Singapore

Discover Singapore

Fun Foods

Hainanese Chicken Rice, Satay, Roti Prata, Kaya Toast, Char Kway Teow, Chili Crab, Laksa, Ice Kacang

Most countries fight hard to become independent. Singapore is one of the only countries that became independent by being kicked out.

In 1965, the much larger country of Malaysia voted to remove Singapore. Every single lawmaker, all 126 of them, voted yes. Suddenly this tiny island was on its own, whether it wanted to be or not.

Singapore's leader, Lee Kuan Yew, cried on television when he announced the news. The island had almost no natural resources, not even enough fresh water of its own, and many people expected it to fail.

It did the opposite. Within one generation, Singapore became one of the richest and cleanest countries in the world, with one of the busiest ports anywhere.

To see how it got there, go back to 1819. A British official named Stamford Raffles set up a trading post on the island, and because it sat on a perfect spot for passing ships, it grew fast.

People came from China, India, and the Malay world to live and work. That's why Singapore is so wonderfully mixed today, with Chinatown, Little India, and Malay neighborhoods all packed into one small place.

Then came a dark chapter. During World War II, Japan conquered Singapore in 1942 and occupied it for three hard years until 1945.

The British returned afterward, but Singaporeans increasingly wanted to run things themselves. That led to the dramatic split from Malaysia in 1965.

The island's name means "Lion City." Legend says a prince landed here long ago and spotted a lion, though there were probably never lions on the island at all.

You'll still see the Merlion everywhere, a statue that's half lion and half fish. It's become Singapore's mascot.

For sights, Gardens by the Bay is a futuristic park with giant metal "Supertrees" that light up at night. Across the water, Marina Bay Sands looks like a ship balanced on top of three towers.

But the heart of Singapore is its food. Head to a hawker centre, an open-air food court packed with stalls, and order Hainanese chicken rice, the national dish.

Grab some satay too, grilled meat on skewers with peanut sauce. And if your family likes a little heat, the famous dish is chili crab, eaten messily with your hands.