Singapore

Almost 12 million people a year visit the wonderful city of Singapore to experience its intriguing blend of ethnicities as well as its phenomenal environmental tourism. One of the plus points for many tourists is that English is the dominant language, despite being only one of four official languages; the others being Malay, Chinese and Tamil.

Having a population of only around 5 million people and yet four official languages should give you a good indication of the diverse nature of this South East Asian city-state. Arab, Chinese and Indian influences are seen all over the city, and the area's colonial history is clearly in evidence. The centre of Singapore's tourism district is Orchard Road, home to a vast number of large shopping centres and plenty of accommodation options.

 The city is home to numerous opportunities to enjoy the area’s natural attractions. The first of which is Singapore Zoo which has an excellent selection of animals and interestingly employees an ‘open zoo’ style which uses open enclosures and moats, rather than cages. There is also the wonderful Night Safari to enjoy; the world's first nocturnal safari experience and one of the ‘must do’ experiences of a trip to Singapore. Jurong Bird Park is another wonderful natural tourist attraction, being home to flamingos and many other indigenous species.

The island resorts of Singapore are also very popular, with Sentosa being the largest and most visited. The island is home to a wonderful beach, the Underwater World aquarium, Tiger Sky Tower and a historical museum. Just to the south of the main city, this wonderful island is easy to reach and also has the Universal Studios Singapore entertainment complex.

Singapore has also been mentioned as one of the top five countries in the world as far as nightlife is concerned; with plenty of excellent dining and late night shopping available. Much of the entertainment is centred around the city's two main quays, Boat Quay and Clarke Quay with many bars and nightclubs to be found here.