Skyline full of stars

Singapore offers travellers a heady mix of city life, tasty cuisine and green space

- Ellen Jenne

Dispel any preconceptions about Singapore - it's not what you think.

Where “Aussies stop off to defrost” after escaping the cold of Europe for the warm shores of home? A popular layover spot? A concrete jungle filled with suits?

The only thing I knew about the country was its aversion for chewing gum and its penchant for cleanliness. Maybe so, but the Singapore I found is full of colour and flora, with a climate that changes with the wind.

Some 47% of the island country is still designated as green space, and even though there are plans for development, you can't escape the marriage of nature and modernity.

A busy business district flanked by the harbour and the unmissable Gardens by the Bay and historic Chinatown marries the cultures of Singapore's heritage perfectly. The Urban Redevelopment Authority carefully curated the country to make it fit for the future. Everything works seamlessly.

We spent the first day wandering through the Botanic Gardens' National Orchid Garden, getting up close and personal with flowers bred for visiting dignitaries. The Royal Family, several high-ranking politicians, and others were given their own special breed.

A prime example of Singapore's vision is the Gardens by the Bay, where the shores light up under the Supertree Grove’s Garden Rhapsody.

But for a real step into nature, Bollywood Farm in Kranji, led by a force of nature Ivy Singh, offers an education for any budding botanist under the tropical rain.

Although the country tries to disincentivise people from driving, offering efficient public transport, a great way to get a whistle-stop tour is by motorbike and sidecar.

Whizzing around the city centre on roads in the Singapore Grand Prix's Street circuit, even the rain could not dim the joy I experienced.