Where is Singapore?

Singapore is located at the Southern tip of Malaysia penisula. The main island is about 26 mi/42 km from west to east and 14 mi/23 km from north to south. It's a mostly undulating country with low hills (the highest, 540-ft/166-m Bukit Timah Hill, is to the northwest of the city.

Singapore's Central Business District actually spreads across both the central and southern parts of the island (you'll know when you're there - it boasts striking high-rise structures). You can get a good visual orientation to the city as you cross the Benjamin Sheares Bridge on the East Coast Parkway, which links the airport to the city center. The Singapore cityscape looks magnificent, particularly at night when buildings are brilliantly lit. Offshore, there appears to be another city all lit up because of the many ships anchored there - Singapore is one of the busiest seaports in the world.

Many of the city's attractions are clustered closely together. Orchard Road, the shoppers' haven, is located in the northern part of the city center. Chinatown, where you'll find Boat Quay, is just to the southeast of Orchard Road, while Little India is northeast. Sentosa Island, with its many amusements, is directly to the southwest of the city center. These frequently visited neighborhoods, as well as more suburban areas, remain a bustling hive of pedestrian activity well into the evening.

Weather

Like most of Southeast Asia, Singapore is generally hot and humid. It's warm and humid year round, with the temperature almost never dropping below 20°C (68°F), even at night, and usually climbing to 30°C (86°F) during the day. Recent times, it even reached till 35°C. Humidity is high, mounting over a 75% mark.

November and December is the rainy season. June-August is considered to be the best time to visit, but even then it rains often. Do not let the climate stop you from going, when it does rain, it's generally only for a short period.

For those who enjoy the sun and the beach, Singapore is an ideal place for beach lovers, as you get the hot hot sun throughout the year. So when you're in Singapore, just bring along your cooling apparels and hats.

Attractions

The Singapore River is one of the attractions in Singapore.At the mouth of the Singapore River stands a statue of the Merlion, a half-lion, half-fish mythical beast that has come to symbolise Singapore. The Merlion, which spouts water from its mouth, has a (much larger) cousin in Sentosa Island.

Heading upriver, you will see the historic Anderson and Cavenagh Bridges. Cavenagh Bridge, built in 1869 and now for pedestrians only, leads to Empress Place, which was named in honour of Queen Victoria. At Empress Place, you will find the elegant Victoria Concert Hall, where classical concerts by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra are held regularly.

There's also a cosy cafe here that's open throughout the day and serves good ol' Brit fare like fish and chips and chicken chops, besides local spring rolls and curry puffs. Next to the concert hall is Victoria Theatre, where local and foreign plays are a regular feature. Outside the theatre is a dark bronze cast statue of Stamford Raffles, officially unveiled in 1887.

The Singapore History Museum

The Singapore History Museum has the most memorable history of Singapore from the 14th century to the modern day. The museum explores the development and rich heritage of Singapore from its beginnings as a Malay fishing village, to its prosperity as a port under British rule, the successive waves of immigration and the struggle for nationhood in the 1960s.

Jurong Birdpark

Jurong Birdpark is one of the attraction in Singapore. is a 20.2 hectare open-concept park. It is the largest in the Asia Pacific and one of the finest bird parks in the world. Its collection of more than 8,000 birds from 600 species is among the largest in the world. The Park specialises in birds from Southeast Asia and the more exotic and colourful tropical birds.

The Park boasts of the world's largest walk-in aviary with the tallest man-made waterfall where visitors can enjoy a close-up view of free-flying birds from Africa and South America in a tropical setting. Another walk-in aviary, the Southeast Asian Birds Aviary, showcases the region's exotic and endangered species of birds. Bird shows, staged at the amphitheatre and the Falconry Arena, are entertaining and educational and have thrilled our visitors from all over the world.

The BirdPark's exhibits and aviaries are specially designed to closely resemble the natural habitats of the feathered species. Lakes and paddocks are built for display of waterbirds and other large flightless birds such as ostriches, rheas, emus and cassowaries. Besides the bird exhibits, there are also open spaces landscaped with exotic flowering plants such as heliconias and anthuriums to enhance the beauty of the BirdPark

Food

Singapore is an ethnic culinary adventure of unbelievable variety. Chinese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian, Peranakan, Western and other exotic foods are all available, making this tiny country a heaven for any food lover. Chinese dishes include Char Kuey Teow (fried noodles), Popiah (fresh spring rolls) and Chicken Rice while Malay dishes include Nasi Lemak (fragrant rice in coconut milk) and Satay (skewered meat broiled over red-hot coals and dipped in peanut sauce).The food of Singapore reflects its multiethnic society. The hotels contain restaurants that specialize in dishes from all over Europe and Asia. The famous hawker centers, however, are possibly the best place to sample the various Singaporean cuisine. You can taste Indian, Malayan and Chinese dishes all in one night. These food centers can be a great experience and are part of the reason why Singapore is considered by many to be "the food capital of Asia." There are very strictly enforced offical Public Health controls in Singapore, so it is safe to eat food from any of the restaurants or stalls.

Population

The feel of the island comes from the cultural diversity of Singapore. The population is made up of Chinese, Malays, Indians and Eurasians. Although citizens of all races think of themselves as Singaporean, there are still certain areas that are inhabited by specific ethnic groups. Each area has its own culture celebrating its own religion. Each religion has many colorful festivals to commemorate days of special significance.

-- Population: 2,700,000
-- Ethnic Groups: 75% Chinese, 16% Malay, 7% Indians and     2% other.
-- Languages: The four official languages of Singapore include    Mandarin, English, Malay and Tamil.
--Religion: Singapore's main religions are Buddhism, Taoism,    Islam, Hinduism and Christianity.