Singapore is a lively and unique travel destination. Singapore is a blend of both eastern and western cultures which is why this South East Asian nation is such a popular tourism destination for both Asian and European travelers.

Sir Stamford Raffles plays an important part in Singaporean history. Raffles was a British government official who more or less put Singapore on the map as a strong trade and business center.

Hundreds of years before Raffles purchased Singapore from the ruler of Johor in the early 19th century. Singapore had been an insignificant settlement at that time however under the British ruler ship it quickly flourished into one of the economic powers in Asia.

The Japanese took control off Singapore in 1942 during the midst of the 2nd world war. At the end of 3 years of Japanese occupation, Singapore was returned to the British.

The Singaporean population soon after made it clear to its British rulers that they in fact wanted to govern and control their own country which lead to its self government which started in 1959.

During the early 1960’s, Singapore briefly joined for a 2 period the Malaysian federation however it soon became clear that Singapore was better off as a fully independent nation.

Many of the larger nations in the regions believed at that time that Singapore was making an error due to its short supply of natural resources and its small size.

The Singapore prime minister at that time, Lee Kuan, believed however that Singapore did have an existence right as an independent nation and he proofed himself right by starting and expanding an export orientated industry as well as a flourishing tourism industry.

The tourism industry has proven to be a very successful and has been an important part in Singapore’s success. Tourists especially love the blend of different cultures and cuisines due to the backgrounds of its citizens.

Many Singaporeans have Chinese, Malaysian or Indian ancestors which can be seen throughout Singapore. Have a walk through the streets of Singapore and you can spot a temple on one corner, a church on the next and mosque just next door.

Dining in Singapore is a true delight due to the fusion of the various cuisines which have created some excellent dishes which are unique to Singapore, Not only has Singapore proven to a popular destination for tourists however has also been a big hit with business travelers.

Due to the excellent meeting and congress facilities in Singapore, many large international events are held in Singapore which attracts thousands of visitors and exhibitors each month which have increased hotel occupancy levels to the highest in the region together with those of Hong Kong.

Singapore remains an extremely clean town where you will find that Singaporeans try their best in keeping their city spotless. Throwing rubbish on the street is strongly frowned upon by locals and big fines are issued to those that do so.

The laws and rules in Singapore are known to be among the toughest in the world as are the punishments to those that break the laws.

Singapore still has the death penalty and has one of the highest averages per capita which it involves the number of people executed.

There have been a number of high profile executions recently involving foreign nationals however the Singaporean government was not forgiving or flexible in any way when foreign governments requested clemency or mercy for its citizens.

Singapore is somewhat of the political leader of the group of countries that make up the ASEAN which stands for the association of South East Asian Nations which also include countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand for example.

Singapore has been a stabilizing factor in the region although it had its own share of tensions with neighboring Malaysia over various topics including fishing territories, air space and natural resources. Singapore however has always been able to resolve matters at the negotiation table.

By: James Bukovsky

About the Author:
James is currently living on Phuket and is working on a number of projects. If you are looking for a great Phuket hotel then do consider staying at Club Bamboo Resort. Read more about Samui in his Samui Guide