Quite probably every visitor to Singapore returns home with a different view of this unique island and sovereign city-state republic. Even that phrase shows just how complex it is. And when you realise that in August 2015, this tiny country celebrated fifty years of autonomy, its level of progress and success is even more staggering.

(This fellow was part of a city-wide exhibition just before Christmas)

With a population of 5.5 million, 74 percent of whom claim Chinese heritage, around Chinese New Year is the ideal time to revisit Singapore.

The Republic of Singapore (its official title) is the world's third most densely populated country, and the 42nd smallest. Singapore (which includes the main island and 63 smaller islands) measures only 718.3 square kilometres. That's now. Once it was even smaller. Since the 1960s, Singapore has added 200 square kilometres by way of land reclamation.

From the causeway, which connects Singapore to Malaysia, the city centre is only 21 kilometres away. If the traffic is not heavy it's possible to drive across the island in around 20 minutes. If it is, the trip can take an hour or more.

Of course everyone talks about Singaporean cuisine. Pepper crab, chilli crab, Malaysian, Nyonya, Chinese - the options are endless. Multiculturalism rules, and when you realise that the love-it/hate-it durian is considered the 'national fruit', then you realise that this is a place of strong ideas and even stronger flavours. It's no accident that food bloggers almost outnumber diners, and in food contests, Singaporeans are often finalists.

The dumpling chain of restaurants, Din Tai Fung originated in Taiwan, but has spread worldwide. Famous for xiaolongbao, a dumpling filled with soup as well as the filling, there is an outlet in the famous Marina Bay Sands shopping centre, as is the chain's custom, featuring the dumpling-makers at work.

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Singaporeans love their toast, so long as it comes in a certain way. The traditional offering is a brown bread toast topped with slices of cold butter and spread thickly with kaya jam, made from coconut and flavoured with pandan. It must also come with coffee and a soft-boiled egg. There are many places like this throughout Singapore where you can grab a breakfast and go. This one is in the underpass near the famous Merlion statue. More of that later.

But it is not toast that is grabbing everyone's attention in this picture. This is an ice cream cart and the proprietor is cutting thick pieces of durian ice cream and sandwiching it between slices of soft rainbow-coloured bread! Popular - and good. We tried it!

By night, there are even more opportunities to wine and dine. This is Clarke Quay, packed out in the evenings, as people try cuisines from all over the world, take boat rides, and enjoy a wild ride swinging out over the water (see the illuminated poles in the distance). Others simply stroll the waterfront and soak up the ambience.

By day the area is quieter, but almost European in its atmosphere of trees, paved lanes, bars, restaurants and cafes. It is possibly to walk along this riverfront strip from Marina Bay.

For such a 'young' city, there is a delightful sense of age as well and you can catch glimpses of it everywhere as the old is backdropped by jaw-droppingly modern high-rise buildings or avant-garde scuptures. Of course Singapore's history goes back a long time, to the second century AD. 

Sumatra, India and Portugal all had a hand in its history. The Portuguese thought they had finished it off when they burned the city down in 1613. Then came the Dutch and finally in 1819, Thomas Stamford Raffles arrived and signed a treaty with Sultan Hussein Shah of Johor, on behalf of the British East India Company, to develop the southern part of Singapore as a British trading post. In 1824, the entire island became a British possession. That is why the name 'Raffles' turns up in so many places.

Boat Quay was once the busiest part of the old Port of Singapore, handling three quarters of all shipping business during the 1860s. The south of the river at this point resembles the belly of a carp. According to Chinese belief, this is where wealth and prosperity lies, so many shophouses were built in the area, and some have been preserved.

An underpass nearby has been brightly painted. In fact Singapore has many little touches like this. Public building forecourts may feature sculptures....

....or the locals create their own, such as this quasi-impromptu installation. Look carefully though and you can see it has been planned. The bright pink vending machine behind this fence is where lovers may buy their padlocks.

In the heart of the city, the hill which was known from the mists of history as the 'forbidden hill', was chosen by Raffles on which to build his first residence. Its strategic position turned it into Fort Canning later on, but now it has reverted to being a place to stay. Hotel Fort Canning now offers luxurious accommodation, preserving many of the original features of the British Military Administration Building and some archaeological finds. The grounds have many things of interest including the underground bunkers of the Far East Command Centre (The Battle Box) a relic of the Second World War.

On the shores of Marina Bay, another historic building, Clifford Pier, has become an elegant restaurant attached to The Fullerton Bay Hotel, one of a string of prestigious properties bearing the Fullerton name along the waterfront. Views from this  five-star property take in the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and the bay itself.

To see it today, it is hard to realise that at one time the pier was a bustling, noisy point of entry for all of Singapore's people and cargo.

