Singapore city tour, its attractions and interesting facts

A tour of Singapore and attractions worth visiting while in the city.

Singapore is certainly a surprising and full of unexpected place, perfect for a holiday or holiday. Is it as described by travel blogs and visiting tourists? Despite being terribly expensive, would it be possible to have a relatively cheap holiday there and is it safe? We will answer these and other questions, drawing on our experience during our stay in this extraordinary city.

It is important to remember the very strict laws in Singapore. There are many prohibitions and regulations that may seem strange to us, but remember, breaking them can lead to severe consequences. We have already written about this and other interesting facts on our website in a previous article.

Singapore is one of the last city states in the world

The first surprise is that Singapore is just one of a few city-states remaining in the world.

The system of government and the power that this city possesses make it more akin to the city-states of Ancient Greece than to the rest of today’s Asian world. Nowadays, however, it is not military or armed power that counts, as it did in archaic times, but money and a strong economy. In this field, there are few places in Asia that can compare with modern and strong Singapore.

When you fly here straight from Europe, you feel right at home, except it is much warmer and the people around you are a bit shorter. When you arrive here after travelling through Asia, as we did, you feel like you’re already close to home because Singapore is nothing like the other countries in the region.

The first big surprise, right after leaving the airport and walking the city streets, was the cleanliness and orderliness. Magda and I joked that someone must have cleaned every corner especially for our arrival. There is no rubbish on the sidewalls, no one smokes or throws anything on the ground. The bus stops are clean and tidy. Every sign, inscription, and box is in its place, exactly as they should be. People smile or rush somewhere, without getting in each other’s way.

Public transport in Singapore

Just like the cleanliness and appearance of the city, the public transportation surprised us as well; it is nearly perfect here. Buses circulate around the city with the precision of a proverbial Swiss watch, and using the metro is a pure pleasure. Moreover, the stations are not randomly scattered around the city but are precisely where they should be.

If you plan to explore the city, this is the mode of transportation we recommend. You can purchase tickets at any station. The machines are located centrally, usually just before the gates through which we enter the platforms.

Buying tickets is simple and intuitive. During our travels, we have encountered ticket machines that required several degrees in applied mechanics to operate. In Singapore, they are pure pleasure and quite fun to use.

On the large display, there is a map of all the stations, and by touch, you select the ones you are interested in. The map enlarges, allowing you to closely examine the area of interest. At the same time, the price you need to pay appears on the screen. You insert the money, outcomes the ticket, and off you go.

If you already have a previously purchased ticket, you can top it up. This way, you can save a few cents. To accomplish this, you place it on a special tray, insert the money, and that’s it. After passing through the gate at your destination station, the ticket is reset, and you start again.

Another convenient way to explore Singapore is by using the Hop On Hop Off buses.

Transport prices in Singapore

Prices for metro travel are very attractive. On the longest available route, which took us through almost the entire city with several transfers, we paid 1.60 local dollars, which after conversion costs us less than 1 euro. Trains appear literally every few minutes and even during rush hours there are no problems with getting into the carriage.

If you prefer to travel like a lady in taxis, that’s cool, there are quite a lot of them on the streets.

Spacious and uncrowded streets of Singapore

Speaking of the streets, here’s another surprise. There are almost no traffic jams. On the contrary, cars, mostly taxis, sporadically whip by on the wide, impeccably maintained multi-lane thoroughfares. Of course, there are places where lines of cars appear, but this is not common.

The reason for this situation is the cost of cars and the fees for licences to drive them. A car can cost many times more here than the same one in Europe due to various fees, taxes, and excises. When you add the cost of the licence, which is a significant expense, 50,000 Singapore dollars, or over 27,000 euro, the pleasure of owning a personal vehicle loses its appeal.

Additionally, this licence must be renewed every 10 years. Standing aside and hearing these details, one might think it’s sheer madness. However, we must remember that Singapore is one of the most densely populated places in the world, and its residents are mostly well-off.

If each of them decided to own a car, the traffic issues we saw in Bangkok would be nothing compared to what would occur here.

Fortunately, the government not only imposes restrictions and controls over public traffic, but also effectively assists residents. The new budget allocates 20 billion dollars for innovations in this sector.

For some time now, experiments have been conducted with autonomous buses and small driverless cars that move along specially designated routes. Some city vehicles are equipped with experimental hydrogen fuel cells that emit no pollutants. I think many capital cities in developed countries can only dream of such solutions.

Tourist attractions in Singapore and interesting places

I have already written about transport, so now it’s time to discuss places we can get to use it.

