Singapore Travel Guide

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City Introduction

The city of Singapore is a capital where you can meet many of Asia’s cultures, new and old buildings as well as tropical palm beaches and pristine rainforest in a very small area. The official language is English, but many people such as Malays, Indians and Chinese all make their mark on the city, each with their own neighborhoods, shops, restaurants and festivals.

Singapore is very modern city and everywhere there is close to great modern architecture. This is not least the case in Marina Bay, where Gardens by the Bay is an awe-inspiring garden with an unforgettable design. The interesting architectural details are many and memorable.

Old Singapore is a great contrast to the modern parts of the city. Raffles Place and the cozy Raffles Hotel are places to enjoy the atmosphere of the colonial era. Also make a stroll down Boat Quay or in districts like Little India to see some of the many faces of Singepore.

Singapore is located only 60 km/37 mi from the equator, and the island state is a good starting point for day trips to the nearby Indonesian islands or to Malaysia’s second largest city, Johor Bahru, bordering Singapore’s northern border.

Top Attractions

Old Parliament House, Singapore

  • Old Parliament House: Singapore’s old parliament building, Old Parliament House, was built 1826-1827 by the Irish architect Coleman. The building was originally a residence for the grocer John Argyle Maxwell.
  • St. Andrew’s Cathedral: This cathedral was built in 1861 on the initiative of Ronald Macpherson. The name is dedicated to Scotland’s patron saint in gratitude of Scottish donations.

Raffles Hotel, Singapore

  • Raffles Hotel: The world-famous Raffles Hotel is known for its charm and elegance, maintained from the colonial era of the 1920s. The hotel is Singapore’s oldest, and the beautiful setting is perfect for relaxing with a Singapore Sling.
  • Boat Quay: Boat Quay along the Singapore River is great for a walk since it is full of small cozy houses in contrast to the skyscrapers around them.

Marina Bay, Singapore

  • Marina Bay: Marina Bay is the epitome of modern Singapore. Here you will find loads of sights and activities such as Marina Bay Sands Hotel with the SkyPark swimming pool and Gardens by the Bay, where you can almost walk in a forest up between the crowns of the site’s designed giant trees.

Other Attractions

Raffles Landing Site, Singapore

  • Raffles Landing Site: The Raffles Landing Site is the place where Singapore’s founder, Sir Stamford Raffles, first set foot on Singapore soil, which was January 29, 1819. The site is marked with a 1972 marble statue by Raffles.
  • Victoria Theater & Concert Hall: This cultural complex consists of two buildings. The Victoria Theater was built in the British neoclassical style in 1862 for various English theatrical performances, while the Victoria Memorial Hall was constructed in 1905.

Padang Old Supreme Court, Singapore

  • Padang: Padang is the large central lawn that has housed many of the city’s sporting events since 1830, not least cricket matches. There are also several interesting buildings around the lawn. You can see the beautiful, former Supreme Court building and several others.
  • Orchard Road: Orchard Road is modern Singapore’s grand street for shopping and with loads of restaurants. The atmosphere is wonderful on the famous business street, which has been the city’s shopping center for many years.

Singapore Botanical Garden

  • Singapore Botanical Garden: Sir Stamford Raffles founded Singapore’s first botanical garden, located at Fort Canning, in the period 1822-1829. The present garden was established in 1859.
  • The Istana: The Istana is a palace and the official residence of the President of Singapore. The area was purchased in 1867 by the British Government, which in 1867-1869 built Istana as the residence of the British Governor.

Day Trips

Johor Bahru, Malaysia

  • Johor Bahru: Johor Bahru is the capital of the province of Johor in Malaysia. It is Malaysia’s second largest city with its 500,000 inhabitants, and on a tour you get a really nice impression of a lovely Malaysian metropolis with sights, shops, markets and tasty Malaysian food.
  • Boat trip to Indonesia: From the HabourFront/Singapore Cruise Center, frequent boats leave for the Indonesian islands of Batam and Bintan. It is 20 km/12 mi to Batam and 48 km/30 mi to Bintan, and it is a great experience to sail the busy waters off Singapore and to the two tropical islands.

