The Customs’ formalities over, a Singapore Tourism Board guide accords us a warm welcome. He is Dino Maniam, a Tamil whose grandfather migrated to Singapore in 1929. He is an Indian Singaporean married to a Japanese girl. As we drive down the emergency runway divided into two roads by pots of bougainvillaeus and palm trees. Dino gives us a brief about the city. It has five highways. About 25 per cent of the city is built on reclaimed land. As we talk there is a click sound on the small TV screen near the steering wheel. We are passing under an "ECP" gadget. This is how road tax (chungi) is collected. Within minutes we reach our destination—The Grand Plaza Hotel.

A cup of Chinese tea, a quick shower and we are out again. Some festival or the other is always on . It is food festival time. We savour prawns at Mezza 9 of the Grand Hyatt. The ambience is perfect.

Out in the open four towering buildings stand out. They are the Suntec Towers or the four fingers. It is a tall building with a rounded shape stands out as the thumb. In the centre of this symbolic open hand is the 'fountain of wealth'. Visitors take three rounds of the fountain extending their hands into the cascading water. It is a sort of wishing fountain. And as we watch the number of those making the rounds seems endless. Most of them appear to be Japanese tourists. Linking this area is the City Link market. It is a kilometre-long shopping paradise where one can buy just about anything.

A breather at the hotel and we are out for a date with the animals of the night safari. It is 7.10 p.m. . The road is dotted with cars heading for the northern end of the city. The modern skyscrapers give way to greenery as a fascinating story begins to unfold in a densely forested area.

A large number of tourists, including four Indian families, queue up for the tram car ride through the night safari. The route is lit up by more than 2000 specially developed incandescent fittings that retain the twilight spirit of the rain forest. The vast protected rain forest is home to animals from Asia, South America and South Africa. They appear to be roaming in vast habitats.

The repeated cries of the cricket seem to break the eerie silence as the commentator says: "And, now be alert, do not let your arms hang out." Two hyenas are having a close look at the tramload of human cargo. The roar of a lion heralds the approach of royal territory. And then a child shouts: Papa oh dekho. He has spotted a pair of wolves. The Punjabi accent is clear. They are the Khannas from Ludhiana. This is their first visit to Singapore. And going by the enthusiasm generated, it could be their dream destination. "It is something different", says Mr Khanna.

Adding to the haunting effect are the jungle trees and vegetation providing a dramatic backdrop. Some of the trees tower over 40 metres above the park. Whether it is the Asiatic lion,the massive Burmese gaur, the beautiful African bongo, the Malayan tiger, the tall giraffes or the diminutive boldly striped bonded civet, they all seem to be roaming freely.

The tramride over, the enthusiastic Singapore Tourism Board guide leads us on a fishing cat trail. And true enough, two big cats are sitting on the edge of a rock. And as we approach, one seems to pounce and lo and behold a struggling fish is in its claws.

The walking trails provide the most intimate interaction between man and nature. A stroll through the dense jungle by way of a suspension bridge emphasises the majesty of the 'forest giants trail'. Reaching skyward above the floor of the forest, rare tropical hardwoods provide a protective canopy for the plants flourishing below.

The leopard, torsier and the mangrove walk with free-flying bats are the highlights of the 'leopard trail'. A night's rest and we are ready for the prata (parantha) breakfast with the birds at 8.30 a.m.. The venue is the Jurong Bird Park's songbird terrace overlooking a lake dotted with flamingos. Three coloured macaws (big parrots) fly in to perform acrobatics on rope ladders and cycles. And as the pelicans join in the act, the enthusiastic spectators, most of them Japanese, savour an ensemble of freshly made pratas. This local pancake is an adaptation of the Indian parantha. One can have cheese pratas, banana pratas, peanut pratas and kimchi pratas.

Leaving the deafening cry of the macaws behind, we step into a monorail on the bird track. We see emus, ostriches and causary. And as we proceed we come across a small peacock-like bird, it is the crowned pigeon. We break journey after the first phase and trudge it out on foot in the well-laid out bird park which is home to 8,000 birds from 600 species, all housed in simulated habitats. The park's collection of hornbill and toucan is the world's biggest. Besides there are the hummingbirds, nocturnal kiwis and of course a whole range of colourful parrots.

