Singapore is riding high – from a city and airport perspective – and nothing seems to be stopping its allure to global travellers. Wise Traveller discovers five reasons for its enduring appeal.
Friendliest
The island city-state has received many accolades to its name, with the latest being that it is the friendliest city on the planet.
The Readers’ Choice Awards, as chosen by Condé Nast Travellers worldwide, revealed that Singapore had beaten the likes of Sydney, Bangkok, Las Vegas and Tokyo to claim the award.
Condé Nast Traveller noted: “Crowned the world’s friendliest city by our readers, Singapore has always had a reputation for being exceptional. The island city-state is famous for its financial powerhouses, pristine streets, unrivalled security standards, and now, diverse communities offering the crème de la crème of hospitality."
“It’s not all lavish high-rises and innovative technology either, as Singapore has been dubbed the “Garden City” for its myriad of luscious parks and tree-lined streets. In other words, Singapore has all the components to achieve the status of a metropolitan utopia.
Greenest
Singapore is among the highest performers in the Green City Index, meaning that as the Garden City, it is much-loved by visitors and locals for its many green spaces.
Did you know that its first tree-planting day took place in 1971? There are at least 1.5 million trees that populate Singapore. With its biodiversity, Singapore’s Gardens By the Bay, its ‘green lung’, is a 250-acre nature park which has become one of the city’s popular attractions.
Another major attraction is its Singapore Botanic Garden. Founded in 1859 and now a Unesco World Heritage Site, it has tropical gardens close to the Orchard Road shopping zone and possesses the world’s largest collection of orchids.
Arty
Art in Singapore is thriving quite nicely. Travellers have a whole host of choices to submerge themselves in, and that doesn’t include the ‘art-port’ – Changi International. Take your pick from The National Gallery, The National Museum, The ArtScience Museum, or the Singapore Art Museum.
There is also the Lee Kong Chian National History Museum, the Red Dot Design Museum, and the Singapore Tyler Print Museum, which you can enjoy. There’s also the MINT Museum of Toys, the Philatelic Museum, and many more.
Airport
Where innovation, greenery and art all come together – and under one umbrella - is Singapore’s Changi International Airport. The airport is a Disneyland of adventure, awe-inspiring and simply jaw-dropping wonder. Where can you climb explore a forest in an airport such Shiseido Forest Valley and be able to stare at the Rain Vortex, the largest indoor waterfall in the world?
There are so many things to do you’ll be in danger of missing your connection. Even Time Out has a list of What To Do at Changi.
It is no wonder that Changi Airport is always among the world’s best airports, according to air transport rating firm Skytrax. Changi Airport has been crowned the world’s best airport 12 times by Skytrax, including winning first place consecutively from 2013 to 2020 and again in 2023.
In the most recent survey, the city-state’s airport won the titles of “Best Airport in Asia” and the “World’s Best Airport Immigration Service.”
Architecture
If architecture is your thing, then Singapore is the place. The Esplanade Theatres on the Bay is the 60,000 sqm Performing Arts Centre on Esplanade Park, while at Merlion Park, you can view the Merlion statue, representing two elements of Singapore’s identity - its body symbolizing the fishing villages of Singapore’s past, and its lion head a symbol of Singapore when it was known as Singapura, or “Lion City”.
The landmark of Lau Pa Sat in the heart of the business district has witnessed Singapore’s ever-changing landscape since the 19th century. The splendid Raffles Hotel, the National Gallery, Hong San See, and the Capitol Building are also fantastic landmarks to tick off.
Other icons include the Sri Mariamman Temple, St Andrew’s Cathedral, and the Sultan Mosque.
Andy Probert is an independent journalist and PR writer. He writes about travel, aviation, new tech and business. His work has appeared on the BBC, in The Daily Telegraph, Hurriyet Daily News and other newspapers worldwide.
