Travel Guide to Singapore, Singapore

For many people Singapore is just a transfer point after a 12-hour flight to Australia. It is situated at the south side of Malaya, just is 140 km north of the equator. It has tropical climate with an average temperature of 27°С and humidity of about 85%. In Singapore it is raining all the year round, so you may face two or three showers a day. But despite all this, Singapore is more, far more than a transfer point! It is a very modern, lively and picturesque city-state. It has so many places of interest, that a week won't be enough to visit all of them.

The Raffles Hotel. The Raffles Hotel was built in 1887, after a 100-year time it was declared a monument of national importance. The hotel is one of the largest hotels in Asia of that epoch. It was a favorite place of Summerset Maugham, Rudyard Kipling, Josef Conrad and Charlie Chaplin. In 1991, after a 60-million of Singapore dollars repair works, the hotel got back its magnificence, for which it was famous in 1915. More than that, it managed to save the special charm, elegance and dignity, distinctive for that epoch.

The well-known 'Tiffin Room', located in the hotel, has the reputation of the place with the best cuisine in the city. The 'Bar & Billiard' has a cathedral ceiling, which makes the air quite cool, that's why it's so pleasant to have a drink there or to play billiard with your friends. In the new arcade take place 70 specialized shops, among which you may find a store with local good, some restaurants and a Victorian-styled theatre – Jubilee Hall. You should also pay your attention to the museum on the top floor. It tells about a hundred-year history of the hotel: the exposition contains vignettes and photographs of Charlie Chaplin and his brother, Elizabeth Tailor and Richard Barton, and also Noel Coward's diary, in which he tells about the death of his fellow traveler.

The Chinatown. The Singapore Chinatown was created in 1821, when the first Chinese junk from Xiamen pulled up to the bank of Fujian province. Every of the four biggest areas of the Chinatown (Kreta Ayer, Telok Ayer, Tanjong Pagar and Bukit Pasoh) has its own special features. Over the center of the Chinatown tower the temples of Fuk Tak Chi and Thian Hock Keng. Located nearby, Smith Street is the most popular shopping place with local people. There Chinese housewives wrangle about better goods, which makes this area very crowded and extremely noisy. Peace and privacy can be always found in the temples and the Yixing Xuans tea-house. There, just like many years ago, traditional ancient tea ceremonies are carried out.

In the Chinatown you'll find a rich choice of Chinese medicines, and local doctor will always give you good advice. Like in the 60s and 70s of the 20th century a special night market is organized. Due to more than 200 stores, the area is still quite crowded even at night. The market, where among other things one can buy some antiques and trade objects, is opened from Sunday till Thursday at 17.00 - 23.00, and on Fridays and Saturdays till 1.00. By the way, a lot of sights that became the symbols of Singapore Chinatown have nothing to do with China. I mean the Gentoo Nagore Durgha Temple and the Al-Abrar, situated in Telok Ayer Street, and the Jamae Culia Mosque in South Bridge Road.

The Safari Park. The Night Safari is the first and the only safari-park that is opened for visitors not only at daytime, but also at night. It takes place in close vicinity to the zoological gardens. The park is divided into eight different zones, inhabited by more than 1200 animals (110 of them are the exotic species). In the eight areas they recreated various geographical regions: there are South-Asian damp tropical forests, African savanna, the river valley of the Nepal, South-American pampas and Burmese jungles. A 45-minute trip by the narrow-gauged railway can become a pleasant alternate to the three foot paths. Twice a night they show a performance, called 'Creatures of the Night'. During it the most dangerous species of animals are demonstrated.

Sentosa Island. They say that Sentosa Island is the very reverse of fussy Singapore. At this island, connected with Singapore by an attractive bridge, takes place the recreation-and-entertainment park, which is so suitable for the relaxing atmosphere of Sentosa Island. More than that, there one can find beaches, golf-courts, delicious cuisine and a lot of amusement rides, such as 'Volcanoland'. You'll be impressed by the Asian village, impetuous mountain torrents of 'Fantasy Island' and the largest oceanarium with tropical fish -'Underworld World'. Those, who are interested in history, can visit the photo exhibition 'Images of Singapore', which tells about the life on the island, local festivals and traditions.

The Asian Civilizations Museum is devoted to the world of Chinese creed, symbolism, art and science traditions. The museum takes place in the restored building of 1910 that has the neo-classical style. It can also offer the collection of Buddhist art objects, ancient china and furniture of the 17th century. The Asian Civilizations museum is an important presentation of the development of Asian culture.

Read more about Singapore:
Restaurants and cuisine in Singapore
Local traditions and lifestyle
'Must visit' places in Singapore
Nightlife and attractions in Singapore
Preparing for Singapore: Advices
Singapore photogallery