Located on the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, the island nation of Singapore combines timeless Asian traditions with ultra-modern skyscrapers and some of the world’s best shopping.   

Key Highlights

Orchard Road is Singapore’s shopping mecca, lined with numerous stores selling the latest fashions at very competitive prices. For something a little more traditional, head to Chinatown, where the night market bustles with vendors selling everything from dragon candles to Chinese opera masks.

Follow the scent of spices to Little India, where Hindu temples, sari shops and blaring Bollywood music offer a slice of the Subcontinent in South-East Asia. Or eat yourself silly in the delicious restaurants of Geylang Serai, the heart of Singapore’s Malay community. Kampong Glam was once the playground of Malay royalty and now houses some of Singapore’s best architecture, including the impressive Sultan Mosque.

Singapore Zoo is one of Asia’s best, with wide, open enclosures for an animal population that includes the world’s largest colony of captive orangutans.  The zoo’s excellent Night Safari lets you see what the beasties of the world get up to after dark.

In Depth

Situated on the north coast, the island of Pulau Ubin is one of Singapore’s last rural areas. Hire a mountain bike and head off into the jungle to discover rubber plantations, coconut groves, mangrove swamps and a wide variety of tropical fauna.

Another of Singapore’s islands, Sentosa has been developed into a popular resort area. Attractions include golf courses, theme parks (including Universal Studios), a casino and some very attractive beaches. The island’s remaining rainforests are home to peacocks, monkeys, parrots and monitor lizards.

Located only 12 km from the city centre, the lush Bukit Timah Nature Reserve houses a huge number of exotic birds, butterflies, monkeys, squirrels and flying lemurs.