José Luis 
Since Singapore’s independence in 1965, this tiny island nation in South East Asia has transformed itself from a backward third world country to a first world status and is one of the most prosperous and efficient countries in the world.
It is often said that Singapore is bland and dull with an authoritarian government that is stingy in civil liberties. On the contrary, anyone who has traveled to this country whether for work or for holiday vacations who are without any political agendas will vehemently deny those unfounded accusations.
That being said, this little cosmopolitan nation is a melting pot of multi-racial and multi-culturalism and because of this fact, the country offers a wide spectrum of sight, sound and taste for any visitors. So if you are planning to go on an exotic vacation, you may want to consider visiting Singapore.
If you are a gourmet food lover, then you will love this country. Because of its multi-racial population, its proximity with many countries and the country’s accessibility to most nations, the diversity of food you can find here is astonishing.
Here you can taste Chinese food from most provinces in China, Muslim cuisines from Malaysia, Indonesia and to as faraway as Lebanese and Turkish halal food. If you like Indian food, you can find chicken masala, Indian rojak and exotic cuisines from Mumbai to Kerala. No wonder Singaporeans favorite pastime is eating out besides shopping.
And talking about shopping, a visit to Orchard Road is a must. This is the country’s world famous shopping district with miles and miles of spanking shopping malls. When locals talk about shopping, they are talking about “shop till you drop”.
As for the party goers, be mesmerized by the sheer numbers of entertainment outlets from world famous dance clubs like Zouk to your neighborhood drinking holes or to exotic beach front bars with many of them opened until the wee small hours of the morning.
Oh, do you love nature? If you do, you might want to explore the many nature reserves such as the Mandai reservoir, Labrador Park or Sentosa. Each of these natural habitats has a history of its own besides being a national nature park.
For instance, Sentosa and Labrador Park were British military fortresses built to thwart the Japanese invasion during the Second World War. The war relics are still preserved for history buffs to enjoy.
Many of the parks also have outdoor fitness equipment and jogging tracks for people who love to exercise. These health and fitness area in the parks are built for Singaporeans to develop a healthy exercise culture.
For animal lovers, a visit to Jurong Bird Park, Mandai Zoo and the world famous Night Safari must not be left out of your travel agenda. You can come to close proximities with exotic animals with enclosures designed as close to their natural habitats as possible. Enjoy, relax and watch the animals play and having their meals as if they are still out in their natural environment.
Art and concert lovers will love this country. International concerts by top pop stars, orchestras and outstanding music personalities around the world are regularly performing in several venues and concert halls. World class art exhibitions are a common feature too.
As an island nation with a tropical climate, beach lovers can soak in the sun, sea and sand at various pristine beaches spoilt for choice wisata bali. The more popular beaches are Changi Beach, East Coast Park and the Palawan Beach.
Want to tempt lady luck? Then try your hand at the casinos in Marina Sands or Resorts World Sentosa which incidentally is also home to a Universal Studio theme park which boasts a slew of state of the art adventurous rides.
Whoever said that Singapore is dull and bland obviously has not visited the country. So keep this little country in mind and add it to your holiday vacation plans.
