Singapore is a beautiful country and it is also very expensive. A former British territory, the nation declared it’s Independence from Malaysia in 1965. Within a generation, this poor country lifted its citizens out of poverty and it is one of the so-called “Asian Tigers,” and it is considered a “developed” nation. How did they do it?

Singapore, like many Asian countries, has the death penalty for drug trafficking. Even before you arrive in Singapore, you are reminded of that in the immigration card you fill. As reprehensible as drug trafficking is, I often wonder why an advanced country would have the death penalty, even so for a crime like drug trafficking or pedaling. They have been stories of ignorant people or innocent people unwithingly caught up in this. The warning always is to never accept packages for people when traveling. I just confess that the fear for me is airlines or airport staff planting drugs in a piece of checked baggage. For that reason, when traveling through these countries, I always never check-in a bag. My bags are always with me at all times.

Singapore operates a modern Subway system. There’s an airport line that takes you right to the terminals. You can either pay per trip or do a pass. Passes are for one day, two days, three days or a week. The one day pass is SGN $10. For any of the passes, you must deposit a SGN $10 that is refunded after you return the pass. Passes expire at midnight. If you are going to do more than four rides a day, a pass will definitely be a better deal.

In terms of attractions, there isn’t much to see in Singapore. You could probably see everything in a few hours. The two must-see places are the Merlion and the Botanical Gardens. Merlion Park has the national symbol of Singapore.

I could spend the whole week at the Botanical Gardens. It’s a World Heritage Landmark and it’s one of the best gardens in the world I’ve visited. The garden is free but it costs SGN $6 to visit the Orchid gardens. A return shuttle service is offered from the main entrance to the center of the garden for SGN $3. You might need this service if you have spent all day exploring the city and are a little tired. I easily clocked more than 15,000 steps just exploring the garden.

Some of the trees and plants in the garden are lighted at might, making for excellent photos. I returned to the garden at night (around 9 PM) just to take photos and there were still lots of people there even though it was drizzling.

From the garden, you have an excellent unobstructed view of the Singapore Flyer.

There’s a connecting bridge from the gardens to the Marina Bay Sands, one of the most expensive standalone casinos in the world. Also think about the movie, Crazy Rich Asians.

Singapore has a lot of good food and it is not all very pricey, if you know where to eat. While I wouldn’t recommend street food in places like Hanoi, Vietnam or China, I definitely will recommend street food in Singapore. You can be sure of the Sanitary conditions. One food center to get really good food cheap is the Tekka Center in the Little India neighborhood.  At the Tekka food court, you will find Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, and Pakistani food. Food is ridiculously cheap. A Vegetarian set menu: Rice, naan, and two veg options = SGN $5. Portions are large too.

Little India is a beautiful neighborhood with lots of shops that sell both Indian clothes and spices. I ended up doing some shopping here. Be ready to bargain hard. Don’t just pay the prices they offer you.

The Malay Heritage center is another place worth visiting. It has a museum and the exhibits on display told the story of Islam and the history of Muslims from Singapore doing the Hajj. There’s the beautiful nineteenth century Sultan Mosque by the Heritage Center. Take a walk along the Arab street when you visit.

Will I visit Singapore again? Most definitely! It will always be my gateway to other Southeast Asian countries. I intend to spend more time in the garden. It’s a great place to spend a day, relax, read, watch plants and people!