Giorno 10 — Mamanuca Islands → Singapore
Shaped like a diamond, the main island of Singapore is 42 km wide from east to west and 23 km from north to south, compact enough to explore in a short amount of time. The southern corner of the diamond is home to the main part of the city - "downtown" or simply "city" for the locals - which focuses on the Singapore River, where Raffles first landed in 1819. The main attractions are the city's historic ethnic neighborhoods, particularly Little India. Rich with vibrant Hindu temples, restaurants, and shops selling exotic products and spices, the neighborhood retains much of its original character, as does the nearby Arab Street, dominated by the golden domes of the Sultan Mosque. South of the river, Chinatown has been somewhat refurbished, although it still has a number of attractive temples; a perfectly restored Chinese villa, the Baba House; plus a cultural center documenting the struggles experienced by generations of Chinese migrants in Singapore. Of course, the British have also left their distinctive mark on the island, most visibly just north of the Singapore River in the colonial district, in the grand neoclassical buildings - such as City Hall, Parliament House, and the famous Raffles Hotel. Here you will also find the excellent National Museum, which showcases the history and culture of Singapore, and Fort Canning Hill, a lush park that houses some historical remains. But the newest part of the city surpasses everything else, Marina Bay, built on reclaimed land around an artificial basin where the Singapore River now flows. Here you will find the three towers of the Marina Bay Sands Casino Resort, and the Esplanade with its pointed roof. Almost as modern as Marina Bay, but steeped in tradition when it comes to consumerism, is Orchard Road, a parade of shopping malls that starts just a few minutes' walk from the colonial district. Just beyond is the most beautiful park on the entire island, the Botanic Gardens, with a bit of everything that makes Singapore such a green city, although most tourists head straight to the enchanting orchid section. The center of Singapore is probably where you will spend most of your time, but the rest of the city-state also has its attractions. North of the center is the last remaining remnant of primary rainforest on the island, the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, and the splendid zoo, where animals are kept in naturalistic enclosures rather than cages. In the excellent Jurong Bird Park, you can see many birds, while to the east there are sandy beaches and a museum that recalls the infamous Changi Prison, where many soldiers lost their lives in World War II. Among the many smaller islands and islets within Singapore's waters, the only one worth seeing is Sentosa. Connected to the main island by a causeway and a cable car, it boasts the only Universal Studios theme park in Southeast Asia.,
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