And then, we come face to face with the biggest man-made waterfall. The water plunges over the top of a towering cliff from a height of 100 ft (over 30 metres). The water is recirculated through a meandering stream that cascades down over successive levels through the water aviary. Stage performances by birds are held at regular intervals at selected spots. Cranes bowing to each other, dancing storks and stunt flying by hawks are some of the attractions of the stage shows.

At another park the largest hornbill flies amongst the seated audience. And then macaws join in the act flying over the heads of the spectators letting out a loud cry. The show comes to an end.

It has turned quite humid. The tropical afternoon is overbearing. We head for Snow City where we are told the temperature is below freezing point.

Set up by the Singapore Science Centre and the NTUS Income, Snow City has an airlock which is the gateway to the snow-covered area of Snow City. It serves as an area that acclimatises the body before entering the minus-five-degree temperature snow chamber. The Sales and Marketing Executive, Ms Toh Lay Ling, asks us to wear jackets and boots as we enter the chamber. The temperature is -5. A two-minute walk inside and we are shivering. The snow-covered slope extends the entire length of Snow City, rising from the ground level and going up to almost three storeys.

How is this snow produced?

The answer: " The process begins at the snow tank. First water is atomised using high pressure compressed air. When it arrives at the gun it is pushed through nozzles located at the end of the gun barrel. Then liquid nitrogen, which evaporates at an extremely low temperature (minus 190 degree Celsius) is also passed through the snow gun. The extreme coldness causes the fine mist of water to snap freeze instantly into snowflakes. Snow is captured in the snow tank and distributed to the ski-slope, which is three storeys high, and to other areas with the help of a snow blower."

After an afternoon siesta we make our way to the famed Sentosa beach. Amid the setting sun we take a ride on the cable car—destination Sentosa, where a treasure trove of recreational facilities waits to be discovered. The massive head of the "Merlion" (half-lion half-mermaid) can be spotted when we are barely halfway through the cable car ride. The merlion reflects the legend how the city got its name (Singhpura) . It is also a tribute to Singapore's history of 'Temasek', the ancient sea town. As darkness deepens, the mythical creature's 320 scales glow in five different shades.We make our way through the treasure trove tunnel to reach the merlion. This is when the spirit of Sentosa seems to come alive.

A little girl clings to her mother as an artificial skeleton appears from nowhere. Weird ghostly noises reverberate in the tunnel. There are sounds of ships being attacked by pirates. The experience is really scary. At the end of the tunnel a lift takes us to the mouth of the massive merlion. This is the place one can have a good view of the harbour where ships dock at regular intervals.

The next to come is the light-and-sound programme at the park in front of the merlion. The colourful programme with the fountains and light unfolding the story of Singapore is a big hit with the tourists. For fun-seekers and sports lovers Sentosa island is the place to be in.

Leaving the merlion behind we head for Sentosa's prize attraction—the underwater world. It is a voyage to the bottom of the ocean. The journey begins with sandy beaches and shallow rock pools at the water's edge. Then begins the descent as we pass brightly coloured corals and all kinds of exotic ocean dwellers along the way. The underwater tunnel is the spot we are waiting for. This 83-metre long acrylic tunnel takes us to the unknown depths of the ocean—the home to great shoals of fish, prowling predators and a host of other creatures.

Carrying small torches to attract the predators, we step on to the travellator which moves at a slow speed. A leopoard shark appears from nowhere. The torchlight attracts it to the tunnel. We are face to face with the the most dreaded of sharks. The jaws hiding the menacing teeth seem to rub against the tunnel wall that separates us. Then the predator moves on. The guide accompanying us says the jaws of the leopard shark and nurse shark are so strong that they actually crush their prey. As he tells us, a nurse shark glides past.

Then a slender soft branch grasps one end of the tunnel, and disappears in a dark spot on the side. We focus our torches, and lo and behold it is an octopus. What a sight! We get down from the travellator to have a closer view. The octopus senses trouble and in a flash disappears in the darkness beyond.

The underwater world is the only aquarium in the world outside Japan where visitors are able to explore the wonders of the ocean at night. It has been a late night. But the amazing proximity at which we have viewed the sharks and other denizens of the deep blue is an experience worth any number of late nights.

