a modern marvel | worlds within a city | savoring the fusion
Singapore
E verywhere you look, Singapore seems designed to impress. Vertical gardens spill from building facades. Reflective pools mirror the city’s gleaming towers. Even the airport makes a statement. Jewel Changi Airport holds a waterfall beneath a lattice of glass, while terminals brim with art installations, tropical gardens and a forest of 1,400 trees, providing greenery and shade. From the moment you arrive, the city greets visitors with a sense of scale and intention—a carefully choreographed mix of colorful neighborhoods, remarkably efficient transit and Michelin-worthy flavors that capture the city’s multicultural identity.
Singapore balances spectacle and purpose with remarkable ease. Though it ranks third in the world for population density, the city-state is paradoxically generous with space. Greenery threads harmoniously through its built landscape—despite a population that is entirely urbanized, over half of Singapore’s territory is covered by parks, tree-lined avenues and nature reserves—creating a lush backdrop that makes the city’s towering structures rise all the more dramatically.
Marina Bay Sands, with its gravity-defying SkyPark and infinity pool, has become shorthand for modern Southeast Asia, a gleaming testament to what a city can become when imagination meets precision. At its feet, Gardens by the Bay spreads a futuristic tableau of greenery and glass, where the alien-like Supertrees soar above the mist of the Cloud Forest dome. Around the bay, the Esplanade’s spiky domes host symphonies and stage plays, and the Singapore Flyer turns slowly above the city, offering a serene vantage point over the skyline.
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Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple
A modern marvel
Worlds within a city
Savoring the fusion
Supertrees in Gardens by the Bay
Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay
Chye Seng Huat Hardware
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Petain Road Shophouses
Peranakan houses
Singapore airport
Food market stall
Sentosa Island and the Singapore Botanic Gardens | credit: Singapore Tourism Board
Hawker center meal of fried kway teow
Changi Airport, consistently ranked among the world’s best for its free cinema, butterfly sanctuary and the open-air Jurassic Mile, leaves a lasting impression, and the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system maintains it, connecting the island with punctual, intuitive efficiency. Many of Singapore’s signature destinations are only a short walk or train ride from one another, making exploration both effortless and safe.
Sentosa Island, home to Universal Studios Singapore, offers a more leisurely rhythm with beaches, resorts and golf courses, while Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree—one of the city’s newest developments—blends eco-conscious luxury with the biodiversity of the surrounding nature reserves. Across the mainland, a network of eco-corridors connects residential districts to the island’s green heart. The 24-kilometer Rail Corridor, once a railway line, now serves as a continuous trail for cyclists and walkers, doubling as a safe passage for wildlife. Begin the day at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where shaded paths and orchid groves offer a quiet counterpoint to the city’s vertical drama. As evening falls, head to Marina Bay to watch the skyline glow against the water.
Best Bet 2026
Singapore was chosen as a Travelzoo Best Bet for 2026. Only ten worldwide destinations were selected for this honor, based on factors like increased interest among Travelzoo members, sustainability considerations or landmark events for the new year. See the full list here.
Best Bet 2026
Best Bet 2025
Best Bet 2026
Singapore was chosen as a Travelzoo Best Bet for 2026. Only ten worldwide destinations were selected for this honor, based on factors like increased interest among Travelzoo members, sustainability considerations or landmark events for the new year. See the full list here.
Sultan Mosque in Kampong Glam
Singapore skyline
Singapore’s neighborhoods reveal the city-state’s living history, each a distinct microcosm shaped by centuries of cultural exchange. Stepping into Little India results in immediate immersion. The scent of curry leaves drifts from market stalls, temple bells tinkle above crowded streets and the hum of conversation is punctuated by the call of shopkeepers. Stroll along Serangoon Road and its narrower lanes, pause at Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple to admire its carved facade, or stop at Chye Seng Huat Hardware, a café tucked into a restored shophouse, for a cup of freshly roasted coffee.
A short ride away, Kampong Glam shifts the mood entirely. The golden dome of Sultan Mosque anchors the neighborhood, while Haji Lane and Bali Lane stretch for blocks with boutique shops and cafes that invite exploration. The neighborhood’s energy changes with the light; morning highlights the mosque’s geometry, but evening casts a soft glow over the cafes and bars, inviting lingering conversations over tea or cocktails.
Chinatown is both historic and theatrical. Heritage shophouses rise alongside temples such as the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, while Thian Hock Keng Temple hides a mural by Yip Yew Chong across its rear wall, a vivid narrative of Chinese migration. Telok Ayer and Amoy Streets—often called the Harmony Streets—offer a quieter contrast. Temples of differing faiths stand side by side, a tangible reflection of Singapore’s pluralism.