It is the clash of cultures and eras that makes Singapore such a fascinating place to visit. In recent years the city's planners seem to have pulled out their futuristic sketchpads and enjoyed a wonderful time designing one stunning design concept after another.

The ideal place to see these is from the Singapore Flyer, built at a cost of S$240 million, and opened in 2008. And of course, as it's Singapore, food is never far away, even at a height of 165 metres where you can enjoy a truly 'high' tea, complete with French champagne.

As the Flyer completes its circuit, every major city building can be seen as well as views towards Indonesia and Malaysia.

Marina Bay is the focus of modern Singapore. Major buildings such as the Flyer, Marina Bay Sands Hotel and the unusual lotus-shaped Art Science Museum can be seen from many places.

Perhaps the strangest addition to the Singaporean skyline are the Supertrees. These solar-powered wonders range up to 16 storeys in height and are meant to create height to balance the tall developments in the Marina Bay area. 

Take a stroll along the OCBC Skyway, a 128-metre long walkway with a height of 22-metres that connects two Supertrees or dine and have a drink at the top of one of them while enjoying panoramic views of the gardens as well as the surrounding Marina Bay area.

Perhaps the crowning feature of the development around Marina Bay are the Gardens by the Bay covering 101 hectares. The conservatory complex comprises two cooled conservatories. The Flower Dome (above) replicates a mild, dry climate and features plants found in the Mediterranean and other semi-arid tropical regions such as parts of Australia, South America, and South Africa.

The Cloud Forest (above) is veiled in mist and is entirely different from the Flower Dome. A 35-metre tall mountain covered in lush vegetation shrouds the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, and showcases plant life from tropical highlands up to 2,000-metres above sea level.

Many varieties of tropical orchids thrive in the Cloud Forest.

Marina Bay Sands is a major development. The Marina Bay Sands hotel has three 55-story towers with 2,561 luxury rooms and suites. Connected to the hotel towers are a Convention Centre, Casino and an upmarket shopping centre (The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands).

The hotel is capped by the eye-catching Sands SkyPark with 360-degree views of Singapore's skyline. The SkyPark is home to restaurants, gardens, a 150-metre vanishing edge pool (above). As the sign says: You should be here!

Each evening the Marina Bay Sands Hotel treats the bay area to a couple of sensational laser light shows, perhaps seen best from across the water at The Fullerton Bay Hotel.

The thick strong coffee made to accompany a kaya toast breakfast is not the only coffee on offer now in Singapore. Cafes are popping up everywhere and in the strenuously trendy precinct of Tiong Bahru, this is one of the best. Forty Hands was an early leader in the new wave of cafes, championing sustainability, coffee knowledge and appreciation.

As well as the myriads of cafes and ristorans serving local food, there has been an explosion of fine dining restaurants too, such as White Rabbit in the Dempsey Hill area.

Located in the former Ebenezer Chapel, it is a lovely place to dine. Here, crepes Suzette are prepared, tableside.

Singapore has many quarters. Little India offers a taste of the sub-continent - saris, bracelets, Hindu temples, and of course food. Here breads are being rolled and slapped inside a tandoor to bake, while teh tarik or 'pulled teas' are being made behind the baker.

Kampong Glam is the Muslim quarter, a bustling shopping and dining area, presided over by the splendid golden-domed Sultan Mosque.

Singapore has been called, jokingly, a 'fine' place to visit, because of the many bans and prohibitions imposed by the government. You can be severely fined for a number of things - chewing gum, for instance, is a major no-no – but sometimes it would seem a sign is not necessary!

Here is the famous Merlion, the symbol of Singapore. The original Merlion statue used to stand at the mouth of the Singapore River, but in 2002, it was relocated to the current Merlion Park that fronts Marina Bay. It now stands on a newly reclaimed promontory in front of The Fullerton Hotel.

Understandably it is a popular place for tourists to take photographs and selfies. Especially if you can make it appear that you are catching the water in your mouth for instance!

These red and white balls have been arranged on the water to celebrate Singapore's 50th anniversary this year. From the top of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, the red balls create a big 5-0.

And here is the building affectionately dubbed 'the durian' by the locals. It actually has a much sweeter use as Singapore's Opera House!

Singapore's love of public art includes brilliant installations such as this, Singapore’s tallest public sculpture, Momentum, at Finlayson Green. The 18.35-metre tall steel sculpture features spiralling layers of hand-painted metal figures to depict the spontaneity, vibrancy and dynamism of the city's Central Business District.

And then there are enigmatic ones like this, called Faces. Interestingly, the more you walk around these two tall pieces, the more chins and forheads and lips you can make out.

Beautiful, always changing, Singapore becomes a magical place when a storm approaches, turning the cityscape into something like an artist's impression. Visit it soon and form your own opinion.

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(Words and photographs, Sally Hammond;  video Gordon Hammond)