The final stop on our island-hopping adventures was Singapore, the small island city-state off the Southern tip of the Malay peninsula that punches far above it's weight in most things. Like Penang in Malaysia, migration has brought folks from around the world to settle in strategically-located Singapore, creating an appealing melting pot. Singapore is a paradise for food. Chinese and Indian influences are the most prominent, especially at the ubiquitous hawker markets that dot the cityscape. There are many delicious options at the high-end too. Although, unlike in many other cities we have visited on our trip, you pay for it !
On our first and final nights, we stayed at Oasia Hotel Downtown, a modern, sleek hotel built only a couple years ago, and centrally located to Chinatown. We stayed with our friends Nakul and Mika in between. They have a great apartment and were wonderful hosts, showing us new sides of Singapore and introducing us to many of their friends.
We started our Singapore experience at the Fullerton Hotel's popular Sunday brunch buffet. Boozy brunches are a popular weekend affair in Singapore, so we were happy to partake in the local experience. The Fullerton's spread is particularly rich; a massive raw bar, brick-oven pizza oven, sushi counter, and cuisine from just about every other corner of the world. Barely able to walk after the feast, we tested our ability to swim or float at the pool after-party, another popular weekend activity in steamy Singapore.
Other highlights in the food & drink department include Operation Dagger in Chinatown, Hakumai sushi bar in the CBD, Tian Tian Chicken Rice in the Maxwell Rd hawker, pizzas at Cicheti in the Arab St neighborhood, and Five Star Chicken Rice in Marine Parade.
The best views of the city are on offer at the Flight Bar & Lounge atop the ever-visible Marina Bay Sands hotel. Note before you go: No Tanks ! Thankfully, the lounge lent Joshua a blazer so we could enjoy.
You would be excused for thinking that all we did was eat in Singapore, but the longest lasting impression we had was not the extra pounds, but the muscle pain ! On Monday morning, Joshua joined Mika and Nakul for a 8km run through the East Coast park. And on Tuesday, the whole crew joined a F45 circuit training course. It was delightful to break a sweat after having not done so for so long, but we paid the price for the rest of the week.
We left Singapore aboard a bus bound for Kuala Lumpur. Back on the mainland, our island-hopping adventure ended after an incredible month !
Timeline:
Singapore April 29- May 4
