Singapore

Few places pack as much into as little space as Singapore. This gleaming city-state at the tip of the Malay Peninsula runs like clockwork, feels impossibly clean and green, and pulls off the neat trick of being both a global financial powerhouse and one of the best-value places on earth to eat well. The postcard shots cluster around Marina Bay. The three-towered Marina Bay Sands looms over the water, and just beside it Gardens by the Bay puts on a nightly light show among its towering Supertrees. Wander the waterfront after dark and you will see why Singapore's night skyline is one of the most photographed in Asia. But the real Singapore lives in its neighbourhoods. Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam each carry their own flavours, temples and street art, a reminder that this is a genuinely multicultural society stitched together from Chinese, Malay, Indian and Peranakan roots. That mix shows up most deliciously in the hawker centres, open-air food courts where you can eat Michelin-recognised chicken rice, laksa and char kway teow for pocket change. Skipping them would be a crime. For families and thrill-seekers, Sentosa Island delivers beaches, cable cars and Universal Studios, all a short ride from downtown. Serious shoppers gravitate to Orchard Road, while the riverside around Clarke Quay comes alive after dark with bars and restaurants strung along the water. A few things smooth the trip. The MRT is fast, spotless and cheap, and it reaches almost everywhere you will want to go, so lean on it rather than taxis. Singapore is famously safe and easy to navigate, but its laws are strict and firmly enforced, so read up on the rules before you arrive. And book the marquee attractions ahead, since queues for the biggest ones can be long. Three days is enough to hit the highlights, graze your way through several hawker centres, and still leave time for a rooftop sunset. It is one of the world's most effortless city breaks, ideal for first-time visitors to Asia, and a genuinely great place to simply eat, wander and marvel at what good planning can build.