Roaming in Singapore: A Feast of Mountains and Seas in the Lion City

Stepping out of Changi Airport, the dry, warm breeze blows away the lingering chill, as the sunny Southern Hemisphere warmly welcomes travelers from around the world. Driving along the highway into the city, the Marina Bay Sands hotel, the Singapore Flyer observation wheel, and Gardens by the Bay along the coast compete in height and splendor.

 

This island, about half the size of New Taipei City, has a gentle terrain, with its highest point, Bukit Timah Hill, reaching just over 160 meters above sea level. Perhaps it’s precisely because there are few opportunities to climb high mountains that seeking greenery and chasing the city’s skyline from Marina Bay—with its sea views—has become another kind of romantic lifestyle.

 

Upon the opening of Gardens by the Bay, the 18 uniquely shaped Supertrees in the park quickly captured everyone’s attention. These vertical gardens, some as tall as 16 stories, stand like giant trees during the day. Looking up from the base, their branches seem to extend with life, giving one the feeling of wandering through a mountain forest.

Climbing onto the skyway that connects the Supertrees is like leaping into the mid-air of a tropical rainforest. You can both feel the towering majesty of the Supertrees and enjoy the breathtaking experience of looking down over the garden from a height of 22 meters. At night, the Supertrees transform into a dazzling Milky Way, with sparkling lights filling the sky. The skyway then becomes a magpie bridge where couples admire the dreamy night view—a highly romantic atmosphere. Meanwhile, the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest conservatories within Gardens by the Bay recreate the warm and comfortable Mediterranean climate within this tropical island nation—one drier, the other cooler and more misty—allowing plants suited to higher latitudes to comfortably settle in perpetually hot Singapore, bringing even more natural vibrancy to the Lion City.

 

Riding the Singapore Flyer observation wheel is even more thrilling. As the capsule slowly ascends, this 165-meter-tall structure that overshadows the London Eye allows you to enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of the bustling bay area, with distant Indonesia and Malaysia also coming into sight—truly a “view of three countries.” The Supertrees seen earlier now appear no larger than tiny blades of grass, and the vastness of the view is truly refreshing.

Back on the ground, beneath the observation wheel lies an Asian Tropical Rainforest Plaza, adding a touch of primal natural landscape to Gardens by the Bay, where natural greenery is not particularly abundant in Singapore. Nearby, the “Hawker Centre” food court preserves old memories of Singapore within modern architecture.

Modelled after the setups of 1960s Singaporean roadside hawkers, this place not only features vintage items like old sewing machines, vinyl records, and record players, but even recreates living room settings with red floor tiles and white ceramic tiled walls reminiscent of early Singaporean homes. Paired with an old-fashioned standing lamp, a few vintage photos, and a tricycle, it offers the most authentically Singaporean nostalgia. Among the many food stalls is a hidden local traditional snack: the “ice ball.” About the size of a Portuguese egg tart, the outer layer of the ice ball is what we know as crushed ice, while the inner layer is filled with ingredients like grass jelly, coconut jelly, and red beans. Holding the whole bowl and eating directly, chewing on the crushed ice while savoring the sweet fillings is the most authentic way to enjoy it. If you just want something cool to drink, then order a glass of “bird’s nest water”—its refreshing sweetness and coolness will instantly banish the Southern heat.