City lights and green areas of Singapore

Speak to anyone who knows me well, and I guarantee you will find out that I am not a city guy, even the editor’s first remarks were “Marc? In a city? Is everything ok?” A 700 km² city with a population of 5.5 million is therefore all the more unlikely. But, I love this city.

Singapore is a shining beacon to cities all over the world, with its 'Garden City' concept and the strict laws that keep the city clean and its people healthy, fit and happy. It's very easy to say that Singapore is just another city or ask what makes this place so special, but the easiest way to find out the truth is to make your way over there and I think you'll get the answer you were looking for. Until then, you're just going to have take my word for it.

The two best ways to get here are by air or an overland train, bus or car from Malaysia. Singapore is the gateway to South East Asia, just like Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, so flights are easily available from major airports both in Asia and worldwide. Flying out of here is also a good option if you are looking to get around to the rest of Asia or Australia. Airport security and border control are very strict here, so read the arrival card well before entering and fill in the necessary details.  

Once you get into Singapore you will instantly notice the signs to keep the city clean and the capacity of cleaning work force. This will, in turn, lead you to take note of how clean the space around you really is. By law you are not allowed to throw chewing gum on the floor – to follow this through commercial outlets are not allowed to sell chewing gum, though it is not illegal and people flying in from abroad can bring it with them. Though there are many other examples of laws that make this land so tidy, this one sticks in my mind!

Apart from Singapore being a clean city, it is also a very well organised place. Getting around the city is easy and relatively fast: taxis are fairly-priced and the bus system is spot on. With a population of 5.5 million a decent infrastructure is vital. Although there are so many people per capita, it never feels overcrowded and despite my affinity to the open spaces of jungles and deserted beaches I never felt claustrophobic. Malta, and many other European cities, can learn a lot from this small country when it comes to infrastructure and conservation.

Oh yes, conservation! Singapore may not have much to conserve due to its size, location and reclaimed land, but it's conservation efforts for what there is (rainforests and marine life) is exemplary. The fact that nearly 20% of the city-centre is covered in parks and other green spaces I think shows the effort and achievement made over the past five decades of working towards this aim.

Even though Singapore is the smallest country in South East Asia, there is surprisingly a lot to do in and around the city. I'll give you a quick breakdown. You're feeling the need of excitement today, then why not go check out Sentosa Island and try out Mega Zip where you can zip line from a hill down onto a sand bank just off the beach front. Or why not get your heart pounding as you try out the iFly where you can simulate skydiving in a chamber specifically designed for skydiving training. Sentosa is full of fun-filled activities such as climbing, wave pool boarding, the Luge, Universal Studios, National Aquarium, a walk through a bird aviary and much more.

For watersports, check out Ski360 on the beachfront where you can wakeboard, kneeboard or water ski using the cable. Trust me those of you who are used to doing these sports behind a boat be prepared for a shift in rope handling as the cable jolts aggressively at every tower. There's also kayaking, sailing and all other types of water sports along the beach. Fun can be found everywhere in Singapore, even in the mega malls, but you can also take a couple of easy days and go check out the zoo, or the world-renowned botanical garden with its laboratories and hugely informative walkthrough database, where you can see a whole selection of hybrid orchids and how they were created. There's also a drive through night safari organised by WRS in Mandai, which is a great way to familiarise yourself with the wildlife found around Asia.

I have however forgotten to mention one thing, Singapore is one of the most expensive places in Asia. I guess that kind of goes without saying. To make a city run so effectively and offer so much entertainment does put the prices up and makes the cost of living a high one. However this is also one of the few places in Asia where there is very little to no poverty. In fact begging is against the law and anyone on the poverty line is well taken care of by their welfare state.

Accommodation can be found all over the city and prices do vary, however there are no real backpacker prices here. I would choose accommodation in an area that you would like to explore and hang out in the most. Like every Asian city, make sure that you check out China Town and Little India. They are truly colourful and full of great quality restaurants that will leave you crawling back home because you're so full.

Don't forget the MRT (public transport system) is your best friend here, so just buy yourself a ticket and start ticking off the million and one things to do in Singapore.

Until next time, the world is your playground.