• BLOG
    • Travel & Hotels
    • Fashion
  • ABOUT US
  • CONTACT
Menu

THE LEAGUE COLLECTIVE

  • BLOG
  • WORK
    • Travel & Hotels
    • Fashion
  • ABOUT US
  • CONTACT
×
DS7C9482.jpg

The League Travels Ultimate Singapore Guide

Zach Brose April 29, 2018

Living in Bali, as wonderful and exotic as it is, we sometimes find ourselves missing the bustling city vibes of New York. There's something about the skyscrapers and public transport and overall energy of a modern, metropolitan city that really gets us going- and luckily for us, Singapore is just a short flight away and satisfies all our big-city longings!

If you haven't been to Singapore before, you're sure to be shocked at just how sparkling and convenient this city-state is. Singapore is a sovereign island nation at the southern tip of the Malay peninsula with one main island and 60-something islets. All in all, the nation is only a whopping 50 square miles- and just about every inch is accounted for! It's an intriguing place with excellent public transportation, incredible shopping, delicious food and a beautiful mashup of cultures that makes you feel like you've stepped into a Disney World version of a modern metropolis. The nation's airport, Changi International, is our favorite airport in the world and an excellent option for any length of stopover- and the national airline, Singapore Air, is one of our very top choices for air travel whenever it's an available option. We've spent several nights and long layovers in (and out) of the airport, and there's no shortage of things to do to keep yourself occupied. (We'll post an article with our overnight guide to Changi Airport one of these days!) Outside of the airport, Singapore's MRT subway + bus system is sparking clean and simple to navigate, dependable and overall a lovely, efficient way to get around. It's a land of extravagant hotels, copious amounts of mega-malls, and perfectly manicured parks- but with plenty of culture and charm as well. Needless to say, we love Singapore and visit at every chance we get so we've put together a guide to help you plan your next trip to this wonderful destination!

HOW TO GET THERE

Singapore is one of the major international hubs in Southeast Asia, so you can fly in from just about anywhere. The national carrier, Singapore Air, has routes from the east and west coast, and is one of our favorite airlines in the world. The planes are gorgeous and the amenities are generous, especially on long-haul flights. They boast an impressive fleet including heaps of Airbus 380s and Boeing 777s, their planes have ample legroom even in economy, and their stellar service makes for a really pleasant flying experience. They are also a member of the Skyteam Alliance, so you can continue to rack up those skymiles. 

WHERE TO STAY

1. Hotel Jen OrchardGateway

League Travels x Hotel Jen Orchardgateway-1.jpg

We Love Hotel Jen Orchardgateway for the perfect location, easy access to public transportation and beautiful rooftop pool. Upgrade to the club level for access to an amazing 24 hour lounge, breakfast, afternoon tea and cocktail hour- you can thank us later. Read our full review of Hotel Jen OrchardGateway here. 

 

2. Hotel Jen Tanglin 

League Travels x Hotel Jen Tanglin-2.jpg

We love Hotel Jen's Tanglin location for the beautiful and peaceful surrounding area, the proximity to Orchard Road, and the wonderfully redesigned sleek rooms. Again, the club level room is worth the upgrade, and you'll love the lobby restaurant, cafe and the large outdoor pool. Read more about Hotel Jen Tanglin here. 

 

3. Shangri-La Singapore

LEAGUE TRAVELS x SHANGRI-LA SINGAPORE-16.jpg

The Shangri-La is the perfect place to stay for the discerning luxury traveler. Consistently a top name in the 5-star experience, Shangri-La will leave you feeling pampered, spoiled and refreshed. We love it for the expansive grounds, the amazing fine dining selections, and the perfect service. Origins Grill and Bar on the ground level is the perfect choice if you want a grand culinary experience as well! Read our full review of the Singapore Shangri-La here. 

 

4. Grand Park Orchard Road

DS7C0576-Edit.jpg

The Grand Park is a perfect spot to stay for their prime location on Orchard Road, the amazing Cantonese restaurant, Mitzo (seriously, eat here- it's our favorite restaurant in Singapore), and their cool terrace pool and bar, Bar Canary. They also have a club level complete with a club lounge, and as usual, it's worth the upgrade.  

HOW TO GET AROUND

SMRT

Singapore has the public transportation game on locks. This expansive transit system of subways and buses are as spotless as they are prompt, and it's by far the cheapest (and most efficient) way to explore Singapore. You can take the subway right from the airport, which makes getting in and out of the city after your flight super convenient. 

