Enchanting Singapore

I have move my blog to www.spotalks.com

What comes to your mind when you think about Singapore? It is a bustling dynamic city with multi-racial society, confluence of east and west, international cuisine and predominantly workaholic people. There is a lot more than this. It is one of the favorite destinations for tourists around the world. Every year, around 8 million visitors pay visit to Singapore and contribute around $11 - $12 billion dollars in revenue. It is a huge money spinning industry so sincere that Singapore government has given several incentives for the tourists. It is a common perception of people who visits Singapore that the landscape changes drastically every six months. True to its changing spirit, the government has planned two integrated resorts and casino in famous Sentosa Island which will be completed by 2010.

The orchard road has eclectic collection of goods which will definitely attract shopaholic as well as normal people. China town provides a unique tour of the popular cultures of China and its cuisines. If you want to relax your body and soul, China town is the best in Singapore for massage. There are several other destinations suitable for family and children such as Sentosa, Little India, Singapore Zoo and Bird’s park, Singapore Botanical Garden, City Hall and Raffles. Each place is very unique and showcases its roots of origin in an organic way. Sentosa is a manmade island located away from the busy city and gives brilliant ambience for family members to chill out in silvering beaches and theme park.

Little India, as the name suggest exhibits Indian settler’s culture and their quintessential cuisine in Singapore. If you die for good spicy Indian food, this is the place you have to be. Variety is the right word to describe Singapore’s place of interest. If you want to see real animals and birds in a man built zoo and bird’s park, do not hesitate to visit Singapore Zoo and Bird’s Park. Night Safari in Singapore Zoo is way different from the Safaris you might have gone in India. If you are an avid fan of history, there is also place for you to quench your thirst. You should not miss the opportunity to visit Asian Civilizations Museums, Old Tao Nan School, Singapore Art Museums and fort Siloso.

Singapore is a home to two prestigious universities, National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Government has built unparalleled universities to compete with the globalized world. If you are a serious student or a parent who wish your children to study in a good university, why not check out the infrastructure and ambience. Singapore is not just the place for nerds and geeks but also was ranked 2^nd in the night life according to Annual Country Brand Index 2006. There is a proliferation of night clubs, pubs, bars located in the surrounding areas of Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Riverside. Fun loving youth who wants to shake their legs and hit the floor obviously need to visit these places to experience the enchanting experiences Singapore can offer.

You may think Singapore is a very small city there could not be any adventurous places to visit but for your amazement; Singapore has couple of adventurous places to visit. Government of Singapore strives hard to reserve natural parks and small islands untouched for adventurous activities. One such place is Pulau Ubin situated in the north east of Singapore hosts a lot of adventurous sports such as cycling, trekking, etc. You may also find small villages while exploring Ubin. Weather is really pleasant in the evening so try visiting in the evening.

Apart from all the pleasant things about Singapore, there are also head ups too. It is advisable to visit in the month of July since it is a mild summer compared to India. There are cheap budget airlines also available from India. Money is really a big deal for Indian travelers. The budget of $2000 Singapore dollars will be sufficient to fulfil your dreams. Mindful of exchange rate before traveling to Singapore, current exchange rate is hovering around 32-33 Rs. The most important thing for Indians to take note is politics in Singapore. It is not a democracy like India, so do not shout out your opinions in the public place. Littering, spitting, not obliging to the rules and regulations will be heavily penalized in Singapore. If you have your facts and money right, you can obviously have a blast in Singapore.