There’s nothing quite like Singapore — with its compact little island form, a unique blend of traditional eastern and future-esque western influences has made it one of the more popular tourist destinations in the last decade or so. Singapore consists of one main island, plus the surrounding 60+ islets around it.

To be completely fair with other countries, I do mean “nothing quite like Singapore” in a way that says it’s different, like how every country and culture is different; I’m just here to highlight some of the things I liked there during my last trip.

The first thing you’ll notice in Singapore is how spotless and new everything seems to be — people here uphold and enforce their laws with such vigilance, that, you may find yourself getting spanked (literally!) for being caught with a cigarette in a no-smoking zone! (Or so I’ve heard.) While that may scare you, a little research on customs and policies of Singapore really won’t hurt, and will probably save you the trouble.

So you’ve seen the Merlion. Big whoop. Aside from the shopping, that big mythological-creature hybrid, you think you’ve seen all that Singapore has to offer? Think again — there’s so much more:

Night Safari – The first of its kind in the world, the Night Safari is the first-ever nocturnal zoo, and is quite a popular tourist spot in Singapore. Rather than traditional nocturnal houses that reverse the animal’s sleeping patterns to an enclosed location that simulates the dark, this is a full, open-air zoo that is only open at night time. It is divided into eight geographical zones, each one representing a natural habitat for whichever animal is contained there. Rather than trapping the animals in cages, the animals are separated from tourists by barriers, further emphasizing the illusion that they are in their rightful habitat. Visitors can explore on foot, or on a 45-minute tram ride, seeing which animals are asleep, and which ones stay up late after dark.

Underwater World – Over at Sentosa Island in Singapore, is one of the largest oceanariums in Asia — a house for more than 2,500 marine life of 250 different species. A quick ride on the 83-meter long travelator gives you a glimpse of a dazzling array of marine life like dolphins, sharks, eels and various coral reefs, either from Singapore, or from nearby waters. A quaint little attraction in the Singapore Underwater World is the Dolphin Lagoon, home to some Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, also known as “pink dolphins.” They offer visitors a daily dolphin show, plus the chance to interact with the friendly critters. Although for that you’d have to pay another ticket, but at least you get a photo with the dolphin!

Amphibious Donald – If you’re new to Singapore, then this ride is definitely not to be missed! The first (and only) amphibious theme tour in Asia, Singapore presents — the Duck Tour! Not only is this the first land-to-water tourist ride, the ride is also of historic origin! The Duck Bus, as it is called, is a converted Vietnam amphibious war craft. The land ride is bumpy, but as soon as you hit the water, it’s (pardon the pun) pretty much smooth sailing from there.

So there you have it, a couple of my top favorite Singapore tour-related things. That’s not to mention that Singapore sports roads that are pretty much traffic-free, plus the shopping district is always a plus.