Singapore, off the south coast of Malaysia, is both a country, its capital and the name of the river on whose mouth it developed. The country has 64 islands, the main one being Pulau Ujong, which is urbanized and yet lush with greenery, and is home to the city of Singapore and 10 million tourists a year. The Padang district houses the colonial heart of the city with its 1830s cricket field, bordered by imposing monuments including the City Hall with its 18 Corinthian columns, converted into a National Gallery with 8,000 works of art. In China Town - China Town - you eat for three times nothing, visit the red and gold temple with the relic of a Buddha's tooth and fill up with souvenirs made in China at very low prices. The Indian district - Little India - takes you to India where you can eat... cheap Indian food and stock up on spices. A stone's throw away, you have a huge shopping area and the business centre that has made the site so successful. Singapore is in the top 5 countries with the highest GDP in the world. Singapore, the second largest port in the world, owes its fortune to its maritime location at the entrance to the Strait of Malacca, which makes it a commercial and financial hub between the Pacific and Europe. Singapore is constantly in a state of turmoil around finance, shopping and tourism. Singapore is also home to temples of all faiths, amusement parks, a zoo, museums, Sentosa Island and its natural parks, nightclubs and... the Merlion, a giant statue of a lion with a fish body, the city's emblem.
When to go to Singapore?
You can visit Singapore at any time of the year. There is no real high tourist season or privileged season, except for the cooler and less humid period from December to April. It should be noted, however, that Singapore is heavily affected by storms (186 days per year) during the monsoon season. Many visitors spend only one weekend in Singapore and that's a shame! Even if you can do a lot in two days, there is so much to see that it would be a shame not to extend your stay.
The calendar of religious and non-religious holidays is very busy given the multitude of populations, cults and cultures. In the Chinese New Year, Christmas, Good Friday, Aid el Kebir, Vesak Buddhist festival, Deepavali Hindu festival, artistic performances and sporting events are added. So there's always something going on in Singapore!
