Culture

Despite rapid industrialization, the majority of Singapore’s population celebrate major religious holidays. The diversity of religions that exists in Singapore reflects the vast diversity of nations and peoples living here. The Chinese are traditional adherents of Buddhism and Taoism (worship of several deities), although there are also Christians among them. The Malays are almost overwhelmingly Muslim, the majority of Indians living in Singapore are Hindus, although there is a very significant proportion of Muslims and Sikhs among the Hindu population.

Singapore has four official languages: Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and English. English is spoken everywhere, this language unites various ethnic groups. Children are taught in schools in English, but they must learn their native language so as not to lose their roots. The only language problem that English-speaking tourists may have is when communicating with the older generation of Singaporeans who did not study English at school, by the way, it can be useful to learn to understand that peculiar dialect called Singlish and is a combination of English, Malay and Hokkien. Malay is only spoken by members of the Malay community. Chinese dialects (Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese, Haina and Hakka) are spoken by many, especially among older Chinese, but the government’s campaign to introduce Mandarin, the only non-dialect Chinese language, has been very successful, with an increasing number of Chinese now speaking Mandarin even at home. Hindus speak mainly Tamil, although some speak Malayanlam and Hindi.

The older generation of Chinese is very fond of Chinese opera, which is a colorful combination of dialogues, music, singing and dancing. It is an ancient form of theater that reached its peak during the Ming Dynasty in the 14th to 17th centuries. The opera is distinguished by a very complex stylized action; for an unaccustomed European ear, the music sounds like a cacophony. During important holidays, such as the Chinese New Year, there are street performances. During Chinese festivals, you can see the Lion Dance, a spectacular, acrobatic dance. Other performing arts forms include Malay and Indian dances; The liberalization of life in Singapore has led to a flourishing of alternative forms of theatre, but still shopping remains the main cultural activity in Singapore.

Singapore is the food capital of Asia. Here you can enjoy Chinese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian and Western cuisines, and the most delicious dishes can be bought from outdoor stalls. Nonya cuisine is a local variant of Chinese and Malay cuisine, mixing Chinese ingredients with local spices such as lemon stalks and coconut cream. The very popular spicy laksa soup made with coconuts is a classic nona dish. Singapore is a great place to sample all sorts of tropical fruits. The most unusual are nephelium, mangosteen, jackfruit, grapefruit, star fruit.

Religion

Singapore is a real encyclopedia of the religions of the East: Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Hinduism are widespread here. By the way, there are also Christians here – Catholics and Protestants, adherents of Judaism, Zoroastrians… Despite such an impressive diversity of beliefs, Singaporeans peacefully coexist with each other and ethnic strife, religious conflicts are completely alien to this society.

Sports

According to a2zdirectory, most of the most popular sports in Singapore are water related. Canoeing, water skiing, windsurfing and sailing.

Canoeing

Many private traders provide canoeing equipment for hire. They are located in Chengji, East Coast Park and Sentosa Island. Working hours from 9 am to 6 pm daily. A single canoe costs 6 to 10 SGD and a double canoe costs 8 to 12 SGD.

Diving

Most local diving schools run courses sanctioned by NAUI or PADI, two internationally recognized diving associations. Day and night you can enjoy diving as well as sports in Malaysian waters.

Water skiing

All water ski centers are open from 9 am to 5.30 pm (including weekends). Costs range from 65 to 85 SGD per hour.

Golf

With great weather throughout the year, Singapore is the perfect destination for golfers. You can play golf at almost any time of the day or night, as some golf clubs are also open in the evenings.

Bowling

Singapore has over 200 bowling alleys, each with over 20 lanes. Most bowling centers open as early as 9 am or closer to 13-14 hours, although there are some 24-hour centers, mainly in the Marina South area. Prices range from 2 to 3.8 SGD per game.

Cycling

Biking is quite a convenient way to get around, as bike paths connect many parts of the island. Bicycles can be rented from a variety of public parks, including East Coast Park, Sentosa, Pasir Rees, and Bishan.

Horse racing

Real races, as well as live television broadcasts from Malaysian races, can be enjoyed at the Singapore Racecourse in Kranji. Visitors must abide by a strict dress code. Shorts, T-shirts and flip flops are not allowed in public areas. Currently, races are held on Fridays from 19.00 and on Saturday and Sunday from 14.30.