All posts tagged: singapore

singlish

5 Years On, Singapore Still Surprises Me.

Published by

My 17-year old self landed on the shores of sunny Singapore in 2005, filled with curiosity to see the other side of Asia. Despite my 5-year long stint, some things about this tiny country continue to surprise me, and I’m not talking chewing gum bans and jay-walking fines. Shivya NathWelcome to my blog, The Shooting Star. I’ve been called a storyteller, writer, photographer, digital nomad, “sustainability influencer,” social entrepreneur, solo traveller, vegan, sustainable tourism consultant and environmentalist. But in my heart, I’m just a girl who believes that travel – if done right – has the power to change us and the world we live in.

Tempat Senang: Rejuvenation.

Published by

If you’ve had a long work week and need to be pampered, look no further than a ferry ride from Singapore into Indonesia. Tempat Senang, at Sekupang, off the island of Batam, is the answer to all your stress and anxieties. I discovered this hidden little gem over New Year, and couldn’t have asked for a more relaxing way to end 2010. the country-themed rooms. What first fascinated me while doing my research was that Tempat Senang is not just any other resort with any other rooms. Each room has a country theme, complete with the design, decoration and USP (if I may). With only about 9 suites, you can feel the personalization in each. The Sultan Room We stayed in this Middle Eastern room. With a jacuzzi in the living area and middle-eastern decor. The Tree Room I managed to get a sneak-peek at the other rooms, and this one’s my favorite. For next time. There’s a hanging bed in the room! And a tree house feel all around, right down to the furniture. …

10 Must-Try Vegetarian Food Places in Singapore.

Published by

Update 2018: So MANY new and innovative vegan and vegetarian food options have sprung up across Singapore. Check out my 2018 list of the best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Singapore – to find delicious vegan food, the best vegetarian restaurants in Singapore and treats like vegan desserts and ice creams! Many people rave about Singapore being a food haven, but vegetarians probably try to steer that conversation towards shopping. Finding a satisfying vegetarian meal in Southeast Asia can be challenging, so I put together a veggie-loving, kind-to-your-wallet guide to finding some great vegetarian food in Singapore from all over the world. Click here to read my article on CNNGo. Warning: The following content may cause you to rub your tummy, salivate in temptation, and rethink all your dinner plans. Shivya NathWelcome to my blog, The Shooting Star. I’ve been called a storyteller, writer, photographer, digital nomad, “sustainability influencer,” social entrepreneur, solo traveller, vegan, sustainable tourism consultant and environmentalist. But in my heart, I’m just a girl who believes that travel – if done right – has …

Maxwell Hill: Malaysia’s Oldest Charm

Published by

One minute, the clouds are descending upon you, transporting you to the heavens. The next minute, you’re running for shelter and watching the rain, intimidated by its intensity and the gusty wind. Just then, the rain and the mist both go into hiding, revealing an untouched blue sky. Most people think Cameron Highlands or Genting Highlands when choosing a hill station getaway in Malaysia. Their lesser known cousin, Maxwell Hill aka Bukit Larut, therefore still retains its quaint English ambiance and a mystic poetic isolation. A mere 4-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur takes you to the base of the hill. To get to the peak or midway up, you need to rent a 4-wheel drive or trek for 4-5 hours. Neither option is for the faint-hearted; the road is as steep as it is winding, and the jeeps appear to be from the era of the British rule in the region! In our impromptu trip, the tickets for the 4-wheel drive were sold out early on a Sunday, resulting in a great deal of negotiation and …

pangkor laut, singapore, malaysia, weekend getaway, offbeat, spa

5 Weekend Getaways From Singapore to Pamper You.

Published by

Close to each weekend, I desperately resort to Google to find offbeat ideas for weekend getaways from Singapore. In the midst of my travel research, I came across these 5 weekend getaways in Malaysia and Indonesia that will pamper your senses and indulge you. So ditch your weekend travel to Kuala Lumpur, and rejuvenate in lesser know Southeast Asian hideouts! 1) Tempat Senang, Indonesia An hour’s ferry-ride away from Singapore, in the neighborhood of Batam Island (Indonesia), lies this exotic little gem. It’s a boutique resort, with under 10 suites, each designed, decorated and modeled after an Asian country. Besides the likes of Bali room, Indian room and Japanese room, there’s a Tree Room with a bed suspended in mid air. It’s also home to a traditional Balinese spa with a wide range of rejuvenating massages, and a pampering staff. Also read: Tempat Senang: Rejuvenation 2) Nikoi Island, Indonesia Close your eyes and imagine you are sprawling on a beach chair on white sands, in the company of crystal blue waters, sipping a drink. Just across the …

Port Dickson: Living on Stilts!

