Singapore has been portrayed as a playground for the rich. It’s quite true that the small city-state does have a particular sheen of wealth.
However, Singapore offers you more than just high-end shopping malls, luxury hotels as well as fine dining (though it’s well worth indulging in those a little bit if you are able to). There is also lively history and diverse ethnic quarters to discover together with many family-friendly attractions and charming public spaces that make exploring this slightly futuristic city worthwhile.
Singapore has a superlative public transportation system which makes sightseeing convenient and straightforward. When you’ve gotten a sense of the metro map, you’ll likely have no problem with navigating from one part of town to the next.
English is spoken everywhere and signs are in English as well. In fact, Singapore is one of the simplest and most comfortable countries to navigate in Southeast Asia. And as long as you’re not comparing prices to nearby Thailand or Vietnam, you’re in for a lovely stay.
Have we convinced you that visiting Singapore is a great idea? If this beautiful destination is your next travel destination, here are some things that you must see.
Marina Bay Sands
If construction costs are a traveller’s bag, then they’ll delight in viewing the Marina Bay Sands, which is a resort that cost US$5.7 billion to build. This makes it the world’s costliest building when it opened its doors in 2010.
The Marina Bay Sands is an integrated holiday resort which has it all: a luxury hotel, restaurants, an infinite collection of shops, a convention centre which is one of the largest in Asia, theatre, an ArtScience Museum and other entertainment centres. It also has an indoor skating rink which was made with synthetic ice.
Lazarus Island
As one of Singapore’s best-kept secrets, the Lazarus Island is situated south of mainland Singapore. With its astonishingly beautiful surroundings, the beach is a perfect sandy affair. It is an ideal spot to soak up the sun, have a picnic and catch up on a bit of NRL Premiership betting on your phone.
National Gallery Singapore
Situated in two buildings, the former Supreme Court and City Hall, the National Gallery Singapore houses a collection of modern art which was painted by artists from across Southeast Asia. The gallery showcases the works of both rising and established artists from the region. Make sure to visit the newly opened galleries that showcase Chinese Ink Art. Don’t miss the rooftop sculpture garden that features works by Vietnamese-born Danish artist Danh Vo.
Gardens by the Bay
When you’ve seen this brilliantly designed green space (from the top of the Marina Bay Sands) you won’t be able to stay away. Stroll through the Bay East Garden, which is perfect for enjoying the vibrant plant life and also escaping the city bustle for a moment.
You definitely won’t want to miss Supertree Grove. Here you’ll find a cluster of the iconic, futuristic structures which were designed to perform environmentally sustainable functions. After this, head to the Cloud Forest Dome to see the world’s tallest indoor waterfall and learn a bit about biodiversity.