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Map of Singapore
 This city state has a great deal to offer in variety of cultures and contrasts between old and new. The convenient Central Location is old colonial Singapore, where Sir Stamford Raffles made his mark many decades ago and the Raffles Hotel still stands. There are still many imposing Victorian buildings, antique shops and restaurants. St. Andrew’s Cathedral and the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd are in this area.
In Chinatown one can still find fortune tellers and calligraphers. The streets are crowded and the locals still throng to the many Buddhist temples. The Muslim centre of Singapore is Arab Street. There are several beautiful mosques in the area and the cry of the muezzin echoes from the minarets. Little India is perfumed with freshly ground spices and has numerous shops selling beautiful sari materials.
City is the area of the picturesque Singapore harbour and the Convention Area also overlooks this lovely spot. Not too far away are Clarke Quay, on the banks of the Singapore River, and Robertson Quay, close to the Business District of Jurong. This is also a site for several tourist attractions such as the Jurong Bird Park and the Singapore Discovery Centre. Havelock and Bugis are other areas close to Jurong.
Downtown is the heart of central Singapore, close to most major tourist sites. Here is the famous Orchard Road, perhaps the centre of Singapore for the tourists. Many of the larger hotels are in this area. Geylang is yet another area not too far from Orchard Road. Nearby Sentosa Island is probably the most popular park in Singapore. It has museums, aquariums, beaches and sports centres. In addition it has plenty of restaurants and accommodation. There is plenty to do in this area alone, even without the rest of the city so close at hand.
The East Coast is ideal for water sports such as wind surfing and sailing. It also boasts a few atmospheric spots away from it all such as Changi Village. This is also a convenient point from which to visit the northern island of Pulau Ubin, a tranquil place with quiet beaches and seafood restaurants. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is a huge area of rain forest north of the city. It boasts a wealth of native plants and animals, including the reticulated python and the racquet-tailed drongo.
Singapore is one of the few places that can be visited at any time of year. The annual rainfall is fairly regular, so climate is not a great consideration. There are lots of local festivals and these can be fun for the tourist. The reason for the great number of events is the diversity of both race and religion in the city, island and country of Singapore. This diversity is also reflected in the variety of food and number of restaurants in the city.
Map of Singapore
map courtesey of CIA World Factbook - Singapore
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