ZB ZB
Live now
Start time
Playing for
End time
Listen live
Listen to NAME OF STATION
Up next
Listen live on
ZB

A swing through Singapore

Publish Date
Sat, 23 Jun 2018, 4:06PM
A calm morning by the Singapore River (Photo/ Supplied)
A calm morning by the Singapore River (Photo/ Supplied)

A swing through Singapore

Publish Date
Sat, 23 Jun 2018, 4:06PM

Sparkling clean, graffiti-free and supercharged Singapore never ceases to exhilarate me. Despite my personal challenges heat and humidity, every time I swing through the island state, I’m always uplifted by the multi-sensory exuberance, pockets of tranquillity and unabashed innovation coursing through Singapore. Up at the crack dawn before the summer heat sparked up, the curving embrace of the Singapore River was still and sensuous, as the rising sun gilded the water in playful bolts of liquid gold. Alongside a clutch of early-morning joggers, I set off on the charming riverside trail wrapped around Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay.

Merlion Statue (Photo/ Supplied)

 

This area bustles with colourful waterside eateries and bars, hitting top-gear after dark as one of Asia’s hottest night-spots roars into life. But in the early morning calm, it was a vision of serene tranquillity. Across on the other side of the river, the trail rubs shoulders with the carefully conserved Historic District, faithfully paying homage to the state’s British influence. Grand old dames include Old Parliament House, Victoria Theatre, City Hall and the former Supreme Court.

The leafy precinct, thickly clad in rain trees, continues to cradle the timbered charm and village green loveliness of the Singapore Cricket Club, where the groundsman was up early with the heavy roller. After a lavish buffet breakfast at the Fullerton Hotel, I popped into the Asian Civilisations Museum, where are stupendous temporary exhibition on Angkor art is currently be staged.

Alongside that, the permanent collection underpins the museum’s reputation as a pioneer in showcasing pan-Asian art. I feasted my eyes on the Chinese collection of Dehua porcelain figures, Taoist and Buddhist statuary. The South Asian Galleries feature a dizzying range of pieces from across the ranges including some magnificent bronze and sandstone sculptures of Buddhist gods, from India. Don’t miss the Khoo Teck Puat Gallery, the permanent home for the cargo recovered from the Tang Shipwreck, a sunken 9th century trading ship bound for Iran and Iraq, discovered 20 years ago in the Java Sea.

The recovered trove included over 60,000 well-preserved ancient ceramics, produced in China during the Tang dynasty. After paying my respects to Singapore’s beloved water-spout mascot, the Merlion, overlooking Marina Bay, I ventured over to the jaw-dropping botanical blockbuster of Gardens by the Bay. Boasting over a million plants from 19,000 species, this architectural frenzy of aerial walkways, supersized steel trees and mega-conservatories is quite the head-turner, no matter how many times you visit it. The giant domed cloud forest and flower conservatories engage all senses, tripping you across the planet’s botanical wonders, while the current seasonal exhibition is devoted to the brilliance of begonias.

Showcasing more than 50 varieties in a spectrum of reds, oranges and yellows, it’s a retina-burning spectacle of celebratory colour. Gardens by the Bay is still my runaway favourite Singapore attraction, which of course is also swooned over come nightfall with the SuperTrees Grove unleashing an electrifying choreographed light and sound show, as an appetiser for Marina Bay’s free nightly light and water theatrics, Spectra. For a change of scenery, go wild. Singapore Zoo was at the vanguard of the global movement to adapt zoos to the open-enclosure concept.

Kampong glam, Singapore (Photo/ Supplied)

In fact, it is a wonderful irony that one of the world’s most high-density populations has accorded so much more room to roam, to their four-legged residents. Some years ago, Singapore Zoo innovated the wildly popular Night Safari attraction, offering spectacular up-close encounters with a procession of 1000 nocturnal creatures, grouped into geographical zones, like the Indian Subcontinent, Equatorial Africa and Himalayan Foothills. The guided tram ride with rolling commentary is a great introductory, because some of the animals can only be glimpsed from the tram.

