In August of 2023, I had the pleasure of visiting the Republic of Singapore. While I used Singapore as a stopover en route to Papua New Guinea, it was not just a long layover. I was only there two days but I enjoyed my time there. The people were welcoming and kind, the landscape pristine and beautiful and the food…ah, the food.
Background
The Republic of Singapore is an island nation and city-state in southeast Asia. It is located about one degree of latitude north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. The country’s territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet.
It has the second highest population density of any country in the world. I found this statistic fascinating because you cannot tell how densely populated the nation is. This can be attributed to how well planned and managed the city-state is. There are numerous green and recreational spaces as a result of exceptional urban planning. With a multicultural population and in recognition of the cultural identities of the major ethnic groups within the nation, Singapore has four official languages: English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil. English is the lingua franca, with its exclusive use in numerous public services. Multi-racialism is enshrined in the constitution and continues to shape national policies in education, housing, and politics.
Early Names
Historically, Singapore has been known by several names. It is believed that the nation was referenced as early as the 2nd century in a work by Ptolemy. In the document, a coastal port at the southernmost tip of the Malayan peninsula was referenced and called Sabana. Historians, however, credit a 3rd century Chinese traveler’s record describing an island nation named Pu Luo Chung, as the earliest reference. Pu Luo Chung is very close to Singapore’s early Malay name of Pulau Ujong. Lastly, there is historical reference to the Kingdom of Singapura. The kingdom, which included an island known as Temasek located in present-day Singapore, was an Indianized Malay Hindu-Buddhist territory established around 1299.
Contemporary Era
Singapore’s contemporary era began in 1819, when the British East India Company arrived. Led by Stamford Raffles established the territory as a trading post of the British Empire. In 1867, the colonies in Southeast Asia were reorganized, and Singapore came under the direct control of Britain as part of the Straits Settlements. During World War II, the island nation was occupied by Japan in 1942 and returned to British control as a separate Crown colony following Japan’s surrender in 1945. Singapore gained self-governance in 1959 and, in 1963 joined the new Federation of Malaysia. On August 9, 1965, the nation became an independent sovereign country.
Singapore is a unitary parliamentary republic with a Westminster system of unicameral parliamentary government. Its legal system is based on common law. While the country is a multi-party democracy with free elections, the government under the People’s Action Party (PAP) wields significant control and dominance over politics and society. The PAP has governed the country continuously since full internal self-government was achieved in 1959, currently holding 79 out of 93 elected seats in Parliament.
Member of the Four Asian Tigers
After early years of turbulence and despite lacking natural resources, the nation rapidly developed to become one of the Four Asian Tigers. Four Asian Tigers is a name given to the economies of Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. These countries have retained a high rate of economic growth since the 60’s, joining the ranks of the richest countries in the world.
The nation’s growth can be attributed to international trade and economic globalization with minimal-to-no trade barriers or tariffs. A large accumulation of foreign direct investments, foreign exchange reserves, and assets held by sovereign wealth funds further boosted their rankings. As a highly developed country, it has the highest GDP per capita (PPP) in the world. Identified as a tax haven, Singapore is the only country in Asia with a AAA sovereign credit rating from all major rating agencies.
It is a major aviation, financial, and maritime shipping hub and has consistently been ranked as one of the most expensive cities to live in for expatriates and foreign workers. The nation also ranks highly in key social indicators: education, healthcare, quality of life, personal safety, infrastructure, and housing. Singaporeans enjoy one of the longest life expectancies, lowest infant mortality rates, and lowest levels of corruption in the world.
On the Ground
With only two days to see the sights, I hit the ground running. My first order of business was to get the lay of the land on a city tour. I caught the nearest Hop on-Hop Off bus to all the city sights. If any of you have been to Singapore, you know the city is immaculate (no gum chewing allowed by penalty of law), it is a food mecca and one of the most welcoming and hospitable nations in the world. The layout of the city with the green spaces and sculptures has a very calming and relaxing effect. Singapore also has a funky side with many buildings featuring prime street art in the form of very detailed murals depicting scenes of family life or paying homage to indigenous peoples.
The Highlights
Gardens on the Bay
Located in downtown Singapore, Gardens by the Bay is home to a diverse collection of over 1.5 million plants hailing from every continent except Antarctica. Its Flower Dome is the largest glass greenhouse in the world. Gardens by the Bay was part of the nation’s plans to transform its “Garden City” to a “City in a Garden”, with the aim of raising the quality of life by enhancing greenery and flora in the city.
The Merlion
The official mascot of Singapore depicted as a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish. The Merlion was first used in Singapore as the logo for the tourism board. Its name combines “mer”, meaning the sea, and “lion”. The fish body represents Singapore’s origin as a fishing village when it was called Temasek, which is the Javanese word for “sea town”. The lion head represents Singapore’s original name—Singapura—meaning “lion city”.
Marina Bay Sands
A casino / resort and also a landmark of the city. At its opening in 2010, it was deemed the world’s most expensive standalone casino property at $8 billion Singaporean. The resort includes a 2,561-room hotel and a 1.3 million square foot convention-exhibition center. There is a 800,000 square foot shopping center, a museum, a theater, and “celebrity chef” restaurants. The building houses two floating crystal pavilions, art-science exhibits, and the world’s largest atrium casino with 500 tables and 1,600 slot machines. The complex includes three towers topped by the Sands Skypark. The Skypark extends 1,120 feet, can accommodate 3,902 people and hosts a 490 foot infinity swimming pool. All of this is set on top of the world’s largest public cantilevered platform.
Lotus ArtScience Museum
The Durian Building ( Esplanade Center )
Performing arts center consisting of a concert hall which seats approximately 1,600 and a theater with a capacity of about 2,000.
The Duck Tour
A unique land and sea adventure of Singapore’s landmarks aboard an amphibious vehicle.
Love the Last March Sculpture
The largest public sculpture in the world featuring 45 endangered species on display at Gardens by the Bay from May 19, 2023 to May 18, 2024. The sculpture brings attention to the rate of wildlife extinction and the need to help the animal kingdom. Measuring 630 feet in length, the sculpture is based on photographs and sketches that the artists, Gillie and Marc, collected over the course of years.
Up next: The Republic of Ghana
Make sure you don’t miss any posts from Soul-O-Travels.com by subscribing here:
