If you want to visit Asia and keep western spirit choose Singapore, the island city-state situated on the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, a subtle pathway between the West and the East.
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href="http://www.poandpo.com/s0410/singapore_changi_airport_1v.jpg" rel="lightbox">Singapore Changi Airport, recognised as one of the best airports in the world, will be your first host to welcome your arrival. If we put aside a range of facilities and services it offers, it can be described as a state of the art, greenery and flowers. It is connected with the city centre via the Skytrain and your journey to the city will last only two minutes.
And here you are, in Singapore, that Asia Eldorado where English is the official language and Chinese are majority of the mixed population. Greenery, flowers and tropic trees will continue to follow you wherever you turn to. What you will also find out very soon is that gastronomy and shopping are raised so high here to become a cult.
Art found its place not just in cultural centres, but in hotels, metro station and parks too. Those three things in Singapore simply go hand in hand. Take a rest from your journey and visit one of the restaurants of 5-star Swissotel The Stamford and enjoy a bird view to the city's architecture which follows feng-shui making it so special.
Jurong Bird Park, the largest bird park in the world, has the world's only monorail system that runs through an aviary and the highest (30 m) man-made waterfall of the world. So, take a ride on Panorail and have a good time. If you have a plan to invite your business partner to an unofficial breakfast far away from Financial District's skyscrapers and crowded restaurants, the park' restaurant with a view of the Flamingo Lake could be a perfect place for that occasion.
After you have breakfast take a walk around the city. Singapore has its Flyer, a kind of London Eye, and the Merlion, the symbol of the city, an imaginary creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish, situated at the mouth of the Singapore river. North of the Merlion lies Boat Quay with old shops, restaurants and clubs, a perfect place if you want to lunch al fresco.
Just a few streets from Boat Quay you will enter Chinatown where you can enjoy diverse mix of China temples and mosques. Don't miss Trengganu Street called "the Piccadilly of Chinese Singapore" in the past, and have a lazy afternoon. Ethnic neighbourhood Little India with its places of worship could be a place of your interest too as well as Haji Lane, a fashion paradise situated in the Muslim quarter. A few minutes of walking to the south there is the largest mall Suntec City with the Fountain of Wealth, the largest fountain in the world.
The cult one-way Orchard Road with numerous restaurants, cafes and hotels is not just one more ideal place for shopping. It also hosts Istana, the official residence of the President of Singapore built on former nutmeg plantation. The residence has a beautiful tropical layout and it is opened to the public on five selected statutory holidays. If you don't have luck to enter the residence, choose one of many Singapore museums.
The Nei Xue Tang or "Hall of Inner Learning" is one of a few private museums in Singapore. It hosts a priceless collection of Buddhist art works made from gold stone, jade, crystal and silver. Make use of your visit to city-state and visit Philatelic Museum dedicated to Singapore postal history and buy a stamp to remind you of days in Singapore.
Take a trip before you leave Singapore. It could be an hour long ferry ride to Bintan, the island with beautiful beaches, or to Sentosa, a popular island resort which hosts golf courses and numerous shows like a spectacular 25 minutes fireworks which runs twice a night. Or, take absolutely different experience and go to the night safari. Whatever of those you choose that will be a perfect end of your visit to that Asian jewel. ■
