Introduction

Singapore is a beautiful tropical island that has lovely weather all year round. If you are looking for world-class natural beauty and great beaches, Singapore is a great place to visit. Singapore is a small island, so it typically takes less than an hour to travel from one place to the next. This is nice because you can spend less time driving around and more time out exploring. You can stay in one Singapore resort and travel to many different areas – which means you’ll be able to see as much of the island as you want. Singapore is a multiracial society, so during you’ll stay you have the opportunity to learn about the different cultures of Malay, Chinese and Indian and many other ethnic groups.

Beaches

Air pollution is low in Singapore due to very strict regulations (both on land and on the sea), so the beaches are very ‘green.’ Most beaches are perfect for swimming, but some beaches (like pasir Ris Beach in the north) don’t have the best clarity and water quality because of all the ships that pass the straits of Malacca.

East Coast Park (in the south-eastern part of the island) is probably one of the most popular Singapore beach and park. Not only is there a beautiful beach you can relax on, this park also has bowling alleys, golf ranges, restaurants and other entertainment. This is perfect because when you need a little break from the sun, you can head in for a game of bowling and then head back out for some water sports.

Things to Do

While many Singaporeans say that all there is to do in Singapore is shop, eat and see movies, that’s not really true – there’s very little chance you’ll get bored. Many people head straight to Orchard Road – a world-famed retail stretch where you can get your fix of all those big-name designers like Louis Vuitton and Chanel. Once you’ve got your shopping done, head back to your Singapore hotel and drop off your goodies and head to the Botanic Gardens. Here you can wander through the rainforest on a boardwalk and enjoy the beauty of 1,000 or more orchid species.

Another great thing to do is visit the Ritz-Carlton. It may seem silly to go to a Singapore resort for entertainment, but the artwork at this hotel is beautiful. Take a few minutes to look through the artwork – it’s free and you can even get an iPod guided tour to help you out!

Shopping

If it’s shopping you are after, you can’t miss Orchard Road. This place is undeniably one of the best (and most genuine) places in Singapore devoted entirely to eating and shopping. This ladies (and gentlemen) is where all the action is! Orchard Road is great for shopaholics. It’s accessible, easy to navigate, has high-quality products and there’s no need for haggling. Seriously folks, don’t miss Orchard Road. If you’ve spent a few hours shopping, you’ll likely be hungry. And, since you’ve probably spent a lot of money, you’ll want lunch to be on the cheap. There are a number of eateries where you can get delicious local food on the cheap – less than $5. Try the Asian Food Mall, Tasty Treat, Aneka Rasa or the SBC Food Court – and there are still lots more to choose from.

Eating and Drinking

In case you didn’t know this, Singaporeans are seriously obsessed with food. No trip to Singapore will ever be done until you’ve tasted the local food. For local food, many people head to the Hawker Center or coffee shops. Hawker centers and coffee shops are usually cheaper than food courts – just an FYI. If you are looking for quality food, it’s the hawker center you want to head to. Hawker food is one of the best Singaporean foods. Some of the best hawker centers are a 5-10 minute walk from Chinatown. Here are the best five:

• Chinatown Complex Food Centrre
• Hong Lim Market and Food Centre
• Maxwell Hawker Food Centre
• Amoy Street Food Centre
• Lau pa Sat