Downtown Singapore is an urban oasis. (SUN/Donald L. Telfer)

SINGAPORE -- If Singapore still conjures up images of leaky Chinese junks, seamy waterfront bars and one-eyed pirates, first-time visitors often are astonished to discover a clean, green island bristling with Western efficiency. In her 30 years of independence -- following 150 years of British domination -- Singapore has shed many of her exotic attractions.

Broad boulevards, towering skyscrapers, luxury hotels, green parks and elegant shops are now all part of a modern Singapore, which changes so rapidly that residents can watch the skyline grow before their eyes.

\"When I go away for a week or two,\" said former Vancouver resident Catherine Wheeler of the Canada Asean Centre in Singapore, \"I find another building has come down for yet another apartment, office or hotel complex.\"

Lion City

The Lion City, at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, is the cleanest, most orderly city anywhere, as well it might be. Anyone, including tourists, caught flicking a cigarette butt, discarding a wad of chewing gum or throwing its wrapper on a street is subject to a fine.

Smoking in a public place is an infraction. Tourists are reminded that penalties are stiff for drug possession. In many instances, it\'s the ultimate penalty: Death.

A tourist is more often reminded about the high cost of owning a car. In order to control congestion on a limited land base, motorists bid for Certificates of Entitlement, which can easily double the price. One of the least-expensive cars, a new Honda Civic, costs about $100,000. A bottom-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz will set you back $250,000.

\"But half the people in Singapore still drive a Mercedes,\" said Rick St-Maurice, a former Air Canada manager who stayed after the airline pulled out of Singapore. \"There are more Mercedes per capita here than in Germany.\"

Tourism is the city-state\'s third biggest industry, after manufacturing and banking, attracting some seven million visitors a year. This makes Singapore a member of an elite group of countries that attract more visitors than its own population.

Singapore has flourished since the day Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles threw open the doors in 1819 for the British to break the Dutch monopoly on trade in Southeast Asia. Said Raffles: \"It is impossible to conceive a place combining more advantages.\"

Situated at the jewelled foot of peninsular Malaysia, Singapore is a lively cross-section of Southeast Asia. The population is comprised of about 78% Chinese, 14% Malay, seven percent Indian, and one percent just about everyone else, including some 2,000 Canadians and 25,000 Americans.

Its geographic location -- a midway point in the shipping lanes between the Middle East and the Far East, and about 140 km north of the equator -- are major factors that contribute to Singapore\'s prosperity. All-English is helpful, as is the tropical climate, with only slight variations year-round of 31C during the day and 25C overnight.

Shopping ranks as one of the major attractions. Products from around the world are available -- from Asian handicrafts to the latest cameras and electronic gear from Japan. The variety is endless but few bargains can be found for budget-conscious shoppers who find that most products are less expensive in North America.

Showcase

Singapore seems to be in a constant state of construction. Much of the old Chinatown has been refurbished or torn down to make way for more towering buildings.

Even the famous Raffles Hotel had a death sentence hanging over it before the government stepped in, remodelled the historic hotel and expanded it into a gleaming new snow-white showcase that may seem a bit overdone. But visitors should still make the hotel a must-see -- or a stopover if $700 a night for Rudyard Kipling\'s suite is within your budget -- and sample a Singapore Sling at the Long Bar where it was created. The buffet lunch at the Bar & Billiard Room is overpriced, though for atmosphere ask for a table near the original billiard table where the last lion in Singapore was shot dead.

On the recommendation of my guide, the next day I had lunch at the Imperial Herbal Restaurant. Located across the street from the Raffles on the third floor of the Metropole Hotel, the Chinese restaurant served the finest delicacies from Tion province in northern China.

Resident herbalist

The resident herbalist, Dr. Li Lian Xing, was visiting his hometown for the Chinese New Year, so there was no one to check my pulse and offer professional advice on the double-boiled snow frog\'s glands with rock sugar that are intended \"to improve your lungs and kidneys, maintain youth and improve complexion.\" I had doubts, though, that they may have gotten along with the Ginseng fruit-germanium tea that was \"an effective energy, heart and blood tonic.\"

For a change of pace, I visited the Singapore Zoological Gardens and had breakfast with Anita, a nine-year-old orangutan. The zoo is unlike any other: Visitors can walk about the immense park while the animals move about their protected domain, confined by natural barriers. Among some of the interesting species are Bengal tigers, Chinese monkeys and Komodo dragons. In the evening, the nearby Night Safari is worth a visit. You may travel through the park in the comfort of a tram to see the animals, or walk along well-marked walkways.

The most popular attraction is Sentosa Island. Not surprisingly, the tiny island is a common escape for Singaporeans. The former British garrison includes golf courses, waterslides and a beautiful golden beach that was imported from Indonesia.

From the beach, you can see some of the 300 ships in port. Super tankers, ocean liners, ferries, schooners, steamers, sampans, freighters and power launches move constantly through the busy harbour.

Singapore commands the Straits of Malacca, and through here flows the economies of Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, on their way to and from the Persian Gulf and from which Singapore itself derives its own economic clout.

Modern Singapore flourishes with growing tourism, a growing skyline and a growing importance as the sounds of ancient cymbals fade off into a busy South China Sea.

If you go:

LOCATION: Singapore is located at the tip of the Malay peninsula in the South China Sea, linked by a causeway to Malaysia.

GETTING THERE: Singapore Airlines operates service from Vancouver, L.A. and New York. Sample fare from Toronto: $1,580 plus tax.

TIME ZONE: Singapore is 13 hours ahead of Toronto.

WHERE TO STAY: Raffles Hotel, 1 Beach Rd., Singapore. Doubles from $700. Metropole Hotel, 41 Seah St., Singapore. Doubles from $85. YMCA International House, 1 Orchard Rd., Singapore. Doubles from $70. (Hotel-like accommodations for men and women.)

TRANSPORTATION: Rental cars are available but, because of congestion, are not recommended unless you are planning to travel to Malaysia. Vehicles travel on the left.

MORE INFO: Singapore Tourism Board, 2 Bloor St. W., Suite 404, Toronto, Ont., M4W 3E2. Call 416-363-8898. Web site: www.singapore-ca.com