Singapore is one of the most enjoyable cities to visit in Southeast Asia. Where else can you dip into the cultures of China, India and Malaysia in one day? The tiny modern, island city-state, off the southern tip of Malaysia, gets its name from the Malay word, Singapura, meaning 'Lion City'.
It has about five million inhabitants, of whom 2.91 million were born locally. Most are of Chinese, Malay or Indian descent. Singapore has four official languages: English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. Most people in Singapore can speak Cantonese or Mandarin, so don't worry about communication barriers; it rarely happens.
Chinatown, located within the larger district of Outram, features distinctly Chinese cultural elements and a historically concentrated ethnic Chinese population. Walking down Pagoda, Temple and Smith Streets, you can easily find rows of Chinese-style buildings painted in vivid pastels, with shops alongside selling souvenirs and traditional Chinese handicrafts.
If you want to explore the history of Singapore's Chinatown, and see how people lived in the past, you can visit the Chinatown Heritage Centre, at 48Pagoda Street, which has original interiors of Singapore shophouse tenements from the 1950s.
If you prefer a different cultural flavour, Little India should interest you. It lies to the east of the Singapore River and, as the name suggests, is the focus of Singapore's large Indian community. The area's central streets are packed with stalls selling many Indian goods. The thing to eat in Little India is obviously Indian cuisine - such as naan (thick flatbread), Tandoori chicken and Indian fried rice. Do bear in mind that people around you may be eating the way Indians do, namely by hand. Don't worry: it's best to shed your inhibitions and fit into their culture!
One of the biggest entertainment attractions in the city must be Universal Studios Singapore, the first such theme park to open in Southeast Asia. I think it's one of the must-see tourist attractions, with a diverse range of themes based on some of the world's most famous movies and TV shows, such as Shrek, Madagascar, Jurassic Park and Kung Fu Panda. If time is limited, I recommend you first try out the following 'must-plays' - the Revenge of the Mummy and Transformers: The Ride: The Ultimate 3D Battle.