40th+ Countries Visited: Singapore, Indonesia, & Malaysia

Summer 2024

My friend, Schyler, and her husband, Emil, moved from London, England to Singapore in late 2022; once they got settled in, my friend, Olivia, and I planned a trip to visit their new home in the summer of 2024. What started as (yet another) girls trip quickly drew interest from Olivia's husband, Colin, and evolved into a friends trip among the five of us.

Singapore is a tricky place to get to from the U.S., with some flights dubbed the farthest in the world; my own travel began in Cincinnati on Saturday morning, flying first to Chicago then San Francisco before finally arriving into Singapore early on Monday morning (after accounting for the 12-hour time difference).

After taking a taxi to Schyler and Emil's apartment, I, being the last to arrive, was greeted by everyone with breakfast, coffee, before Sky and Emil headed out to work (at a British school in its final week before summer break).

Exhausted but determined to power through any jet lag, Liv, Colin, and I set out for a day exploring Singapore, a small, but impressive city-state in Southeast Asia located at the tip of the Malaysian Peninsula. We ordered a Grab (local version of Uber/Lyft) and climbed in before realizing our app order auto specified a cash payment - something we did not yet have; thankfully, and after some apologetic giggles, the Grab driver stopped by an ATM for us to withdraw some Sing dollars.

After this rocky-ish but amusing start, we headed first to the Singapore National Museum where we grubbed in the museum cafe before exploring Singapore's history as a critical port along trade routes connecting India and China, making it ripe for settlement, colonization, and territorial dispute before eventually gaining independence from Malaysia in 1965.

After making our way through the many exhibits of the museum, we headed to nearby Fort Canning Park with its hilly, lush paths of sculptures, gardens, and other national landmarks scattered throughout the park. From Fort Canning, we headed down to Clarke Quay, a riverfront neighborhood with colorful, Dr. Seuss-like buildings, shops, restaurants, and umbrella-like structures.

Following Sky's recommendations, we caught a river cruise from Clarke Quay along the canal that weaves through Singapore's downtown area before eventually opening up into Singapore Bay and its 360-degree views of the downtown skyscrapers, the world-renowned Marina Bay Sands (MBS) with its boat-topped towers, art museums, one of which resembled a miniature Sydney Opera House, a couple of beautiful bridges, and the famous Merlion statue/fountain with its fish-like body, and lion-like head; the Merlion symbolizes Singapore's origins as a fishing village and the city's original name of Singapura (meaning lion city in Sanskrit).

Upon disembarking the riverboat back at Clarke Quay, we walked to nearby Chinatown, with its sprawling day markets, outdoor chess matches, and street vendors, and enjoyed a couple of juices from a hawker there before snagging lunch at a French bistro nearby called Merci Marcelle.

By then, it was late-afternoon so we made our way to Level 33, a restaurant on the 33rd floor of a high-rise lining the Bay, which boasts expansive views of the city and waters below; Sky and Emil met us there for happy hour drinks once they got off work. For dinner, we enjoyed satay at an open-air hawker, where we shared skewers of chicken, beef, and shrimp and cold beers under the twinkling lights of Lau Pa Sat Hawker.

Sky, the always-thoughtful host, recommended we take the MRT (local metro system) to the nearby MBS Light Show (a Singapore staple) at Gardens by the Bay, which are massive, robotic trees that pulse along to music in a choreographed fashion. After the 20-minute show, we walked the bridge from Gardens by the Bay toward the MRT just on the other side of MBS, meandering through the MBS' bottom-floors luxury mall with its large, elegant plazas; we arrived back to their apartment around 11 pm -- making for a long but exciting first day.

On Tuesday morning, we again started with coffee and light breakfast at the apartment, wished Sky and Emil another great day at work, and took a Grab to MacRitchie Reservoir, a large park with walking trails surrounding a big lake; there, we ended up hiking 7+ miles along the Tree Top Trail, across a suspension bridge that slings hundreds of feet off the ground through the jungle, where we encountered a friendly German lady and some local critters including monkeys and lizards.

