Singapore: Raffles, Marina Bay & the Art of the Garden City

Singapore is an island city-state at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, just 137 kilometres north of the equator. It consists of one main island and 63 smaller islands, with a total land area of about 728 square kilometres — roughly the size of the Isle of Wight. With a population of about 5.7 million, it is one of the most densely populated countries in the world and one of the wealthiest, with one of the highest GDPs per capita globally.

Modern Singapore was founded on 29 January 1819, when Sir Stamford Raffles of the British East India Company established a trading post on the island, then a sparsely populated fishing village. Singapore became a British crown colony in 1867, was occupied by Japan during World War II (1942–1945), joined the Federation of Malaysia in 1963, and became an independent republic on 9 August 1965. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew (1959–1990), Singapore was transformed from a developing port into one of the world's leading financial centres.

Raffles Hotel

Raffles Hotel (raffles.com) is one of the few remaining great 19th-century hotels in the world. Established in 1887 by the Armenian Sarkies Brothers (Martin, Tigran, Aviet, and Arshak), it was named after Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore. The hotel grew from a single beach bungalow into a grand colonial building with courtyards, tropical gardens, and the famous Long Bar — where bartender Ngiam Tong Boon created the Singapore Sling cocktail in 1915. The hotel has hosted Somerset Maugham, Rudyard Kipling, Charlie Chaplin, and countless heads of state. Reference: [Raffles Hotel Official](https://www.raffles.com/singapore/)

Marina Bay Sands

Marina Bay Sands (marinabaysands.com), opened in 2010, is the most dramatic modern landmark of Singapore and one of the most recognisable buildings in Asia. Designed by Israeli-Canadian architect Moshe Safdie, it consists of three 55-storey hotel towers connected at the top by the 340-metre SkyPark, which contains the world-famous infinity pool (the world's largest cantilevered pool, 150 metres long) accessible only to hotel guests. The integrated resort includes a casino, a museum (ArtScience Museum), theatres, and over 300 shops. Reference: [Marina Bay Sands Official](https://www.marinabaysands.com)

Gardens by the Bay

Gardens by the Bay (gardensbythebay.com.sg) is a 101-hectare nature park on reclaimed land adjacent to Marina Bay, opened in 2012. Its most iconic features are the 18 Supertrees — vertical gardens 25–50 metres tall that mimic the form of trees and are clad in ferns, orchids, and bromeliads. The Cloud Forest and Flower Dome are two enormous cooled conservatories housing plants from tropical mountains and Mediterranean climates. Reference: [Gardens by the Bay Official](https://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg)

Where Else to Stay

Capella Singapore (capellahotels.com), on Sentosa Island, is the most architecturally distinctive luxury hotel in Singapore. Opened in March 2009, it combines two restored Tanah Merah colonial bungalows dating to the 1880s with contemporary buildings designed by Foster + Partners, set within 30 acres of rainforest gardens. Reference: [Capella Singapore Official](https://capellahotels.com/en/capella-singapore)

Things to Do

The Singapore Botanic Gardens (singaporebotanicgardens.gov.sg), founded in 1859, is the only tropical garden and one of only three gardens in the world to be inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (2015). The National Orchid Garden within is home to over 1,000 orchid species and 2,000 hybrids.

Chinatown, Little India, and Kampong Glam are the historic ethnic neighbourhoods, each with its own temples, markets, and restaurants.

Getting There

Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) is consistently ranked among the best airports in the world and has won the Skytrax World's Best Airport award multiple times. The airport is connected to the city by the East-West MRT line (about 30 minutes). Singapore Airlines (singaporeair.com), the flag carrier, is one of the most awarded airlines in the! world. Reference: [Changi Airport Official](https://www.changiairport.com)

Reference Links:

- Raffles Hotel: raffles.com/singapore

- Marina Bay Sands: marinabaysands.com

- Gardens by the Bay: gardensbythebay.com.sg

- Capella Singapore: capellahotels.com/en/capella-singapore

- Singapore Botanic Gardens: singaporebotanicgardens.gov.sg

- Visit Singapore: visitsingapore.com

- Changi Airport: changiairport.com

- Singapore Airlines: singaporeair.com