If you have ever dreamed about the wonders of Asia, Singapore may have crossed your mind. But what does Singapore have to make you book that flight without thinking? Yes, Singapore has it all. It has the brands to shop till you drop. It has exquisite Asian and international cuisine. It has lush vegetation that goes together with a sophisticated urban city. But more than that, it has a remarkable past while embracing modernity and luxury. To get a glimpse of that, let's look at three iconic landmarks of Singapore - Marina Bay Sands, the Merlion and Raffles Hotel, that will spark your desire to be there, in Singapore.
The true story of Marina Bay Sands
The question that comes to mind when we think about Marina Bay Sands is if it is just another luxury resort. But Marina Bay Sands is more than that. It has astounding architecture. The three towers united at the top resemble a boat. But that was not the idea for building Marina Bay Sands. As told to CNN by its architect, Moshe Safdie, the idea was simply to make sure that the building would not block the views of the sea from the city. Hence the three towers give enough space around to enjoy the views.
Another interesting fact disclosed by Safdie is that the concept of a vast resort would just not fit the scarcity of land available for the project. Thus, the high-rise building. It comprises 57th stories. The top floor has an amazing sky terrace with unlimited views from an infinity pool that is by far the largest in the world. But there is another feature that is worth noting. Safdie has also told CNN that the sky park is asymmetrical because it brings better Feng Shui. An auspicious one. This makes Marina Bay Sands a building that captures our imagination and takes luxury to new heights.
One remark. If you are not a guest of the hotel, you cannot swim at the infinity pool at the top of the hotel. But you can for sure head to the public observation deck and have a glimpse of the skyline. One thing is certain. It will be dazzling. Even though this resort is not a beach resort, for sure it attracts many tourists’ attention. Or just anyone who is not afraid of heights! And after exploring this luxury resort, the next best place to visit in Singapore may be the Merlion statue placed in Merlion Park. This statue is no more than the very symbol of Singapore and you will want to be there.
What's behind the Merlion Statue?
Merlion Park spans an area of 2,500 acres from where you can see the gigantic original Merlion statue, an iconic landmark of Singapore. There you will find three Merlion statues. The original statue is as tall as 8.6 meters and weighs 70 tonnes. To make the Merlion statue even more impressive is that from its mouth arises a perfect curved line of water landing in the river. And this statue is not a recent one. It was unveiled on the 15th of September 1972, to be more exact. And due credit must be given to Lim Nang Seng, the sculptor of the statue, and Kwan Sai Kheong, the designer. Both Singaporeans.
What you may not know is that the original Merlion statue was not always there, at Merlion Park. On 23 April 2002, the statue was moved from the mouth of the Singapore River 120 meters away. To the Merlion Park. Interestingly, a long time had passed before this relocation in 2002. It was 1997 and the Esplanade Bridge was completed. What many realized is that this new construction was somehow blocking the view of the Merlion statue. It was clear that something had to be done. So, in 2002, the Merlion statue was officially where it is today. In the Merlion Park. The statue today overlooks Marina Bay and when night comes, the statue lights up. It is a magical moment you will never forget.
Another intriguing fact is that the Merlion statue faces east. This could be a random fact, but it is not. Everything has a meaning and this is no exception. You may be surprised but, in Chinese culture, Feng Shui is a way of life. And the Merlion statue faces east because it is auspicious and brings good luck. But this statue is not alone. Two smaller replicas of the Merlion sculpture stand just behind. They are 2 meters tall and weigh 3 tonnes each. A curiosity. These two statues are considered the cub of the original Merlion statue.
But after you have seen a Merlion statue you cannot avoid questioning yourself why there is so much interest in that statue. After all, it is an extremely strange creature. It has the head of a lion and the body of a fish. But there is more than meets the eye. It isn't just a statue made to strangely impress visitors alike. It represents Singapore itself. And how is that? Let's see. First, the head of a Lion. What does it really mean? The answer is simple. In Malay, Singa Pura stands for the city of the lion. Now you understand why the name of the country is Singapore. But what about the body of a fish? This has a deep meaning that goes back in time. A point where Singapore was just a small fishermen's village. All of this makes us think of the origins of Singapore and this only reminds us that to truly know the present, we must look into the past.
Now you may be thinking that this is it. That there are no other Merlion statues across Singapore, but no. They are everywhere. Well, not exactly everywhere. You can find another one at the Tourism Court, on Grange road. Another one is located at Mount Faber. A pair of replicas are at the entrance of a car park in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1. There was another one standing in Sentosa, Singapore’s own island. But it was sadly demolished last to be seen on 20th October 2019. It had an impressive height of 37 meters!
But if you cannot take your photo next to the gigantic Merlion sculpture in Sentosa, you can still take a photo next to a Merlion statue. The original. And this is probably the best photo you will take home with you. Next, you will discover one of the oldest and most enigmatic hotels in Singapore. The Raffles Hotel.
The colonial legacy of Raffles Hotel
Raffles hotel is the oldest colonial-style hotel that stood the test of time in Singapore. Today, it may seem like a luxury hotel everyone wants to stay in. The truth is that the Raffles hotel is more than a luxury hotel. It is a landmark of a past that began in 1887. It was built by the Sarkies Brothers, who were Armenian. The curious fact is that they could have given it any name they could conceive, but no. They decided to honour the founder of Singapore, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. But this is not when it all truly began. Its history can be traced as far as the 1830s.
By then, it was simply a privately owned beach house. But in 1878 became a hotel. It was named Emerson's Hotel. Near the beach, with high-end services and rooms, everything was set to make this a hotel very sought after by the wealthy. With that in mind, on the 1st of December 1887, Raffles Hotel was officially opened. With mere ten rooms! Meanwhile, in 1894, the hotel could accommodate 75 guests.
Fast forward, the Raffles hotel became a national monument in 1987. Exactly one century later since its grand opening! And it is remarkable how expensive was its renovation in 1989. It cost $160M. And the result is astonishingly stunning. The style of the Raffles hotel resembles today the style of the hotel of 1915. Hotel rooms were upgraded to suites and the famous Long Bar was open. This is where the official national drink, Singapore Sling was invented.
Today the Raffles hotel is a luxury hotel that hosts not only celebrities but all of those who can afford to stay in such a hotel with so much history. If you simply cannot afford such luxury, you still can dine or have a drink in this hotel. It will be expensive but it will be worth every cent.
And how can you reach such a unique hotel? Well, you can take a short walk from the modern MRT station of City Hall and the Raffles City Shopping Centre, and you will be there. The thing is, today it is very easy to think about the shopping malls, the restaurants and the nightlife in Singapore. But the Raffles hotel is there to remind everyone that Singapore has a history and a colonial past worth to be seen and experience.
Now that you know more about what makes Singapore so special, you just have one thing left to do - to board that airplane and get there. One thing is for sure. You will never ever forget this small little island located somewhere between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. So pack your bags and head to Singapore! You won't regret it.
