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The usual tourist attractions:
1) Singapore Zoo. Its Night Safari--serviced by a tram that lets you see the animals at night--is fabulous.
2) Jurong Bird Park. One of the biggest in the world, with a huge, man-made waterfall and great restaurant overlooking a flamingo pond.
3) Botanical Gardens. Really lovely. See the Orchid Garden or the Ginger Garden. When you're done, have a cup of coffee by the cafe and listen to the soothing fountains.
4) Chinese Gardens. It takes awhile to get there, but the gardens truly are spacious--and being in a huge space is a rare experience in crowded Singapore. It has beautiful, cultivated grounds, small ponds and lakes to sit next to, some pretty pagodas, and a small bonsai garden.
5) Chinatown. A little glitzy, but you can buy all the souvenirs you want there. (It's common to see quite-nice items on sale, 3 for S$10.00) You can do some bartering here. Check out the great Chinatown Heritage Society that's located in the heart of Chinatown. Interestingly, one of Singapore's most beautiful Hindu temples is smack dab in the middle of Chinatown. Amidst the glitz are many authentic Chinese medicine and tea shops. Go in. Do you feel occasionally fatigued? Ask the expert salesperson to fix you a concoction that'll fix you right up.
6) Little India. You'll love the scents and texture of Little India. Walk up Serangoon Road, slip down a side road. Silks! Jewelry! Pictures! Spices! Temples! The Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple on Serangoon Road is a must-see, as is Mustafa's Emporium. This store--spanning 2 city blocks, and open 24 hours a day--has everything (literally), from pins to televisions to tacky souvenirs. (Be warned though: It gets heinously crowded on weekends, and the store really consists of two separate stores; you may have to physically leave one store, walk half a block to enter the other building in order to get the item you want. And Mustafa's staffpeople often don't know where things are, either.) Musafa's huge supermarket (specializing in fabulous Indian spices and foods) and clothing department (which has traditional garb for Indians, Malays, and Chinese, as well as modern stuff) are not to be missed. Check out camera prices there, too: they compare favorably to other prices in Singapore.
7) Arab Street and Kampong Glam. The Muslim population is centered in this area. Here you'll find both hole-in-the-wall and lush, modern stores. Specialities here are textiles (every kind you can imagine, and then more some), baskets, and othe handicrafts. Take your time. Look around. Barter. In the center of this colorful area is the Sultan Mosque--you can't miss its big, gold dome--which has the capacity to accommodate 5,000 worshippers. Tons of eateries are here, as well as places where you can puff on a water pipe. (Believe me, you are simply puffing on scented water. Remember, this is ULTRA DRUG FREE SINGAPORE.)
8) Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. A must see (or, must-hike): It's located on the tallest point in Singapore: all of 160 meters above sea level! The 163-hectare reserve contains one of the largest tracts of pirmary rainforst left in Singapore. When you go there, BE SURE TO bring water, because it gets very hot for the hiker, no matter what time of day. At Bukit Timah you'll find forests, abandoned granite quarries--and plenty of monkeys. Trails are well marked.
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