Sunday, October 7, 2007

Entertainment in Singapore

Singapore is one of the most unusual cities in Asia. Old colonial districts and ultra modern skyscrapers, temples and green parks, lively commercial streets and one of the largest sea ports in the world – all this is concentrated on a small territory.

Singapore is the city-state located in the southern part of the Malay Peninsula, Southeast Asia. This is one of the richest, the best organised, the most effective countries in the world with a high quality of life. Singapore is often called an island “of 1000 commercial centers”. Despite its hot climate, it’s a true tropic heaven for many tourists.

The name “Singapore” derives from two Sanscrit words (singa and pura) and means “The lion city”. The city was founded in 1819 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, who worked for a British company. The company decided that this was an ideal spot for a trading post and a settlement to be built here. They say that the city is still filled with the spirit of past.

There are numerous attractions to observe in Singapore, such as the Victorian-style Empress Place Building which comprises a museum, art galleries and a luxurious restaurant, Victoria Theatre & Concert Hall, City Hall and Raffles Hotel known for its posh decoration (which, by the way, is mentioned in some local proverbs). Attractions you are also advised to visit are: St Joseph's Institution, Singapore Art Museum, Statue of Thomas Stamford Raffles by Thomas Woolner, National Museum, numerous skyscrapers such as Singapore Land Tower or Art Deco Caltex House, picturesque “boat districts” like Clarke Quay and Boat Quay, turned into fashionable entertainment and shopping centers, and a famous Orchard Road – a “skyscraper street” with its Istana palace and Chettiar Hindu Temple. There are also Singapore Botanic Gardens found in Orchard Road western part. The gardens are a place to find yourself in a tropical forest and enjoy the gardens’ landmark – Orchidarium, with more than 60 thousand orchids growing on its territory. Singapore’s neighbourhoods, like China town and Small India, are also curious places to visit.

There are also lots of parks in the city. In addition to green plantations, the parks accommodate various entertainment and sports venues, the most prominent of which are Telok Blangah Hill Park, Tiong Bahru Park and Pearl's Hill City Park.

South of Singapore one will find several beautiful islands which are also worth visiting. The most visited island is Sentosa. This is a playground for all ages, with a huge choice of parks, attractions, sports grounds and other attraction spots like Fort Siloso, Volcanoland attraction park, famous musical fountains, the Rare Stone Museum, Maritime Museum, Butterfly Park & Insect Kingdom, Underwater World oceanarium with a clear underwater tunnel 100 meters long and a dolphin lagoon, Cinemania, Tang Dynasty Village, Carlsberg Sky Tower – the largest Singapore observation tower, numerous gardens with fountains and more than 3 km of white sandy beaches.

Each year approximately 12,6 million tourists come to Singapore. Nowadays the city offers about 95 hotels, and by the year 2008 there will be about 114 of them here. As seen from the numbers, tourism is an important source of revenue for Singapore.

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