\
Singapore

Singapore

Continent

Asia

Best States to Visit

  • Central Region
  • East Region
  • North Region
  • North-East Region
  • West Region

Best Cities to Visit

  • Sembawang
  • Yishun
  • Ang Mo Kio
  • Bishan
  • Bedok

Size

728 KM2

Population

5,703,600

GDP

$600,063,000,000

Spending Budget

$328 - $2,384

Famous For

  • The land of shopping malls.
  • Year round summer (and stickiness)
  • Inventing the Singapore Sling
  • Fines and corporal punishment
  • The Marina Bay Skyline
  • That ban on chewing gum
  • Greenery amidst the city
  • Being super clean

Best Time to Visit

  • January
  • February
  • March
  • April
  • May
  • June
  • December

History

The British governor Stamford Raffles arrived in Singapore on 28 January 1819 and soon recognised the island as a natural choice for the new port.[36] The island was then nominally ruled by Tengku Abdul Rahman, the Sultan of Johor, who was controlled by the Dutch and the Bugis. However, the Sultanate was weakened by factional division: the Temenggong (Chief Minister) of Tengku Abdul Rahman, as well as his officials, were loyal to the Sultan's elder brother Tengku Long, who was living in exile in Riau. With the Temenggong's help, Raffles managed to smuggle Tengku Long back into Singapore. Raffles offered to recognise Tengku Long as the rightful Sultan of Johor, under the title of Sultan Hussein, as well as provide him with a yearly payment of $5000 and another $3000 to the Temenggong; in return, Sultan Hussein would grant the British the right to establish a trading post on Singapore. A formal treaty was signed on 6 February 1819. 1825 survey map. Singapore's free port trade was at Singapore River for 150 years. Fort Canning hill (centre) was home to its ancient and early colonial rulers. In 1824, a further treaty with the Sultan led to the entire island becoming a British possession. In 1826, Singapore became part of the Straits Settlements, then under the jurisdiction of British India. Singapore became the regional capital in 1836.[42] Prior to Raffles' arrival, there were only about a thousand people living on the island, mostly indigenous Malays along with a handful of Chinese. By 1860 the population had swelled to over 80,000, more than half being Chinese.[41] Many of these early immigrants came to work on the pepper and gambier plantations. In 1867, the Straits Settlements were separated from British India, coming under the direct control of Britain. Later, in the 1890s, when the rubber industry became established in Malaya and Singapore,[46] the island became a global centre for rubber sorting and export. Singapore was not greatly affected by the First World War (1914–18), as the conflict did not spread to Southeast Asia. The only significant event during the war was the 1915 Singapore Mutiny by Muslim sepoys from British India, who were garrisoned in Singapore.[47] After hearing rumours that they were to be sent to fight the Ottoman Empire, a Muslim state, the soldiers rebelled, killing their officers and several British civilians before the mutiny was suppressed by non-Muslim troops arriving from Johore and Burma.

Present Day

After being expelled from Malaysia, Singapore became independent as the Republic of Singapore on 9 August 1965, with Lee Kuan Yew and Yusof bin Ishak as the first prime minister and president respectively. In 1967, the country co-founded the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Race riots broke out once more in 1969. Lee Kuan Yew's emphasis on rapid economic growth, support for business entrepreneurship, and limitations on internal democracy shaped Singapore's policies for the next half-century. Economic growth continued throughout the 1980s, with the unemployment rate falling to 3% and real GDP growth averaging at about 8% up until 1999. During the 1980s, Singapore began to shift towards high-tech industries, such as the wafer fabrication sector, in order to remain competitive as neighbouring countries began manufacturing with cheaper labour. Singapore Changi Airport was opened in 1981 and Singapore Airlines was formed. The Port of Singapore became one of the world's busiest ports and the service and tourism industries also grew immensely during this period. The PAP, which has remained in power since independence, is believed to rule in an authoritarian manner by some activists and opposition politicians who see the strict regulation of political and media activities by the government as an infringement on political rights. In response, Singapore has seen several significant political changes, such as the introduction of the Non-Constituency members of parliament in 1984 to allow up to three losing candidates from opposition parties to be appointed as MPs. Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) were introduced in 1988 to create multi-seat electoral divisions, intended to ensure minority representation in parliament. Nominated members of parliament were introduced in 1990 to allow non-elected non-partisan MPs. The Constitution was amended in 1991 to provide for an Elected President who has veto power in the use of national reserves and appointments to public office. In 1990, Goh Chok Tong succeeded Lee and became Singapore's second prime minister. During Goh's tenure, the country went through the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the 2003 SARS outbreak. In 2004, Lee Hsien Loong, the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew, became the country's third prime minister. Lee Hsien Loong's tenure included the 2008 global financial crisis, the resolution of a dispute over land ownership at Tanjong Pagar railway station between Singapore and Malaysia, and the introduction of the 2 integrated resorts (IRs), located at the Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa. The People's Action Party (PAP) suffered its worst ever electoral results in 2011, winning just 60% of votes, amidst debate over issues including the influx of foreign workers and the high cost of living. On 23 March 2015, Lee Kuan Yew died, and a one-week period of public mourning was observed nationwide. Subsequently, the PAP regained its dominance in Parliament through the September general election, receiving 69.9% of the popular vote, although this remained lower than the 2001 tally of 75.3% and the 1968 tally of 86.7%. The 2020 election saw the PAP drop to 61% of the vote, while the opposition Workers' Party took 10 of the 93 seats, the highest number ever won by an opposition party.

