Singapore

Location:  Asia, just south of Malaysia

Language:  English, 

Currency:  Singapore dollars

Transportation: Planes, boats, and taxis

Cost of visiting:  Moderate to Expensive 

Challenges:  Getting there can take a long time, especially if traveling from the U.S.   Though there are a good number of places to explore on the island, those who long to wander may feel restless.  Some claim Singapore is a sanitized miniature collage of its neighbors. It has a high density and the issues that it brings like traffic, a harried feel, pollution, etc.

Advantages: Singapore offers the advantages of many cultures within the space of an island, reasonable prices, and good service within a clean and safe environment. It is also near many exciting places. Visitors can use it as a launching pad to visit Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, etc. 

Shopping: We found local and imported handcrafts, t-shirts, souvenirs, and jewelry.  Though prices can be higher than prices in some of its neighbor countries, it offers a more orderly, agreeable and safer shopping environment.

Reviewed:  April 2000