It seems a little weird that a city over 75% Chinese should boast a Chinatown – it’s a bit like referring to the “English quarter” of London.

Singapore’s Colonial District has undergone a major facelift.

Centre of the precinct is the vast Padang, a cricket field surrounded by Empress Place Building, the original Parliament Buildings and the Singapore Cricket Club.

The giant Historical Museum has recently undergone a complete refurbishment.

A walk through Kampong Gelam, with its exotically-named rabbit-warren of streets with names such as Kandahar Street, Muscat Street, Bagdad Street, Arab Street and Haji Lane, reveals some of Singapore’s most hidden secrets.

It is well worth exploring some of the shops in Bussorah Street (named after Basra, in Iraq),  including the Malay Art Gallery, also known as the “House of Kris” (the kris is an elaborately embellished Malay metal dagger).

The little-known Katong district on Singapore's main island, centred around Joo Chiat Street, is not far from Changi International Airport.

The precinct was originally home to the first Peranakan settlers, who arrived from China from the 17th Century onwards. They married local Malays and Portuguese immigrants, and the resulting racial mix is one of the most intriguing in Asia.

The easiest access to “Little India” is via the new Little India MRT (subway) station, on the NE line.

Outside the station, Tekka Market supplies fresh fish, meats and vegetables to shoppers from all over Singapore, with a cluster of excellent hawker-food stalls opposite.

But for the real atmosphere of India, venture into Campbell Lane, where flower-garland makers ply their trade.

Just offshore from Singapore’s southern coast, Sentosa Island makes a welcome break – though a great deal of discretion is required to separate the gems from the dross, the tacky and the sheer underweheming.

The best things, such as the excellent beaches, are free.

Take in the stunning views from the highrise Rasa Sentosa Resort, or ride to the top of Carlsberg Sky Tower, Asia’s highest observation tower.

The restored Fort Siloso, a cannon battery during World War II, is also well worth a visit.