Tired, sweaty, and dehydrated, we caught a Grab to Newton Hawker (made famous for being in the film, Crazy Rich Asians), where we enjoyed lunch (chicken fried rice and buttered chicken) and Kopi (local coffee drink) together family-style, before Grabbing back to the apartment complex to cool off in the community pool.

Once Sky and Emil arrived home about an hour later, we freshened up for the evening, enjoyed some wine and records, and took the bus together to the nearby Beauty World Hawker (with its world-famous - according to Sky and Emil - dumplings stand that was devastatingly closed that evening); nonetheless, we all shared a few plates recommended by our "local" hosts (noodles dish, kimchi pancakes, carrot cake, chicken and rice) as rain fell gently on the nearby rooftop area.

Emil headed home to rest up while the rest of us headed to the Singapore Night Safari (the first-ever nighttime zoo that showcases animals, many of them nocturnal, in their natural patterns and behaviors, albeit not their natural habitats); we enjoyed an interactive show before grabbing ice cream and taking the tram all throughout the larger species' enclosures containing lions, elephants, rhinos, and hippos. We then meandered through other trails to observe the smaller animals like clouded leopards, tree monkeys, and armadillos.

Although we were a bit skeptical at first about the morality of supporting a zoo, we found the Night Safari to be a cool, unique experience that endeavored to protect the animals' well-being by affording them larger, non-fenced enclosures and limiting visitors to times when the animals are naturally awake and active.

Having started the trip with a couple of long, active days, we slept in a bit later on Wednesday and had breakfast/coffee at the apartment while some contractors serviced the AC units (which is apparently required by Singapore law to be performed every three months since it is so very hot there). We again wished Sky and Emil well before Liv, Colin, and I took a Grab to Sentosa Island, a small, manmade island off the southeast coast of Singapore.

Upon arrival to Sentosa Island, we were stunned by its vibrancy and fun atmosphere; home to a Universal Studios, several beaches with clubs/restaurants, adventure sports, and endless Disney-style interactive games and entertainment from go-carts, laser tag, arcades, and 4D theaters to multiple cable car lines that offer 360° views of the island, Singapore's skyline, and the surrounding ocean, Sentosa turned out to be a fascinating little place.

After lunching and "playing" there for a few hours, we took one of the cable car lines from Mount Faber Park to another park called Henderson Waves, which boasts itself as the highest pedestrian bridge in the area, suspended stories above the lush jungle; from there, we Grabbed back to the apartment where we met Sky and Emil before heading to dinner along Orchard Avenue, a fancy shopping district/high-end mall with luxury stores and swanky restaurants. We dined at a Michelin Star restaurant, and upon Emil's recommendation, shared a Peking Duck and some other local dishes family-style!

Feeling full and happy, we made our way to a nearby bar to meet Sky and Emil’s colleagues who were out celebrating the end of the school year. We hung out at this dive bar for a couple of hours - playing darts, mingling with everyone, and tasting Sojo (a sweet/juicy Korean liqueur), before heading to a nearby karaoke place with a smaller group where we sang our hearts (and voices) out for two hours (mostly to The Chicks, namely acapella "Traveling Soldier," even after we left the soundproof room) before calling it a night (or rather, an early, early morning, lol). We might have even slipped out with the tambourine, but if pressed on this, I will deny, deny, deny.

Understandably moving a bit slow the next morning, Sky and Emil headed off to their last day of school while Liv, Colin, and I packed our bags in preparation of the long weekend ahead in Bali, Indonesia. After breakfast, we took a Grab to the world-famous Botanical Gardens, where we lazily walked around the expansive grounds for a couple of hours before stopping for lunch at a cute cafe on site.

We soon met Sky and Emil back at the apartment, and all headed to the airport together; although we cut our timing a bit close due to baggage/packing-related chaos, navigating the Singapore airport was so smooth that we had time to dine together before boarding our two-hour flight to Bali, in which we all sat together, apparently not sick of one another just yet.

