Singapore - East meets West

Singapore is a tiny island country in South-East Asia. It is surrounded by Malaysia in north and Indonesia in south, east and west. Formerly a British trading port, it got independence in 1959 and since then, has grown by leaps and bounds to become a developed country with high levels of income and a First-World Lifestyle equivalent to any country in the West. Singapore was earlier part of Malaysia until 1965, when it separated and became an independent nation as we know it today. 

The Merlion, Singapore 

Singapore is barely 735 sq. km. in area. It is possible to drive from one end of Singapore to the other end in a day. About 5.9 million people live in the country. Majority of the country's population is of Chinese origin, with sizeable portions of Malay and Indian origins too. Amongst the Indian origin, majority of them are Tamils. Singapore has 4 official languages - English, Mandarin (Chinese), Malay and Tamil. 

The country has a unique blend of Asian cultures with Western lifestyle, education and infrastructure. It offers a high-quality lifestyle to its citizens with education mostly funded by the state along with universal healthcare and good social security. Singaporeans enjoy one of the longest life expectancies, fastest Internet connection speeds, lowest infant mortality rates, and lowest levels of corruption in the world. Singaporeans enjoy visa-free travel to several developed countries like USA, UK, Canada, Australia etc.  

(Left - City Flyer,  Right - View of City from the Flyer), Singapore 

Popular tourist attractions in Singapore include Gardens by the Bay, which contains a variety of plants available for display to visitors. Jurong Bird Park has collection of several exotic birds from different parts of the world. 

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore 

Exotic Birds, Jurong Bird Park, Singapore 

Sentosa is a small island on the outskirts of Singapore. It is a must-see for every tourist who visits Singapore. It requires at least a day to explore the entire Sentosa. Famous attractions in Sentosa are - Big Merlion, Cable Car, Sea Aquarium, Laser Show and Universal Studios. 

Cable Car Ride, Sentosa Island, Singapore 

Laser Show, Sentosa Island, Singapore 

Universal Studios is an amusement park in Sentosa. It has various rides based on popular Hollywood Movies produced by the banner of same name. Some of the movies depicted in the park are cult classics like Jurassic Park, Transformers, The Mummy etc. 

Universal Studios, Sentosa Island, Singapore 

Indians require a visa in advance before traveling to Singapore, that can be arranged through a local travel agent. Many airlines like Air India, Indigo and Scoot offer direct flights to Changi Airport, the country's sole commercial airport. Changi Airport has been consistently rated as one of the best airports in the world. Singapore Airlines, the country's flag carrier, has direct connections to many cities in India like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore etc.