Rough Guides - The Rough Guide to Singapore (Travel Guide with Free eBook) (Rough Guides)

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CHINATOWN

Contents

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Introduction to

Singapore

The handiest and most marvellous city I ever saw, wrote the natural historian William Hornaday of Singapore in 1885, as well planned and carefully executed as though built entirely by one man. It is like a big desk, full of drawers and pigeonholes, where everything has its place, and can always be found in it. This succinct appraisal seems apt even now, despite the tiny islands transformation from an endearingly chaotic colonial port, one that embodied the exoticism of the East, into a pristine, futuristic shrine to consumerism. In the process, Singapore acquired a largely deserved reputation for soullessness, but these days the place has taken on a more relaxed and intriguing character, one that achieves a healthier balance between Westernized modernity and the city-states traditional cultures and street life.

The foundation for Singapores prosperity was its designation as a tax-free port by Sir Stamford Raffles, who set up a British trading post here in 1819. The port plays a key role in the economy to this day, though the island city-state now also thrives on high-tech industry, financial services and tourism, all bolstered by a super-efficient infrastructure. All these achievements were accompanied by a major dose of paternalism, with the populace accepting state interference in most aspects of life in exchange for levels of affluence that would have seemed unimaginable a couple of generations ago. Thus it is that since independence much of the population has been resettled from inner-city slums and rustic kampongs (villages) into new towns, and the citys old quarters have seen historic buildings and streets bulldozed to make way for shopping malls. Even visitors will soon notice that this remains a country that neither knows how to sit still nor when its best leave things well alone: museums close to completely restyle their galleries, metro stations mushroom almost cheek by jowl, and migrant workers constantly attend to seemingly faultless footpaths and floral borders.

Yet although Singapore lacks much of the personality of some Southeast Asian cities, it has more than enough elegant temples, fragrant medicinal shops and imposing colonial and modern architecture to captivate visitors. Much of Singapores fascination springs from its multicultural population of around five-and-a-half million, predominantly Chinese, with significant Malay and Indian minorities (English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil are the official languages). This ethnic make-up can make a short walk across town feel like a hop from one country to another, and endows the island with a range of mouthwatering cuisines a major highlight of any visit. The city also rejoices in a clutch of fine museums , plus a lively arts scene featuring no shortage of international talent and local creativity.

Top 5 dishes

Singapore has no national dish but thats because it has any number of dishes that could happily qualify for that title. Its definitely worth sampling a few things beyond the predictable fried rice and noodle plates here is our selection of five of the best things to try.

Satay A mainly Malay dish of mini-kebabs, barbecued over coals and eaten dipped in a peanut-based sauce, accompanied by glutinous rice cakes and cucumber and onion slices.

Fish-head curry Many Indian restaurants offer this fiery stew containing a large fish head eyes and all; the cheeks are the best bits.

Chicken rice Widely available at hawker centres, this Hainanese Chinese speciality features steamed chicken served atop rice cooked in chicken stock, and is served with chicken consomm simple but incredibly satisfying.

Chilli crab Whole crabs wok-fried and served in a thick gravy made with tomato, chilli, garlic and a little egg. Its mainly served at seafood outlets, though some ordinary Chinese restaurants offer it too.

Laksa A Peranakan classic of rice noodles, prawns and other morsels steeped in a rich, spicy, curried coconut soup; not hard to find at hawker centres and food courts.

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What to see

Shaped like a diamond, Singapores main island is 42km from east to west and 23km from north to south, compact enough to explore in just a few days. The southern corner of the diamond is home to the main part of the city downtown, or just town to locals which centres on the Singapore River , the creek where Raffles first landed here in 1819. After a full days sightseeing, the riverside is undoubtedly the top place to unwind, lined with former warehouses that are now home to buzzing restaurants and bars.

The main draws for visitors are the citys historic ethnic enclaves, particularly Little India , a couple of kilometres north of the river. Packed with gaudy Hindu temples, curry houses and stores selling exotic produce and spices, the district retains much of its original character, as does nearby Arab Street , dominated by the golden domes of the Sultan Mosque . South of the river, Chinatown is a little sanitized though it still has a number of appealing shrines, an immaculately restored Chinese mansion the Baba House plus a heritage centre documenting the hardships experienced by past generations of Chinese migrants to Singapore. Wherever you wander in these old quarters, youll see rows of the citys characteristic shophouses , compact townhouse-like buildings that are the islands traditional architectural hallmark.

Of course, the British left their distinctive imprint on the island as well, most visibly just north of the Singapore River in the Colonial District , It was around the grand Neoclassical buildings here and nearby including the famed Raffles Hotel plus City Hall and the old Supreme Court, now jointly converted into Singapores lavish National Gallery that the islands British residents used to promenade. Also here are the National Museum , showcasing Singapores history and culture, and Fort Canning Hill , a lush park thats home to a few historic remains. All these are somewhat upstaged, however, by the newest part of town, Marina Bay , built on reclaimed land around a man-made reservoir into which the Singapore River now drains. Around it are arrayed the three-towered Marina Bay Sands casino resort, the spiky-roofed Esplanade Theatres on the Bay arts centre and Gardens by the Bay , with its two huge arch-shaped conservatories.

Nearly as modern as Marina Bay, but steeped in tradition as far as Singaporean consumerism is concerned is Orchard Road , a parade of shopping malls that begins just a few minutes walk inland from the Colonial District. Just beyond is the finest park on the whole island, the UNESCO-listed Botanic Gardens , featuring a little bit of everything that makes Singapore such a verdant city and a ravishing orchid section.