Grab

Grab is an app-based taxi service much like Uber, and is your cheapest option for taxis in Singapore. Unlike many big cities, the local taxis are pretty honest and trustworthy and highly regulated, so if you can't find any wifi to order a grab, don't fret about grabbing a local taxi either. 

WHAT TO DO 

1. Find your zen at the Chinese + Japanese Gardens

These incredible Gardens sit on the edge of Singapore's center, and are an easy 30 minute subway ride from Orchard Road. (The Chinese Gardens stop on the green East West Line). Go early for the beautiful morning light, to avoid the crowds, and to see the locals practicing tai chi on the lawns. 

DS7C9343-Edit.jpg

2. Eat Halal food and admire the beautiful Masjid Sultan on Arab Street

One of the coolest parts of Singapore is the amazing diversity found between neighborhoods- so if you want to feel like you stepped out of Southeast Asia and into the middle east, Arab street in the Kampong Glam neighborhood is easily accessible from the city center by walking or by taking the Downtown line to the Bugis Street stop on the SMRT. 

LEAGUE TRAVELS x SHANGRI-LA SINGAPORE-14.jpg

3. Eat roti and curry and admire the colorful architecture in Little India

Indians make up a large percentage of Singapore's population, which means you can find the very best of Indian food and culture in Singapore. Take the SMRT's Downtown Line to Jalan Besar to explore the wonder that is Singapore's Little India neighborhood! Feast on roti canai, chicken masala, spicy curries and sip a mango lassi- you'll be so glad you did!

4. Shop to your heart's content on Orchard Road

Singapore is the land of malls. There's an incredible concentration of glitzy shopping centers in this tiny country, so you can shop the days away buying everything from bargain and second hand to high-end labels. The very heart of this shopping extravaganza is Orchard Road, where there is a different mega-mall every single block it seems! 

DS7C0434.jpg

5. Explore Gardens by the Bay

If you've ever seen anything about Singapore, it probably included the giant tree-like structures from Gardens by the Bay. These iconic sculptures are only a small part of the amazingly expansive garden complex, complete with 2 bio-domes, a walkable skyway, sculptures, lakes and more. With the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel in the background, this place is a perfect spot to snap some photos and make some memories! If you can spare the time, spend a sunset here to see both the day-time vibe and the night-time lights! There's also a killer light and sound show here several times nightly that will leave you speechless!

DS7C0172.jpg

6. Admire the colorful row-houses on Joo Chiat Street

While there's little else to see around this neighborhood and no easily accessible SMRT stations without a bit of a walk, a short taxi ride to this street full of beautifully colorful row-houses is worth the trip! 

DS7C8350.jpg

7. Explore iconic Emerald Hill

This neighborhood is a short walk from Orchard Road, and was the former home of many of Singapore's wealthy Pranakan Community. Admire the beautiful streets and the Chinese Baroque architecture, and enjoy a quick peaceful escape from the chaos of Orchard Road. 

DS7C0432.jpg

8. Eat your way down Killeny Road

One of our favorite parts about Singapore is the amazing diversity of food options- you can pretty well find any type of cuisine you want! If you're having trouble deciding, though, don't fret! Just head to Killeny Road and try it all! This amazing stretch offers nearly every type of food you could imagine- each shop is a different specialty and you can easily eat Chinese, Indian, Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese, Western, Indonesian and French food without walking more than 2 blocks- and all without breaking the bank!

DS7C0492.jpg

9. Singapore Flyer

If you're looking for an epic view of Singapore, take a ride on the city's mega-ferris wheel, the Singapore Flyer. It stretches a whopping 541 feet into the sky, and includes 28 air-conditioned capsules- each able to accommodate 28 passengers. 

DS7C0319-2.jpg

10. Catch the nightly Laser show at the Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands

The Marina Bay Sands Hotel is a marvel in every way- so it's no surprise that their shoppes are equally as spectacular. Ride a gondola on their underground river or shop every high-end brand you can think of- but don't forget to heard out the back to watch the nightly laser show on the bay and prepare to be amazed!

DS7C0306-Edit-2.jpg

11. Admire the ancient architecture and culture of Chinatown

Singapore has a very large Chinese population, so it's no wonder that Chinatown is massive and full of wonder and adventure. Explore the exotic shops and traditional markets, eat authentic Chinese street food and get lost wandering the many incredible streets of this part of Singapore!

DS7C9143.jpg

Ok- there is so much to see and experience in Singapore, but hopefully this list can serve as a starting point to plan your own trip to this amazing country! If you have anything to add or local tips, please let us know in the comments below! 

Adventures Away!

