Who would have thought that this city-state, famous for its draconian rules and chewing gum ban, would become hip and happening? Singapore has undergone a renaissance of epic proportions. A new financial district and a revitalised waterfront have given it an extra boost, and tourism is shining with a glut of big-ticket attractions, including Gardens on the Bay, two mega-casinos and a Universal Studios theme park.
Rickshaw in Chinatown.
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Arts and entertainment
Singapore’s economy has been liberalised, with whizz-kid foreigners hired as top management in Singapore companies, home-grown entrepreneurs aiming to become world-class names, and technology alive and kicking. Censorship laws have been eased to pave the way for greater artistic freedom. Films that would previously have been banned are given a Restricted (Artistic) rating, allowing even full frontal nudity. Actors on stage are showing more skin than ever, shedding their clothes, along with other inhibitions, without a qualm.
Patriotic girl.
STB/Eugene Tang/Singapore-sights.com
When the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay was unveiled, the authorities unashamedly proclaimed Singapore’s intention to be the region’s arts hub. Detractors may argue that the Esplanade has some way to go before it becomes Asia’s answer to Sydney’s Opera House, but no one can deny it has created some ripples in international arts circles. Along with Marina Bay Sands’ theatres, there are plenty of performances to look forward to year-round.
Meanwhile, Singapore’s party scene continues to pulsate with prominent nightclub operators like Michael Ault opening up the sophisticated club lounge Pangaea at Marina Bay Sands, drawing well-heeled party goers. Indeed, Singapore ever-increasingly attracts the international super-rich, with recent reports naming the city as the Asian metropolis most popular with ultra-high-net-worth individuals, thanks to its stability, business environment and livability.
View from the pool at Marina Bay Sands.
Singapore Tourism Board
Smart orderliness
On a map of any scale, Singapore is just a dot at the tip of peninsular Malaysia, yet this tiny 699-sq-km (267-sq-mile) island has blossomed into one of Asia’s success stories. Much of this has to do with its obsession with cleanliness, orderliness and a healthy kiasu (“afraid to lose” in the Hokkien dialect) attitude. Not content with consistently bagging the world’s best airport, port and airline titles, and as if to compensate for its lack of size, Singapore relentlessly builds the biggest and tallest something. Singapore has the world’s biggest fountain (at Suntec City), and the Singapore Flyer superseded the London Eye as the world’s highest observation wheel. And no one can deny that the Marina Bay Sands complex is an architectural sight unlike any other. Its three lofty towers, their shape inspired by a stack of cards, are linked by a 0.4-hectare (1-acre) sky park.
National Day.
STB/Wong Chek Poh
Singaporeans are laughably methodical, even when it comes to fun and leisurely pursuits. Afraid of the less than desirable effects gambling could bring, the government promptly set up the National Council on Problem Gambling in 2006, right after they awarded the licence for the city’s first casino. Sanitised Chinatown is ironically trying to recreate its former bustle with the street markets it was once famous for (but without the attendant chaos). Contrived as it may be, many have to come appreciate how everything works with a systematic clockwork precision.
Fountain of wealth at Suntec Tower Singapore.
Dreamstime
A melting pot
Asian and Western cultures and values mesh here, giving rise to eclectic lifestyles, a heavenly range of cuisines and a funky, but still wholesome, nightlife scene. The lingua franca is English, but on the streets you will see Chinese, Malay, Indian, Eurasian and Caucasian faces.
The island-state may appear Western in its outlook, but in reality, Confucian precepts still temper ideals of personal freedom, and respect for one’s elders ranks high. Society and public discourse are kept on a tight rein, and there are fines for littering, spitting and other social misdemeanours. Overall, though, Singapore is Asia with all its exotica and colour but without the slog sometimes associated with travelling in the region.
Palawan Beach on Sentosa.
Singapore Tourism Board