Stopover in Singapore

The lion is the city-state's heraldic animal: "singa" means lion in Sanskrit. Singapore is as strong as a lion. It has developed from a run-down port city to Asia's model metropolis. The Merlion statue, a lion with a fish tail, is a landmark of the city.

Singapore is a hugely popular stopover destination. Much of it can be explored easily on foot. Marina Bay is one of the top attractions. On the right in the picture, old colonial buildings still huddle below the financial district's skyline. On the left, the new Singapore is growing, with the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, a huge shopping mall, and the lotus-blossom-shaped ArtScience Museum.

There's no lack of spectacular and stylish architecture in Singapore. The Marina Bay Sands Hotel — MBS for short — is a new landmark in the city. Its eye-catching towers soar 200 meters above their surroundings and are crowned with the SkyPark, a sensational roof terrace.

The icing on the cake is a fantastic infinity pool. On the 57th floor, you can swim with Singapore at your feet. However, only those who have reserved a room at the MBS have access to the pool. And the prices are hefty — about 300 euros for a single room.

Singapore has nearly 6 million inhabitants, is incredibly densely built up and is still the greenest city in Asia. The Gardens by the Bay are the city's latest green project. The Skyway aerial walkway, suspended between its futuristic Supertrees, provides the most exciting view of the 101-hectare complex. It's especially impressive at night, when the artificial trees are lit up.

Two gigantic greenhouses belong to the park, in the shape of two oversized shells. The Flower Dome is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest glass greenhouse. The second, smaller greenhouse is called Cloud Forest and houses a mist-veiled rainforest. Here you can stroll through a series of lush vegetation zones.

Nature was also an inspiration for this building complex. It includes a theater with 2,000 seats, a concert hall with 1,600 seats and a shopping mall. Its shape is based on that of the durian fruit, which tastes sweet but has a powerful stench. In Asia the exotic fruit is a delicacy.

Shopping is one of the main activities of Singapore tourists. Everywhere there are ultramodern luxury malls, open from 10 in the morning to 10 at night, seven days a week. One of the most popular shopping districts is Orchard Road, where one temple to consumerism follows another. At outdoor temperatures of 32 degrees Celsius and 80 percent humidity, they're perfect places to cool off quickly.

In Singapore, Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus and Christians live peacefully next to and with one another. It's well worth strolling through Chinatown, Little India or Arab Street, especially when a festival such as the the one celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year is taking place. The chances are good: each religion is entitled to two public holidays that are recognized throughout the island.

Singapore is one of the richest cities in the world. Despite all the luxury on show, daily life in Singapore is strongly affected by the ethnic traditions of its residents. Hindu temples (pictured here: the Sri Mariamman Temple), Buddhist temples, mosques and churches are undeniable signs of multicultural coexistence.

Love of good food unites all Singaporeans, no matter what their origins. If you follow the thousands of office workers queuing patiently during their lunch break, you're sure to discover delicious street food, called hawker food here. Hawker Chan Hon Meng's noodle stall in Chinatown was even awarded a Michelin star in 2017. His chicken with soy sauce was a big hit with the inspectors.