It’s smack-dab in the middle of everywhere for air travelers. In its strikingly clean metropolis, crime is low, most people speak English and the transportation system is equipped with areas protected against terrorist attack. International department stores beckon from the “Fifth Avenue” of Southeast Asia. No wonder so many travelers see Singapore as an efficient hub for international travel, or a place to purchase hi-tech gizmos or high-end fashion, rather than a place to linger.

But, as I found on a recent excursion to this crossroads of the world, Singapore satisfies as a destination in itself if, instead of zooming through the place, you focus on exploring it. It is, indeed, a place to buy the latest PalmPilot. But it’s also a place where you can have your palm read with the help of a parrot. Here you can dangle in a cable car, sport bangles from a street bazaar, knock back a Singapore Sling, be slathered with seaweed, wrapped in a sari, or steeped in history.

Do you hunger for more? Then stir up a dish at a state-of-the-art cooking school or get steamed in a hot pot restaurant with a Red-as-in-Communist decorating scheme. This mix of experiences
has much to do with Singapore’s location and history. Spin a globe and it’s easy to see the island nation’s strategic significance as a shipping port and air travel nexus. Located just 1 degree-or 84 miles-north of the equator, Singapore sizzles with tropical heat.

It’s also a country rich in legends and history. Before I set out on my sojourn, I took time to look into Singapore’s history. Legend has it, a Sumatran prince, shipwrecked on its shores, saw a lion there and called the place, Singapura, or “Lion City.” The history of modern Singapore begins with Sir Stamford Raffles, an English maverick who-fed up with increasing Dutch dominance in trade-set up the tax-free port of Singapore in 1819. The free port attracted people from Malaysia, China, India and elsewhere, all of whom brought with them distinctive lifestyles and religious customs.

Today, people descended from those early immigrants-and more recent arrivals-do not simply make up a melting pot on the statistics sheets. They live in unusually mixed neighborhoods, too. For the contemporary traveler, this means one can stroll through a Chinese street market, turn a corner and come upon an ornate Muslim temple. Turn another corner and there’s a Victorian building whose architecture screams “Raj.”

In Singapore, I found it easy-and engaging-to learn all this and more about the city I could see from The Fullerton, a five-star hotel. With a view of the Singapore River, my sumptuous room offered a vista in which cutting-edge steel and glass skyscrapers formed a striking backdrop to colorfully painted, two-story shophouses, so named because they were built to contain living space behind and upstairs from small businesses.

To put the place in even better perspective, I rode a cable car to Sentosa Island. The panoramic view from the cable car reveals the importance of Singapore as a port and provides great camera
angles on the huge, half-fish, half lion, Merlion Statue that stands as a sentry here. On Sentosa Island, the Images of Singapore Museum offered animated and still exhibits and some of the most lifelike wax figures I have ever seen, all of which served to ground me in the nation’s history, cultural life and festivals. Not merely a place of celebration, the museum also addresses the dark days of Japanese occupation during World War II.

You can spend a day on Sentosa Island, visiting the tropical gardens, historic fort, fabulous aquarium and more sights-all linked by monorail. Or you can consider staying at the Shangri-La Sentosa Island Hotel, with its white-sand beach. It’s a great destination for the tourist experience, but there’s nothing like getting out into the neighborhoods to see how
Singaporeans live today.

Back in the city, and armed with a camera and a large tote bag for purchases, I made my way to Little India to purchase that most feminine of garments, a sari. If the bolts and rolls of fabric here were worth a photo, so were the fruit and vegetable stands outdoors, piled with tropical produce and hung with sizable garlands of marigolds and other flowers. More marigolds draped a birdcage maintained by a fortuneteller. As curious about what the parrot would do as I was about what the soothsayer would predict, I paid $5 to find out. Released from its cage, the bird strutted across a table dusty with incense ash and selected with its beak one of some 30 cards laid out there. Combining scrutiny of the card and perusal of my palm, the fortuneteller told me what I wanted to hear: I would come into money.

In fact, at least during my stay in Singapore, money seemed to flow from my hands instead of into them as I purchased everything from a dozen bangle bracelets in Little India for $2 to a Chinese silk dress in Chinatown for $32. But the best Singapore souvenirs are the ones you can’t tote home in a bag: The hour spent reclining in a rattan chair in the Raffles Hotel Long Bar, a place where the clock seemed to have stopped 80 years ago; the splash of tofu and greens into a steaming hot pot at the Red Book restaurant, where waiters sport fashions that were de rigeur under Chairman Mao; marveling at the graceful care a tea lady takes in filling your cup at Tea Chapter in Chinatown; tasting the dish you cooked yourself at the Sun Rice cooking school; the staggering experience of strolling through the National Orchid Garden; feeling the skin tingle as a seaweed wrap is rinsed away at The Fullerton Spa; and finally, the thrill of following the sound of chanting to a temple roofed with hundreds of colorfully painted animal and human forms.

