Singapore is small yet full of wonderful places to see. Discover the famous sights of this city-state. Singapore occupies an area of two hundred and seventy two square miles. It is an island, located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. The island was initially a fishing village. In 1819, it was colonised by the British East India Company, making it a strategic and commercial outpost for the British Empire. During the Second World War, the Japanese occupied it. However, the island reverted to British rule in 1945. Singapore was declared as an independent nation in 1965. Thanks to large-scale industrialisation and foreign investment, Singapore has a booming economy based on the electronics and manufacturing sector. Tourism also contributes a large amount of funds to the nations economy. The sheer number of places to visit is what draws people to this country. In this articleSingapore ZooRaffles PlaceSingapore Discovery Centre Singapore Zoo The Singapore zoo is one of the most famous attractions in the country. It occupies around twenty eight hectares of land and is home to more than two and a half thousand animals. The zoo is famous for adopting the model of an open zoo. Here, animals are not kept in cages. They are kept in spacious, well landscaped areas. These areas are separated from the viewing areas by moats, to allow the animals to roam freely. Large animals, capable of jumping across the moats, are housed in enclosures that have a wall of glass through which the people can view the animals. The zoo is inhabited by three hundred and fifteen different species, including some rare animals. In spite of being in a tropical location, the zoo has successfully managed to achieve the birth of a polar bear in captivity. The zoo is also home to one of the largest colonies of captive orangutans in the world. Raffles Place Raffles place is the area of downtown Singapore, which is the main financial district of the country. It is situated next to the mouth of the Singapore River. This area is home to some of the tallest buildings in the country as well as some of the most famous landmarks. It is a classic example of a country that is modern yet has managed to preserve its past. Raffles place is named after the British entrepreneur, Sir Stamford Raffles. He saw the commercial potential of a separate business district and strived to make his dream a reality. The best way to see the entire district is on foot. Maps are available in the museum of the Raffles hotel. Some of the important buildings to visit are the Victoria theatre, Republic plaza, Singapore stock exchange, etc. There is a guided tour of the Arts House, on a weekly basis. This tour includes a lecture on the history of Singapore movies, arts, music, and theatre. Singapore Discovery Centre The Singapore Discovery Centre (SDC) is a relatively modern attraction. It was inaugurated in 1996 and aims to inform people about both the history of the country as well as its modern technological achievements. There is a wide variety of exhibits here. A major part of the centre is dedicated to highlighting the history of the armed forces. Some of the exhibits display the weapons and other equipment used by the military, in the past as well as the present. There is also a segment dedicated to future weapons. There are small theatres, which have plays that tell the story of the everyday life of the average Singapore soldier. The outdoor exhibits include a display of the various Singaporean aircrafts. The centre is also the location for the iWerks theatre. This theatre was the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. It can project three-dimensional film on a screen that is as high as a five-storey building. In addition to the theatre, there is also a motion simulator, guaranteed to take you on a virtual ride of a lifetime. There are also child friendly interactive kiosks in the Periscope Adventure section. Children can discover facts about the history of Singapore through them. They can also be used to play games where children become city planners and decide how Singapore should look in the future.
Singapore is small yet full of wonderful places to see. Discover the famous sights of this city-state. Singapore occupies an area of two hundred and seventy two square miles. It is an island, located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. The island was initially a fishing village. In 1819, it was colonised by the British East India Company, making it a strategic and commercial outpost for the British Empire. During the Second World War, the Japanese occupied it. However, the island reverted to British rule in 1945.
Singapore was declared as an independent nation in 1965. Thanks to large-scale industrialisation and foreign investment, Singapore has a booming economy based on the electronics and manufacturing sector. Tourism also contributes a large amount of funds to the nation's economy. The sheer number of places to
visit is what draws people to this country.
Singapore Zoo
The Singapore zoo is one of the most famous attractions in the country. It occupies around twenty eight hectares of land and is home to more than two and a half thousand animals. The zoo is famous for adopting the model of an 'open zoo'. Here, animals are not kept in cages. They are kept in spacious, well landscaped areas. These areas are separated from the viewing areas by moats, to allow the animals to roam freely.
Large animals, capable of jumping across the moats, are housed in enclosures that have a wall of glass through which the people can view the animals. The zoo is inhabited by three hundred and fifteen different species, including some rare animals. In spite of being in a tropical location, the zoo has successfully managed to achieve the birth of a polar bear in captivity. The zoo is also home to one of the largest colonies of captive orangutans in the world.
Raffles Place
Raffles place is the area of downtown Singapore, which is the main financial district of the country. It is situated next to the mouth of the Singapore River. This area is home to some of the tallest buildings in the country as well as some of the most famous landmarks. It is a classic example of a country that is modern yet has managed to preserve its past.
Raffles place is named after the British entrepreneur, Sir Stamford Raffles. He saw the commercial potential of a separate business district and strived to make his dream a reality. The best way to see the entire district is on foot. Maps are available in the museum of the Raffles hotel. Some of the important buildings to visit are the Victoria theatre, Republic plaza, Singapore stock exchange, etc. There is a guided tour of the Arts House, on a weekly basis. This tour includes a lecture on the history of Singapore movies, arts,
music, and theatre.
Singapore Discovery Centre
The Singapore Discovery Centre (SDC) is a relatively modern attraction. It was inaugurated in 1996 and aims to inform people about both the history of the country as well as its modern technological achievements. There is a wide variety of exhibits here.
A major part of the centre is dedicated to highlighting the history of the
armed forces. Some of the exhibits display the weapons and other equipment used by the military, in the past as well as the present. There is also a segment dedicated to future weapons. There are small theatres, which have plays that tell the story of the everyday life of the average Singapore soldier. The outdoor exhibits include a display of the various Singaporean aircrafts.
The centre is also the location for the iWerks theatre. This theatre was the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. It can project three-dimensional film on a screen that is as high as a five-storey building. In addition to the theatre, there is also a motion simulator, guaranteed to take you on a virtual ride of a lifetime. There are also child friendly interactive kiosks in the 'Periscope Adventure' section. Children can discover facts about the history of Singapore through them. They can also be used to play games where children become city planners and decide how Singapore should look in the future.
