Singapore

Singapore is around 730 square kilometres of controlled urban ambition: one of the world's most visited cities, one of its cleanest, and the best airport hub in Asia. What makes it consistently interesting to return to is its refusal to settle: Marina Bay Sands arrived in 2010 and still feels like a provocation; the Jewel waterfall inside Changi Airport opened in 2019 and is still the finest piece of commercial architecture in Southeast Asia; Gardens by the Bay is a kind of horticultural theatre that reads as science fiction from the outside and pure spectacle from the inside.

The food case for Singapore is unambiguous. The hawker centre system, government-subsidised food markets where chefs spend decades perfecting single dishes, produced the first Michelin-starred hawker stalls in 2016, a category of recognition that did not previously exist. Tian Tian chicken rice, Hill Street Tai Hwa pork noodle, Liao Fan honey roast pork: these are not tourist food. They are among the finest things to eat in Asia at any price point.

The Peranakan shophouse neighbourhoods of Joo Chiat and Katong represent a colonial-era hybrid culture (Chinese merchants who adopted Malay customs, dress, and cooking over three generations) that is specific to Singapore and the Straits settlements and nowhere else in the world. The food is equally specific: laksa, nasi lemak, and Peranakan kueh in configurations that vary by neighbourhood and house.

The city's cultural districts each tell a different story. Chinatown has temples, shophouses and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. Little India is at its liveliest on Sundays and during Deepavali, with flower garlands, spice shops and the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple. Kampong Glam, around the golden dome of the Sultan Mosque, has Malay and Arab heritage, textile shops and the lively lanes of Haji Lane and Arab Street.

The colonial core around the Padang includes the National Gallery, housed in the former Supreme Court and City Hall, with one of the largest collections of Southeast Asian art in the world. The Asian Civilisations Museum, on the river, explores the connections between Asia's cultures. Raffles Hotel, opened in 1887, is still a landmark, and the Singapore Sling was first mixed in its Long Bar.

The city is greener than its skyline suggests. The Singapore Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, have a National Orchid Garden with thousands of varieties. The MacRitchie Reservoir trails lead through rainforest to a treetop walk, and the Southern Ridges connect parks and hills with elevated walkways. Pulau Ubin, a small island reached by bumboat, offers a glimpse of village life that has largely disappeared from the mainland.

Hawker centres are the heart of Singaporean food culture, and hawker culture was added to UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage in 2020. Beyond the famous stalls, try chilli crab, laksa, char kway teow, roti prata and kaya toast with soft-boiled eggs for breakfast. Newton Food Centre, Old Airport Road and Tiong Bahru Market are among the favourites of residents.

The climate is hot and humid all year, with rain possible at any time, particularly from November to January. The city is well designed for the heat, with air-conditioned malls, covered walkways and an excellent metro. Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, Deepavali and Christmas bring lights and celebrations across the city.

Changi Airport is one of the best-connected hubs in the world, and the metro reaches the city centre in around half an hour. Three to four days is enough to see the city, and it also serves as a gateway to Malaysia, Indonesia or the rest of Southeast Asia.