Zach + Tara 

 

 

 

In Travel Tags Travel Guide, Singapore, City Guide, Asia
← Bawah Reserve: Indonesia's Best Kept Secret!The League Travels Ultimate Guide to India's Golden Triangle →
DS7C2194-Edit-Edit-Edit-3.jpg

Welcome to The League Collective- a travel, fashion and design-focused lifestyle destination curated by Zach & Tara Brose. 

Search Posts

Follow @LeagueTravels

It’s been real, America! After 3 months back in the Western Hemisphere, we’re finally leaving today to return to our new home in Bali. We’re beyond grateful to have incredible friends and family all over the world, but it’s a hard goodbye every time we leave NYC. When we moved to Bali in 2017 it was a giant risk and we only planned to stay a year.. but that year has turned into 2, and our hearts are ready to be back on that Indonesia island we love so dearly. First stop: Germany (see you tomorrow @travel_fred) then Singapore, and landing in Bali on Wednesday!
.
On another note- we’ve been so overwhelmed by all the kindness you guys have shown in response to our post from yesterday. So much encouragement and advice and positivity- we’ll do our best to respond to everyone, but just wanted to say THANK YOU. The best is yet to come!!
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxAruba @ritzcarlton #RCMemories
Ok guys- time for some REAL TALK. We always share the happiest, most beautiful moments here, but we feel it’s important to share the not-so-perfect stuff too. It’s actually been a really hard few months for us, and as we move into 2019, wanted to share a little bit of where we’re at.
Long story short- our drive crashed in Nov. and we lost almost everything we created in 2018 😭. We made the extremely dumb mistake of being slow with our backups, and between the hectic-ness of travel and quickly filling up hard drives, we didn’t back our main 4 TB drive up from April to November. And one night in the middle of our epic Bali trip, the drive just stopped reading. We tried everything, took it to every top repair shop in Bali, and no one could fix it. We flew to Singapore to bring it to one of the top data recovery specialists in Asia, and they deemed it un-recoverable. So, we shipped it to one of the best recovery specialists in America, and they could only recover 1%- all old files that we didn’t care about. Apart from some of our top selects and a few folders on Dropbox and our website, we. lost. everything. Photo + video from 16 countries, priceless memories and nearly a year’s worth of work, gone in a second. The entirety of the content from our first full-year of traveling- totally erased.
To be really real, it was a major blow. It’s slowed us down in lots of ways, but especially in our morale.
We’ve spent months feeling devastated at what we lost- at times it’s literally felt like we should give up. Trying to pull an old image or make a recap post or video, and it’s just not there. We know it’s just “stuff”- but it was the result of our biggest endeavor and most special year of life so far, and it’s gone. We’ve also felt unsure if what we are doing is even sustainable- and to continue creating has been really a struggle, as silly as it may sound. BUT- we’ve rallied, we’re working our way forwards, trusting for the future, and holding our heads high. We have our memories and that’s what really matters. We’re healthy and that can’t be bought. We have incredible friends and family who have encouraged and pushed us on.... (cont’d in comments)
Mornings in paradise ☀️ @stregisbb
.
It’s our last weekend in America before we fly home to Bali on Monday.. it’s hard to believe that we’ve been away from Asia for nearly 3 months already! It’s been so amazing seeing our families and friends in the states, but we’re ready to be back in Bali for sure!
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxPuertoRico #PuertoRico #beautifulhotels
Tara- I don’t think either of us could have dreamed up a life crazier than this, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. No matter where we go or what we pursue, no matter the exhilarating successes or the devastating defeats, no matter the distance or challenge or situation— my heart is fully and completely at home with you. Today, and every day, I’m the luckiest man in the world to be loved by you. Happy Valentine’s Day you sexy, sassy, sweet thing you. ILY forever xx -Zach
.
#TheTravelLeague #couple #coupletravel #valentinesday2019 #bemyvalentine #love #iloveyou
Happy Wednesday guys!
.