There are countless attractions in Singapore, it is difficult to even start creating a list because everyone is looking for something different. For example, we love wandering the streets and being surprised to come across unusual things. In Singapore, older districts such as China Town are best for this purpose, but there is also something to see in the new ones.

The financial centre of the city of Marina Bay

Singapore has earned its position as a leader through financial might. All this power is concentrated in the glass-and-steel buildings of the Marina Bay district. Here, you’ll find the headquarters of international corporations, outrageously expensive hotels, and shopping malls.

Even if you don’t have a fortune to spend on shopping here, you can stroll around and watch the people who do. I recommend coming here around evening. As dusk falls and the fantastic lighting comes to life, the city transforms into something unrecognizable.

It’s in this area that the well-known and costly (though you can find tickets at surprisingly reasonable prices) Marina Bay Sands hotel stands, resembling a boat laid atop three massive skyscrapers. Magda and I had a bit of a debate about whether it really looks like a boat, or perhaps a surfboard or even an ironing board.

Whatever it may resemble, the building looks otherworldly, especially in the evening when there’s a music, light, and laser show shooting into the sky from its top. The best place to watch this show, besides the pool at the top of the hotel, is the opposite shore of the bay at Clifford Square. You can settle on one of the bridges or simply sit by the shore.

While in the area, it’s worth taking a walk north towards the Esplanade, Theatres on the Bay. The theatre building by the promenade is shaped like a durian fruit and looks beautiful when lit from within with warm, golden light. There’s also a stunning view of the skyscrapers in the Central Business District and the illuminated boats floating on the bay.

During the day, tourists can explore numerous museums, including the famous Asian Civilisations Museum, which houses exhibits offering a comprehensive overview of Asian civilisation. All these buildings and attractions are interspersed with parks and green spaces. As I mentioned earlier, there is something here for everyone.

Gardens by the Bay in Singapore

Writing about Singapore’s attractions, one cannot overlook the fantastic Gardens by the Bay, sprawling behind the Marina Bay Sands hotel in the Marina South district. The simplest way to get there is bypassing through the shopping mall located on the first few levels of the Marina Bay Sands hotel.

Spread over nearly 100 hectares, these parks, and gardens are interspersed with rivers and ponds. There are also waterfalls and extraordinary sculptures of insects and animals. And, of course, there are the giant, artificial trees resembling flowers. Known as Super trees, these structures are covered in vegetation and colourfully lit.

If you’re lucky enough to be here on a weekend evening, you can witness the amazing Garden Rhapsody music and light show. All the trees come alive and change colour to the rhythm of electronic music. The event is so extraordinary that we spent two consecutive evenings here.

The light concert in this surreal forest attracts many tourists and locals, especially since the entry is free, and the impressions are unforgettable. The trees are connected by walkways high above the ground, allowing you to admire this landscape architecture marvel from a bird’s-eye view. The tallest trees reach over 50 meters into the sky.

These artificial trees also have practical uses, collecting rainwater and solar energy, which powers a large part of the park. During the light show, we felt like we had stumbled onto the set of the next Avatar film.

The park also houses two large glass structures: Cloud Forest and Flower Dome. The former is a miniature rainforest with a large waterfall. As a rainforest, it is humid and hot. In the latter dome, trees from different parts of the world are collected.

Both of these attractions have an entrance fee. This place has won all possible awards, and many renowned visionaries and architects from around the world contributed to the project.

Department stores and shopping malls in Singapore

As I mentioned, to get to the gardens, you need to walk across a footbridge through the shopping and exhibition centre housed in the Marina Bay Sands hotel building. It is the largest place of its kind I have ever seen.

Moreover, it is so expensive that I found myself repeatedly checking the price with my mouth wide open. However, it is a good opportunity to see true works of functional art. An example is a speaker system that, when turned off, looks like a shiny ball standing on a pedestal.

When a sound source, such as a Bluetooth phone, appears nearby, the ball opens and expands. Speakers, many speakers, emerge from its interior and distribute sound perfectly throughout the room. The price of this marvel nearly floored me, but although unattainable, it still evokes my desire to this day.

The interior of the centre is enormous, reaching dozens of floors upward. On many levels, boutiques of probably all significant brands in the world are settled. Besides clothing and luxury goods, there are cafés and restaurants with very steep prices.

There is also the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, where the world’s wealthiest people meet.

Oh, and there is also a massive casino. Initially, we wanted to go in and place a small bet, but I remembered the old saying that those lucky in love are not lucky in cards. So, we decided to skip it. Looking back, I realize that I’ve never won anything in my life. Well, you win some, you lose some.

