The Republic of Singapore, or better known as Singapore, is an island country located to the South of Peninsular Malaysia. It is the smallest nation in South East Asia. The tourism industry in Singapore is one of the largest industries for the country, with more than 9 million tourists in 2006 alone. In this article, we'll take a short trip to some of the popular tourist attractions in this island nation.
The Merlion
The Merlion is considered to be the mascot of Singapore. It is said to be a mythical beast which is half lion and half fish. It symbolizes courage, resilience and strength of the citizens of Singapore. If you are interested to see this Merlion, there is a 8 meter high status standing at the mouth of the famous Singapore River.
Getting there : Walk along the riverfront from the Raffles Place MRT Station.
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Chinatown
Singapore's Chinatown has got to be one of the most popular places in the whole of Singapore. It started back in the 1820s when the first Chinese trader from Xiamen, China, set foot on the island. If you happen to travel to this area, you will notice that it has a lot of colours and there's a unique atmosphere in the place. It is also a very prosperous commercial area. During the Chinese New Year celebration, expect to see a lot of traditional Chinese food and be amazed by the colourful decorations of Chinatown.
Getting there : Take a short walk from Outram Park or Chinatown MRT Stations
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Clarke Quay
This is a very popular hangout place for those interested in Singapore's city nightlife. In this area, you can find a lot of air-conditioned shop houses, push-carts selling mementos, bars, discos and restaurants. Besides there, you can also find a large variety of handicrafts and souvenirs here. A perfect place for shoppers and diners alike.
Getting there : Head to the Riverfront from Clarke Quay MRT Station
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Singapore Zoo
The Singapore Zoo is among the most popular tourist destination in whole of Asia. It has won numerous awards in the past and is highly praised for its open landscape design where the animals live in enclosures which are pretty similar to their natural habitat. The zoo is filled with a wide variety of exotic animals such as the white tigers, polar bears, elephants and others. There are also special exhibitions once in a while such as the golden monkey exhibition. Other than that, the zoo also offers one of the most interesting Night Safari in the world. In this Night Safari, you will be able to experience wildlife on a 45 minutes long tram ride or you can also take one of the three Walking Trails to get a feel of the park at night. It's one in a lifetime experience to be able to watch over one hundred of different nocturnal animals.
Getting there : Go to Choa Chu Kang MRT Station, and take SMRT Bus 927which will bring you straight to the zoo. Or, you can choose to go to Ang Mo Kio MRT Station and board SBS Transit bus 138.
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Sentosa Island
The Sentosa Island is Singapore's premier island resort getaway with plenty of attractions and filled with events all year round. You can enjoy the Volcano Land, the Orchid Garden, the musical fountain, the wonderful golf course, beaches or just laze around the beautiful beaches.
Getting there : You can walk there via the causeway bridge near VivoCity, take the Sentosa Express train (links HarbourFront, VivoCity and St. James Power Station to Sentosa), travel by car, taxi, public bus (Telok Blangah Road and then change to Sentosa Bus at HarbourFront Bus interchange), or just take the MRT and stop at HarbourFront MRT Station. You can also choose to take the cable car service if you're not afraid of height.
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Underwater World
Singapore's Underwater World is the largest underwater world in South East Asia. It is situated in the Sentosa Island and is said to be a dream haven which showcases the awe-inspiring beauty of a whole different world beneath the seas. It is home to more than 2500 fishes from over 250 different species. In this Underwater World, you will also see one of the rarest creatures on Earth - the dugong Gracie.
Getting there : Take Sentosa Shuttle Bus from Harbourfront interchange or take the Sentosa Express from Vivo City and alight at Beach Station. Take the Blue Line bus and stop at Underwater World stop. Or if you want to go to Dolphin Lagoon, just change to the Yellow Line bus at Beach Station and alight at Dolphin Lagoon stop.
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