Country book · Asia

Singapore

A tiny island run like precision engineering

Singapore turned a small trading port into one of the world's wealthiest, most orderly city-states in a single generation. Multicultural, meticulously planned and food-obsessed, it rewards curiosity beyond its gleaming skyline.

Myths

What's true, what isn't

Actually true

It really is extremely clean and orderly
Strict littering fines and a culture of civic compliance keep the city notably spotless compared to most global capitals.
Hawker centres are genuinely Michelin-worthy
Singapore's hawker culture is UNESCO-listed, and several stalls have earned Michelin stars while charging only a few dollars a plate.
It's one of the most multicultural societies on Earth
Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian communities each maintain distinct traditions within a shared, tightly-run city-state.
It's a genuine garden city
Massive investment in greenery, from Gardens by the Bay to park connectors, has embedded nature into the dense urban plan.

Commonly believed, wrong

"Chewing gum is completely illegal"
Importing and selling gum is restricted, but chewing your own gum privately isn't actually a punishable offence.
"It's just a shopping mall with no real culture"
Kampong Glam, Little India and Chinatown preserve genuinely distinct heritage neighbourhoods with working temples and mosques.
"It's part of Malaysia"
Singapore has been a fully independent sovereign nation since 1965, after separating from the Malaysian federation.
"There's nothing green in such a dense city"
Over 45% of Singapore's land is covered by greenery, including a protected primary rainforest reserve at Bukit Timah.

Highlights

The best of Singapore

Gardens by the Bay

Futuristic Supertrees and climate-controlled domes housing cloud forests and Mediterranean flora.

Hawker centre food crawls

Maxwell Food Centre and Lau Pa Sat serve up chicken rice, laksa and satay for a few dollars a plate.

Heritage neighbourhoods

Kampong Glam's Arab Street, Little India's spice shops and Chinatown's temples, all walkable in a day.

Sentosa and the southern islands

Beaches, resorts and a cable car ride just a short hop from the CBD.

Culture

Cultural riches

Singlish everyday speech

A distinctive creole blend of English, Malay, Hokkien and Tamil used casually across all backgrounds.

Racial Harmony Day

Schools and communities actively celebrate the country's multi-ethnic identity as a founding national value.

National Service rite of passage

Nearly all male citizens serve two years in the military, a shared experience that shapes friendships for life.

Void deck community life

The open ground floors of public housing blocks host weddings, wakes and everyday neighbourhood gatherings.

Food

What to eat

Hainanese chicken rice

Poached chicken over fragrant rice cooked in chicken fat, served with chilli and ginger sauces.

Chilli crab

Mud crab in a sweet, tomato-and-egg-thickened chilli sauce, mopped up with fried mantou buns.

Laksa

Katong-style laksa layers coconut curry broth, noodles and cockles in a rich, spicy bowl.

Satay

Grilled skewers served at hawker centres with peanut sauce, cucumber and ketupat rice cakes.

Kaya toast

Charcoal-grilled toast with coconut jam and butter, dipped in soft-boiled eggs with soy and pepper — the classic breakfast.

History

Important people in history

Lee Kuan Yew

1959–1990

Founding prime minister who transformed Singapore from a poor port town into a global financial hub within decades.

Goh Chok Tong

1990–2004

Continued Singapore's economic liberalisation and diplomatic expansion after independence's founding generation.

Cities