With the first hint of spring in the air and the cherry blossoms beginning to bloom, it’s the perfect time to take a step back and appreciate Japan for what it offers… five consecutive days of holidays and a chance to leave Japan and travel abroad. In other words, Golden Week is upon us once again! Last year took me on adventures throughout Hong Kong and China. This year took me a little further south to explore the Lion City – Singapore. With an unprecedented 10 days off (in Japanese standards), Eliza and I decided to travel down to this exotic Asian city-state to taste the food and see the sights.

We spent a total of four days in this hot, equatorial city, each day offering a bounty of sunshine, beautiful weather… and oppressive humidity. Singapore is infamous for its stringent rules such as being fined for jaywalking, spitting, or chewing gum. As one touristy T-shirt said, “Singapore is a FINE city.” In reality, some were jaywalking left, right, and everywhere (despite the signs politely asking to use the crosswalks) and other were just finding clever nooks and corners to spit. It does, however, live up to its reputation for cleanliness, comparative to Japan.

We explored our surroundings and took in famous landmarks on our first day – the durian-esque Espalanade theatre hall, the trendy nightlife area of Clarke Quay, and the famous Merlion fountain, the symbol of the city. Having grown up in northern climates, the heat and humidity quickly took a toll on us, sapping our strength and producing a constant sheen of sweat. Being an equatorial country, the temperature rarely drops below 30°C. The only safe-havens were the cool, air-conditioned confines of the hostel or one of the many shopping malls that dot the city.

Singapore is one of the largest, wealthiest cities in SE Asia. Being so, it’s no surprise that it attracts many kinds of people from all different cultures to live and work. This is evident in the widespread use of English as the de facto language of communication, but it’s not uncommon for a typical Singaporean to know two, or three different languages. It was interesting being an Asian tourist when shop-keepers addressing us would switch from Mandarin, to Cantonese, to Malay before realizing we spoke English. The diversity of cultures also brings with it a unique blend of asian cuisines, and the Singaporeans love their food! The plentiful “Hawker stalls”, as outdoor food courts are called, are the cheapest and the easiest way to sample the variety of foods Singapore has to offer, whether you feel like Chinese congee, Indian briyani, or spicy Malaysian mee goreng noodles. The mix in cultures also brings with it religious diversity. In certain parts of the city can you find a Buddhist temple, Catholic church, Islamic mosque and Hindu temple all within walking distance.

Being a rich, affluent nation and tourist destination, Singapore had plenty of tourist attractions to offer. In the southern-most tip of the country is a small island entirely dedicated to family attractions – Sentosa Island. Eliza and I spent an entire day on Sentosa, spending a half-day at the newly opened Universal Studios Singapore before exploring the different sites, including a second Merlion statue with a brilliant, multi-colored tiled walkway called the Merlion Walk. On Silosa beach, with its fine sand and dotted with palm trees, can you find the famous aquarium and historical Fort Silosa. As the sun set, we walked the length of the beach to ride the famous night luge with its rainbow-hued lighting, making it feel like you’re in Mariokart on Rainbow Road.

Our time in Singapore was amazing. Even with four days of exploring, we weren’t able to visit the sites we wanted to go to on the outskirts of the city, like the infamous Night Safari or Bird Sanctuary. Whether it’s from the amazing variety of delicious food to the friendly locals to the endless amounts of things to see, Singapore is definitely a city worth visiting.