Singapore is a bustling port and a commercial center in southeast Asia. There are many attractions to visit on the island and this is a list of ten.
Singapore is a republic island situated south of Malaysia. The island is shaped almost like a diamond and has an area of 618 square kilometers. It is separated from Malaysia by the Straights of Johor. The water around Singapore is deep and this coupled with the fact that Singapore is perfectly situated close to the Straights of Malacca, has made this island into the region's top shipping and commercial center.
Three quarters of its population is Chinese, and the one quarter is made up of Malay, Indian and Europeans. The largest group of Chinese in Singapore is the Hokkien who can trace their roots to the Fukien province in China.
The island is predominantly urbanized and only about 5% of it is forested. But through some meticulous planning, Singapore has managed to set aside preserves and gardens that blend into the urbanized environment. Let's take a look at ten tourist attractions in Singapore.
Fort Canning Park
Fort Canning Park used to be known as Bukit Larangan which in Malay means forbidden hill. The Malays believe that this hill is haunted by the ghosts. Excavation of the hill to find evidence of ancient settlements has not come up with any evidence to lend any credence to the rumors that this was once a site of royal Malay palaces. But this is where the grave of a Malay ruler credited for discovering this island is situated, the grave of Sultan Iskandar Shah. Folk lore has it that he was resting on this hill when he saw a lion and perhaps told the "singa" (lion in Malay) to "podah" (go away in Tamil). The "singa" left so he named the island Singapura.
Tang Dynasty Village
If you have ever wondered about the Tang dynasty in China's history, this is where you can get an enjoyable learning experience. Tang Dynasty Village is a large theme park that has architectural reproductions of the Royal Imperial Palace, housing estates and underground chambers. There are also more than one thousand wax figures adorning period costumes and reproduction of Xian's terra-cotta warrior statues.
Haw Par Villa
This is a Chinese mythological theme park that has recently gone through a multi million dollar expansion. It now has laser lights, robotronics, an artisan's village, and boat rides.
Sentosa Island
Sentosa Island is situated just south of the republic island and is a multi million-dollar leisure and resort island. It has two beaches, a man made swimming lagoon, a butterfly park, a golf course, musical fountains, a maritime museum and an under water world that comes complete with a see through tunnel walkway. There is also a statue of Merlion, Singapore's mythical creature that has become this nation's symbol. There is a cable car that connects the two islands and it provides a spectacular view of Singapore's harbor. Tickets can be bought at The World Trade Center.
Chinese and Japanese Gardens
Two styles of gardens are combined in this 64 hectare park in Jurong. It has miniature temples, pagodas, arched bridges, bonsai gardens, lakes and zen gardens; a pleasant walk for a pleasant afternoon.
Jurong Bird Park
This bird park has one of the world's largest collections of southeast Asian birds in an aviary. The song bird terrace is the place to go for breakfast buffet and is very popular with the locals.
Singapore Zoo
The Singapore zoo uses natural barriers instead of iron bars to contain its residents. This zoo has more than 2,000 animals which include rare and endangered species. There is also a night safari park that opens only at night to allow visitors to view nocturnal creatures and their activities.
Jurong Crocodile Paradise
The Jurong Crocodile Paradise is just right across the street from Jurong Bird Park. This park has over 3,000 crocodiles and some are used to perform crocodile wrestling exhibitions and other routines.
Raffles Hotel
Historical Raffles Hotel has had many distinguishing guests such as Rudyard Kipling. This hotel named after Sir Stamford Raffles is home to the world famous drink Singapore Sling.
National Museum
The museum houses many good historical and ethnological artifacts. It has several diorama galleries and a small auditorium for audiovisual shows. Of considerable interest is 387 piece collection of Haw Par Jade collection.
