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WHERE TO START: Lying almost on the equator, the prosperous city state of Singapore is a tourist paradise with world-famous hotels, delectable cuisine, fabulous shopping and guaranteed hot weather. But it's not all sophisticated modernity. Although Singapore is a city of concrete, glass and shopping malls, it also has a captivating history, which can be witnessed in ethnic enclaves such as Arab Street, Chinatown and Little India, in addition to a variety of excellent museums.
A good place to start your research is www.technofind.com.sg, the largest search engine for Singapore Web sites, with information on hotels and restaurants, as well as links to entertainment and business sites. Another excellent one-stop site is singapore-hotels.ws, with directories ranging from festivals, golf and nightlife to eco-tourism. The Singapore Infomap site, www.sg, has directories covering leisure, entertainment, economy and cuisine.
For the history and politics of Singapore, visit asnic.utexas.edu/asnic.html, the Web site for the Asian Studies Network Information Centre at the University of Texas. And to find out what's going on news-wise, visit www.asia1.com.sg, which has links to English daily newspapers in Singapore such as the Straits Times and the Business Times. For package deals and group bookings, visit Asia Travel's Web site at asiatravel.com/singapore.html.
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WHERE TO STAY: Singapore has a wide variety of hotels ranging from grand colonial to modern luxury and historical boutique styles. When it comes to colonial opulence, Raffles Hotel (www.raffleshotel.com), built in 1887, is the grande dame of Singapore hostelries. To recapture the flavour of old colonialism, sip a Singapore sling in the bar and book a suite that pays posthumous tribute to the hotel's more famous guests, including Ava Gardner and Noel Coward. The Fullerton Singapore (www.thefullerton.com) has a classical facade and 400 deluxe rooms overlooking the Singapore river.
If modern luxury is more your style, the Ritz Carlton Millennia Singapore (www.ritzcarlton.com/hotels) is located in the business district and boasts a funky art collection, fantastic views and a spa. The G@llery Hotel is Singapore's first hip hotel. Situated on the river in the trendy Robertson Quay area, it has a neo-modernist exterior and cantilevered rooftop pool. Visit www.marimari.com where it's listed under its old name, the Gallery Evason Singapore.
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There are a number of small private guesthouses situated in lovingly restored shophouses, including Perak Lodge in Little India (www.peraklodge.net), the Inn at Temple Street (www.theinn.com.sg), and the Royal Peacock Hotel (www.holidaycity.com/ royal-peacock-singapore), both in Chinatown.
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