Singapore is known as the Garden City, so take some time to relax and smell the pepper flowers at the Spice Garden at Fort Canning Park. This lush hill near the city centre wasn’t a random choice for a spice garden — Singapore’s colonial leaders established one here nearly 200 years ago. When Singapore became … read the full post

Although Singapore is so densely populated that the government has resorted to literally increasing the size of the island, the northwest corner of the country remains refreshingly rural. The few businesses operating here have banded together to promote the Kranji countryside as an “agri-tainment” destination where you can visit small farms selling organic veggies, goat … read the full post

Any Singapore trivia buff should know that the city-state isn’t made up of just one island, but 63 small separate ones. In my ongoing series exploring the 62 lesser-known islands, I take a short bumboat ride to the east coast island of Pulau Ubin, one of the most rustic places left in Singapore. In local … read the full post

No, I’m not about to reveal that Singapore is Southeast Asia’s most underrated dive destination, nor that it really compares with some of the best. Of the sixty-some islands that make up Singapore, only one called Pulau Hantu is frequented by local scuba divers and snorkellers. About 30 minutes south of Singapore by boat, Pulau … read the full post

Modern Singapore may be more of a concrete jungle than a real one, but a few spots remain where you spot a selection of the tropical wildlife that used to be abundant here – and I’m not talking about the zoo. One such place is Pulau Ubin, a small island off the east coast, where … read the full post

Here’s a factoid for you: Singapore is actually made up of 63 separate islands. But most people, even locals, don’t venture much further beyond the main island and Sentosa. Many of the outlying islands are explicitly off-limits to visitors because they’re used for heavy industry or military training, but my goal is to visit as … read the full post

With more than 315 species including rare Southeast Asian animals like orangutans and Komodo dragons, it’s no wonder the Singapore Zoo attracts over 1.6 million visitors a year. Even if you don’t usually enjoy zoos, Singapore’s might change your mind with its open-concept exhibits and lush tropical grounds. Having visited a handful of times, here’s … read the full post