Singapore in seven stops

The Southeast Asian city state is only slightly bigger than Lake Taupo but is packed with sights, shopping and culture.

When planning a trip to Asia, most of us overlook Singapore for the perennial favourites like Thailand and Bali.

But the tiny island nation – only slightly bigger than Lake Taupo – is packed with sights, culture, shopping and attractions that are some of the best in the region.

But there’s another reason it should be firmly on your holiday radar: the greenery.

The country’s ditched its ‘‘Garden City’’ tagline in favour of ‘‘City in a Garden’’.

It’s sounds a bit dreamy – yet it’s actually turning into a reality.

The city has some of the most spectacular Avatar-like gardens in the world right in the CBD. In fact, almost 50 per cent of the small island, packed with 5.5 million people, is now considered a green zone.

Here’s what you can’t miss:

Cloud Forest and Flower Dome

You’ll find two of the biggest glasshouses in the world as part of Gardens by the Bay. Inside the Flower Dome are hundreds of thousands of flowers and exotic plants that will consume a flower-lover for hours.

In the other dome, you’ll walk into a huge cloud of mist – created by the biggest indoor waterfall in the world. The waterfall is atop of a giant garden hill, and you can reach the top via a suspended boardwalk which snakes in and out of the forest.

Gardens by the Bay

This is no ordinary garden – it’s like walking around a real-life Avatar set in central Singapore. The centrepiece of the park is what’s called ‘‘supertrees’' huge vertical gardens that are up to 16 storeys high. They have thousands of plants living in them, to give the impression of one massive tree. Each night thousands of people gather at the supertrees for a dazzling light show – and it’s free.

ArtScience Museum

In our two previous trips to Singapore, we gave this a miss – purely because it grabbing a bargain. By night, lines of Chinese lanterns create a beautiful glow as the streets turn into a giant food court with sizzling satay on every corner.

Marina Bay Sands

Breakfast with orangutans is a special - and educational - experience.