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Singapore
- The island nation of Singapore offers visitors a plethora
of attractions. Singapore houses a tantalizing range of
cultural, natural, and culinary delights just waiting to
be experienced. Blending age-old traditions with chic modernity,
this thriving city-state is in the midst of a vibrant artistic
and cultural revitalization. Singapore's name comes from
the Sanskrit term Singa Pura, or Lion City, and its intricate
cultural basket is woven with the fibers of traditional
Chinese, Malay and Hindu cultures that have established
themselves on this tiny island.
City
of diverse cultures, The Garden City, The Fun City, City
for the Arts and the Gateway City these are some of the
names given to Singapore to show visitors what this exciting
destination can offer. Singapore expresses the essence of
a vibrant, multi-cultural city state.
City
Tour - The City Experience Tour showcases the contrast
of old and new and the blend of East and West. Experience
the history, culture and life-style of multi-racial Singapore,
the exciting heart of New Asia-Singapore. We will visit
the Colonial district where old Singapore begins and where
modern Singapore was created, Little India, places of worship,
China Town, Mount Faber which offers excellent views of
the Singapore skyline, the harbour and offshore islands,
and admire the best of Asian craftsmanship at a Gem Factory.
Sri
Mariamman Temple: It is the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore.
Its site was acquired in 1823 by Narayan Pillai, a clerk
of the East India Company who had accompanied Sir Stamford
Raffles to Singapore. Since its foundation the Temple has
occupied a unique place in the life of the Hindu community
in Singapore and has been gazetted as a National Monument
by the Government. The Temple is dedicated to Sri Mariamman,
a manifestation of the Great Goddess, worshipped for health
and prosperity. Sri Mariamman is popular in Southern India
where goddesses are addressed as amman ('mother'). Given
the large South Indian community in Singapore, temples dedicated
to the Goddess and deities popular in South India dominate
the landscape.
Botanic
Gardens: The Singapore Botanic Gardens ranks among the
worlds finest tropical gardens. Renowned for both its combination
of untouched primary forest and specialty gardens , the
lush gardens date back to 1822, when its British founders
literally carved the gardens from the Malay jungle. Today,
four acres of those original jungle land has been preserved
in their original state.
Singapore River: Great cities of the world can usually
take their early beginnings to the mouth of a river; Singapore
is no exception. The river became a busy waterway, the lifeline
of Singapore when entrepot trade was its main enterprise.
The boats that used to ply their trade between the large
ships on the outer roads of the harbour and the warehouses
along the Singapore river.
Sentosa
Island: Singapores holiday resort-island, can be reached
by cable car from Mount Faber or WTC (World Trade Center)
and by ferry from WTC or overland by the Causeway-bridge.
Sentosa Island said to be in direct contrast to the freneticism
of Singapore, Sentosa Island is a purpose-built island theme
park and offers beaches, history, golf, gastronomy and a
host of themed attractions, including Volcano Land, the
Asian Village, the water rides of Fantasy Island, and Underwater
World, one of Asia's largest tropical fish oceanariums.
The more earnest visitor can visit Images of Singapore,
which depicts the island's early life, local festivals and
customs and the World War II surrender to the Japanese at
Fort Silosa, which shows the bunkers and underground passages
used in the island's defense.
Jurong
Bird Park: The largest bird park in all of South East
Asia, Jurong Bird Park is a refuge for more than 8000 birds
of 600 different species from all over the world. Highlights
include Waterfall Aviary, at 30m (98ft) the world's highest
manmade waterfall, and the South East Asian Bird Aviary,
where a thunderstorm is simulated every day at noon. The
new Lodge on Flamingo Lake promises food not just fit for
birds. Bird shows feature flamingos, macaws, hornbills and
cockatoos and one of the biggest attractions is the Penguin
Parade, housing more than 200 penguins of five species.
An air-conditioned monorail covers the entire park.
South
East Asian Bird Aviary: This region is home to over
1,000 species of birds from a global total of 8,500 species.
While the aviary has been landscaped to provide a simulated
secondary rain forest environment for the birds to live
in, it still gives many vantage points from which visitors
can observe the birds closely, at leisure and in relative
comfort. As part of the rain forest experience, there is
a tropical thunderstorm that comes on at 12 noon daily.
The rain falls in the centre of the aviary away from the
visitors walkway. The exhibit is especially attractive for
tourists from temperate countries to admire our Southeast
Asian birds collection.
Waterfall Aviary:This newly redeveloped two-hectare
Waterfall Aviary remains as the worlds largest walk-in aviary
with the highest man-made waterfall standing at over 30
meters. It is home for some 1,500 free-flying birds from
80 African and provides visitors with a unique opportunity
to watch them roost, bathe, feed and even raise their young
in their nests. Set in a valley, the Aviary is landscaped
with 10,000 exotic plants comprising 125 species of trees,
bamboo, palms and ground-cover vegetation to simulate a
tropical rain forest. In addition, an artificial 8-m tall
tree moulded from an actual 100-year-old Barking Deers Mango
tree has also been planted to enhance the rainforest landscape.
Penguin
Parade: Occupying an area of 1,630 square meters, the
Penguin Parade is the home to the endearing penguins found
at the Bird Park. There are more than 200 of them living
here. The five species on exhibit are the Humboldt, the
Rockhopper, the Macaroni, the Fairy and the majestic King
Penguin.
Hornbills
and Toucans Exhibits: Playful South American toucans
tossing fruits into the air; exotic hornbills displaying
their magnificent bills and casqued in flight; the female
hornbill sealing herself in a tree hole for nesting these
amazing and rare sights of nature are happening right here
at the Hornbills and Toucans Exhibit. For visitors to the
Bird Park, the sheer beauty of these birds with their colorful
and magnificent bills, is a sight not to be missed.
The Lakes: The Parks beautiful lakes are scenic
sights. A variety of water birds like swans, ducks, geese,
cormorants and pelicans have made the lakes their home.
Visitors can enjoy a grand view of the lakes from the Observation
Pavilion, which is landscaped with bougainvillea and installed
with wooden benches and electric fans.
Night Safari: Set in 40 hectares of dense secondary
forest, the Night Safari offers guests the unique experience
of exploring wildlife in a tropical jungle at night. Through
the use of subtle lighting technique, guests are able to
view over 1,000 nocturnal animals of 100 species in vast
naturalistic habitats.
Divided naturally into two loops by an inlet from the Seletar
Reservoir, the Night Safari houses animals from eight geographical
zones representing three continents - Asia, Africa and South
America.
A 3.2-km tram ride takes visitors along the two loops, named
East and West Loops. Throughout the ride, the landscape
changes dramatically, from the rocky outcrops of the Himalayan
Foothills, to the grassy plains of Equatorial Africa and
ending with the awesome forests of South-east Asia.
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