Once an outpost of British imperialism, Singapore was made wealthy by a free trade policy, established by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819. Prosperity remains, though beware of a casual sip of water, or food, from the wrong place. And don't even consider chewing gum or smoking there: the former is even banned from the country.

No doubt because of strict penalties, one of the first things that strikes you about Singapore is how clean everything is. That, and the heat. Its close proximity to the equator means the day temperatures in Singapore rarely drop below the 30s and the nights below the 20s. When it rains, it rains heavily - but it'll still be warm.

The first thing to do is get a Singapore Sling at Raffles Hotel. These cherry brandy cocktails are $17 (about £5) and the Long Bar in this fantastic testament to colonialism remains open until the early hours so it is perfect for time-disorientated travellers. Exploring the regional districts of the city can give a flavour of how multi-cultural and diverse Singapore can be. Wandering through Chinatown, Little India and the Arab Quarter provides one impressive place of worship after another.

The Sultan Mosque and Sri Mariamman Temple are two particularly spectacular sights. In January Chinatown is a hive of activity as shops are extravagantly decorated in anticipation of the Chinese new year.

In a city of skyscrapers, impressive views of the island are in abundance. Taking the speedy lift to the top of Swisstel offers a view of the boat quay.

Alternatively, ride the high cable car (glass-bottomed ones available for a few more Singapore dollars) to the holiday resort island of Sentosa with a host of dubious attractions such as the musical fountain and Volcanoland - an historical theme-ride done on an excruciatingly tight budget.

Sentosa also boasts three beaches, artificially created, with palm trees, hammocks and a gentle tide.

To the north of the island is the Bukit Timah Reserve, a small area of rainforest that houses many of Singapore's birds and the Mandai orchid gardens. Nearby is the Singapore Zoological Gardens which, preferring moats to cages, is one of the world's few open zoos.

It is possible to share breakfast or afternoon tea with some of the animals, or take a night safari and view their nocturnal activities. However you choose to spend your day, there is no better place to go at night than Boat Quay.

Run the gauntlet of waiters and choose from Singapore's variety of mouth-watering delicacies, including a local speciality - chillied crabs. In several establishments, the unfortunate crustacean will often be tethered outside and crawling towards you. Once settled, enjoy the view as Singapore's sky-scraping buildings tower over you.