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Singapore cityscape

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Things to see and do in Singapore

Changi Museum and Chapel

Remember the dark days of Japanese wartime occupation at the Changi Museum and Chapel (www.changimuseum.com), a symbolic replica of similar chapels built by prisoners during WWII.

Club Street

Hang out with the trendy locals in Chinatown's Club Street, a smart playground for advertising and banking types, with numerous bars and restaurants housed in narrow and historic streets.

Explore temples

Experience a world of religions at Buddhist and Hindu temples, mosques and Anglican and Catholic cathedrals, which are all likely to be encountered during a comparatively brief walk around central Singapore; such is its splendid diversity.

Fort Canning Park

View what was once an ancient fort of the Malay kings, covering 2.8 hectares (7 acres): Fort Canning Park, on Fort Canning Rise. The colonial ruins of the British citadel can still be viewed, as can a 19th-century Christian cemetery.

Hire a canoe

Take to the water and canoe around the island - there are a number of operators hiring out canoes at Changi point, East Coast and Sentosa Island.

Istana

Give yourself a chance to meet the President. Open to the public just five times yearly, the Istana (www.istana.gov.sg) is the impressive official residence of the Singaporean ruler.

Johore Battery

See the biggest guns ever built outside the UK, installed by the British in 1939 for the defense of Singapore. The Johore Battery is a gun emplacement site consisting of a labyrinth of tunnels. The tunnels were used to store ammunition to support three monster guns.

Jurong Bird Park

Come face to face with birdlife at the Jurong Bird Park (www.birdpark.com.sg) on Jurong Hill, home to South-East Asia's largest collection of birds. There is also the world's largest walk-in aviary, a nocturnal house and several spectacular bird shows.

Lau Pa Sat

Tickle your tastebuds at Lau Pa Sat, the largest surviving Victorian filigree cast-iron structure in South-East Asia. The former wet market has been restored and is now a favourite food centre of the locals.

National Museum of Singapore

Relive the island's past at the refurbished National Museum of Singapore (www.nationalmuseum.sg), which offers much more than just static collections telling the island state's colourful history, it is also a focal point for numerous festivals and events.

National Orchid Garden

Explore the National Orchid Garden in Singapore's Botanic Gardens (www.sbg.org.sg), which has the largest collection of orchids in the world. The Botanic Gardens have over 52 hectares (128 acres) of landscaped parkland and primary jungle.

Night Safari

Enter the fascinating world of nocturnal wildlife at Night Safari (www.nightsafari.com.sg), a little over an hour by bus from Singapore city. Regular animal performances complement the park's extensive zoo collections.

Parliament House

Relive colonial days near the Singapore River, and wander towards the imposing Parliament House (www.parliament.gov.sg), the oldest government building in the country, the core of which dates back to the 1820s.

Singapore Flyer

Enjoy panoramic views over Singapore island and beyond from the 165m (540ft) tall Singapore Flyer (www.singaporeflyer.com.sg), the world's highest Ferris wheel attraction, opened in March 2008 at Marina Bay. This enormous Ferris wheel offers panoramic views across the Marina Bay, downtown skyscrapers and the city beyond.

Singapore River

Take a trip along Singapore River aboard a bumboat. These were once used to ferry goods to and from larger ships moored in the harbour, and nowadays offer an excellent way to see the contrasting historical and modern architectural styles of the city.

World-class shopping

Go shopping in Singapore City's Orchard Road - the 'Fifth Avenue' or 'Oxford Street' of Singapore, and just as bustling, with its vast luxury malls, shops ranging from megastores to vendors of souvenir tat, as well as cafés and restaurants.

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