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Singapore has always been a crossroads between East and West. Once upon a time, its port swelled with Chinese, Arab, Malay, Indian and European traders who went to exchange exotic wares. Today, the city-state has expanded to become one of the world's busiest ports, and over time, as goods have been exchanged, cultures have mingled as well. To the casual observer, Singapore appears to be a clean and orderly mass of shopping malls and McDonald's. But the curious who dig a bit deeper will find that the cultures of the original settlers are still very much alive and well in this truly multicultural melting pot.

Singapore's dedication to preserving cultural heritage has created a number of excellent museums and thriving, ethnically distinct neighborhoods. Chinatown and Little India still retain some of their original cultural relevance for Singaporeans while attracting foreign visitors who marvel at the endurance of cultural identity. A stroll through any of the city's neighborhoods will reveal Taoist temples, Muslim mosques and Christian churches cohabitating peaceably side by side. Cultural intermingling has also produced unique Eurasian and Peranakan (Straits Chinese) cultures, each with its own fashion, furnishings and food.

Speaking of food, with so much cultural diversity, dining in Singapore is varied and good—gastronomic experiences range from the finest Continental cuisine served with polished silver to delicious local dishes served in an open-air hawker center with plastic chopsticks. It's a small wonder Singaporeans love to eat.

Singapore is both an island and a country, but perhaps it is best described as a city-state. Like the great city-states of the past, it offers civilization and order in the highest degree. Its combination of Western-style development and Eastern-style order seems to present the best of both hemispheres: It's a modern metropolis where you feel safe walking the streets, and it's an Asian business center that's a model of efficiency. Singapore is also an ethnically mixed city, and close to one-quarter of its population is made up of expatriates or foreign workers from all over the world. Known for its desire to become the technology hub of Asia, Singapore is the most wired country in the region.

Another trait Singapore shares with historical city-states: Its authorities strongly believe that they can safeguard the status quo with regulations against almost anything and everything that—in their view—could possibly upset the sense of tranquility. It is important to note that in terms of cultural values, Singapore is a relatively conservative society compared with most Western countries and even other developed cities in Asia. Controversial topics such as same-sex marriage and religion should be approached with sensitivity. In reality, visitors will find the place is not as restrictive as suggested by the long lists of hefty fines for such things as littering and jaywalking. Some visitors to Singapore leave singing the praises of a society that "works," but others feel the government's near-compulsive fixation on cleanliness and order makes Singapore sterile in every sense of the word.

Must See or Do

Sights—The colonial grandeur of Raffles Hotel; the National Orchid Garden at Singapore Botanic Gardens and the futuristic Gardens by the Bay; Singapore's nightscape, seen from atop Mount Faber or the Sands SkyPark observation deck; the Hindu temples and sari shops of Little India; the Thian Hock Keng Temple and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in Chinatown; the kitsch Chinese mythology on display at Haw Par Villa theme park; the theater and concerts at the durian-shaped Esplanade-Theatres on the Bay.

Museums—Modern art from Asia at the Singapore Art Museum; a glimpse of Indian, Chinese and Southeast Asian cultures at the Asian Civilisations Museum and the Peranakan Museum; the beautifully restored National Museum of Singapore.

Memorable Meals—Spicy chili or black pepper crabs at the East Coast Seafood Centre; juicy Kobe steaks at CUT by Wolfgang Puck; authentic Tokyo sushi at Shinji by Kanesaka; exquisite Chinese fare at Summer Pavilion Restaurant; an Indian feast at Rang Mahal; dining in a classic black-and-white colonial bungalow at P.S. Cafe at Harding Road; inexpensive and authentic local fare from an outdoor hawker center.

Late Night—Live jazz at Harry's @ Boat Quay; live blues at the Crazy Elephant; bar-hopping at St. James Power Station; all night beach parties on Sentosa Island; late-night shisha water pipes at Arab Street; or hanging out with nocturnal creatures at the Night Safari.

Walks—Taking in Singapore's colonial heritage at and around the grassy Padang (an open field in the heart of downtown), starting from Raffles Hotel and ending up at nearby Boat Quay or Clifford Pier; a jaunt through busy Chinatown anytime or an after-dark stroll through nearby Club Street; a walk down Little India's Serangoon Road; perusing hip shops and cafes along Arab Street.