Future

CapitaSpring CapitaSpring, a 51-storey, 280m tower by CapitaLand and Mitsubishi Estate is under construction at the former Golden Shoe Car Park, costing S$1.82 billion. The tower will mostly consist of offices with a garden in between, as well as serviced apartments by Ascott, retail space and a hawker centre. The tower will be completed by 2021. Central Boulevard Towers Scheduled to be completed by 2022, the 99-year leasehold white site at the junction of Central Boulevard and Raffles Quay named Central Boulevard Towers offers premium Grade A office space. The development consists of two office towers (16-storey and 48-storey) above a 7-storey retail podium block and buoyed by an interstitial green landscaped public space. A sky garden on the 7th floor offers a dedicated jogging track and viewing decks, as well as a restaurant. The project will be directly connected underground to the adjacent Downtown MRT station on the Downtown line, with link bridges to the East West line and North South line at Raffles Place station and the upcoming Shenton Way station on the Thomson-East Coast line. Yew Tee Integrated Development Announced on 22 September 2019, the upcoming Yew Tee Integrated Development will house 2-room Flexi flats for seniors, a community club, a polyclinic, a kidney dialysis centre, and a hawker centre. The integrated development, modeled after the award-winning Kampung Admiralty, will replace the existing hardcourt at Yew Tee Close next to Yew Tee MRT station. It is estimated to be completed by the second half of 2026. It will be the second such 'vertical' kampung, after Kampung Admiralty opened in 2018. Jurong Innovation District (JID) First announced in the 2016 Singapore Budget, the Jurong Innovation District (JID) aims to provide a conducive environment for startups, and encourage innovation. To be developed by JTC, it will be located near NTU, Tengah and CleanTech Park, and the first phase will be completed by 2022. Hyundai Mobility Global Innovation Centre Hyundai Motor announced on 31 March 2020 that it will be building a 28,000 square-metre open innovation lab in the JID, named Hyundai Mobility Global Innovation Centre, to develop future mobility technologies for expansion into other markets. The lab will test out a small-scale electric vehicle (EV) production facility before creating an automated platform to manufacture smart vehicles. An on-demand production system where customers can build their customised vehicles will also be tested out in the lab. Alongside these, Hyundai will also carry out tests on multi-modal mobility services, on-demand shuttle, and e-scooters. The lab is expected to be completed by the second half of 2022.
Must Visit Places ------------

Sentosa Island

Sentosa Island is one of the most fun places to go to in Singapore. It is perfect for all age types and consists of restaurants, adventure parks, rides and more. One should surely spend one full day here.

Madame Tussauds

Of course, a visit to Madame Tussauds was planned. It is a super fun place where you come just an inch closer to your favorite celebrities and get a picture clicked with them. Even though they are wax statues, they look absolutely realistic.

Universal Studio

Universal Studio is for all age types and needs no introduction. Plan a full day excursion here as there is a lot to see and do. We thoroughly enjoyed our time here enjoying various lands, rides and bumping into various TV characters.

Merlion

It is an iconic place that cannot and should not be missed. Get pictures clicked and enjoy boat rides here.

Garden by The Bay

Garden by the Bay is another popular place where we truly wanted to go. It is especially a sight to see at night when the whole place is lit with lights. It truly is spectacular.

Singapore Flyer

Visiting Singapore Flyer is a must as one can see the beautiful landscape of the city from here. Enjoy a birds-eye view of the city as you would not find this view from anywhere else. This must be added to every traveler’s “things to do in Singapore” list.