Shopping

With Kids

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City History

Singapore is first mentioned in the 200s as the “island of the end”. However, it was not until the 13th century that, according to legend, Prince Srivijaya went ashore on the island and saw an animal he thought was a lion. He then founded the area of ​​Singapura, meaning the Lion City.

A smaller Malaysian settlement developed, and in the mid-1300s both Malaysians and Chinese lived here. It is also believed that pirates lived here, as it was a good starting point for trips to the many ships that crossed the area’s narrow alleys.

Over the following many centuries, Singapore was a trading station with both ups and downs. The dominant trading town in the area was Melaka further to the north, though Singapore gained greater importance under the Sultanate of Johor.

From the 16th to the 19th century, European colonial powers dominated the area. The Portuguese arrived as the first to Malaka in 1509, later came the Dutch and finally the English, which did not, however, become more important.

The English sought to gain a greater influence over the predominantly Dutch territories. In particular, trade between China and India was very rewarding and thus important to control. 

Sir Stamford Raffles was in 1818 appointed Governor of the English Bencoolen Province. He wanted to create a new port near the Malacca Strait to challenge the Dutch monopoly-like situation. On January 29, 1819, Raffles went ashore in Singapore, and after an agreement with the rightful sultan of Johor, Hussein, who had lived in exile from his brother who reigned in Johor Bahru, modern Singapore was founded.

Raffles turned Singapore into a free port, and it quickly attracted more of the area’s trade, which previously had to pay high taxes in Dutch ports. Singapore grew rapidly, and as early as 1825, more than 10,000 people lived here.

After three years as governor of Bencoolen, Raffles returned to Singapore in 1822. He entered into a new agreement with the Sultan, which made the whole of the Singapore island an English territory. To keep track of the city’s rapid development for the many peoples who flocked, he established the ethnic neighborhoods that still characterize the city.

Dutch opposition to Singapore’s increasing success ended with an English-Dutch agreement in 1824. The agreement made the current Singapore and Malaysia the English sphere of influence and the current Indonesia Dutch. Singapore, Penang and Melaka were merged into the State Straits Settlements headed by India.

In the following decades, Singapore developed into one of the world’s most important ports, and in 1867 the increasing importance of the Straits Settlements caused England to change the area’s status to English crown colony with direct rule from London. A governor became the leader of Singapore and decisions could now be made faster. 

The city’s growth continued, and after the First World War the British established a naval base here. The city had not been directly involved in World War I, but Japan’s rising foreign policy ambitions also revolved around the important area of ​​the Malacca Strait.

The large naval base was completed in 1939, but after the outbreak of World War II, virtually all ships were used for the defense of England and thus not for the English interests in Southeast Asia. The Japanese army arrived in northern Malaysia in late 1941 and to Singapore in early 1942. On February 15, Singapore surrendered to General Tomoyuki Yamashita, and the Japanese renamed the city and island to Syonan-two.

The English returned to Singapore in 1945, but now there was a rising mood of independence. Rising nationalism did not come to an actual revolt, but instead to decades of turbulent politics and polls. In 1959, Singapore achieved self-government.

Singapore became subordinate to Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia in 1963, but after a great deal of dissatisfaction and fighting, Singapore became independent in 1965. Two years later, the Singapore dollar was introduced and investment was heavily invested in economic growth to ensure the prosperity of the small country. and survival. Education, housing, industry and transport became key factors in the success that Singapore quickly gained. Today we see the result, which in turn has made the country and the city the trading center of the region.

Geolocation

In short

Skyline, Singapore

Overview of Singapore

The city of Singapore is a capital where you can meet many of Asia’s cultures, new and old buildings as well as tropical palm beaches and pristine rainforest in a very small area. The official language is English, but many people such as Malays, Indians and Chinese all make their mark on the city, each with their own neighborhoods, shops, restaurants and festivals.

 

Singapore is very modern city and everywhere there is close to great modern architecture. This is not least the case in Marina Bay, where Gardens by the Bay is an awe-inspiring garden with an unforgettable design. The interesting architectural details are many and memorable.

