A Guide to Singapore, the Neo-Tropical Garden Metropolis

Visiting Singapore is a totally different experience than travelling anywhere else in Southeast Asia. Most of the tropical subcontinent (including huge cities like Bangkok, Saigon, and even Kuala Lumpur) has a laid-back, rustic, budget-friendly feel that I’m a huge fan of. Singapore is quite the opposite. Wherever you look, you’ll see cutting-edge amenities, clean streets, and well-founded public infrastructure. And just seeing a hyper-modern, sanitary, efficient city overlaid on a tropical part of the world leads to a unique urban experience that I’d argue you can’t find anywhere else on Earth. Many people only visit Singapore briefly as a gateway to the rest of Southeast Asia, but the truth is it has more to do packed into its 736km² (284mi²) than a lot of full-size countries I’ve visited. This guide will introduce you to what makes the city unique and how you can experience it fully, from the well-known attractions to the cultural heritage well-hidden beneath layers of urban development. Note: Singapore is not a budget destination, with most things costing 4-6x what they do elsewhere in Southeast Asia. There are ways to enjoy the city on somewhat of a budget (I wrote a whole pos...