Travel and Adventure by Various Travel Authors

By Robert Selwitz

Singapore is fascinating both for what it is and what it was. Today this group of three islands directly to the south of (and connected by a bridge to) Malaysia is a cauldron of capitalism. For business development, banking and retail sales, there's almost nowhere on the planet that rivals Singapore.

But it wasn't always like this. A half-century ago, as a sultry, sweaty port whose prime role was to service the British colony of Malaya, Singapore had little to attract non-traders. Following Malaya's break with Britain and Singapore's1965 separation from now-Malaysia, however, Singapore rose, then rocketed to the top of the world's commercial scene.

Just one degree (or 85 miles) north of the equator, it is permanently humid here, and almost everything that can be air-conditioned is. Under strict (some feel obtrusively strict) leadership, this nation of some 5 million (77 percent Chinese, 14 percent Malays, 7 percent Indians) thrives as a safe haven for business and finance. That's particularly noteworthy in a part of the world not known for political and commercial stability.

Singapore's appeal is hardly limited to finance, banking or industry, however. This city-state is full of lovely, modern hotels from which to explore. The "historic area," where the oldest parts of the city still stand, is the best base of operations. Of course, since Sir Stamford Raffles founded the city just 191 years ago in 1819, old is a relative term.

One of the best properties from which to access this area is the 778-room Pan Pacific. It's directly across from the city's convention center and a reasonable walk from Singapore's major museums, the concert hall and the critical Singapore River — the reason for the city's founding.

Each of Singapore's three prime populations has ethnic neighborhoods that fascinate visitors. The Chinese is the largest and also home for the fascinating Chinese Heritage Center. This preservation and partial restoration of a tenement typifies Singaporean life that was dominant as recently as the 1980s but essentially gone today.

Visitors navigate a dark, claustrophobic "railroad flat" where multiple families coexisted and often slept in shifts. Our guide summed up this experience, saying the museum was frighteningly similar to places he had lived, "lacking nothing but the smells."

Chinatown also features multiple shops and stalls, all scrupulously clean, plus a mix of interesting walkways and restaurants.

Little India is an even more vibrant potpourri of shops, restaurants and temples. On Sundays it becomes a jam-packed central gathering point for Indians who now live all over Singapore. Many regularly return to shop and socialize in an area where they or their parents formerly dwelled.

Then there is Kampong Glam, the Malay district close to Little India. Here you can visit the remnants of the Istana, the home of the Malay ruler who negotiated the handover of Singapore to Raffles. The Istana, now converted into a Malay cultural center, has fascinating exhibits. Visitors to Kampong Glam also enjoy shopping for Southeast Asian fabrics and crafts, dining along Arab Street and other quieter byways, and visiting the impressive Sultan Mosque.

Back in the historic district, a definite must is a ride on the Singapore River. This waterway, which was the conduit for massive volumes of 19th century trade, wends its way inland from the Straits of Singapore. It features a mix of stunning soaring skyscrapers, plus a shrinking remnant of two-story shop houses where, in the past, merchants lived upstairs and worked at ground level.

The trade that originally gave life to this sweltering, once-backwater spot has moved miles from its origins.

Today the maritime center of Singapore, now the world's busiest container port, is located well outside the main city in an area that accommodates dozens of container cranes and huge volumes of truck traffic.

It's possible to get a real sense of Singapore's early days by visiting the history museum in Raffles Hotel. While the hotel itself is a blend of tony shops and pricey lodgings, its free museum displays numerous fascinating photos. Many show the property when — before massive subsequent landfills — it stood at the water's edge.

The Asian Civilization Museum is one of the continent's best. Expansive displays of all major cultures include those that directly impacted Singapore plus those of India, Thailand, Cambodia and many more. On hand are fabulous examples of porcelain, jade and all manner of fine arts.

Equally impressive is the National Museum of Singapore, particularly its history section. Featuring continual multiple choices, Singapore's history is related in original documents, artwork and the retelling of fabulous tales. Periods covered range from the earliest days of exploration to the grim years when Singapore fought to survive Japanese occupation during World War II.

The Peranakan Museum features the culture that derived from the marriages of Chinese immigrants with native Singapore-born Malays. Of particular interest are artifacts from elaborate weddings, and porcelain and furniture from Peranakan homes.

Aside from these historic enclaves and structures — particularly those on and around Esplanade Park — much of the city is starkly modern and hyper-commercial. Shop-til-you-drop types, plus those fascinated by the ultimate in brand-name selling, will want spend time along Orchard Road. Here the world's trendiest labels have their stores, often in multiple locations within surprisingly close proximity to one another.

Orchard Road, like much of the rest of the city, is easily accessed by Singapore's extraordinary Mass Rapid Transit, the totally clean, air-conditioned subway system. While stops tend to be relatively far apart — often requiring lengthy underground passage walks — these routes are climate-controlled and packed with quality shops and moderately priced restaurants.

One must-do is a visit to the Newton Food Center, a 15-minute cab ride from center city. Among 86 food stalls surrounding a vast open-air array of picnic tables, visitors can savor the best of Singaporean and Southeast Asian specialties. My favorite was at stand No. 43, where I ordered a chili crab, a spicy giant crab accompanied by a noodle dish and washed down with good local beer — truly a memorable experience.

Leave time for a visit to Sentosa Island, once a British military enclave and today a major amusement park. There's also a fascinating history museum.

Also appealing are Singapore's Botanic Gardens, filled with extraordinary tropical plants and trees. At the Singapore Night Safari, billed as the world's first nighttime zoo, patrons are shown nocturnal creatures moving in their element and time frame.

Singapore is just 12 miles from one of Asia's most dynamic countries — Malaysia. A visit to Johor Bohru, the first Malaysian city one encounters after crossing a most impressive causeway, provides a fascinating first look at a totally different world.

IF YOU GO:

Singapore Tourism: www.visitsingapore.com

Pan Pacific Hotel: www.panpacific.com/singapore

Robert Selwitz is a freelance travel writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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