Once we touched down, we made our way fairly efficiently through customs and immigration, and again deferred to Sky and Emil who secured a reasonably-priced taxi for our final leg of the trek: a 1.5-hour car ride to our hotel in Ubud. Thankfully our sweet taxi driver made a pit stop for us to grab waters and snacks before dropping us off at the gorgeous villa-style hotel around 11 pm where we checked-in quickly, tiredly navigated around the pool, and settled into our rooms.

Once we awoke in paradise, we had breakfast on site and walked the 10 or so minutes toward downtown, which offers a thriving and bustling blend of old and new ...on any given block, there are boutiques, coffee shops, restaurants and cafes, specialty stores, brightly-colored temples, and mopeds, stray dogs, pedestrians, and vehicles a plenty.

After strolling a bit through town, we took a taxi over to a famous beach club but it was too crowded for our liking so we walked a bit further to a more quaint strip of road with gorgeous pool bars overlooking a ravine of rice paddies; there, we ate lunch atop a balcony as a poolside DJ and his talented sax player set an ambiance of leisure and playfulness.

We then headed down to the pool where hours passed like minutes as we swam, enjoyed the music and views, did fun little photoshoots, played card games, buzzed on hookah, sipped cocktails, and soaked up the sunshine until even that faded away. Once night fell, Sky and I took mopeds back downtown (while the others took a taxi) to shop the Ubud night markets. We snagged a couple of souvenirs and travel adapters before meandering back to our hotel, stopping for a dinner of pizza and wine at a place called Uno Ristorante, before finally calling it a night. 

The next morning, we headed out for breakfast in a couple of different waves, and I enjoyed a tasty smoothie bowl and coffee drink at an adorable cafe along our street. After we were all packed and sorted (ready for our next stop on Bali Island), we stored our bags at the front desk and headed out to the Ubud Ridge Walk, a path through the luscious jungle that overlooks the valleys below; we admired the beautiful temples scattered throughout the walk before heading back into town for lunch at a restaurant plaza overlooking the city's main focal point: Ubud Palace.

After lunch, we took a taxi over to the Sweet Orange Trail, a walking path that winds through rice fields, palm tree canopies, and duck families that serve as pest control for the rice paddies; as we strolled past fruit stands, hilltop cafes, and stray dogs, we chuckled as mopeds expertly navigated the narrow and bumpy path we all shared. We then headed back to the hotel, a couple of us by moped again, and loaded our bags into the van we pre-ordered to take us south to Sanur (a beach town situated along the southeast coast of Bali Island).

Ubud to Sanur is only about 40 miles but the trip took 3+ hours with standstill traffic at almost every turn; nonetheless, we settled in at our beautiful villa by dusk and quickly headed out for dinner along the nearby beach/boardwalk. We landed at this gorgeously-designed beachside restaurant for tapas, bottomless wine (literally that was the deal!), and seafood entrees. We lounged there in our couch-style booth for a couple of hours, sipping wine, playing ridiculous would-you-rather games, and cracking up each time the power at this beautiful restaurant cut in and out. After dinner, we returned to our villa for a nightcap and late-night dip in the pool.

Likely on the same circuit as our dinner spot, our villa experienced power outages throughout the night, meaning the AC cut in and out, so some (if not most) of us slept poorly - and were moving slowly the next morning. We headed downtown for breakfast at a cute, little bistro, indulgently ordering nearly a dozen juices and coffees between us to nurse our collective exhaustion/wine hangovers.

From there, the day took a bit of a wandering turn when we ventured along the boardwalk in search of a beachfront property where we could lounge and eat and hangout all day. However, we were a little dejected and a lot thirsty each time hotel staff indicated that the beachfront lounging was for hotel guests only. Unsure of what to do or where to be, we decided to explore more of the downtown, shop the various boutiques and stores, price check the numerous salons/spas, and eventually sat down for lunch to make a game plan.