Especially for Kids—The thrilling amusement park rides at Universal Studios Singapore; a cable car ride to Sentosa Island, with its thrilling rides and miniature golf; Jurong Bird Park; many different attractions and animal shows at the Singapore Zoo; rides and interactive exhibits at the Singapore Discovery Centre; enjoying man-made snow and a snow-covered hill at Snow City.

Geography

Singapore's strategic location at the southern tip of the Malaysian peninsula has ensured its importance, which is greater than its size might seem to justify. Singapore consists of the island of Singapore and some 63 islets within its territorial waters. The main island is about 26 mi/42 km from west to east and 14 mi/23 km from north to south. Total land area is 264 sq mi/683 sq km, about three times the size of Washington, D.C. It's a mostly undulating country with low hills (the highest, 540-ft/166-m Bukit Timah Hill, is to the northwest of the city).

Singapore's Central Business District (or CBD, as it is called locally) actually spreads across both the central and southern parts of the island (you'll know when you're there—it boasts striking high-rise structures designed by such world-famous architects as I.M. Pei and Kenzo Tange). You can get a good visual orientation to the city as you cross the Benjamin Sheares Bridge on the East Coast Parkway, which links the airport to the city center. The Singapore cityscape looks magnificent, particularly at night when buildings are brilliantly lit. Offshore, there appears to be another city all lit up because of the many ships anchored there—Singapore is one of the two busiest seaports in the world, along with Hong Kong.

Naturally, many of the city's attractions are clustered closely together. Orchard Road, the shopper's haven, is located in the northern part of the city center. Chinatown, where you'll find the charming restaurants of Boat Quay, is just to the southeast of Orchard Road, and Little India is northeast. Sentosa Island, with its many amusements, is directly to the southwest of the city center. These frequently visited neighborhoods, as well as more suburban areas, remain a bustling hive of pedestrian activity well into the evening.

History

The earliest records of Singapore date back to the second century AD, where it was identified as a trading post. In the 11th century, it was part of the Indian Srivijaya Empire, and in the 14th century, it was ruled by the Javanese Majapahit empire. It was an important trading centure of the Sultanate of Johore in the 16th and early 17th century, until Portuguese raiders burned it down. It faded into obscurity until 1819, when Sir Stamford Raffles established the British East India Company's presence in Singapore. This began the city's status as a free port and British colony. As thousands of Chinese, Indians and Malays flocked to the island, Raffles maintained control by segregating the city into ethnic neighborhoods: the Chinese in Chinatown, Indians in Little India and Muslims on Arab Street. This division had the unintended effect of preserving the distinct cultures you can find there today.

Singapore flourished during the mid-1800s, as the Industrial Revolution in the West created a demand for rubber and other Asian raw materials. The introduction of steamship travel and the opening of the Suez Canal brought the East and West closer than ever. Thanks to its strategic location and port status, Singapore boomed.

The country remained under the control of the British until it was captured by the Japanese at the start of World War II—one of the most embarrassing defeats in British history. After the war, the Allies' plan to unite Singapore with Malaysia was scuttled by Malaysian nationalist groups who feared that the ethnic Chinese would dominate the less populous Malays. The plan for a union was revived in the 1950s by Singapore's prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, who believed his country could not survive without the natural resources of Malaysia. Lee realized his dream in 1963 when Singapore was united with Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. But the union lasted only 23 months with much racial and political tension—Malay leaders, shocked to see Lee's party attempt to become a national force, unceremoniously tossed Singapore out of the federation.

Since then, and contrary to Lee's fears, Singapore has done very well on its own. Under the stable authoritarian leadership of Lee and his handpicked successor, Goh Chok Tong, the country has averaged more than 8% growth annually and become a major service and transportation hub. Although much of the rest of Asia suffered a steep economic decline at the end of the 1990s, Singapore's bustling economy merely slowed down.

In 2004, Singapore elected a new prime minister to succeed Goh Chok Tong, Lee Hsien Loong, who had been groomed for the role by his father, Lee Kuan Yew. The Singapore government continues to be ruled by Lee's party, with little tolerance for dissent. However, corruption is very low, and the economy is back on track. The government maintains a firm grip on politics but has allowed greater expression in media and the arts, a signal of its emerging understanding that creativity is essential to the kind of technological innovation Singapore seeks.Singapore's first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew died in March 2015.