Hotels

The Fullerton
Located on the banks of the Singapore River, in an edifice that once housed the nation’s central post office, The Fullerton’s huge lobby makes it clear how important a center of communication
this place once was. Floored in magnificent marble and enlivened with trendy dining areas, the lobby level is also home to the Post Bar, a hot nightspot furnished in part with an original post office counter. For first-class treatment, the hotel offers the Straits Club; amenities include breakfast, snacks all day and a quiet reading room. (Membership is $29 per room, per day; free to those in suites). Treatments at the Asian Spa are outstanding.
The Fullerton, 1 Fullerton Square, Singapore 049178
tel 65 6733 8388, fax 65 6735 8388
www.fullertonhotel.com

Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore
Surrounded by acres of botanical gardens, graced with a fabulous outdoor swimming pool and waterfalls, Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore offers rooms ranging from sleek corporate-style
accommodations to romantic rooms graced with bougainvilleadraped balconies overlooking the pool. Tea lovers take note: New arrivals are welcomed with hot tea transported to your room in a padded basket. And more than 100 kinds of tea are available during afternoon tea served in the Rose Veranda. The Shangri-La is well-set for meeting rooms and located a quick taxi ride or moderate walk from the famed shopping district along Orchard Road, making it a great place to conduct business and indulge in shopping for the latest international products.
Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore, 22 Orange Grove Road
Singapore 258350, tel 800 942 5050 or 65 6737 3644
fax 65 6737 3257 or 65 6733 1029, www.shangri-la.com

Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel
Built on the banks of the Singapore River, Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel is convenient to Chinatown and the shopping district along Orchard Road. Its Waterfront Conference Center makes a great venue for business conferences and meetings, and it offers excellent accommodation for handicapped guests. A variety of on-site restaurants adds to the appeal for the business traveler.
Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, 392 Havelock Road
Singapore 169663, tel 65 6733 0880, fax 65 6737 8880
www.grandcopthorne.com

Park View Hotel
A modest property, the Park View Hotel offers clean budget accommodations in easy striking distance of Little India, the National Museum and other attractions. Rooms are not particularly spacious, but they are air-conditioned and clean. Café dining is available on the lobby level. Good restaurants are nearby on Liang Seah Street.
Park View Hotel, 81 Beach Road, Singapore 189692
tel 65 6235 2498, fax 65 6235 1416
www.holidaycity.com/parkview-singapore

Restaurants

Halia
The most romantic dining spot in Singapore, Halia is enchanting at nightfall. Situated in the Ginger Garden within the larger Singapore Botanic Garden, this venue offers air-conditioned
dining in a glass-walled room or al fresco dining. Infusions and seafood are specialties here and the desserts are irresistible. Reserve ahead for this popular spot. A multicourse meal costs about $58.
Halia, 1 Ginger Garden, Singapore Botanic Garden
Cluny Road (near orchid garden), Singapore 259569
tel 65 6476 6711

Raffles Hotel
At $26 per person, including tea, sandwiches, fruits, scones, pastries and more, afternoon tea at the Raffles Hotel is the ultimate afternoon indulgence. The luxury hotel offers additional restaurants, cafés and the world-famous Long Bar. To find out more about this classic venue, visit the museum on site.
Raffles Hotel, 1 Beach Road, Singapore 189673
tel 65 6337 1886, fax 65 339 7650, www.raffleshotel.com

Tea Chapter
Take off your shoes and shake off your stress in this Chinatown must-see. At Tea Chapter, a server will demonstrate the graceful art of preparing and pouring tea while you relax at a low table. Choose among Japanese, Korean or Chinese tea service for $9 per person. Teas and tea-making equipment are sold in Tea Chapter’s shop.
Tea Chapter, 9A-11A Neil Road, Singapore 088808
tel 65 6226 1175, fax 65 6221 0604
www.tea-chapter.com.sg

House of Mao Hunan Hot Pot
Controversial when it opened for its Chinese Communist-inspired décor, House of Mao Hunan Hot Pot has become a hot spot for the young and their families. It’s a good bargain, too. For just about $11 per person, you cook up all you can eat of fish, meats and vegetables in a bubbling hot pot inserted into your table.
House of Mao Hunan Hot Pot, 01-09 Orchard Hotel
Shopping Arcade, 442 Orchard Road
Singapore 238879, tel 65 6733 7767

Imperial Herbal Restaurant
Prepare for a resident herbalist to assess your needs and add his blend of herbs to your dishes at Imperial Herbal Restaurant. Don’t miss the outstanding soups and seafood here. A full meal
costs about $23.
Imperial Herbal Restaurant, Metropole Hotel, 3rd floor
41 Seah St., Singapore 188396, tel 65 6337 0491

The Lighthouse at The Fullerton
Named for the lighthouse that stood atop the building here in times past, The Lighthouse at The Fullerton is an elegant restaurant offering a glorious view of Marina Bay. Average price for a full meal, $54.
The Lighthouse at The Fullerton, 1 Fullerton Square
Singapore 049178, tel 65 6877 8933, fax 65 6735 8388
www.fullertonhotel.com

Transportation

Getting around Singapore is a breeze. MaxiCab Airport Shuttle provides airport transfers 6 a.m. to midnight. tel 65 6533 3880.

