Singapore

Overview

Singapore (Chinese: 新加坡 Xīnjiāpō ; Malay: Singapura ; Tamil: சிங்கப்பூர் Chingappur ) is a city-state in Southeast Asia . Modern Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819, and since independence, it has become one of the world's most prosperous countries and boasts one of the world's busiest ports. Singaporean food is legendary, with bustling hawker centres and 24-hour coffee shops offering affordable food from all parts of Asia . Combining the skyscrapers and shopping malls of an affluent modern city with a medley of different Asian cultures and a tropical climate, good shopping and a vibrant nightlife scene, this Garden City makes a great stopover or springboard into the region.

The country has a partly deserved reputation for its sterile predictability. Nevertheless, the "Switzerland of Asia" is for many a welcome respite from the chaos, dirt and poverty of much of the rest of Southeast Asia. If you scratch below the squeaky clean surface and get away from the tourist trail you'll soon find more than meets the eye in one of the few remaining city-states in the world.

Experiences

While you can find a place to practice nearly any sport in Singapore — golfing, surfing, scuba diving, even ice skating and snow skiing — due to the country's small size your options are rather limited and prices are relatively high. For scuba diving in particular, the busy shipping lanes and sheer population pressure mean that the sea around Singapore is murky, and most locals head across the border into Malaysia (in particular Pulau Tioman or Pulau Dayang) to get their fix. On the upside, there is an abundance of dive shops in Singapore, and they often arrange weekend trips to good dive sites off the East Coast of Malaysia.

On the cultural side of things, Singapore has been trying to shake off its boring, buttoned-down reputation and attract more artists and performances. The star in Singapore's cultural sky is the Esplanade theatre in Marina Bay , a world-class facility for performing arts and a frequent stage for the Singapore Symphony Orchestra . For traditional Chinese music, its counterpart is the Singapore Chinese Orchestra .

Most any big-ticket musician or band touring Asia will perform in Singapore, see Ticketle for a one-stop shop listing of upcoming events. In May or June, don't miss the yearly Singapore International Festival of Arts (formerly the Singapore Arts Festival ), featuring a programme of art exhibitions/performances and artist conversations over several weeks. Advance tickets for almost any cultural event can be purchased from SISTIC , either on-line or from any of their numerous ticketing outlets, including the Singapore Visitor Centre on Orchard Rd .

Going to the movies is a popular Singaporean pastime, but look for "NC16" (age 16 and above only) or "M18" (age 18 and above only) or "R21" ratings (age 21 and above only) if you like your movies with fewer cuts. The big theatre chains are Carnival Cinemas , Golden Village and Shaw Brothers . For a taste of Singapore through film, Jack Neo's popular comedies showcase the foibles of Singaporean life, while directors like K. Rajagopal, Boo Jun Feng, and Tan Pin Pin are ushering in a new wave of contemporary film art in Singapore.

Wayang is a Chinese street opera, performed in open-air theaters by troupes. It combines a wide variety of traditional art forms with singing, mime, dancing, acrobatics and martial arts. It is now a dying art form as dialect proficiency among the younger generation continues to decrease, so catch it while you still can. They are generally most common during the Hungry Ghost Festival, the seventh month of the Chinese calendar. A closely-related and equally endangered genre is traditional Chinese puppetry , which is also often performed in open air street theatres during the Hungry Ghost Festival.

Culture and food

Singapore is a melting pot of cuisines from around the world, and many Singaporeans are obsessive gourmands who love to makan ("eat" in Malay). You will find quality Chinese, Malay, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Italian, French, British, American and other food in this city-state.

Eating habits run the gamut, but most foods are eaten by fork and spoon : push and cut with the fork in the left hand, and eat with the spoon in the right. Noodles and Chinese dishes typically come with chopsticks, while Malay and Indian food can be eaten by hand, but nobody will blink an eye if you ask for a fork and spoon instead. If eating by hand, use only your right hand to handle your food, as Malays and Indians traditionally use their left hand to handle dirty things. Take note of the usual traditional Chinese etiquette when using chopsticks, and most importantly, do not stick your chopsticks vertically into a bowl of rice. If eating in a group, serving dishes are always shared, but you'll get your own bowl of rice and soup. It's common to use your own chopsticks to pick up food from communal plates, but serving spoons can be provided on request. When eating at Western restaurants, traditional European dining etiquette generally applies.

Planning your route

Getting around Singapore is easy: the public transport network is extremely easy to use, affordable, and covers populated areas extensively. Furthermore, taxis/rideshares are reasonably priced and easy to hail via apps. CityMapper , Google Maps, and Apple Maps are all capable of figuring out the fastest route by rail and bus and even estimating taxi/rideshare fares between any two points.

Public nuisance behaviours like putting your feet on the seats or playing loud music from your phone are strictly prohibited on all public transport, and violation of this rule can result in a $500 fine.

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.