At lunch, it seemed of collective interest that we do some sort of massage or spa treatment, so, after calling around to a couple of places, Sky and I booked reflexology treatments together at a nearby spa, Liv and Colin settled on a couples massage, and Emil welcomed some alone time back at the villa. After our appointments, the four of us reconvened in town, where we walked around a bit longer, snagged a few refreshments, and headed back to the villa to swim, relax, and sip wine by the pool.

Around dusk, we popped back into town for dinner at one of the resorts (Tree Bar) where we’d walked through (and been denied entry for poolside lounging) earlier in the day. We'd all been wowed by the impressive landscaping and spa-like serenity earlier, so settled into a couple of tables overlooking the ocean for a quaint yet elegant dining experience. Tree Bar is a beautiful oasis nestled within the hustle and bustle of the mopeds, cars, pedestrians, and countless shops/cafes/stores/vendors just beyond the resort grounds.

The following morning marked one full week of the trip, and we were hopeful that our last day in Bali would be a special one. Having packed the night before, we left the villa early-ish and took two taxis (to account for our bags) about an hour away to a brand-new cliffside resort (that Sky had been spammed with on her Instagram) that boasted a stunning beach club accessible by an open-air cable car and stone-laden stairways.

From the infinity pool at the resort, the beach club appears like a mirage, nestled between two rocky cliffs and blue water sprawling out as far as the eye can see. Sky, our ever-trusty travel advisor, rented us a daybed at the pool club, so upon making our descent from the hilltop resort down to the sand, we lounged on our daybed at the beach club for hours, enjoyed breakfast/coffees, lunch/drinks/sangria pitchers, played cards, snorkeled/swam, and took in the breathtaking views of this hidden gem.

We were set to fly from Bali to Singapore later that day, so I opted to do another spa treatment (since they’re irresistibly inexpensive there), and was not disappointed when I received a massage and full body scrub in the spa that overlooks the resort's infinity pools, koi pond gardens, and ocean waves breaking far off in the distance.

In the meantime, the others hung at the beach club until we reconvened at reception to take two taxis to the Bali airport, which, like the Singapore airport, is really pretty, and incorporates biophilic design throughout; once we got through customs and immigration, we grabbed dinner at a fairly nice, albeit chain restaurant, boarded our flight, quickly navigated the Singapore airport, and returned to the apartment - making for yet another long but happy day.

Tuesday was our first day in Singapore together as a group (without Sky/Emil having to work), and we enjoyed a slow morning at the apartment before heading out to rent bikes; after a small hiccup renting two bikes on Sky's account, we made our way along the Rail Corridor, a beautifully-kept bike/walking trail along the old railroad tracks that carves through the dense jungle that buffers Singapore's "suburbs."

About halfway through our ride, we popped off for coffee drinks at the old ticket station, not minding to lock our bikes for the quick pit stop since Singapore has an impressively low crime rate - but alas! When we emerged from the cafe to find only four of the five bikes, we confusingly laughed that one appeared to have been swiped, joking for about 30 seconds before a man suddenly but calmly appeared, silently returned the bike to the ramp where we and the other bikes stood, and (just as quickly as he'd appeared) disappeared into the brush just around the corner. Bewildered and cracking up that we barely caught the would-be (more likely accidental) bike thief, we mounted the bikes and continued on our way!

Continuing along the Rail Corridor another half hour or so toward Holland Village, a cute neighborhood with old shops and boutiques situated inside of a new mall, we grabbed bagel sandwiches and açaí bowls from cafes just across the way from each other. From there, we headed to Haji Lane, where Sky had a tattoo appointment and both she and Liv planned to get touch up work on the matching tattoos we all got in Budapest earlier in 2024.

Haji Lane is right near Arab Street which showcases a picturesque mosque that towers over several colorful blocks of narrow, palm-tree lined alleyways flush with middle eastern food shops, fabric stores, Turkish lamp shops, Persian carpet stores, gelato and coffee shops, thrift stores, and other vibrant businesses. As Sky and Liv were at the tattoo parlor, several of us meandered around until we met up as a group to do a famously kitschy photo booth together.

