Asia’s huge cultural, natural and geographical diversity make it such a wonderful place for travellers. Being an Aussie, Singapore is the perfect place for us to spend a stopover en route to Europe. A short 8 hour flight and you’re ready to explore this beautiful city state and all it has to offer. Here are five reasons why Singapore is such a great stopover destination.
It’s the perfect size
Singapore is one of only 3 sovereign city states in the world (alongside Monaco and Vatican City). This means it’s both a city and a country, and at 721 square kilometers, it’s a country that’s roughly half the size of London! This means you can have an unforgettable jam-packed stopover and leave with some memories you’ll treasure for life (or you can find a HDB for rent and spend months there if you want to dig a little deeper)! It’s the perfect size for all kinds of adventures.
It’s the safest place in Asia for visitors
There are many that like to travel with friends, family or their significant others, but there are also many who like to travel solo. Singapore is famous for (among other things) it’s extraordinarily low crime rate which are the envy of many of the continent’s other major cities. So if you prefer to travel solo you can rest easy in the knowledge that (provided you take all the obvious precautions) you’ll likely be very safe when you visit.
We felt completely safe at all times in Singapore, the city was clean, people were quiet and friendly and both night and day we were completely at ease.
There is a huge English speaking community
Many travel lovers like to brush up on the native language when they travel overseas. But given that Singapore has three official languages which are Malay, Tamil and Mandarin Chinese, you might struggle to pick up a conversational level of the language. Don’t worry though as the standard of education in Singapore is outstanding, with many locals fluent in English by the time they leave school.
Furthermore, the city state also has a thriving expat community of over 50,000 Brits living and working there.
You can dine like royalty without breaking your budget
If you love your food , you’ll find Singapore a foodie paradise. It’s a great place to visit for amazing food on a budget. Singapore has the world’s cheapest Michelin starred restaurant and the smells that come out of china town are literally to die for! The majority of the food we ate in Singapore was cheap street eats and they were so delicious and cheap!
Also, if you’re a plant based foodie, that isn’t a problem as Singapore is the second most vegan-friendly place in all of Asia according to PETA.
You’ll experience the cleanest air of any city in Asia
Singapore is not your average, overly polluted major city. Singapore is deeply committed to improving air quality and is considered to have the cleanest air of any city in Asia. Take a look at the stunning Treehouse, the world’s biggest vertical garden, or take a walk through the incredible Botanic Gardens. This UNESCO world heritage site has a whopping 60,000 species across its 60 acres and is a place we will definitely visit each time we return to beautiful Singapore.
Do you think Singapore is a great stopover destination?
This post was written in collaboration with PropertyGuru.
All opinions, as always, are our own.
