Located just south of Malaysia and east of Sumatra, equatorial Singapore is one of Southeast Asia’s greatest success stories and most-visited destinations. A common first point of regional contact for many travellers, the Lion City rarely fails to impress, from its well-oiled infrastructure and verdant tropical flora to savoury local cuisine served in convivial open-air eating houses.

The show-stopping heart of modern Singapore is the Central Business District and Marina Bay waterfront, areas packed with skyscrapers and such iconic architectural marvels as the lotus-shaped ArtScience Museum, durian-like Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, and Marina Bay Sands resort. Lively districts like Little India, Geylang, and Chinatown promise rich cultural experiences, while the string of glitzy shopping malls lining Orchard Road offer air-conditioned respite from sweltering midday heat.

Whether visiting for a week or a weekend, travellers of all kinds will find plenty to like about clean, family-friendly, and practically crime-free Singapore.