The island that is now Singapore has been a crossroads for centuries. In its history visitors have included Bugis fishermen, the Chinese Admiral Cheng He and very possibly Marco Polo on his way to China, plus countless pirates, adventurers and businessmen. It was known as Temasek or ‘sea town’ until a Malay Prince wrote about an encounter with a mystical animal which he described as a lion. The name has remained through the ages and now the island and country are known as Singapura or in English, Singapore, the Lion City. Located at the Southern tip of Peninsular Malaysia, this small island is one of the pivot points of modern Asia. The European founder of the modern city, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, stepped ashore in 1819, negotiated an agreement with the local Sultan and laid out plans for a new colony. Now, Singapore boasts 5.5 million inhabitants, most of them immigrants who have laid the foundations of the modern multi-cultural nation. The island nation is a perfect launching or ending point for a journey through Asia.