant nightlife, its rich cultural mix, and a whole planet’s worth of
culinary experiences. Singapore is a veritable feast for the senses, a heady mixture of the familiar and the exotic.
It suits all budgets, too, presenting a happy collision of opposites - grand and expensive at the famed
Raffles Hotel, but low-key and cheap (but good) in the
food markets of Bugis Junction and Clarke Quay.
GeographyThe island of Singapore is situated off the southern extremity of the Malay Peninsula, to which it is joined by causeways carrying road, railway and water pipe. The Johor Strait between the island and the Malaysian mainland is about 1km (0.8 miles) wide. The Republic of Singapore consists of 63 islands and islets. It is a mainly flat country with low hills, the highest being Bukit Timah at 163m (545ft). In the northeast of the island, and in the urban district, large areas have been reclaimed, and much of the original jungle and swamp covering the low-lying areas has been cleared.
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