A feast for all your senses.
The smallest country in Asia is also the most vibrant. How could it be otherwise with your own cocktail! And the Singapore Sling is just as delicious a mix of flavors as Singapore itself. The cultures, the dishes, the buildings, the sight-seeing… It’s a feast for all your senses. Glamials Davina flew there and returned with the best tips and hotspots.
Garden City
One step outside Changi airport and you know: I am in another world. A world of green oases, architectural highlights and vibrant cultures. Singapore is a city-state consisting of a main island with 62 smaller islands. With its 719 km2 it is the smallest country in Asia and five times smaller than the Netherlands. Yet it has no less than 5.5 million inhabitants. The space in the building is therefore valuable and is therefore used optimally.
You will not find ugly concrete constructions or dilapidated neighborhoods, but historic buildings, colorful temples and attractive eateries amid impressive skyscrapers. And then all the flora in the city: blooming roof gardens, vegetated buildings, watery parks… 67% of the island is green. Singapore is not called the Garden City for nothing. The city is a beautiful interplay of old and new, of traditional and modern, of glass with steel and green paradises.
Where we sleep…
We spend the night at a high altitude, so that you immediately have a wonderful view. The Clan Hotel is close to many tourist must-sees. A nice base of 30 floors, with a fitness room and infinity pool at the top. Upon arrival you will receive a Chinese tea ceremony as a welcome. From a room (king size bed, rain shower) on one of the higher floors you have a great view of the low-rise buildings of Chinatown and the skyscrapers behind them. theclanhotel.com.sg
Where we are amazed…
In a city nicknamed ‘garden city’ you cannot (and do not want to) ignore all the beautiful greenery. A first highlight is of course a walk through Gardens by the Bay, a large nature park with supertrees: 18 tree-like structures that are grand during the day, but even more so at night during the light show. A trip over the footbridge at a height of 42 meters is recommended. Beautiful views! gardensbythebay.com.sg
Next to Gardens by the Bay you will find Cloud Forest and Flower Dome. The first is a huge glass dome with a jungle/mountain and the largest indoor waterfall in the world. A fun tour takes you past views and plants from all over the world. The largest ‘flower greenhouse’ in the world is Flower Dome, with several gardens and more than 130,000 plants from five continents. Instagrammable photos guaranteed.
Mandai Wildlife Reserve has a new showpiece. In addition to the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari (zoo for nocturnal animals, so only open in the evening) and River Wonders (water animals), Bird Paradise has been open since May. Eight gigantic aviaries to walk through and enjoy the most exotic birds. You can feed them for approximately 5.50 euros (reserve online). mandai.com
Where we eat…
Your taste buds don’t know what they’re experiencing in Singapore. From street food to luxury, there is something delicious for every budget! Singaporeans love eating out and you will find many Hawker Centers in the city; food courts, with stalls where you can find the tastiest dishes for good prices. Think of chicken rice and laksa. Maxwell Road Hawker Center is located in Chinatown and has more than a hundred stalls. Lau Pa Sat is located between the high buildings, in the heart of the city center. Adjacent Satay Street is closed to cars after 7 p.m. and transformed into a large terrace. As the street name suggests, you can eat good satay here.
Family restaurant Keng Eng Kee serves finger-licking dishes. It is not without reason that it is often visited by locals, and can be seen in the Netflix series Streetfood Asia. The marmite chicken is delicious, as are the butter cereal prawns. But people mainly come to sink their teeth (well, crab scissors) into the signature chilli crab. kek.com.sg
Where we toast…
Naturally, we will toast the wonderful journey as often as possible – preferably with the national cocktail: the Singapore Sling! The colonial Raffles hotel is a beauty and the Long Bar at the top is a must-visit place for a Singapore Sling. The cocktail – gin, cherry liqueur and lime – was invented here by the bartender in the 1910s. The sweet drink is served with peanuts, the shells of which you have to throw on the ground. Hence the creaking under your shoes! raffles.com
Good to know
Of course you fly to Singapore with Singapore Airlines. Just because of the clothing of the flight attendants. Designed by couturier Pierre Balmain and inspired by the sarong kebaya (traditional Asian batik). The best airline in the world (award ’23) offers good food, comfy seats, free WiFi and extensive entertainment. This is how you get through those hours on board! singaporeairlines.com
Amsterdam-Singapore is about a 12 hour and 40 minute flight, and Singapore Airlines flies from Schiphol every day. Just before departure (3 – 1 day in advance) you must complete the SG Arrival Card online to enter the country.
No time for an extensive trip to Singapore, but do you happen to have to change trains and have to wait at least 5.5 hours? Changi airport is mega-large and an entertainment center in itself, but you can also take advantage of a Free Singapore Tour: four free(!) sightseeings by bus (2.5 hours) to get a taste of Singapore. Check changiairport.com for more information.
Header image: Unsplash, Coleen Rivas
