“Singapore is so boring, lah,” my Singaporean friend told me over bubble tea. “Why do you think we have the world’s best airport? Everyone’s always trying to go somewhere else.”
Nicknamed “Singa-bore” by its restless citizens, Southeast Asia’s futuristic metropolis has been called sterile, manufactured and boring. “Singapore might be small, but if you look a little closer, there’s a lot going on, especially if you’re someone who loves food and appreciates different cultures,” says Hoh Loyi, CEO of The Platform Collective, a Singaporean food community.
With an influx of thrilling entertainment, pumping clubs, posh hotels, endless fun food options and the continent’s best bars, Singapore is anything but a snore.
Hawking World-Class Food
With food so revered that it was added to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, Singapore’s hawker culture is reason enough to cross the world. More than 200 hawker centers are sprinkled around the city, with Maxwell Food Centre and Newton Food Centre being the most foodie-filled. But Singapore isn’t just $4 plates of Hainanese chicken rice and colorful bowls of cendol.
There are 51 Michelin-star restaurants showcasing everything from Korean to Australian barbecue. Within a year of opening in 2023, Malaysia restaurant Fiz earned a Michelin green star for its sustainably sourced multi-course menu. Chaleur is another new restaurant that earned itself a star early on. A blend of Japanese and French techniques, this 10-course menu is a stunning showcase of the world’s two finest cuisines.
But that’s not to say there’s no in-between when it comes to Singapore’s dining scene. In 2021, Loyi opened the world’s first bolo bun concept store, Champion Bolo Bun. Next year, she will open a Singapore-inspired fast-food diner. The two-story Hansik Dining Collective, the city’s first 24-hour Korean restaurant, will start serving non-stop fried chicken. And at Awfully Chocolate, they’ve just unveiled the world’s first chocolate raclette wheel.
Cool Cocktails and Clubs
Claiming 11 cocktail bars on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list, Singapore has more award-winning tipples than any other Asian destination. Fancy schmancy cocktail bars here range from local plays on classic cocktails at Jigger & Pony (number three on the list) to Asia’s best G&Ts at Art Deco masterpiece ATLAS (number 49 on the list).
And while most bars in Singapore empty out at midnight, its club scene is having a moment. Wonder Room is a micro-club clad in velvet and buzzy beats at the new Edition Hotel. Stop in on Fridays when a DJ spins and Espresso Martinis flow until 2 a.m. At Bae’s Cocktail Club, this sexy new Korean-inspired bar and restaurant remains relaxed, but when the clock strikes 11 p.m., the bass drops and dancing goes on until 3 a.m.
Pregame and roll through the InterContinental Singapore for the world’s first drive-through Champagne Express Lane. Order a bottle of bubbles, and you’ll get two Champagne flutes with the option to pair your order with caviar.
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Hot New Hotels
With a juxtaposition of legendary hotels dating back more than a century next to shiny newcomers, Singapore runs the gamut on some of the world’s best places to stay.
One of the city’s most sustainable is the new Pan Pacific Orchard. Roughly 200% of the hotel’s space is covered in plants watered by its own rain storage water. Hundreds of solar panels power the hotel’s common areas, and each guest room includes a filtered water tap.
The city’s vibey hi-so crowd welcomed The Singapore EDITION in late 2023. If you’re not staying in one of its 204 white-washed rooms, you’ll likely be saddled up to the lobby bar, illuminated in pink light or trying fish eyeball ice cream at its signature restaurant, FYSH. A few months before The EDITION, the equally trendy Mondrian Singapore opened in Duxton. Creativity is king here, from an eclectic mix of employees (think DJs and drag queens) to shiny, maximalist social spaces primed for networking.
Singapore’s newest accom includes design-centric The Standard and wellness-friendly Raffles Sentosa. The Standard’s super-stylish retro vibes carry into its 143 rooms and suites, umbrella-clad pool area and modern izakaya restaurant and bar, Kaya. On Sentosa, the serene Raffles is a beachside spa getaway near the city center. Its 62 villas come with private pools and relaxing earth tones.
Bright Lights, Big City Adventures
Although people insist three days is enough to get your fill, there’s never been more to do in Singapore. Check off the major attractions like Gardens by the Bay, Singapore Botanic Gardens and Kampong Gelam, but budget time for its new offerings.
In March, Asia’s first “adventure wildlife park” opened as Rainforest Wild Asia, teeming with unique wildlife. New Bahru recently opened in a former high school, with over 50 international and local shops as well as 13 restaurants. Illumi, the world’s largest light, sound and multimedia show, debuted at the Bayfront Event Space. Plan your visit around the countless musical acts, including Taylor Swift, Coldplay and Harry Styles, that tour here (with cheaper ticket prices than in the U.S.) or the world’s toughest Formula 1 race that zooms around its street once a year.
As local legend and Singapore street food guru KF Seetoh says, “Every country is boring if you are not a true traveler.”
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