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Sydney Morning Herald

All the things we love about Singapore (plus five we don't)

Greenery everywhere This is the tropics, so although Singapore can seem like the big, bad city sometimes, it's also easy to access green space. Even some of the high-rises are covered in vegetation. Singapore Botanic Gardens This sprawling, 166-year-old tropical garden is World Heritage listed (one of only three in the world to hold that honour), and boasts more than 10,000 species of flora spread across 82 hectares. Entry is free. See Gardens by the Bay When a garden becomes a major tourist attraction, you know something has been done right. And this is a spectacular garden, featuring a blend of modern architectural flourishes and design-heavy floral displays. The likes of the Flower Dome, Cloud Forest and Floral Fantasy capture the imagination of adults and kids alike. See Pulau Ubin This isn't the Singapore you've been picturing: Pulau Ubin is a quiet island north-east of the mainland. It has no high-rises, no highways, no hawker centres and no shopping malls. What it does have is peace, tranquillity, wildlife, a few charming little restaurants, and the chance to take things slow. See Rail Corridor Singapore's Rail Corridor is a 24-kilometre passage that links the city-state's major green spaces, and has been designed not just for wildlife to move between these areas, but walkers, runners and cyclists too. A stroll in the early morning or evening is the perfect antidote to big-city life. See Singapore River Flowing through the CBD and into Marina Bay, this is Singapore's key waterway, and it's surrounded by riverside restaurants, bars and other nightlife attractions. Evening strolls along East Coast Park There are more than 15 kilometres of walking and biking tracks on this coastal stretch of parkland near Changi airport. East Coast Park is the perfect place for a beachfront stroll in the cool of the evening, a stroll that will ideally take you to either Jumbo Seafood, a purveyor of black pepper crab, or East Coast Lagoon Food Village, a hawker centre that specialises in satays. See Reliably warm weather (and air-con) There is no time of year you can possibly arrive in Singapore and find it cold. You will always be able to swim. You will always live in shorts and T-shirt. TRANSPORT Singapore Airlines If this isn't the world's best airline, it's certainly up there. See Singapore Changi With probably the world's best airline comes probably the world's best airport: Changi, packed to the rafters with traveller-friendly features such as outdoor gardens, rooftop pools, sleep pods, hawker centres, airside transit hotels, and even the publicly accessible 'employee canteen', a food court for staff where you can pick up authentic Singaporean cuisine for a couple of bucks. See Singapore taxi drivers To become a taxi driver in Singapore you have to complete a training course with the Land Transport Authority, pass a theory test, and then obtain a licence. This means taxi drivers in Singapore are professional and reliable. No (or few) traffic jams Singapore's road network is not just well-designed, with plenty of highways and bypasses, but car ownership is also prohibitively expensive, meaning most people seek other forms of transport. The result: little time waiting in traffic. Extensive public transport There are plenty of public transport options in Singapore, all of which are reliable, modern and comfortable. There's the MRT, a series of six rail lines, plus an extensive bus network that covers any part of the city not easily reached by rail. There are also ferries to get you to smaller islands and nearby parts of Indonesia. See SOCIETY The Green Plan Here's the deal: Singapore has a plan to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. That includes concrete targets over the next 10 years, including planting 1 million trees, quadrupling solar energy deployment, and reducing waste sent to landfill by 30 per cent. Impressive stuff. See The chope system Always carry a small packet of tissues with you in Singapore. Partly because paper napkins are scarce, but also, so you can reserve a table. In Singaporean hawker centres and other places with unreserved seating, placing a pack of tissues on a table – a 'chope' – means you have bagged that spot, and absolutely no one will mess with it. Safety According to World Population Review, Singapore is the fifth-safest country in the world, which makes travel here a pleasure. Cleanliness Singapore is also incredibly clean and tidy, which has to do with the law: first-time offenders can be fined up to $S2000 ($2380) just for flinging a cigarette butt onto the ground. Bad for litterers – good for you. Everyone speaks English (and another language) Singapore has four official languages: Chinese, Malay, Tamil, and English. That means basically everyone you meet in this country will be able to speak English, and at least one other language – perfect for travellers just finding their way. Singlish Singaporeans don't just speak English, but a more charming creole version that's known as 'Singlish'. The most obvious sign of Singlish is the word 'lah' or 'leh' at the end of sentences: 'Can lah' means someone will be able to do something for you. Love