Singapore: An Addiction

                Many people ask why I keep coming back to Singapore year after year.  They ask things like “isn’t there nothing much to see there?”  It is a very curious question.  If there was nothing much there, why does it welcome over 10 million visitors each year?  It turns out that for many Indonesians, Singapore means a section of Orchard Road from Ion to 313@Somerset.  If that’s the Singapore they see, then I agree, there’s nothing much to see there.  But open up a map of Singapore, paper or Google, and realize that there is more to Singapore than just one road.  Beyond Orchard, there is a world of adventure packed inside the little red dot on the world map.

                So what is it about Singapore that keeps drawing me back?  For starters, it’s close.  Ninety minutes of flying takes me from my hometown of Jakarta to Changi Airport.  It’s the ideal distance for a short holiday or a long weekend and more practical than vacationing to London or New York City.  Once you’re there, it’s a joy getting around the city.  Having lived in a city without decent public transportation, the Singapore MRT is like Disneyland for public transport enthusiast.  Not only it’s a fast and efficient way to travel, but also the most fun and exciting.  With the EZ Link card, you’ll zip through the stations with ease.

                For a small, dense and technologically advanced city, Singapore offers world class nature tourism.  They provide escapes from the hustle bustle of modern lifestyle and, for young ones, educational recreation.  The new Gardens by the Bay is magnificently eye catching, dancing in contrast with the concrete Marina Bay Sands hotel next to it.  But it’s the Botanic Garden that’s the real star.  With its central location and non-existent entrance fee, it feels like the garden for the people.  Since 1859, it has been an oasis, healing and soothing weary travelers with its many flowers.

For animal lovers, the Wildlife Reserves Singapore operates four world class wildlife attractions.  The Singapore Zoo is one of the best zoos in the world with its cleanliness and massive collections.  It is the ideal attraction for children to escape the shops of Orchard Road and learn something during their holiday.  Nearby is the popular Night Safari, although I find it less interesting than the Zoo because you’re stuck inside a vehicle following a set route.  The newly opened River Safari confirms Singapore’s plan to diversify their tourism.  Instead of building temples of consumerism (i.e. malls and shopping centers), they provide options for non-shoppers to explore other areas of the island.  By the way, the fourth wildlife attraction is the Jurong Bird Park, located on the west side of Singapore.

The story of modern Singapore began with the landing of Sir Stamford Raffles at the present Boat Quay.  Hence, the riverside area is worthy to be explored as it contains much of the island nation’s history.  Behind the statue of Raffles is the Asian Civilization Museum, which exhibits displays of various cultures of Asia.  A short walk from there, you can see the preparation for the 2015 opening of the National Art Gallery.  They could’ve built another shopping mall, but they realized that the people cannot find happiness through shopping alone.  By maintaining and opening new museums and art galleries, they remind the world that they do not forget about their culture and history.  Speaking of art, Singapore is home to two world class theatres: Esplanade and Sands Theatre at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel.  They have hosted top shows from Broadway and West End.  No other cities in Asia can boast that.

With the glitter of Orchard Road, tourists sometimes forget that Singapore is a multi-ethnic community.  The Chinese, Malays and Indians have called Singapore home for generations and they all have their areas in the city.  Visiting the Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little India will make you feel like you’re visiting three different countries (four if you count modern Singapore).  They all have their distinct community, shops and restaurants that are always captivating.  Singapore has the best Indian cuisine outside of India and no visit to Singapore is complete without tasting a sample in one of Little India’s eatery.  Speaking of food, Singapore’s food is legendary and in my opinion, the second best cuisine in the world after Indonesian.  The reason is due to those three ethnicities contributing to the variety and richness of Singaporean cuisine.  While Hong Kong and Japan have some good food, their cuisines don’t compare to Singapore’s due to the single ethnic nature of their community, which make their food monotonous.  Singapore’s chicken rice is probably analogous to France’s pastries.  It doesn’t matter where you eat it, they’re all good.  There is no bad chicken rice in Singapore, only good and very good.

Despite those reasons, there is no particular one that keeps drawing me back.  Sometimes you can’t give a reason why you like something so much and you never have to.  It’s the combination of everything.  It’s just Singapore being Singapore, a progressive nation with a healthy balance of good living.  It should be an example on how to develop a nation’s tourism industry.  After all, the best way to get repeat customers is to get them addicted.