Clarke Quay

It is one of the more popular places amongst the locals and is of historical significance. Its location is instrumental in positioning Singapore as the key port for the Malay states of Perak, Sungei Ujong and Selangor. It is named after the Governor of the Straits Settlements from 1824 to 1902, Sir Andrew Clarke. Considered as one of the fun places to visit in East Coast Singapore, it was previously known simply as East and West Street in north Kampong Malacca. The pedestrian mall occupies a part of the road along the quay, which is also known as Clarke Quay.

Ion Orchard

This shopping mall also comprises of a residential component called The Orchard Residences. The ION Sky, located on the 55th and 56th floors of this building, offers a panoramic view of the city with all its magnificent towers and buildings. So, make sure to not skip those floors. The Media Façade, a multi-sensory canvas media wall, occupies the giant walls of ION Orchard. Located on the 4th floor of the building is an art and exhibition centre called ION Art which was built with the purpose of promoting modern and contemporary art by emerging artists and designers in Singapore.

Police Heritage Centre

The PHC logo is a feather quill to symbolize the connection between the present and the past in order to plan the future and maintain the legacy of the SPF. The PHC has put up for display exhibits that allow a peek into how the SPF was founded and their systems developed since the 1800s. It sheds light on the trust that exists between the public and the police as a result of the corrupt-free rule of lar and carrying out of justice.

Haji Lane

This lane is rather picturesque with its buildings walls being embellished with beautiful art. It\’s ideal for you to take pictures with its walls as its backdrop for Instagram. Known as one of the narrowest streets in Singapore, it is riddled with a string of independent boutiques that sell a range of items from clothes and accessories to vintage cameras. Located in the Arab Quarter, you could walk down this lane and not even realize it. It is the best place to get your shopping done as its shops boast a wide variety of quirky collectibles that you can take back as souvenirs.

Gardens By The Bay

Gardens by the Bay is a nature park which is located just next to the Marina Reservoir. Spread across 101 hectares of land, this outdoor garden offers a great horticulture experience to the visitors. The garden architecture follows that of the minimalist Japanese Zen gardens. Here in Gardens by the Bay, visitors can experience a relaxing respite away from the hustle of the city life. This is indeed one of the top places to visit in East Coast Singapore which one must definitely visit.

SINGAPORE FOOD

Singapore sees a big footfall of tourists every year and these are tourists coming from all walks of life. So, whether one wants to try local street food or want to have a fine dining experience, Singapore will not disappoint you. During your stay here, you can only have Indian food if you want. There will be a lot of options for vegetarians. They even have a lot of options for Jains.

SHOPPING IN SINGAPORE

Bugis street is one of the best markets to go shopping which has very good prices to buy things. This was a multi-storey building which has a vast variety of things to buy and also the price which is suitable to the budget. Some of the best buys were chocolates, bags, dresses, watches and souvenirs.

Shuffle Bistro Bar: A Spacious Place

Quite a spacious place to relax and enjoy a drink with your group, the shuffle bistro bar is one of the quaint places to experience the Singapore nightlife. Apart from this, there is a small stage where one can witness the local bands performing while you take a sip of your drink. The place good for groups and couples for a chilled-out evening. The food prices are reasonable and food is tasty too. The small stage at the back welcomes\’ local bands who a nice mix of music.

Crazy Elephant: A Sophisticated Bar

If sophistication and class is your forte, then Crazy elephant will not be the right place to head and enjoy the nightlife. At this place, the ambiance gets all soothing with the live rock music and the casual atmosphere will let you get immersed in the relaxing vibe. Unlike other bars lined up across the street, this one is quite different and ensures that its visitors enjoy a great time.

Mel: With Classy Interiors

Mel’s Place Bar

Attica: For A Great Music

Attica is probably one of the best bars in Clarke Quay Singapore, in fact it\’s one of the most popular one. It is reachable through the waterfront and makes for a special Singapore venue. The bar also invites international talent for the live music shows. Listen to a mix of hip-hop, house and electronic pop music.

Zouk: The Awesome Performances

If you are in love with dance music, then the Zouk brings you that experience. Considered as one of the best bars in Clarke Quay Singapore, it is a popular nightlife scene in the whole country. Local DJs, stars like Tiesto and Chemical Brothers occasionally show up for live performances. The club is made up of various interconnecting clubs and the whole area is known as Zouk.

Harry’s Boat Quay: Jazzy Jazz

Harry’s is a popular one! Being one of the best bars in Clarke Quay Singapore, the bar is known for its live jazz acts. It is a flagship venue of the restaurant and bar chain and is a total enjoyable one too. You can order beer, watch live sports or also join quiz nights every Wednesday.