The next day we are transported into the world of Hamadryas Baboons; It is a journey into the wild natural setting of the Great Rift Valley of Ethiopia. It is an educational tour into the 8000 square metre area, which stands out as the main attraction of the Singapore Zoo. Occupying an area of 28 hectares, it is home to 2,800 animals of 266 species. The open concept of the zoo is to be seen to be believed.The animals are kept in landscaped enclosures, separated from the visitors by dry or wet moats. The moats are concealed with vegetation or dropped below the line of vision.

As we arrive, it is breakfast time with the orang utan. An Australian girl dares to go on the stage to shake hands with the primate. And in another surprise, a Japanese tourist volunteers on to the stage for the surprise item. He ends up wearing a garland of a big python. In the primates section, the Great Rift Valley stands out. The entrance to one of the enclosures is a village gate decorated with oxen sculls. A tour of this superbly crafted enclosure is an attempt by the zoo authorities to make the visitor appreciate the often misunderstood Ethiopia. The Hamadryas Baboons are born with a black fur coat, which starts to turn brown after four months.

As we watch through the glass viewing panel, a male baboon troops right up to the glass and gives us a penetrating stare. The expressive eyes are intriguingly human-like.

We encounter the Nubian ibex, the banded mongoose, the rock hyrax, the blackbacked jackal as we weave our way through the hilly outcrops and amidst stonewalled and thatched-roofed huts.

The zoo has a lot to offer. A walk through the Treetops Trail at the entrance, a visit to the fragile forest, a walk through the reptile exhibits and polar bears having their feed. The Seletar reservoir gives a tranquil backdrop to the African landscape which has a collection of 10 animal species. And amongst them is the cheetah. Majestic big cats like the jaguar, the leopard and the lion roam in glass-fronted enclosures, skillfully landscaped to simulate their natural habitat. These ferocious animals are so close that we can even count their whiskers.

After a two-hour tour of a place that can easily take two days, we head for the botanical gardens. And within an hour we are inside the national orchid garden. In the VIP enclosure occupying a pedestal table in the centre is the "dendrobian" named Neha planted by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. The plant has started blooming with petals of a pink hue. Among the other VIP plants are "Vanda" planted by Usha Narayanan, wife of the President of India., and a dendrobian planted by Benazir Bhutto.

At the Raffles Tiffin Room, we savour Indian cuisine served in thalis,. The chief chef is Yogesh Arora, a Punjabi from Delhi. He won a bronze medal in the 13th Food and Hotel Asia for a three-course ethnic Asian meal.

Along Marina Bay a twin-dome structure stands out. It is the "Esplanade—Theatres on the Bay" which sits on six hectares of prime waterfront land. On October 12, the Esplanade will open her doors to the world. It will house all art forms with a promise to "entertain, engage, educate and inspire."

It has been a hectic day. But a boat ride on the Singapore River attracts us. Then follows a half-hour river cruise on a traditional gunboat. The lively commentary gives us information as we experience life along the Singapore River.

We still have a day set aside for the Orchard Road, Little India and Chinatown.

The vibrant tree-lined boulevard teems with life as we visit Orchard Road.Bursting with the latest lifestyle and fashion trends, this market is a shoppers' paradise. It is a hit with the well-heeled and the budget-conscious. Singapore's oldest Hindu temple—Sri Mariammam Temple— stands out as the gateway to Chinatown. This road is the traditional location for goldsmiths, pawn shops and Chinese medical shops. In the basement of Chinatown complex we stumble upon stalls selling potent herbs and exotic meals such as turtles, frogs and snakes. A maze of small units selling everything from mahgong tiles and Chinese periodicals to CDs , computer games, clothes and steelware inhabit the ground floor. The second floor houses Singapore's best eating houses.

Across the main bus stop on Serangon Road is the Little India arcade. It is a bustling shopping haven. As we move ahead a shopkeeper is doing brisk business in gulab jamuns. A couple of ayurvedic medical shops attract tourists. A paan wallah with his betel leaves piled high is doing brisk business.

A row of Indian craft shops attract a number of visitors, most of them from the South.

But the main centre for the tourists from the north is the Mustafa Centre. I spot two Sikh couples at the mobile phone counter. They are from Delhi. The three-storey shopping complex is the paradise for the bargain hunters. Some of the lowest fixed prices in Singapore are offered here.

As we leave the Mustafa Centre, it is check-in time for our Singapore Airlines flight to Delhi. We head for the airport.