Singapore Haute Culture

Brief | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4/Options/Prices

This itinerary was selected as one of the finalists for the 'Singapore Experience Awards' under the Travel Category for 2009.

The programme combines a luxury spa experience in the lush Nassim area with an authentic, no-frills hot spring session, administered through the deft swipes of a hot towel in Bukit Batok, a morning walk to absorb the sounds and smells of Little India with spectacular sundowners at the award-winning Cliff Restaurant in Sentosa, an early morning tai qi session in the Botanic Gardens capped by a picnic in the gardens, supplied by one of Singapore's pre-eminent organic, gourmet food suppliers.
Bespoke shopping experiences revolve around designing your own Peranakan 'kasut manik' under the tutelage of a true-blue Peranakan nonya and creating a bespoke scent from the intoxicating scents of attar deep in the winding alleys of Little India. Based in the iconic Raffles Hotel, this experience highlights the best of Singapore's luxury travel, combining it with the authenticity and high culture that defines Singapore.

Day 1: Arrive at Changi Airport. Be met and whisked through customs to be transferred to your hotel. You will be based at the iconic Raffles Hotel for the duration of your stay in Singapore.

The good part of the afternoon will be spent on the East Coast- a stronghold of the illustrious Peranakan population in Singapore. Today you'll be instructed on the finer details behind making a 'kasut manik'  by a veritable Peranakan Nonya. You could create your own design and have it tailor made for you if you like.

You will then be hosted for lunch, where discussions on Peranakan culture continues over a traditional Peranakan meal.

Day 2: Wake up early in the morning for a spot of tai chi in the Botanic Gardens. have a picnic breakfast in the Botanic Gardens after the tai chi session.

Come afternoon, get a spot of spa treatment at The Beaufort, Singapore's first destination spa. With mud pools and a meditation maze, the Spa @ Beaufort makes for a refreshing getaway from the city.

We recommend dinner at The Cliff, which, with its spectacular sunsets and harmonious architecture by the Japanese design firm Super Potato, is possibly Singapore's most beautiful restaurant.

Day 3: Early morning trip to Bukit Batok for a natural hot spring experience. In contrast to the luxury destination spa that you'd experienced yesterday, the 'spa treatment' consists of swipes with a towel, deftly administered by a singlet-clad ah pek . Breakfast might consist of a half-boiled egg boiled in the natural hot spring waters, laced with the ubiquitous ribbon of soy sauce- an all-time favourite Singaporean breakfast.

Lunch is had at the hotel or anywhere you desire.

After lunch, continue on to Little India where you might want to experience eyebrow threading in a little salon, have your fortune told by an Indian fortune teller, then head into a corner on one of Little India's dizzying alleys to concoct your own, bespoke scent from the various attars.

We recommend dinner at the famous Banana Leaf for a true-blue Little India experience or at Rang Mahal for a haute take on the Indian dining experience.

Day 4: Prepare for onward journey or international flight back. This itinerary combines well with Bali, Nepal, southern China or Yogya. Price starts from SGD1530 per person for a 3D/2N itinerary. Prices are approximate only.

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An itinerary fusing Peranakan culture, spa treatments in the heartlands and tai chi sessions- quite an unexpected under-the-skin take on the Singapore experience.