Singapore. Just a little over 200 years ago, it was a small, unknown fishing village. Now, in the 21st century, it is a vibrant city known for its cosmopolitanism. With over 4 million people, mostly comprising of Chinese, Malays, Indians and Eurasians, this city is a melting pot of the east and west.

Also known as a food paradise, Singapore offers cuisine from all over the world. You don't have to travel especially to specific countries to sample their delicacies, because they can all be found in this small island. Must try food in Singapore: laksa, hainanese chicken rice, laksa, fried hokkien noodles, rojak, roti prata, fried carrot cake, bak kut teh and DURIAN, to name a few.

Entertainment-wise, construction is in progress to build 2 integrated resorts, one on mainland Singapore, another on the off shore island, Sentosa. Shopping malls are aplenty, along downtown Orchard Road as well as neighbourhoods. Want a drink? Want to dance your night away? Head on down to Clarke Quay and Muhammad Sultan Road for their wide variety of clubs, themed bars and pubs.

Despite there being no mountains, waterfalls, huge lakes in Singapore, eco-tourists can enjoy the tropical settings by visiting the Botanical Gardens, Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve and Chek Jawa, a mangrove swamp community on off shore island Pulau Ubin. Fancy some trekking? Take a walk by MacRitche reservoir or Bukit Timah Hill.

Things to note:

Dress in appropriate attire for settings of minimum 25 degrees celcius. Temperature is usually even higher in the day.

Take public transport rather than cabs. Singapore has a well connected public transport system which can save you a ton of cash.

As long as you can speak English (or chinese/malay/tamil/hindi), no worries about language barriers.

Singapore is one of the safest countries in the world and it is safe to walk around at night with hardly any worries about being mugged. But still, low crime doesn't mean no crime. So keep valuables out of sight and walk in well lit areas.

Have a good holiday!

Learn more about this author, J Chua.
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