ST's holiday guide: Travel visa-free to these destinations with Singapore's 'most powerful' passport
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This story was first published on Nov 2, 2017, and updated on May 23, 2018.
SINGAPORE - Singaporeans hold the world's second-most powerful passport in their hands, according to the Henley Passport Index.
Japan has overtaken Singapore in the global ranking for the most powerful passport, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to a record 189 destinations, according to the latest update released by the Henley Passport Index on Wednesday (May 23).
In an earlier ranking published on Feb 28, Singapore and Japan were tied for the top spot, with visa-free access to 180 destinations.
In the latest ranking, Singapore travellers now have visa-free travel, or visas on arrival, to 188 destinations.
The index, compiled by global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners, surveyed a total of 199 different passports against 227 different travel destinations, including countries, territories, and micro-states.
Here's a spectrum of desirable journeys - both far-flung and just hours from Singapore shores - published in The Straits Times.
Travel writer Lee Siew Hua highlights travel stories that reveal wonders from everywhere. Explore the world, from sensuously sunlit Provence to wildest Patagonia, from vivacious Tel Aviv to old-world Hoi An.
1 Argentina and Chile (Patagonia)
With windswept pinnacles and glaciers clustered in the far south of Latin America, wild Patagonia is a hyper-real journey to the rim of the world.
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2 Brazil
The Iguazu Falls are sublime from any angle, while Rio is a pumping city.
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3 Canada
A French-flavoured city that loves to party and play, Montreal sells fantasy to the world, notably the Cirque du Soleil.
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4 China
Carefree Chengdu is a place of pandas and poets, while Guizhou abounds in rainbows and myths.
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5 Colombia
Colombia is the comeback country, where a fragile peace has settled and travellers are exploring the land anew.
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6 Denmark
Whoosh, whoosh! Battle baddies at the new Ninjago World in Legoland - and take a breather in Lego's tranquil hometown of Billund.
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7 Ecuador
There is an Edenic innocence in the Galapagos islands of Ecuador, where animals forget to fear.
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8 Fiji
In the heart of the less-explored South Pacific, frangipani-scented Fiji is a paradise for sea-lovers.
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9 Finland
Revel in cold adventures in Finland. Plunge into an icy chamber in Helsinki and stay on a husky farm in the wintry wilderness up north.
10 France
A walking gourmet journey in Provence reveals places of sun-lit sensuousness and hidden Michelin-starred restaurants. Also, enjoy the plush chateau life in Bordeaux, which has been making wine since Roman times.
11 Germany
With relaxing beer gardens, friendly residents and mountains, Munich is like the planet's biggest village.
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12 Greece
Athens, with its gritty beauty, is a treasure trove for lovers of archaeology and good food.
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13 Hong Kong
So many ways to spend a perfect weekend in Hong Kong: hike, eat, shop, gallery-hop and ride on the world's longest outdoor escalator.
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14 Iran
Iran is safe and super-friendly, and rewards the wanderer with hidden gardens, echoes of great civilisations past and a stylish lifestyle.
15 Ireland
The Emerald Isle, shrouded in myths and filled with music, enchants in so many ways.
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16 Israel
An insider guide to vivacious Tel Aviv, on the sun-drenched coast, where time is best spent outdoors.
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17 Italy
Experience the sweet life in Puglia, where locals make burrata, and summer days are halcyon.
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18 Japan
In snowshoes, step into an all-white world where Japanese hamlets and cedar forests lie under the deepest snow. Also explore the northernmost tip of Japan in Hokkaido.
19 Kazakhstan
In Kazakhstan, nature and ultra-modernity sit side by side.
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20 Laos
Luang Prabang, with its royal past and fancy cocktails, retains its soul amid rapid changes.
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21 Malaysia
A high-speed rail will run from Jurong East all the way to Kuala Lumpur in a decade. There is much to see and do at each stop.
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22 Maldives
Look, mum, a blue rainbow! Discover kid-friendly Maldives with picnics on castaway islands, dolphin spotting and more.
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23 Mongolia
Staying in a round, warm tent amid nomads is a wonderful way to relish life in the middle of nowhere.
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24 Morocco
Blue beauty and Moorish allure abound in Morocco.
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25 Myanmar
Cruise luxuriously down the mighty Irrawaddy River to experience Myanmar's storied past and its panoramic world.
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26 Norway
Journey by train and ship deep into the Arctic Circle, and experience Norway's rough fjord-lined coast over several days.
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27 Palau
Swim in a lake with jellyfish that have one amazing quirk: no sting.
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28 Philippines
Lubang Island, the jungle hideout of enigmatic Japanese war straggler Hiroo Onoda who refused to surrender for 29 years after World War II, is a jolt of pure adventure so near Singapore.
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29 Portugal
The classic and vintage coexist beautifully with the young and vibrant in Portugal.
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30 Qatar
Little Qatar is home to the world. Foreigners flock here to work, bringing colour to its capital Doha, even as the deserts and falconry heritage evoke the Qatar of old.
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31 South Korea
An insider guide to the coastal city of Tongyeong is full of island charm and secluded seascapes.
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32 Sri Lanka
Savour the imagined lifestyle of colonial British tea-planters in the hill country, watch whales in the Indian Ocean, or linger at a hidden lake at three luxe resorts in Sri Lanka.
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33 Sweden
The Arctic Circle exudes cosiness, whether the traveller is snuggling in an ice hotel or supping with the indigenous Sami. And the northern lights dance in the sky, of course.
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34 Switzerland
An insider guide to Ticino, an efficient Swiss region with a touch of Italian dolce vita.
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35 Taiwan
Home-style Taiwanese cooking, hidden hipster cafes and a seed cafe - spend a perfect weekend in leisurely Tainan.
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36 Tanzania
Zanzibar is the Other Africa, a fusion island dipped in scintillating blues.
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37 Thailand
Relish a perfect weekend in Ubon Ratchathani with its artisanal cafes, Thai pop and mini Grand Canyon.
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38 Turkey
Many worlds and eras coalesce in Turkey, a country of contrasts. Greek ruins and magnificent mosques await discovery, and also poignant World War I monuments and the Bosphorus strait that separates Europe and Asia.
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39 United Kingdom
The Cotswolds countryside is an English fairy land. We can almost picture pixies hiding in the sweet gardens.
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40 United States of America
Washington may be a highly political city but it's also a haven for kids. Let them turn into little astronauts in museums, run free among monuments, or be treated like tiny royals in hotels.
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41 Vietnam
Savour coffee and street life in Hanoi, while seeking tranquil corners amid its riotous, bizarre and protean streets. Also eat lots of piquant cao lao noodles in old-world Hoi An.
42 Zambia
The wildest dreams come alive in Zambia, whether it's riding a microlight through the mist of Victoria Falls or taking a cheetah for a walk.
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