If you only have a day in Singapore: an island republic lying at the commercial crossroads of the Orient

Cruise Travel, Nov-Dec, 2003 by Benjamin S.B. Lyons

While perusing a mariner's guide to entering the port of Singapore, a ship's captain will still find a vestige of stricter days: "Masters are advised Customs will prohibit the landing of any crew member with long hair." Much has changed in the island city-state since this was written in the 1970s, but Singapore's reputation as a safe, strict, and Westernized version of Asia still lingers. When Sir John Raffles landed in 1819, he claimed the island both as a trading post for the British East India Company and as a stronghold against the powerful Dutch.

Situated at the exit to the Straits of Malacca between Indonesia and the tip of Malaysia, the country was a natural stopping point on long voyages and quickly blossomed into an important port. Singapore has grown to become one of the largest cargo ports in the world and an increasingly important call on Asian cruise itineraries, with visits by virtually every major line plying the Far East.

Raffles would certainly be shocked to see what has become of his small post, which did not become completely independent until 1965 when Singapore separated from what was then the Malaysian Federation. Within the last few decades, massive land reclamation projects and astounding growth have created one of the most modern and efficient cities in the world, where shiny modern buildings stand cheek by jowl.

Singapore is a tailor-made cruise port, with English the most commonly used of the nation's four official languages, and plentiful buses, a spick-and-span subway, and cheap taxis making getting around a breeze. Passengers can easily avoid the more expensive shore excursions and do the island by themselves with little worry of safety--even buying and selling chewing gum is illegal in this law-abiding society. Nor will you need a jacket, as the tropical locale is hot and humid year-round, but you may need an umbrella.

All ships dock at the World Trade Center, a large complex capable of holding three or more ships at once. Here families can take a five-minute ferry ride and head to Sentosa Island, an amusement park isle designed for both kids and fun loving adults. For extra excitement, reach Sentosa via the cable car that goes directly over the cruise pier and provides a unique perspective on your ship 100 feet below.

On Sentosa you will find a popular beach with volleyball and bars, although some may find the swimming unappealing as the beach leads into a cargo-ship anchorage. Visit the modern aquarium complete with an underwater glass-tube walk and the spook house that seems more in line with Coney Island, or enjoy some of the numerous other activities including a history museum, butterfly park, golf course, and Fort Silosa--one of the last military relics of the Colonial Era still standing. While Sentosa is good for young families looking for an easy outing, there are more culturally interesting sites in the city itself that should not be missed.

To get underneath the superficial and shiny surface of Singapore, take to the streets and walk through some of the ethnic neighborhoods. The best place to start the tour is Sri Mariamman Temple in Chinatown. While the oldest Hindu temple in town takes only a few minutes to explore, the astonishing number of brightly colored figurines and the statues of stately, contented-looking cows ringing the temple are worth studying. Chinatown, with its multitude of varied ethnic restaurants and stalls spilling forth into the street from colorfully and whimsically painted three-story shop-houses, is only a block away. The site of the original Chinese enclave since Raffles's visit, the neighborhood now features a collection of modern shops and offices as well as antique shops.

From Chinatown, walk northeast through a business district until you reach the Singapore River. In addition to monuments commemorating Raffles's reported landing spot and various older government buildings along the north bank of the river, you'll find the best example of Singapore's revitalization in the last 15 years--Boat & Clarke Quay.

Less than two decades ago, this area of the Singapore River was dirty and undeveloped with traces of its commercial trading-hub past still very much in evidence. The river's importance to commerce remains, but today it forms the backdrop for lively nightclubs and good restaurants with outdoor riverbank seating, and tour boats have taken the place of the hundreds of wooden scows that used to ply the waters. With several conventional restaurants lining the river and Hawker stands nearby, this is a good place for lunch.

Don't be put off by the street-vendor appearance of the Hawker stands, despite the term's originating from days when locals with mobile carts roamed the streets selling food. In mostly bustling open-air pavilion arrangements, you'll sit down and end up ordering from several stalls to assemble your meal. Singapore's famous seafood chili stingray is a particular favorite, but the sweet-and-sour grouper, black-pepper crayfish, tiger prawns, and chicken satays are all culinary delights, and you'll be dining with locals and tourists alike at prices well below what you'll find in established restaurants.