it. Street art For a country so bound by strict rules, Singapore also has a healthy (sanctioned) street-art scene. Wander the Kampong Glam neighbourhood and you will find walls filled with murals created by some of the best in the business. Connections to Asia There are so many amazing destinations within a short flight of Singapore: Bali, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Siem Reap, Hanoi, Luang Prabang, Brunei and more. This is your gateway to South-East Asia. See Singapore Grand Prix Every October the streets of Marina Bay morph into a racetrack and the billion-dollar circus that is the Formula 1 Grand Prix arrives in Singapore – the city goes nuts for it. See STAYS Raffles This is one of the world's great hotels, an establishment with real history, having been around since 1887 (when it was a 10-room hotel). Raffles continues to set the standard for luxury hotels worldwide, with gorgeous suites, sprawling gardens, impeccable service, and high-quality drinking and dining establishments on site. See Raffles doormen Speaking of that impeccable service, Raffles is famous for its doormen, suave characters who set the tone immediately upon arrival, and who have become Singaporean stars. Fullerton Hotel The neoclassical Fullerton Building was completed in 1928, and is a national monument, once home to Singapore's general post office, and now the Fullerton, a 400-room, five-star hotel. The rooms here are truly beautiful. See Parkroyal Collection Pickering The Parkroyal Collection Pickering is built around a 15,000-square-metre urban garden, a dense, tropical green space that rises into the air with the building around it. The luxury hotel also has sustainability bona fides: 262 solar panels on the roof, EVs for guest transfers, and a design that allows maximum natural light and minimal artificial needs. See Shangri-La's family themed suites Plenty of hotels pay lip service to being family-friendly, but few commit to the bit in the way the Shangri-La Singapore does. Not only is there a breakfast buffet just for kids, a waterslide park, an indoor play area and child-minding service, the hotel also has 'family-themed suites': 16 individually themed rooms with bunk beds, kids' writing desks, bean bags, toys, treasure chests and tunnels between rooms. See FAMILY Singapore Cable Car Linking Mount Faber, in Singapore's main island, with Sentosa, the Singapore Cable Car is a tourist attraction that provides bang for buck, soaring almost 100 metres above Keppel Harbour on a 15-minute journey. See Sentosa Island theme parks Though Sentosa lacks historical charm (save for Fort Siloso), it does offer a swath of theme parks and attractions to keep families happy: Universal Studios, Singapore Oceanarium, KidZania, Harry Potter: Visions of Magic, Adventure Cove Waterpark and more. See Family-friendly Grabs Grab is essentially another version of Uber, and in Singapore, it's very handy, particularly for families with young children. The app allows you to book cars with either one or two child seats, which provides welcome peace of mind in an already safety-conscious city. See Merlion Park A merlion is exactly what you think it is: half lion, half fish. It's also the symbol of the metamorphosis of Singapore from small fishing village to giant Lion City, and the 10-metre-high merlion statue on the promenade overlooking Marina Bay remains one of Singapore's most popular attractions. National Museum of Singapore This city-state's oldest museum has both modern and historic exhibitions and is well worth a visit, particularly during a tropical downpour. See Wildlife viewing Yes, there's wildlife in Singapore. In places such as Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Pulau Ubin, and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve there are hundreds of birdlife species, not to mention monkeys, estuarine crocodiles, and even otters. See Free activities There's plenty to do in Singapore if you don't feel like parting with any cash. Visit the Botanic Gardens, explore Southern Ridges, visit various temples throughout the city, see the waterfall at the Jewel, wander Chinatown or Little India, and much more. HERITAGE Shophouses Singapore's shophouses really do fit the 'icon' description. These terrace buildings combine architectural influences from Chinese, European and Malay cultures, and often have ornate features and historic charm. There are more than 6500 shophouses still lining the Singapore streets – most can be found in Chinatown, Joo Chiat, Emerald Hill, Little India and Blair Plain. Shophouse museum Want to know more about Singaporean shophouses? Check out the Chinatown Heritage Centre, which is made up of several restored shophouses. See Historic members clubs Though they aren't always easy to access – you'll need reciprocal membership, or know someone who can bring you in as a visitor – Singapore has a host of private members' clubs that are fascinating slices of the city-state's history. The Tanglin Club, founded in 1865, and Singapore Cricket Club, around since 1852, are prime examples. Peranakan culture Most come to Singapore expecting to find a mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian culture, but don't expect a fourth influence, that of the Peranakans. Also known as Nyonya, or Straits