Then I hit the four walking trails, where you’ll soon notice there are no cages, just low fences, glass-fronted enclosures and moats separating you from the roaming wildlife. It’s a wondrous way to revel in the nightlife.

Roof-top bars remain all the rage in Asia, and I headed to the Fullerton Bay Hotel’s Lantern Bar, for a post-safari cocktail.  This undeniably sexy, chic establishment, built over water, is a seventh heaven perch to survey Singapore’s dazzling skyline, or to catch Spectra. It’s always fun staking out some in-the-know haunts frequented by the locals and a star specimen is the Coconut Club at Ann Siang Hill. It’s reputed to serve one of the best plates of nasi lemak in Singapore. Unctuous, fragrant, top-quality coconut milk is used to cook the rice and crispy chicken.

Nearby, stroll down Club Street to the recently opened Le Bon Funk where a carefully handpicked selection of organic wines beckon, purposefully chosen to suit Singapore’s sultry climate. Across in Little India, if you fancy a second breakfast, head to the throbbing bustle of Tekka Market and order up an appam at Deen’s Food Stall. This traditional pancake is served with grated coconut and coconut sugar.

In Singapore’s historic Muslim quarter of Kampong Glam, hipster boutiques are all the buzz if you’re hungry for a shopping fix. Then treat your taste buds to some Eurasian-Peranakan cuisine at Damian D’Silva’s Folklore restaurant. Plump for kari kapitan, an Eurasian-style chicken curry, before making tracks to a seriously glam Art Deco-style Bar, Atlas. With over 1000 gins and 250 varieties of bubbly in stock, it’s a trending glamour pad for a nightcap or two.

Singapore Airlines has not only cultivated a world-leading reputation for its winning customer service and in-flight comfort, but also innovation. Constantly refreshing their fleet, I recently sampled Premium Economy in their next generation A350-900 aircraft, which are being deployed on an increasing number of global routes. The A380-800 and 777-300 services Auckland, while the A350-900 will soon become the workhorse on the daily service between Christchurch and Singapore. All aircraft feature the Premium Economy cabin, which is an increasingly alluring option for Kiwis flying long-haul and hankering for affordable extra-comfort.

I enjoyed priority handling and boarding, before kicking back in my comfy cabin, where the seating is arranged in a 2-4-2 seating arrangement – ideal if you’re travelling as a couple. The enhanced sense of spaciousness is readily apparent with greater seat width of 49.5 centimetres including a calf-rest and footrest, 96cms seat pitch and 20cms of sweet sleep-inducing recline. Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve champagne freely flowed throughout the cabin, while the full beverage service also includes the iconic Singapore Sling.

 

Supertrees grove (Photo/ Supplied)

The dining experience unfolded with an abundant selection of gourmet meals. I plumped for Khua Kling Kai as my main for dinner – a Thai style dry curry chicken, seasonal vegetables and steamed rice. It was one of the most flavourful dishes I’ve ever experienced at 38,000 feet. Equipped with noise cancelling headphones, touch screen monitors are supersized at 33cms, from which I devoured a feast of new-release movies, before nodding off.

The KrisWorld system brims with over 1000 movie, TV, music and gaming selections.  Another new, ingenious feature is the Singapore Airlines Companion App, which gives you greater control over the in-flight entertainment experience - even before boarding the aircraft regardless of the class of travel. The app enables you to review the KrisWorld video and audio content available on your flight, create pre-selected favourites lists, and control the seat-back system once onboard, via your own personal electronic device.

The upcoming-introduction of premium economy will make Singapore Airlines the only long haul carrier offering the cabin daily out of Christchurch on a year-round basis. The airline first touched down at Christchurch International Airport in 1986, creating history as the first international long-haul carrier to fly to the Garden City. Despite the sequence of devastating earthquakes to strike the city, Singapore Airlines has steadfastly stood by the city and the summer launch of A350-900 services reinforces the carrier’s enduring commitment to the South Island. Connecting Kiwis with Singapore and beyond, Singapore Airlines operates from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. www.singaporeair.com

Mike Yardley is our Travel Correspondent on Jack Tame Saturday Mornings.

Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you