Annually Singapore is visited by 7 million people, they are attracted by the land where the traditions of ancient cultures with a thousand-year history coexist in harmony and the achievements of ultra-modern technologies of the third millennium. These advantages are complemented by convenient air and sea “gates”, amazing cleanliness of the environment, amazing sights, world-class hotels, extraordinary entertainment, a whole list of vibrant holidays and festivals, excellent cuisine, amazing shops and shopping centers. Singapore was founded in the 19th century as a British colony at the crossroads of the most important trade and transport routes and gained independence in the middle of the last century. In just 40 years, Singapore has gone through the path of development that many states have been going through for centuries.
Nowhere else in the world can you enjoy a great musical and a meal on a banana leaf, an exciting shopping spree in air-conditioned streets and a rainforest walk in the heart of the city in the same evening.
In Singapore, every music lover will find a performance to their liking: here you can visit classical symphonies and Chinese opera, jazz and rock concerts, Broadway musicals. And on Bugis Street you can dance right on the street to the music of the bands performing here, and in the evening go on a trip to the bars and clubs located in Tanyong Pagar, Boat Key, Clark Key or along Ochad Road.
The Singapore calendar is filled with interesting festivals and celebrations. The most famous events are the annual National Cuisine Festival and the Big Singapore Sale, which are held in the early summer months. It is worth looking at the Indians walking on hot coals during the Timiti holiday. You can join the procession of young people with lanterns during the Moon Cake Festival and feast on traditional food made from nuts, melon seeds, egg yolks and sweet lotus seeds. It is interesting to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Chinatown, to watch with enthusiasm the fast race of dragon boats on the Dragon Regatta holiday or to stand in awe while admiring the bright garlands of lights that decorate the Geylang quarter on the Hari Raya Puas festival.
According to Sunglassestracker.com, Singapore is a gourmet paradise. From simple open-air eateries to chic silverware restaurants, guests are amazed by the sumptuous selection of Chinese, Indian, Malaysian, Thai, Japanese, Mexican and European cuisines, including real works of culinary art from fresh and juicy seafood.
In Singapore, you can make the purchases you have dreamed of all your life. Here you will find all the best that is produced in the world: clothes of European fashion designers and cheap sandals, the latest electronic devices and old examples of folk crafts. A week is not enough to get around all the department stores and shopping centers located only on Orchard Road. Most stores are open to customers daily from 10 am to 10 pm.
Singapore offers a wide range of tourist attractions for all ages. A must-see on your must-see list is the magnificent Singapore Zoo, which houses animals in conditions close to natural. At the zoo, you can have breakfast with an orangutan, see almost extinct animals: the Sumatran tiger, the pygmy hippopotamus and the golden-clawed monkey. And, of course, you can’t leave Singapore without visiting Sentosa Island.
Patriarch of hotels
One of the symbols of Singapore is, of course, the Raffles Hotel.
The hotel is named after Sir Stamford Raffles, the city’s founder and governor. Founded in the year of Queen Victoria’s jubilee by Armenian brothers, the Raffles Hotel witnessed the rise of the British Empire. In 1987, the centenary of the hotel was celebrated, and it was officially recognized as a historical monument of national importance. The building has been restored and now serves as a reminder of life in Singapore during the colonial period. A hotel room costs between $350 and $2,500 per night.
But even if you can’t afford to stay in a hotel, it’s still worth stopping by and seeing the majestic building with its elegant white façade. You can just go to the hotel for a tour – it has a museum with memorial exhibits that tell about the history of the hotel and its famous visitors. And among them were Somerset Maugham and Rudyard Kipling (in honor of these celebrities, a special Writers’ Bar was created in the Raffles Hotel, decorated with their portraits). And in later times, many celebrities honored the hotel with their attention – Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Jackson. And the atmosphere of the hotel itself resembles a museum: oriental carpets, Chinese vases, the finest porcelain, antiques from Shanghai and Java. Many of the furnishings were moved to the hotel from the home of the Singaporean governor. The school of culinary arts “Raffles” is widely known – Kipling once appreciated the cuisine of the hotel. So do not deny yourself the pleasure of having lunch in one of the restaurants or cafes of the hotel (there are about 10 of them, and you can taste both traditional oriental cuisine and classic European dishes and cocktails). The atmosphere of the hotel and the live orchestra will take you back to the 1920s and 1940s. Just keep in mind that it is better to book a table in advance – there is no end to visitors in Raffles.
National cuisine
Singapore is a cosmopolitan city, so you can try Chinese, Malian and Indian cuisine everywhere. Bars, cafes and restaurants dotted around offer a wide variety of Asian delights, including true culinary arts of fresh and juicy seafood that are worth a penny.
Spicy chili lobster or chili crab are Singapore gourmet dishes.
Visiting restaurants, cafes, eateries is a favorite pastime of Singaporeans. From noon to two o’clock in the afternoon it is impossible to find the right person at work – lunch time for Singaporeans is inviolable. The number and variety of catering establishments is amazing.
More than 500 first-class restaurants are ready to fulfill any culinary whim of the visitor. Taste Indian and Chinese cuisines, cool off with ice-cold fresh fruit juices and of course, indulge in fine haute cuisine at world-class restaurants or al fresco on the banks of the Singapore River. Tailor-made “tasting itineraries”, culinary establishments generously sharing their experience of preparing various dishes and the famous Singapore National Cuisine Festival, held annually in July, make Singapore a real paradise for gourmets.
Sate is a traditional Singaporean dish.
A feature of the public catering system in Singapore is food centers – complexes that unite dozens of “hockers” – owners of small eateries, cafes, stalls with mobile kitchens, in which most Singaporeans eat. The food here is cheap (you can have a bite to eat for a few Singapore dollars) and delicious. Such complexes are usually crowded at lunchtime from 12 to 2 pm. For lovers of European cuisine in Singapore, there are many eateries McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, A and Double U. The prices there are moderate, starting from 2.5 Singaporean dollars for a hamburger.