Chinese, this is a culture that can be experienced in specialist restaurants in the Katong-Joo Chiat area in Chinatown, and at the Peranakan Museum. Festivals When you have three main cultures – Chinese, Indian and Malay – plus a general tendency to put on large events to please visitors and locals alike, you end up with a packed festival calendar. That's exactly what Singapore has. NEIGHBOURHOODS Chinatown Singapore boasts what is surely one of the world's great Chinatowns, a maze of narrow roads lined with historic buildings, a living, breathing cultural relic. There are also three of Singapore's best hawker centres: Chinatown Complex, Maxwell Centre, and Hong Lim Market. Little India Here's the perfect complement to Chinatown: Little India, another cultural enclave that will whisk you directly to the streets of Chennai. There are Hindu temples, peddlers of traditional saris and flower arrangements, plus incredible food at the Tekka Centre. Kampong Glam No neighbourhood captures the meeting of tradition and modernity in Singapore like Kampong Glam. This is one of Singapore's oldest areas, with historic buildings and the majesty of Sultan Mosque. It's also home to some of the city's best bars, its most interesting street art, and Haji Lane, a pedestrian street filled with boutiques, cafes, bars and restaurants. Orchard Road Shoppers, pack your credit cards, because Singapore offers many an opportunity to part with cash. For all your shopping needs on one street, Orchard Road is home to mega-malls such as ION Orchard, Paragon, Takashimaya, 313@somerset and Mandarin Gallery. Each is stocked with every major international retail brand you can think of – not to mention some very nice places to eat. Dempsey Hill This is a surprise attraction for many visitors to Singapore, a former British army barracks near the Botanic Gardens that's now home to a series of art galleries, retail stores, wine bars and restaurants – including outlets of famed local eatery Jumbo Seafood. See Loading Geylang Geylang was once Singapore's red-light district, and it retains plenty of that edge; it's also, however, a vastly interesting and approachable neighbourhood, with rows of old shophouses, buzzing local restaurants and bars, and even a signature local dish, Geylang frog porridge, which is far tastier than it sounds. ARCHITECTURE WOHA Architects Co-founded by Australian architect Richard Hassell, this Singapore-based firm is responsible for some of the most eye-catching buildings on the Singapore skyline, from spectacular Pan Pacific Orchard and quirky 21 Carpenter to the bold Singapore Institute of Technology. See The Jewel You would visit the Jewel, the entertainment and shopping complex built around the world's largest indoor waterfall, even if you weren't flying out of Changi airport. There are more than 300 dining and retail outlets across 10 levels, plus indoor gardens, the Canopy Park and the Experience Studio. The fact this has direct access to one of the world's best airports is an added bonus. See Marina Bay Sands This is one of those 'wow' buildings that inspires you to pull your camera out immediately. You may love or hate what's inside – the high-end restaurants, bars and nightclubs, the whopping casino – but it's hard to deny the awe of these three towers connected by a platform 56 storeys high. A swim and a cocktail at the rooftop pool is a must-do. See Retro atrium hotels In the 1960s and '70s, American architect John Portman helped popularise a style of hotel design that focused on grand, airy atriums, and Singapore boasts three of his most spectacular works: the Mandarin Oriental, the Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay, and the Conrad Singapore Orchard. Even if you're not staying, each is worth a wander. Henderson Waves Speaking of impressive design, don't miss Henderson Waves, a 274-metre pedestrian bridge in Southern Ridges park with a distinctive wave pattern – like a giant snake – making for excellent Instagram fodder. See Five things we don't always love about Singapore The strict adherence to rules Laws are tight in Singapore, everyone knows that. But what can come as a surprise is Singaporeans' adherence to rules and norms of all kinds. When it seems to an outsider as if bending the rules might make the most sense – still, locals will be unwilling. The humidity Reliably hot weather: great. Love it. What isn't always so pleasant, however, is the dense weight of humidity that can hang over Singapore, draining the energy of even the most ardent diner or shopper. Loading Rojak Singaporean food is, almost without exception, delicious. That exception? Rojak. A variety of raw fruits and vegetables are chopped up and then topped with a sweet, spicy sauce. Honestly, the whole thing makes no sense. Expensive alcohol You can get an excellent meal in Singapore for a very low price. If, however, you would like a few glasses of wine with that meal, the cost will rise significantly because this is an expensive country in which to do your drinking. The lack of napkins In Japan, you spend your days wandering around looking for non-existent rubbish bins. In Singapore, you're constantly on the hunt for non-existent napkins. People just don't give them out in this country like they do in others. Hot tip: carry your own.