Singapore

Sizzle and spice, sweaty days and a Singapore Sling. This is a guaranteed trifecta when you visit this island equatorial nation.

Singapore is a melting pot of cultures, a glorious mishmash of flavours and luscious green ecosystems intertwined with cutting-edge design. It’s a place where you’ll spend your day ducking in and out of air-conditioned shops and slurp noodles next to strangers, delight in floral wanders in the UNESCO-listed Botanic Gardens and then let your hair down in the evenings, Crazy Rich Asians style.

If food is your weakness, then loosen a belt notch. In Singapore, Michelin fame lies in the hawker stalls, usually found at one of the food centres dotted around the city. With no dress code or hefty price tag, the focus is solely on the food. Satay, laksa, pork noodles, chicken rice – your wallet will be beaming and your waistline will forgive you. Here are 7 hawker stalls and dishes you simply cannot miss.

Thanks to the efficiency of Singapore’s world renowned public transport system, you can whizz across the city to see how different religions and ethnic communities live harmoniously side-by-side. Spend a morning admiring the candy-coloured Peranakan Houses and munching on nyonya cakes in the east before scooting back to the west to experience the thrum and the heat of Little India. Come nighttime, wander aimlessly through the nostalgic streets of Chinatown where old colonial structures house gentrified pizza shops and cocktail bars.

The recently opened Jewel at Changi Airport is a mini adventure in itself and certainly an unmissable highlight of any Singapore visit or layover. Twirl underneath the vortex waterfall, dine in swish restaurants and browse high-street labels in cool comfort.

But the ultimate showstopper and number one attraction in Singapore is of course, Gardens by the Bay. Since 2012, the award-winning horticultural attraction has welcomed millions of visitors, showcasing the plant kingdom in an entertaining and educational way. Make sure to witness the splendour of the Supertree Grove by day and particularly by night, to see the supertrees lit up in all its Avatar glory.

Singapore is undoubtedly one of Asia’s hit-list destinations. The question is – can you handle the heat?