Published by

Many people tend to diss Port Dickson as a disappointment on the shores of muddy seas. I was skeptical too, but my impulsive trip to this little town near Malacca turned out to be a pleasant surprise! Another weekend getaway from Singapore’s bustling city-life, Port Dickson’s real charm lies in the chalets built upon stilts rooted in the sea bed. The Legend Water Chalets and The Legend International Water Homes are modelled on an open-living concept and are both extremely affordable. The Water Chalets will charm you with their open-rooftop showers within the rooms – showering under the starry night sky is both chilling and beautiful, as is showering under the sunspots cast by the sun during the day. Each chalet has a private balcony that looks over the Straits of Malacca and is an endearing way to spend an afternoon. The day bed by the window overlooking the sea, and the marble bathtub in the living-room make you feel right at home in the chalets. The floor of each chalet has a small glass panel so …

ZoukOut 2010 – I came, I saw, I survived!

Published by

ZoukOut, Southeast Asia’s biggest beach party, is a right of passage for party-goers in the region. I lost my ZoukOut virginity last night, at the 10th ZoukOut, together with David Guetta who performed for the first time in Singapore. And what a performance it was! Thanks to AirAsia and their Singapore Facebook page, we won passes to this all-night party at Siloso Beach, Sentosa. As expected, people had poured in at the beach in thousands, and as the night went by, the percentage of sweat and puke probably exceeded the total amount of alcohol. Everyone was trying to hold out for Tiesto at 3 am, followed by David Guetta at 5 am. Finding a place in front of the main stage (arena A) meant being pushed around incessantly by a mob of sweaty people, dropping drinks everywhere. We decided to spend the night instead at the area right behind the stage, and managed somehow to get entry into a restricted zone! From there on, it was party time indeed. Both Tiesto & Guetta performed a few feet …

Christmas Has Come Early.

Published by

I’ve never felt so festive so early. Walking around Singapore in the evenings makes me wonder if it’s Christmas eve. All the sparkling (and not-so-sparkling) Christmas trees are up. All of Orchard is lit up in purple lights. Christmas songs are playing at Starbucks where I am now, and everywhere else. Christmas-special gifts, food, drinks, promotions, sales are all in full swing.   But that’s not quiet the reason I’m feeling festive. A few days back, I participated in AirAsia airlines’ Paris: The Postcards Love Challenge to celebrate their inaugural flights to Paris, and guess what? I won 2 flight tickets to Paris! Oh yeah 🙂 Bonjour Paris, merci beaucoup AirAsia! Shivya NathWelcome to my blog, The Shooting Star. I’ve been called a storyteller, writer, photographer, digital nomad, “sustainability influencer,” social entrepreneur, solo traveller, vegan, sustainable tourism consultant and environmentalist. But in my heart, I’m just a girl who believes that travel – if done right – has the power to change us and the world we live in.

Once Upon an Island

Published by

Sometimes I think we can measure our lives by the places we’ve seen. There’s so much beauty in the world, so many undiscovered gems, and yet so many of us will spend our days in a small little box, unable to escape the vicious work-money cycle. Without getting too philosophical, I want to introduce you to a heaven-on-earth-like beauty in Indonesia, called Nikoi Island. I created the video below, entirely based on my imagination and these Flickr pictures, for a competition in which I won a free trip to this dreamy island. My gut says Nikoi will be all this and so much more. I’ll write about my personal experience at Nikoi Island after I visit it in December  Till then, you can read reviews by other people on Nikoi! Shivya NathWelcome to my blog, The Shooting Star. I’ve been called a storyteller, writer, photographer, digital nomad, “sustainability influencer,” social entrepreneur, solo traveller, vegan, sustainable tourism consultant and environmentalist. But in my heart, I’m just a girl who believes that travel – if done right – …

My First Chinese Wedding

Published by

A wedding is a must-attend to graduate in the understanding of a culture. A batch-mate at work took the plunge last night, giving me my first sneak peak into a Chinese-Singaporean wedding. Gate crashing The title’s a misnomer. It’s a Singaporean tradition in which the groom must earn the right to his bride. The groom, accompanied by his brothers (the western equivalent of the best man), shows up early in the morning at the bride’s house. They are greeted by the bridesmaids and tasked to pass tests on life’s essential skills (culinary, physical, endurance etc). Before the tasks started, all the brothers were made to sign indemnity forms! In this particular wedding, the tasks were considered rather mild, and included doing push-ups, decorating a cake, dancing & eating dumplings of 4 kinds – sweet, sour, spicy (stuffed with chilli) & bitter (boiled with panadol!) After completing all the tasks, the groom is given the key to his bride’s room where she waits in her bridal gown – rescuing the girl, Bollywood style 🙂 Tea ceremony …