A Guide to Singapore: The Lion State

A bright and vibrant city state, Singapore offers everything you need for a perfect holiday. I visited this wonderful city recently and it never ceases to amaze me. Excellent shopping, colonial buildings including the famous Raffles Hotel, the historic Chinatown and a beautiful harbor are just some of the sights on offer in this bustling metropolis. There are also many attractions for nature-lovers, including idyllic Sentosa Island with its sandy beaches and many parks and gardens. A good time to visit if you are interested in festivals is Chinese New Year because of the many concerts, theatre performances and celebrations along the river. The drawback with this is that the shops close for one day during the Festival and many restaurants close for a few days, but it is still an exciting time in Singapore.

Shopping
The very long and famous Orchard Road is Singapore's premier shopping district. It is so well-known that the pop singer, Leo Sayer, wrote a song about it in the eighties! Full of shopping malls, designer shops, and English stores, such as Marks and Spencer. Orchard Road is not to be missed. Some of the items Singapore is known for include jewelry, electronics, fashion and Chinese rugs and antiques. All of these can be found on Orchard Road.

Another excellent shopping centre is Raffles City, a large and attractive shopping centre near the famous Raffles Hotel. This is an up-market shopping centre with a large department store - Robinsons- and plenty of clothes boutique and shoe shops. The tiny stalls feature handmade jewelry, scarves and Chinese items, such as fans.

Lots of bargains, including electronic goods and jewelry, are to be found at the crowded markets in Chinatown. More expensive handicrafts can be found at the Singapore Handicraft Centre at Chinatown Point.

Raffles Hotel and the Colonial District
Named after Sir Stanford Raffles, the founder of colonial Singapore, this old and much beloved hotel was built by the Sarkies brothers and opened in 1887. Famed for its association with such acclaimed writers as Somerset Maugham, the old hotel has a delightfully old-fashioned atmosphere. The hotel has been restored very well and features exclusive shops, bars and restaurants, as well as a lovely garden courtyard.

The museum which has photographs from the early days of Singapore and visiting celebrities, such as Elizabeth Taylor and Ava Gardner, is the most interesting part of visiting Raffles Hotel. It would also be a wonderful place to stay but few people can afford the price!

Other attractions of Singapore's colonial district include the Neo-Gothic cathedral of Saint Andrews, which is impressive, the more picturesque Catholic Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, the large cricket ground and the esplanade along the bay. There are also many museums here and one of Singapore's other grand old hotels, the Fullerton.

Chinatown
The historic terraces, shop houses, and interesting shops here mean that Chinatown retains its exotic air, and much of it has been declared to be National Heritage Sites.

There are also sections where the Arab population live nearby that include large mosques and shops with distinctive handicrafts and Little India which has Indian handicrafts and architecture. These districts are also very unusual and Little India especially has the atmosphere of the real India.

Sentosa Island
The best way to go to Sentosa Island is by cable car. This way it is possible to see wonderful views of Singapore and the harbor on a clear day. The island's Palawan Beach, as well as being a wide and beautiful beach, has lots of distinctive beach bars and restaurants to relax in after a day's swimming and sun baking. The Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom has many different types of lovely butterflies to photograph and enjoy.

Another attraction for nature lovers is the Herb and Spice Garden with its many different species of herbs and spices, used in cooking and medicine.

Jurong Bird Park
This huge reserve is a delight for all those even vaguely interested in birds. There are flamingoes, hooded-eyed owls with their wise looks, many colored birds of paradise, tropical parrots and even a large colony of penguins here. It's best to keep a whole day free to explore this area because there is just so much to see.

References.
1. singaporetravel.suite101.com/article.cfm/a_day_in_singapore
2. vacation.away.com/singapore/travel-m3-cid4622-singapore-cid400173-travel-midtripideas-p1-travel-articles.html