 

About the upcoming Singapore travel guide

  • Contents: Tours in the city + tours in the surrounding area
  • Published: Released soon
  • Author: Stig Albeck
  • Publisher: Vamados.com
  • Language: English

 

About the travel guide

The Singapore travel guide gives you an overview of the sights and activities of the Singaporean city. Read about top sights and other sights, and get a tour guide with tour suggestions and detailed descriptions of all the city’s most important churches, monuments, mansions, museums, etc.

 

Singapore is waiting for you, and at vamados.com you can also find cheap flights and great deals on hotels for your trip. You just select your travel dates and then you get flight and accommodation suggestions in and around the city.

 

Read more about Singapore

 

Buy the travel guide

Click the “Add to Cart” button to purchase the travel guide. After that you will come to the payment, where you enter the purchase and payment information. Upon payment of the travel guide, you will immediately receive a receipt with a link to download your purchase. You can download the travel guide immediately or use the download link in the email later.

 

Use the travel guide

When you buy the travel guide to Singapore you get the book online so you can have it on your phone, tablet or computer – and of course you can choose to print it. Use the maps and tour suggestions and you will have a good and content-rich journey.

Orchard Road • Marina Bay • Raffles Hotel • Orchids • Beaches

Skyline, Singapore

Overview of Singapore

The city of Singapore is a capital where you can meet many of Asia’s cultures, new and old buildings as well as tropical palm beaches and pristine rainforest in a very small area. The official language is English, but many people such as Malays, Indians and Chinese all make their mark on the city, each with their own neighborhoods, shops, restaurants and festivals.

 

Singapore is very modern city and everywhere there is close to great modern architecture. This is not least the case in Marina Bay, where Gardens by the Bay is an awe-inspiring garden with an unforgettable design. The interesting architectural details are many and memorable.

 

About the upcoming Singapore travel guide

  • Contents: Tours in the city + tours in the surrounding area
  • Published: Released soon
  • Author: Stig Albeck
  • Publisher: Vamados.com
  • Language: English

 

About the travel guide

The Singapore travel guide gives you an overview of the sights and activities of the Singaporean city. Read about top sights and other sights, and get a tour guide with tour suggestions and detailed descriptions of all the city’s most important churches, monuments, mansions, museums, etc.

 

Singapore is waiting for you, and at vamados.com you can also find cheap flights and great deals on hotels for your trip. You just select your travel dates and then you get flight and accommodation suggestions in and around the city.

 

Read more about Singapore

 

Buy the travel guide

Click the “Add to Cart” button to purchase the travel guide. After that you will come to the payment, where you enter the purchase and payment information. Upon payment of the travel guide, you will immediately receive a receipt with a link to download your purchase. You can download the travel guide immediately or use the download link in the email later.

 

Use the travel guide

When you buy the travel guide to Singapore you get the book online so you can have it on your phone, tablet or computer – and of course you can choose to print it. Use the maps and tour suggestions and you will have a good and content-rich journey.

Other Attractions

Raffles Landing Site, Singapore

  • Raffles Landing Site: The Raffles Landing Site is the place where Singapore’s founder, Sir Stamford Raffles, first set foot on Singapore soil, which was January 29, 1819. The site is marked with a 1972 marble statue by Raffles.
  • Victoria Theater & Concert Hall: This cultural complex consists of two buildings. The Victoria Theater was built in the British neoclassical style in 1862 for various English theatrical performances, while the Victoria Memorial Hall was constructed in 1905.

Padang Old Supreme Court, Singapore

  • Padang: Padang is the large central lawn that has housed many of the city’s sporting events since 1830, not least cricket matches. There are also several interesting buildings around the lawn. You can see the beautiful, former Supreme Court building and several others.
  • Orchard Road: Orchard Road is modern Singapore’s grand street for shopping and with loads of restaurants. The atmosphere is wonderful on the famous business street, which has been the city’s shopping center for many years.

Singapore Botanical Garden

  • Singapore Botanical Garden: Sir Stamford Raffles founded Singapore’s first botanical garden, located at Fort Canning, in the period 1822-1829. The present garden was established in 1859.
  • The Istana: The Istana is a palace and the official residence of the President of Singapore. The area was purchased in 1867 by the British Government, which in 1867-1869 built Istana as the residence of the British Governor.

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