Singapore
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Gay Travel Singapore
Singapore has had a conflicted history, with the worldwide narrative driven by images of an incredibly rigid and controlling society: “Dinseyland with the death penalty.” The culture is still very much a conventional one, with religious conservatives comprising nearly fifty percent of civil service jobs. Yet the population is slowly becoming more tolerant of sexual diversity, and the first public Gay Pride festival occurred in 2005.
Singapore is a city-state that was originally founded as a British trading colony in 1819 and is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with 5 million people crowded on this small island.
Since independence in 1965, the country has become one of the world’s richest and most prosperous, growing into an international hub as the world’s busiest port. Visitors can expect a clean, orderly and, with nearly half of the local population foreign-born, surprisingly diverse society. Indian, Malay, Chinese and Indonesian can be heard at varying decibels throughout the compact city.
Getting around Singapore is virtually effortless, with its small size, inexpensive taxis and ramrod efficient metro system. Riverside is the city’s civic core, a lovely district along the water that showcases Singapore’s colonial past. Here there are the many museums, such as the Asian Civilizations Museum, restaurants, cafés, and the photo-worthy Merlion Park: A giant mermaid lion that jets water out of its mouth into the Marina. Stretching out from the core is Orchard Road, an endless parade of capitalism and commerce. The financial prosperity has clearly freed up some disposable income, leading some to call this city-state the “only shopping mall with a seat at the UN.”
Singapore’s immaculate streets, filled with bustling citizens, epitomizes modern efficiency and is quite the sight to behold!