Today, Singapore's melting pot continues to draw new immigrants. The Economic Development Board has successfully spearheaded initiatives over the past decade to draw some of the world's top talent in industries critical to Singapore's economic vitality, particularly in areas such as finance, wealth management, higher education, and research and development. An influx of high-net-worth individuals (such as Facebook co-founder Eduardo Savarin) has driven the market for luxury housing sky high, with new, super-luxury apartment buildings mushrooming in every corner of the city's downtown, posh neighborhoods and waterfront districts.

Snapshot

Among Singapore's main attractions are shopping, eating, the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari, excellent museums, cultural events and festivals. Those who like to shop, who want to take a comfort break from traveling through less-developed Southeast Asian countries, or who enjoy various cultural festivals will want to visit Singapore.

Given Singapore's central-Southeast Asia location and its state-of-the-art airport with frequently scheduled flights to just about everywhere, we recommend combining Singapore with a visit to another country in the region—we found it to be an ideal complement to neighbouring countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia.

Potpourri

Immigration figures show that at any given time, 25% of Singapore's resident population is made up of foreigners who have traveled there to work, either alone or with their families. Of these foreigners, Western expats make up about ten percent. Most of the rest arrive as "guest workers" from India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Philippines to build skyscrapers or clean homes for the island's upwardly mobile population.

The name "Singapore" derives from the Sanskrit term "Singapura" which means Lion City. There are no lions in Singapore (except for in the zoo), but a popular legend tells of an 11th-century Sumatran prince named Sang Nila Utama, who went there on a hunting trip and saw a wild animal that resembled a lion (it was most probably a tiger). He thought this was an auspicious sign and decided to build a new city there as part of the Srivijaya empire.

The Merlion, Singapore's national symbol (a lion head on a fish body), does not find its origins in ancient lore. It was invented by the Singapore Tourism Board in 1972 to attract tourists.

Contrary to popular belief, it is legal to chew gum in Singapore. It is illegal to buy it, sell it or dispose of it in an improper way. Visitors may take small quantities for their own consumption.

It is illegal to use a toilet without flushing. To protect its citizens from this oversight, which carries a fine, the government introduced self-flushing toilets in most public areas around the island. Many hotels, restaurants and shopping malls have followed suit.

Singlish, a unique English-based creole peppered with Chinese, Indian and Malay words, is spoken widely across the country, especially among blue-collar workers. While the average Singaporean also speaks proper English, the slang's rising popularity has caused government concern, as seen by the Speak Good English Movement, a government initiative that encourages Singaporeans to discard the local syntax.

The Singapore Sling was first served in 1915 by a Hainanese-Chinese bartender named Mr. Ngiam Tong-Boon, who worked at the Long Bar in the Raffles Hotel. Today, the cherry-pink cocktail has become synonymous with the island nation, and the Long Bar is estimated to whip up almost a thousand Slings per day. Dust off the credit card, however. At the Long Bar, Singapore's signature drink comes with the very modern price tag of S$30. With the reopening of Raffles after an extensive renovation, an updated Singapore Sling incorporating Widges Gin and Scrappy's Spice Plantation Bitters was introduced to cater to modern palates.

At just 279 sq mi/722 sq km, Singapore is one of the world's smallest countries. Yet with a population nearing 5.6 million people, it's also one of the world's most densely populated countries, just after Macau and Monaco.

Location

The Singapore Cruise Centre (SCC@HarbourFront) has arrival and departure facilities, security equipment, a Singapore Tourism Board information center, cafes, shops, baggage services, ATMs and money changers, but it can handle only smaller cruise vessels. Larger cruise ships must dock at Pasir Panjang, a ferry terminal that, while operated and managed by SCC, sits amid the container port not far from SCC@HarbourFront, where the ships clear immigration for entry to Singapore. Buses shuttle passengers to SCC@HarbourFront from SCC@Pasir Panjang. At SCC@HarbourFront, there are plenty of taxis, an MRT train station and VivoCity, Singapore's largest shopping center. http://www.singaporecruise.com.

To better accommodate large international cruise ships, a S$500-million Marina Bay Cruise Centre (or International Cruise Terminal) near the Marina South Pier received its first cruise ship in 2012. Its 300,000-sq-ft/28,000-sq-m blueprint, about the size of three football fields, makes it one of the largest terminals in Asia.

Shore Excursions