All Singapore taxis are metered and may be hailed on the street or booked in advance. MRT or SMRT (Singapore Mass Rapid Transit) has two main lines connecting to and from the airport, and all over the city, in air-conditioned comfort. Service is frequent, fast and cheap.

Shopping

Pronounced “chimes,” this venue offers shopping and dining experiences set within courtyards graced with Gothic architecture.
CJIMES, 30 Victoria St., tel 65 6332 6274

Think “Raj” here and plan to spend lavishly in some 70 shops selling everything from retro luggage stickers emblazoned with the hotel’s logo to watches, antiques, gourmet teas and foods
and custom-made shoes.
Raffles Hotel Shopping Arcade, 328 N. Bridge Road
tel 65 6337 1886

Orchard Road Singapore
Aptly dubbed “the Fifth Avenue of Singapore,” this road is lined with up-to-date chain stores and department stores from around the world as well as some hotels and many restaurants and nightclubs. In the Centrepoint shopping center at 176 Orchard Road, (tel 65 6737 9000) look for Robinson’s & Co., Singapore’s own department store.

Ethnic Enclaves as Shopping Venues
Located in the heart of the Geylag Serai neighborhood, this village is home to traditional Malay events, festivals and demonstrations. It also houses small but excellent shops selling Malay crafts ranging from extraordinary dyed fabrics to hand-painted pottery and intricately carved walking sticks.
Malay Village, 39 Geylang Serai, Singapore 409227
tel 65 6748 4700

Kampong Glam and Arab Street
This center of Muslim life is a great place to purchase baskets and other wickerwork including babies’ baskets and hanging chairs. Arab Street itself is lined with shops selling fabulous
fabrics, many of them displayed on sidewalk tables. Look for cotton batik and gorgeous silks. Ready-made clothes are also sold in this neighborhood.

Chinatown
Bordered by Upper Pickering Street, Cantonment Road, New Bridge Road and South Bridge Road. The street markets here sell everything from medicinal herbs, silk purses and exotic fruits to silk kimonos and dresses. It’s also a great place to snack on grilled pork and other foods sold by street vendors.

Little India
The neighborhood that has grown up around Serangoon Road is a center of Indian life in Singapore. This is the place to wrap yourself up in a sari, ornament yourself with bangles and purchase everything from amulets to colorful bedspreads and hand-painted papier-mâché boxes. This is a bargain hunter’s paradise.

Singapore sites

Images of Singapore Museum
Exhibits here illustrate Singapore’s history from the 14th century to World War II. Animated displays and lifelike wax figures are also used to enlighten visitors about cultural festivals as celebrated in the mid-20th century.
Images of Singapore Museum, 40 Cable Car Road
Sentosa Singapore 099700, tel 65 6275 0426
hours: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily,
admission: Adults $8, children $5

Singapore Botanic Garden
Public gardens got their start in Singapore when Sir Stamford Raffles planted a spice garden on Government Hill in 1822. A quarter of a century later, the gardens were installed on the present site spread over 52 hectares. Gorgeously landscaped, the garden now holds several plant collections. Most renowned may be the National Orchid Garden.
Singapore Botanic Garden, Cluny Road, 259569
tel 65 6471 7361, hours: 5 a.m. – midnight
admission: Free

National Orchid Garden
Some 60,000 orchid plants representing 400 species and 2,000 hybrids grace three hectares here. Look for the Tan Hoon Siang Misthouse and the Orchid Cool House. Also thriving here is the Yuen-Peng Bromeliad collection, comprised of 20,000 plants in the Pineapple family.
National Orchid Garden, hours: 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.
admission: Adults $2, senior citizens and children $1

Clarke Quay and Boat Quay
On the bank of the Singapore River, visit these quays to see historic shophouses, which are home today to boutiques, trendy restaurants, and a lively outdoor street barbecue at night. Take a bumboat ride (about $4.65 per person) from the docks here to view the city from the river.

Underwater World
This oceanarium is notable for its glass tunnel, which allows visitors to view ocean life from below. Exhibits feature more than 2,500 sea creatures representing 250 species.
Underwater World, 80 Siloso Road, Sentosa 098969
tel 65 6275 0036, hours: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.
admission: Adults $9.85, children $6.45

Fort Siloso
Singapore’s only preserved fort was constructed in the 1870s and following years and unsuccessfully used in World War II to defend Singapore Harbor. Tunnels and lookout points are impressive.
Fort Siloso, 33 Allanbrooke Road, Sentosa 099981
tel 65 6275 0388, hours: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily
admission: Adults $2.10, children $1.75