All over Singapore you’ll find references to Sir Stamford Raffles in place names, businesses, institutions and – most famously of all – the city-state’s premier hotel and home of the Singapore Sling.

So who was this man? Spend the afternoon finding out on a fascinating tour which concentrates on the history of this one-time colonial outpost, now a proudly prosperous and independent nation. Because Singapore owes much of its present-day form to Raffles, a British imperial administrator who established a colony there in 1819. In just a few years he encouraged trade, built settlements and introduced a remarkably progressive constitution which outlawed slavery and declared all ethnic groups equal.

In a group or on a private tour, you’ll walk in Raffles’ footsteps and hear how Singapore grew from a backwater colony to a modern trading dynamo. Watching artisans work with pewter emphasizes the skilled use of raw materials which made the island rich, while you’ll find out how the colonials enjoyed some of that wealth as you take refreshments in elegant Raffles Hotel. Also crucial to the story is the Singapore River; you’ll head out on distinctive local “bumboats” and hear about the significance of this modest waterway in the colony’s economic development.

Another great way to learn about Singapore’s history is to take a morning or afternoon cruise up that same river on an authentic Chinese junk boat, the Admiral Cheng Ho. Sail past Singapore’s skyscrapers, restored quayside developments and on to one of the busiest harbors in the world, where the boat will be dwarfed by container ships from around the world.

Continuing on to palm-fringed islands you’re reminded that Singapore is in the Tropics, just above the Equator in fact. At one of the southern-most islands, Kusu, you’ll visit a venerable Chinese temple and hear the fable of shipwrecked sailors saved by a giant tortoise.