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City Guide - Singapore - Sightseeing | ||
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Sightseeing When it comes to awe-inspiring tourist attractions, Singapore has a hard time competing with the sophisticated, centuries-old cultures of its South East Asian neighbours. As a result, the government has worked hard to develop a number of first-class, award-winning new venues and theme parks. A visit to the Night Safari, Jurong BirdPark or Underwater World is an easy, comfortable experience, with good transport links, and a wealth of facilities to smooth away any of the potential discomforts that come with Singapore's heat and humidity. Nature and wildlife are popular, with a reptile park, crocodilarium, orchid gardens, reservoirs, parks and nature reserves. Colonial and wartime history is kept alive at landmarks and memorials across the city, while theme attractions such as Haw Park Villa, the Malay Village and Tang Dynasty City re-enact the historical origins of Singaporean culture and tradition. But there is also a living culture - or rather several cultures - to be discovered, and the only way to really get a feel for them is by walking the streets of ethnic Singapore. Chinatown, Little India, Geylang and Arab Street have certainly been developed to promote the multicultural identity of the city, but the Chinese, Malays and Indians who populate the shops, stalls and restaurants each form a genuine community focused on their indigenous architecture, tradition and festivals. A very different brand of culture continues to thrive, even in the wake of the Asian financial crisis, along Boat Quay. Singapore's role as one of the world's major financial hubs means that the expatriate community of the colonial era has been superseded by a modern breed of ex-pats whose favourite watering hole is stereotypically Harry's Bar. Situated between the financial district and the colonial district, the bars and restaurants even spill onto the river in the form of moored Chinese junks refurbished as floating restaurants. Bumboats ply tourists up and down the Singapore River for riverside views of this eclectic juxtaposition of the modern and the traditional. Tours start at Clarke Quay and cost S$7. An unmissable stop on most visitors' itinerary is Raffles Hotel, and there are numerous other example of colonial architecture. At the centre of the colonial district is the Padang, the home of Singaporean cricket and rugby. Tourist Information Singapore Tourism Board Tourism Court, 1 Orchard Spring Lane Tel: (65) 736 6622. Fax: (65) 736 9423. Web site: www.newasia-singapore.com Opening hours: 0830-1700 Mon-Fri, 0830-1300 Sat. Passes: Admission ticket packages are available for Singapore Zoological Gardens, Night Safari and Jurong BirdPark. Tickets are valid for six months from date of purchase and cost from S$16.40 for adults and S$7 for children. A multi-museum ticket for entry into the Singapore History Museum, Asian Civilisations Museum and Singapore Art Museum costs S$6. |