The durian (Durio zibethinus) is often dubbed “king of tropical fruits” and a native of Southeast Asia. The name “durian” was derived from the Malay word for thorns, duri. The renowned naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace, said this about the fruit: “It is like a ...
The dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) is a tropical fruit that belongs to the climbing cacti (Cactaceae) family. Widely cultivated in Vietnam, the fruit is popular in Southeast Asia. Apart from being refreshing and tasty, it has been noted that the dragon fruit ...
The cultivated mango (Mangifera indica Linn.) originated in the Indo-Burma region, and it has been grown in India for the last 6,000 years. It is an important commercial crop not only in India, but also in Southeast Asian countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, ...
Starfruit (Averrhoa carambola), or Carambola, is a tropical fruit native to the Malayan archipelago and belongs to the family Oxalidaceae. With its sweet-sour taste, the starfruit is a popular fruit in Singapore, most often eaten raw. The starfruit displays a star ...
Said to be the largest fruit in the world, the jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is an indigenous fruit tree of South India which is popular in the Southeast Asian region. The jackfruit’s appearance is similar to that of the cempedak, a fruit that also belongs ...
The mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) is an evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia. It is grown widely in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. The crop is also found in certain parts of India and Sri Lanka where conditions are favourable. The dark ...
The arrival of Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama in India in 1498 meant that the Portuguese were the first Europeans to discover a direct sea route to Asia via the Cape of Good Hope and, subsequently, Southeast Asia. Their main motive in seeking out the maritime ...
The Southeast Asia (SEA) Collection is a significant collection of the National Library. It includes the Ya Yin Kwan Collection, the Rost Collection, the Gibson-Hill Collection and a wide range of early-19th-century literature. Its most valuable titles come from ...
The belimbing (Averrhoa bilimbi), which belongs to the Oxalidaceae family, is a tropical fruit native to Malaysia and Indonesia. The fruit is important locally for its medicinal uses and as an ingredient in Malay cooking.
Watermelon (Citrullus sp.), a tropical fruit, belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae. The flesh is in shades of either red or yellow, and even white. Popular for its sweet and juicy flesh, the fruit is thought to have been first cultivated in Egypt more than 5,000 ...
The pomelo (Citrus maxima or Citrus grandis) is the largest citrus fruit from the Rutaceae family. It is also known as shaddock, so-named after a Captain Shaddock who was said to have brought seeds of the fruit from the Malay Archipelago to the West Indies on an ...
Underwater World Singapore (UWS) was an oceanarium located at 80 Siloso Road on the island of Sentosa. Considered Asia’s largest tropical oceanarium when it opened in 1991, UWS was one of Singapore’s popular tourist attractions. Its key features included the Dolphin ...
The former Asia Insurance Building is located at 2 Finlayson Green. With 18 storeys rising above a double-volume ground floor, it was once the tallest building in Southeast Asia at a height of 270 ft (82 m). Designed by one of Singapore’s pioneer architects, Ng ...
The South East Asia Cultural Festival was held in Singapore from 8 to 15 August 1963. It featured a series of performances involving about 1,500 artistes from 11 Asian countries. The main events were held at the National Theatre, which has since been demolished, ...
Ciku (Manilkara zapota), a tropical fruit tree also commonly known as sapodilla, belongs to the family Sapotaceae. Various species are grown and used worldwide for different purposes. Due to the fruit’s resemblance to a pear, it was also called Manilkara achras, ...
Mandai Orchid Gardens (MOG) was a commercial entity located at Mandai Lake Road. It was owned by Singapore Orchids Private Limited (SOPL), a worldwide exporter of cut flowers and live plants. Initially meant for growing and cultivating orchids, MOG was later transformed ...
A tropical oasis in the heart of Orchard Road, the Istana Park was officially opened on 6 September 1996. It is bordered by Orchard Road, Penang Road, Penang Lane and Buyong Road. The 1.3-hectare Istana Park is a landmark situated opposite The Istana, Singapore’s ...
The Night Safari is the world’s first night zoo that allows visitors to observe nocturnal animals in a natural habitat. Designed to be experienced at night, the Night Safari is radically different from the typical zoo and nocturnal house. The idea of a night zoo ...
Behn, Meyer & Co. was established in Singapore on 1 November 1840 as a partnership between two Germans, Theodor August Behn and Valentin Lorenz Meyer. In its initial years, the firm traded in tropical produce such as coconut oil, pepper, camphor and rattan, but ...
The Development Bank of Singapore Ltd (DBS) was established on 16 July 1968 as a public limited company to take over the industrial financing responsibilities of the Economic Development Board (EDB) and began operations on 1 September 1968. Its main function upon ...