Interrupting our normal travel posts today to re-introduce ourselves for anyone who’s recently joined us! We’re Zach and Tara- an adventure loving married couple from NYC and currently based in Bali, Indonesia. We sold most of our stuff in 2017 to travel full time and build a lifestyle brand focused on our passions- luxury travel, fashion and design. ‘Life in Style for the Modern Adventurer’, as we like to say. We’re both 29 years old, Tara’s background is in fashion and Zach’s is in music and design- we got married in 2014 and have been traveling together ever since. So, as things have grown and progressed it only made sense to jump head-first into building the brand full-time, and we’re so grateful that you’re along with us on this journey!
.
Tara wearing @magalipascal
Zach wearing @rovebyronbay
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague
It’s “take me somewhere tropical” season in frozen North America, which means time to highlight some of our favorite Caribbean escapes! Our blog post covering our all-inclusive stay at @barcelomayagrandresort is live now on LeagueTravels.com (just in time for Valentine’s Day, hint hint). Go check it out!
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxMexico #BarceloMoments #Mexico #Cancun #honeymoon #allinclusiveresort
Stealing kisses and soaking up the last few moments of light at @stregisbb 🖤
.
Our lives are fast-paced and always on the go- and to be honest, it’s easy to get so caught up in the crazy that we can forget to be present in the moment sometime. The line between “life” and “work” is a very blurry one in our industry, so we are always having to take a step back and re-evaluate what we’re doing and how we’re doing it! 👍🏼 Instagram is an amazing space, but it is so important to remember that social media doesn’t equal life. Moments may be captured inside the carefully curated squares, but it’s best lived outside of them. Much love guys!
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxPuertoRico #PuertoRico #LiveExquisite #stregisbahiabeach
Puerto Rico has always been a special place for us- it was one of the first trips we went on after we got married and we’ve been coming back ever since. From wandering the colorful streets of Old San Juan and sipping on Piña Coladas in the restaurant they were created in to exploring jungles and kayaking through bioluminescent bays- there’s so much to do and see here and you don’t even need a passport (if you’re a US citizen)!
.
We spent the last few days at the @stregisbb- and if you’re looking for a luxurious, exotic jungle + beachfront destination without venturing too far from home, look no further!
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxPuertoRico #LiveExquisite #PuertoRico
Running around all day in the Puerto Rican sun has us like 💤... and is there anything more romantic than watching the sunset from a hammock on a private beach?! @stregisbb #LiveExquisite
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxPuertoRico #PuertoRico
Teamwork makes the dream work 🌴💪🏼
.
We’re here in Puerto Rico and so proud of this amazing island- totally devastated by hurricane Maria in 2017 but rebounding back in a way that only the passionate Puerto Ricans could! Life is getting back to normal here and the island is open for business once again, and it’s an honor to be here to show it off! We’ll be exploring the exquisite @stregisbb which is newly reopened after a year of remodeling, and we can’t imagine a more incredible place to enjoy the island from.
.
Do we have any Puerto Rican Followers?! Let us know in the comments below! 🇵🇷
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxPuertoRico #puertorico #LiveExquisite #stregisbb
So long Aruba! It’s hard to believe we’d never visited this Caribbean paradise before, but we can confidently say we’ve fallen in love and will be back! Thanks @ritzcarlton for making our stay in Aruba incredible in every way. #RCMemories #RCPartner #Aruba
.
We’re now on our way now to another Caribbean paradise- and can’t wait to take you guys along with us!
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxAruba #travelbloggers
  • Travel
  • Fashion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel Guide
  • Bali
  • Encouraging
  • New York City
  • Healthy
  • Inspiration
  • Key West
  • Marriage
  • Photoshoot
  • Holiday
  • Hotels
  • Koh Samui
  • Miami
  • New York
  • Positano
  • Puerto Rico
  • San Diego
  • St. Croix
  • St. Thomas
  • Vieques
 

