Beyond the shining surface, a place like home

China Town at night. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A 350-meter-long barrage separates the reservoir to the north from the sea to its south. "On one side you see one of the world's busiest port, with an average of 900 ocean ship arriving in a single day," Tan said. "That's one every two minutes. On the other side extends this ripple-less, mirror-still surface of water that's slightly lighter blue. The catchment of the reservoir is 10,000 hectares, or about one-sixth of Singapore's total land area."

Pointing to a giant hoist standing on the eastern shore of the ocean, he said: "Water in the reservoir is not affected by ocean waves and therefore is considered ideal for various water sports including kayaking, sailing and water skiing.

"Ships can be lifted from the ocean and moved into the reservoir when people on board want to have fun there."

For casual travelers, a picnic on a nearby rooftop garden, against the soothing ocean view, may sum up what you can expect in Singapore, but there are many more dimensions to the country than that. A powerful component of its vitality is its scintillating mix of ethnicities, cultures and religions, the result of centuries of immigration.