Day one
This island nation continues to develop fast. But it's not all glittering skyscrapers and renovated historic buildings: Singapore's population gives the city-state particular appeal — it's a vibrant mix of Chinese, Malay and Indian.
The British Airways flight from Heathrow arrives late afternoon. An efficient bus service and easy-to-use subway system, plus reasonably priced taxis make getting around easy. So head swiftly into town for a pick-me-up early supper.
Make for the Straits Kitchen at the Grand Hyatt Singapore (singapore.grand.hyatt.com), where you'll eat the best beef rendang in town, then round off the night and keep jet lag at bay with a cocktail and a fabulous view at Lantern, on the rooftop of the newly opened Fullerton Bay Hotel (fullertonbayhotel.com).
Day two
Start the day with some real local flavour. The street food here is some of the best in the world particularly since Singaporeans are obsessive about hygiene and fanatical about produce. The laksa, or spicy noodle soup, sums up the crossroad of Asian cultures. Sungei Road Laksa on Jalan Berseh serves some of the best.
Walk off your feast at Little India, where you can pay a visit to the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, next to Belilios Road, with its dramatic, colourful figures. It was built by Bengalis in 1855.
Then visit Peranakan Museum (peranakan museum.sg), which celebrates the island's hybrid culture. Peranakans are the descendants of early Chinese and South-Indian communities who settled in the Malay Archipelago.
You'll see how far Singapore has come on the fine-dining front if you visit Iggy's at The Hilton Hotel on Orchard Road for dinner (iggys.com.sg). Ignatius Chan, or Iggy as everyone calls him, put Singapore on the foodie map with his fine-dining concept, which owes as much to Japan as it does to the West, combined with a nod to his native Singapore.
Day three
Start with breakfast at the market — the Tekka Centre on Buffalo Road offers an abundance of seafood and vegetables, from lotus root to bitter gourd. Grab a dosa from one of the many Indian stalls and wash it down with a cup of sweet tea.
A visit to Singapore isn't complete without a trip to Chinatown. The Chinese make up the majority of the population (but they are Singaporean now, they'll tell you proudly) although there is a comfortable intermingling of religions with Buddhist temples, Hindu shrines and mosques. Head to the Chinatown Heritage Centre (chinatownheritagecentre.sg), which evocatively tells the Chinese immigrants' story.
After the buzz of downtown, make for Singapore's lush botanical garden 5km west with its towering trees and rare orchids. For lunch head to Dempsey Hill, originally a nutmeg estate but more recently a British barracks before being transformed into a hip dining spot. There's a free shuttle bus from the gardens. Jumbo @ Dempsey (jumboseafood.com.sg) is the newest location for the established seafood restaurant group — it's famed for its sweet chilli crab.
Then shop until you drop on Orchard Road, before checking out some of the area's historic residences on Emerald Hill, a throwback to colonial days.
Before your evening flight home, there's just time for dinner at Wild Rocket on Mount Emily (wildrocket.com.sg), a leafy area just above Little India. Proprietor Willin Low is one of a number of chefs driving the Mod Sin (modern Singapore) food movement. Don't miss his laksa pesto linguine with tiger prawns and quail egg.
Read
Notes from an Even Smaller Island (£7.50, Times Edition) is a tongue-in-cheek look at life in this city-state by expat Neil Humphreys.
Don't
Drop any litter, chew gum or point with your index finger.
Staying for more than 72 hours?
Sentosa Island has theme parks for the family, spas and destination dining. Make your base the Capella hotel (capellahotels.com).
Luxury
The Fullerton Bay Hotel is the latest addition to the sparkling Marina Bay waterfront. British Airways offers doubles from £112 per person a night including continental breakfast (prices are based on two people sharing a room during May and June).
Mid-range
For a great location, smart rooms and an outside pool, try the Rendezvous Hotel Singapore. BA offers doubles from £60 per person a night (room only). (Prices are based on two people sharing a room during May and June).
Budget
The centrally located Bayview Hotel is good value for Singapore. BA offers doubles from £49 per person a night (room only). (Prices are based on two people sharing a room during May and June). Visit ba.com/singapore.
