Founded in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles as a British trading station, today this affluent country is a leading financial hub with the world’s nicest airport and busiest port. A bridge between East and West, Singapore enjoys political stability, a central location in Southeast Asia and a tropical climate—the city is within a rainforest just one degree from the equator. Modern and dynamic, Singapore is a value destination for Americans, who are in the top 10 among annual visitors, thanks to an exchange rate where one U.S. dollar gains one and a half Singapore dollars. It’s the smallest country in Southeast Asia at just 250 square miles—a third the size of Rhode Island, but Singapore is the most densely populated country in the world.

With a population of nearly four and half million, it doesn’t feel hectic because it is so orderly, compact and spotless — real pluses for the jet-lagged visitor. A compelling blend of East and West, you’ll find exotic pockets of Old Singapore amidst the gleaming skyscrapers of New Singapore and the air-conditioned comfort of the MRT, the city’s immaculate, air-conditioned subway.

The comfortable, centrally located Swissôtel Stamford, a high-rise with sweeping views of not-so-distant Indonesia and Malaysia, is the perfect home-away-from home; ask for a room on the concierge level which includes a full breakfast and nightly happy hour.

Few realize just what a microcosm of Asia the country is, a multicultural melting pot with large Chinese, Malay and Indian populations. There’s no better place to experience its diversity than in its neighborhoods and its food. Ask a Singaporean to name her favorite restaurant and she is invariably stumped. “We are spoiled for choice,” is a common reply to the question of where to eat. In Singapore the two championship activities seem to be shopping and eating -- and they are often linked. When I wasn’t shopping at Takashimaya Department Store or one of the many other malls along Orchard Road, a turbocharged version of Rodeo Drive, or antiquing at Tanglin Village, I was noshing.

During my visit, preparations for Chinese New Year were underway. Baked pineapple tarts topped with cheese were my favorite nibbles, traditionally brought to homes of friends you visit, but there are many to choose from at stores and stands throughout the city. Do not miss a meal at Maxwell Hawker Center, one of several government-created “malls.” Stroll from stall after stall with a mouth-watering and bewildering variety of dishes. Look for the queue. I tried delicious Hainese chicken rice, sautéed baby bok choy and fried oyster cakes. For a more upscale experience, try the phenomenal buffet lunch at The Grand Hyatt’s Straits Kitchen, which replicates a market place with show kitchens preparing Indian, Chines and Malay specialties. At the family-run True Blue, a Peranaken (Straits Chinese) restaurant in the Katong neighborhood, the black nut chicken is a luscious delicacy. No visitor to Singapore would dream of missing a Singapore Sling and peanuts at the world-famous Long Bar in the Raffles Hotel. Stay for dinner at the formal, French-inspired Raffles Grill and you might dine on salmon fillet with blinis, pan seared scallops, dover sole and rum raisin parfait. Long Beach Seafood is must-stop for their famed black pepper crabs smothered in soy sauce, good messy eating.

Beyond the table, there are plenty of other diversions in Singapore. Your first stop should be to the comprehensive and fascinating Asian Civilizations Museum, where a broad scope of pan-Asian civilizations is presented in 11 interactive galleries. Strolling Clarke Quay along the Singapore River, you can check out the giant spouting merlion, a lion’s head atop a fish’s body, the city’s symbol. Chinatown, with its original shophouses dating back to the 1840s and traditional herbalists, is fun place to shop for souvenirs; Little India and Arab Street provide additional flavor. Rameh Bebe, in Katong, has been called “a national treasure” for preserving the unique embroidered blouses and hand-beaded shoes of the Peranakan people. It’s fun to play dress-up in her gorgeous shophouse/showroom.

Among the beautiful blooms at The Botanic Gardens, I admired a number of “VIP” orchids named for world figures such as Princess Diana and Nelson Mandela. At dusk, board the tram for The Night Safari — the only open-air, nocturnal zoo in the world—to view hippos, giraffes, elephants, tigers and other night creatures. You can also visit Sentosa Island, a former British military hub and now the city’s nearest weekend getaway. At Spa Botanica where peacocks roam the grounds, I indulged in the three-hour signature spa ritual as a steady rain fell, then ate a multi-course feast at The Cliff (well, a girl’s got to fortify herself, right?!) that included seared foie gras and spring rolls, tuna tartare, clam risotto, artic char and chocolate gateau with black rice ice cream and melon soup.

As a frequent traveler to Asia, I will plan future excursions to the region to include a few days in this cosmopolitan city, the perfect transition back to the U.S.

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