Of course, the city has many other shopping centres offering goods at more affordable prices, so shopping enthusiasts will also find their place here without worry.

Santos Island in Singapore, with a lot of entertainment and attractions

Many tourist attractions, such as amusement parks, theme parks and an oceanarium, are located on Santosa Island near the shores of Singapore. You can read about one of the largest oceanariums in the world on our website or see photo galleries.

Finally, I must add that Singapore is the perfect place to forget about the world and have a great time. Additionally, it is a country where probably all the major religions in the world meet and live in harmony and friendship. So you can see temples of various denominations during one walk.

Summary of the visit to Singapore

Singapore is a place entirely different from the Asia we travelled through over the past few months. It is evident that the people governing this city are looking to the future and embracing it wholeheartedly. Of course, no society is perfect, and Singapore is no exception.

Much is said around the world about the hefty fines for even the slightest infractions. Littering on the street can cost an unwary pedestrian thousands of dollars. At every turn, we encounter various prohibitions, but it must be honestly admitted that wherever there is a prohibition, the penalty for breaking it is also clearly stated.

In return, however, we get a clean, neat, and importantly, very safe state. New technologies allow you to not feel surrounded by hordes of police officers and security personnel. Instead, hundreds of cameras monitor us, and although we didn’t verify this, I assume that the response to a crime is immediate.

Well, that’s it. We’ve travelled a long way from Ancient Greece to a modern city in Asia, which we really liked and will likely return to again, which is an excellent recommendation.

Singapore, a brief history of the last city-state

Historical data may not have many fans, so anyone who finds it boring can skip straight to the interesting facts.

Singapore’s history isn’t long. It was founded in 1819 by the British. Initially, it was merely a small trading post used by the East India Company. In 1826, the British purchased the island of Singapore from the local Sultan and established a naval base there.

By the early 20th century, it had become the most important British military base in the Far East. Although it seemed impregnable, the troops stationed there were defeated in 1942 by the Japanese, who cleverly bypassed the naval defences and attacked the base from the land side.

The British returned in 1946, but without their former dominance, which allowed Singapore to gain independence and, in 1959, full autonomy. In 1963, Singapore’s government joined the Federation of Malaysia, but it was expelled just two years later due to its opposition to the growing Islamization of the region. At that time, the Independent Republic of Singapore joined the British Commonwealth and became a member of the United Nations.

Since 1968, there has essentially been no opposition in the parliament. It’s understandable, given that the residents enjoy a standard of living almost on par with the leader in this race, Japan. Unemployment is negligible, and crime is marginal.

Singapore and interesting facts related to it

• Singapore has a land area almost identical to Warsaw’s, yet it is home to nearly 6 million people.
• The port handles a record number of containers, with only Hong Kong processing more tons of goods.
• A staggering 130,000 ships visit the port annually, and Singapore’s fleet consists of over a thousand vessels.
• Despite its small size, there are 9 airports operating in Singapore, including Asia’s largest main airport.
• Chinese make up 76% of Singapore’s population, with Mandarin being the most spoken language by 35% of residents. For comparison, only 24% speak English.
• Singapore is very liberal in terms of religion; any form of religious agitation is banned. Notably, 16% of the population are non-religious, a significant figure, especially in Asia.
• The main religions are Buddhism and Christianity, followed by Islam and Hinduism.
• Despite its small size, Singapore’s military is a formidable force in Asia. It boasts over 200 tanks and more than 2,000 armoured vehicles of various types. Singapore’s navy flies several dozen warships, including 6 submarines.
• There has been a longstanding conflict with Malaysia over the supply of drinking water, which Singapore often lacks.
• Singapore is a true educational powerhouse, not only in Asia but globally. Many universities rank among the top in the world.
• One of the troublesome threats facing Singaporeans is maritime piracy.

Singapore practical information

• If you would rather not spend a fortune on a hotel, seek a cheaper option away from the city centre. The transportation system works so well that the location doesn’t matter much.
• Getting from the airport to the city centre: The most convenient option is to take bus number 36a, which departs every few minutes. The fare is $2, and you can find it by going to the lowest floor of the airport.
• If you’re here for a few days, it’s not worth investing in a Singaporean SIM card. Internet access is practically available everywhere.
• Don’t be afraid to walk around the city at night or even in the evening. It’s very safe. We saw groups of kids in the metro just before it closed, around 11 PM.
• Singapore is expensive, but you can eat well at local Chinese restaurants. You’ll also get to taste authentic Chinese cuisine.

Polish version