You cannot visit Singapore and not step inside the world famous Raffles Hotel. And when you do so it is like stepping back in time, to 1915 and the height of the island's British colonial past thanks to the extensive restoration work carried out between 1989 and 1991.
As well as an upmarket shopping arcade housing boutique brands such as Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co, Raffles boasts no fewer than 15 restauarants and bars, including the Long Bar, birthplace of the Singapore Sling cocktail.
If you can afford to spend a night or two there, so much the better. And you'll be in good company. Former guests include Queen Elizabeth II, Charlie Chaplin, Rudyard Kipling and Elizabeth Taylor.
Singapore itself is an amazingly modern and prosperous city with skyscrapers and a public transport system to die for, and at the same time is a microcosm of Asia itself, not least because of its mix of Chinese, Indian, Malay and British influences.
Being so close to the equator, it is hot and humid in Singapore throughout the year - day and night. There are also almost daily downpours, although they tend to come and go
within the hour.
There are distinct districts of the city that you will want to visit of you are to get a full flavour of Singapore.
Chinatown, the area originally designated for Chinese settlement by Singapore's founder, Stamford Raffles (now you know where the hotel gets its name from!), has bustling streets packed with stalls selling all sorts of Chinese trinkets. It's also the place to go for tailormade clothes.
Little India
is home to the city's Indian community and is one of the most colourful places in Singapore. Again, lots of stalls and places to eat and it's also where you'll find the Mustafa Centre, a bargain bucket department store selling everything from Rolex watches to bags of lentils at low low prices.
Riverside (also known as Civil District) is where culture vultures can get their fix of museums, statues and theatres, not to mention restaurants, bars and clubs.
If you are a foodie, you will love Singapore! It's certainly no place to go for the diet conscious. Whatever takes your fancy - Chinese, Malay, Indian, Japanese, Thai, Italian, French, American - you'll find it here. And yes, for the real gourmet seekers amongst you - virtually every shopping mall will have its quota of fast food outlets including McDonald's.
Shopping! Singapore is a great place to shop (not least because it is as good an excuse as any to get out of the heat and into some air conditioning). Most stores are open seven days a week from 10am to 10pm, and that's particularly true of the malls. And if it's malls you want, Orchard Road is where you'll find them.
In June and July,
the Great Singapore Sale sees shops pulling out all stops to attract punters.
Getting around Singapore is easy thanks to its cheap, inexpensive public transport system. Just to say you've done it, take a short ride in a three wheeled Trishaw and also take to the water by taking a boat trip along the Singapore River.
Expect to pay more for everything in Singapore than in say neighbouring Asian countries, be it accommodation, food or shopping, but by Western standards you may still feel you are getting a bargain. In Raffles the Singapore Sling doesn't come cheap, but the peanuts are free.
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