FOLLOW @LEAGUETRAVELS ON INSTAGRAM

It’s been real, America! After 3 months back in the Western Hemisphere, we’re finally leaving today to return to our new home in Bali. We’re beyond grateful to have incredible friends and family all over the world, but it’s a hard goodbye every time we leave NYC. When we moved to Bali in 2017 it was a giant risk and we only planned to stay a year.. but that year has turned into 2, and our hearts are ready to be back on that Indonesia island we love so dearly. First stop: Germany (see you tomorrow @travel_fred) then Singapore, and landing in Bali on Wednesday!
.
On another note- we’ve been so overwhelmed by all the kindness you guys have shown in response to our post from yesterday. So much encouragement and advice and positivity- we’ll do our best to respond to everyone, but just wanted to say THANK YOU. The best is yet to come!!
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxAruba @ritzcarlton #RCMemories
Ok guys- time for some REAL TALK. We always share the happiest, most beautiful moments here, but we feel it’s important to share the not-so-perfect stuff too. It’s actually been a really hard few months for us, and as we move into 2019, wanted to share a little bit of where we’re at.
Long story short- our drive crashed in Nov. and we lost almost everything we created in 2018 😭. We made the extremely dumb mistake of being slow with our backups, and between the hectic-ness of travel and quickly filling up hard drives, we didn’t back our main 4 TB drive up from April to November. And one night in the middle of our epic Bali trip, the drive just stopped reading. We tried everything, took it to every top repair shop in Bali, and no one could fix it. We flew to Singapore to bring it to one of the top data recovery specialists in Asia, and they deemed it un-recoverable. So, we shipped it to one of the best recovery specialists in America, and they could only recover 1%- all old files that we didn’t care about. Apart from some of our top selects and a few folders on Dropbox and our website, we. lost. everything. Photo + video from 16 countries, priceless memories and nearly a year’s worth of work, gone in a second. The entirety of the content from our first full-year of traveling- totally erased.
To be really real, it was a major blow. It’s slowed us down in lots of ways, but especially in our morale.
We’ve spent months feeling devastated at what we lost- at times it’s literally felt like we should give up. Trying to pull an old image or make a recap post or video, and it’s just not there. We know it’s just “stuff”- but it was the result of our biggest endeavor and most special year of life so far, and it’s gone. We’ve also felt unsure if what we are doing is even sustainable- and to continue creating has been really a struggle, as silly as it may sound. BUT- we’ve rallied, we’re working our way forwards, trusting for the future, and holding our heads high. We have our memories and that’s what really matters. We’re healthy and that can’t be bought. We have incredible friends and family who have encouraged and pushed us on.... (cont’d in comments)
Mornings in paradise ☀️ @stregisbb
.
It’s our last weekend in America before we fly home to Bali on Monday.. it’s hard to believe that we’ve been away from Asia for nearly 3 months already! It’s been so amazing seeing our families and friends in the states, but we’re ready to be back in Bali for sure!
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxPuertoRico #PuertoRico #beautifulhotels
Tara- I don’t think either of us could have dreamed up a life crazier than this, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. No matter where we go or what we pursue, no matter the exhilarating successes or the devastating defeats, no matter the distance or challenge or situation— my heart is fully and completely at home with you. Today, and every day, I’m the luckiest man in the world to be loved by you. Happy Valentine’s Day you sexy, sassy, sweet thing you. ILY forever xx -Zach
.
#TheTravelLeague #couple #coupletravel #valentinesday2019 #bemyvalentine #love #iloveyou
Happy Wednesday guys!
.
Interrupting our normal travel posts today to re-introduce ourselves for anyone who’s recently joined us! We’re Zach and Tara- an adventure loving married couple from NYC and currently based in Bali, Indonesia. We sold most of our stuff in 2017 to travel full time and build a lifestyle brand focused on our passions- luxury travel, fashion and design. ‘Life in Style for the Modern Adventurer’, as we like to say. We’re both 29 years old, Tara’s background is in fashion and Zach’s is in music and design- we got married in 2014 and have been traveling together ever since. So, as things have grown and progressed it only made sense to jump head-first into building the brand full-time, and we’re so grateful that you’re along with us on this journey!
.
Tara wearing @magalipascal
Zach wearing @rovebyronbay
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague
It’s “take me somewhere tropical” season in frozen North America, which means time to highlight some of our favorite Caribbean escapes! Our blog post covering our all-inclusive stay at @barcelomayagrandresort is live now on LeagueTravels.com (just in time for Valentine’s Day, hint hint). Go check it out!
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxMexico #BarceloMoments #Mexico #Cancun #honeymoon #allinclusiveresort
Stealing kisses and soaking up the last few moments of light at @stregisbb 🖤
.
Our lives are fast-paced and always on the go- and to be honest, it’s easy to get so caught up in the crazy that we can forget to be present in the moment sometime. The line between “life” and “work” is a very blurry one in our industry, so we are always having to take a step back and re-evaluate what we’re doing and how we’re doing it! 👍🏼 Instagram is an amazing space, but it is so important to remember that social media doesn’t equal life. Moments may be captured inside the carefully curated squares, but it’s best lived outside of them. Much love guys!
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxPuertoRico #PuertoRico #LiveExquisite #stregisbahiabeach
Puerto Rico has always been a special place for us- it was one of the first trips we went on after we got married and we’ve been coming back ever since. From wandering the colorful streets of Old San Juan and sipping on Piña Coladas in the restaurant they were created in to exploring jungles and kayaking through bioluminescent bays- there’s so much to do and see here and you don’t even need a passport (if you’re a US citizen)!
.
We spent the last few days at the @stregisbb- and if you’re looking for a luxurious, exotic jungle + beachfront destination without venturing too far from home, look no further!
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxPuertoRico #LiveExquisite #PuertoRico