Walk the alleys and lanes of Chinatown, Little India or Tiong Bahru, and you will notice the scents of spices, grilled meats and sweet desserts drifting through the air. Eating here is not merely sustenance, but a lens through which to understand Singapore itself: its history, its migrations and its unabashed obsession with flavor. The first question you’re likely to hear, as locals will acknowledge with a knowing smile, is rarely “How are you?” but rather “Have you eaten yet?”
Hawker culture, recognized by UNESCO as intangible heritage, is the lifeblood of Singaporean cuisine. The stalls—once mobile vendors, now organized into bustling food courts—serve dishes that weave together Singapore’s various influences. Each dish embodies decades of refinement. Even street food has achieved global recognition, as chef-owner Chan Hon Meng’s Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle became the first street food stall in the world to earn a Michelin star 2016.
Hawker centers also famously appeared in Crazy Rich Asians, the film that made the world swoon over Singaporean opulence. But the movie also captured the heart of everyday eating as well. Maxwell Food Centre’s Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice attracts long queues not out of novelty, but for its tender chicken and flavorful rice, while Katong’s Janggut Laksa is a local favorite.
Beyond the hawkers, Singapore offers a rare blend of casual and high-concept dining. Tiong Bahru Food Centre allows for leisurely exploration — roasted meats at Lee Hong Ke and prawn noodle soup at Min Nan—all within a single building. Elsewhere, chefs like Julien Royer bring Peranakan and French-inspired fine dining to intimate, renovated spaces such as Dempsey Hill’s brasserie, a more casual companion to his three-Michelin-starred Odette.
As Singapore moves beyond its 2025 celebrations commemorating 60 years of independence, “The Lion City” is leaning confidently into its next chapter. Skyscrapers and gardens continue to rise, museums and cultural hubs are expanding, and the city remains an ideal entry point for first-time travelers to Asia; roughly 30 percent of the population is made up of foreigners, and Singaporeans are proficient in English. Factor in that New York City to Singapore ranks among the world's longest nonstop flights—no layovers, no connections—and Singapore’s seamless flow impresses even more.
The end result is a place that feels immediately navigable, yet endlessly rich with discovery. No matter where you turn, there is always something new to explore.
Merlion statue in Merlion Park
Accommodations in Singapore have expanded to match the city’s pace. Late 2025 saw the openings of The Laurus and METT Singapore, while early 2026 will welcome Four Points by Sheraton Singapore, Jurong, a reimagined collaboration between Marriott and Resorts World Sentosa. For travelers who prefer to stay closer to the action, downtown hotels offer easy access to Singapore’s major sights, putting both cultural landmarks and green spaces within reach.
Pullman Singapore Hill Street
The Civic District offers a rich introduction to Singapore’s past and present. Located near the Singapore River, this arts and cultural precinct is home to some of the city’s most notable historic landmarks, from the former Supreme Court and City Hall to the Old Parliament House and the Padang. Museums like the neoclassical Asian Civilisations Museum and the National Gallery Singapore, housed in the neighboring colonial-era Supreme Court and City Hall buildings, showcase the city’s artistic and architectural heritage.
The thread that binds these neighborhoods is accessibility. English is ubiquitous, public transport is precise and walking the streets reveals more than any map could. Approach each district on foot, taste local foods at hawker stalls, step into temples and watch daily life unfold. Singapore rewards curiosity with encounters that linger— street-side rituals, quiet courtyards or the sudden view of a tiled shophouse glowing in the late afternoon sun.
National Gallery Singapore| credit: Singapore Tourism Board
Drinks, too, reflect the city’s culinary ingenuity: Jigger & Pony and Nutmeg & Clove ranked No. 9 and No. 50, respectively, on the “World’s Best Bar 2025” list, and the former has announced the opening of two new venues for early 2026. From Champagne Ramos Fizz to cocktails infused with ingredients like durian and butterfly pea, Singapore’s bars are as inventive as its kitchens. Even the Singapore Sling, born at the Raffles Hotel, remains a symbol of the city’s creative spirit—a reminder that heritage and modernity can flourish together.
Cocktails at Nutmeg & Clove
Edible Garden City
Katong Laksa
Roasted chicken stall in Maxwell Food Centre
Odette | credit: Singapore Tourism Board
Maxwell Food Centre
Thian Hock Keng Temple
Lanters strung through Chinatown
Haji Lane in Kampong Glam
Little India's Sri Vadapathira Kaliamman Temple
a modern marvel | worlds within a city | savoring the fusion
a modern marvel | worlds within a city | savoring the fusion