We then walked 15 or so minutes to the Raffles Hotel, a landmark known for its pristinely white appearance and terracotta roofing that opened in the 1890s and where Sky's dad visited as a child in the 1960s (when he lived in nearby Borneo); on site at Long Bar, we ordered the famous Singapore Sling gin cocktail and cracked peanuts.

From Raffles Hotel, we ventured across the road to the Chijmes, an old convent that was transformed into a cute indoor/outdoor mall with plazas and restaurants; after a quick happy hour there, we took a double decker bus over to the Bay where we had more refreshments, appetizers, and sushi rolls family-style while a tiny but mighty sunset twinkled off the water and surrounding skyscrapers.

We strategically chose this rooftop restaurant (rather, Sky did) to observe the MBS light show, which was set to happen just across the Bay from us around 8 pm; we enjoyed the pulsing, multi-colored lights as they glittered off the water for about half an hour before calling it a day and heading back to the apartment.

We woke up early on Wednesday to pack for our final trek: a road trip up the Malaysian Peninsula to Melaka, Malaysia, where we'd stay for two days and two nights; once the pre-scheduled driver arrived, we loaded up the van. After a quick breakfast stop at McDonald’s (something of a tradition for us Americans traveling abroad) and a brief pitstop at their school to grab a couple of forgotten items, we were on our way. Seeing their campus was a pleasant surprise we had not accounted for in the itinerary, but witnessing the international school and the athletic department grounds where Sky worked at the time gave us insights into their work lives there!

Finally, we were on our way across the Singapore Strait to the Singapore/Malaysia border crossing, which involves a very straight-forward process where passengers go through customs and immigration on foot and drivers meet you on the other side. We arrived into Melaka around lunchtime, dropped our bags at the hotel, and strolled around this gorgeous little place, where the whole city is named a UNESCO world heritage site.

It is obvious why Melaka is a protected gem when, at every turn, the colorful restaurants lining the canal, the adorably-designed bridges, beautiful churches, vibrant side streets, and twinkling lights make the town glow day and night.

We shopped a little before landing for lunch at a plant-clad restaurant situated along the canal. After fueling, we traversed the town a bit more and settled in for happy hour at a bar along a fun side-alley of the main drag; tired and sweaty from a humid day exploring, we made the short walk back to the hotel to freshen up for dinner. After indulging a photo shoot on the rooftop and out front of our beautiful boutique hotel, we meandered along the canal on both sides, and landed at a Spanish tapas place for dinner.

After dinner and apparently thirsty for more, we headed for a nightcap and another round of hookah at the alleyway bar where we'd enjoyed happy hour earlier. We hung there a while and ended the night with two rounds of free shots from the super kind workers who struck up a conversation with us about the fact that one was moving to Singapore soon. Eventually, we said our thank yous before unsuccessfully leaving a tip (one worker chased us down the alley to return our "change"), and started to make our way back toward the hotel.

Unsurprisingly, Sky and I opted to ride back to the hotel in one of the ridiculously-decorated and brightly-illuminated bike carts we'd seen all day scattered throughout town, while Emil nonchalantly rode in one alone. Our cart was Baby Shark-themed so, naturally, we belted along to "Baaaaby Shark doo doo doo do doo doo" as we rode past Liv and Colin who'd opted to walk.

Thursday started with us heading downstairs for breakfast at the hotel which was a pretty nice spread of local and "western" options; we then went into town, grabbing specialty coffees and Korean pancakes from a cute coffee shop where we’d stopped in the day prior. From there, we ventured to a new (to us) part of town, hiked up to the Church on the Hill, strolled through an indoor day market, passed by the historic wooden ship, and eventually worked up an appetite for lunch at Gravy Baby (a canal-side restaurant) while Sky took a phone call back at the hotel.

Once she rejoined us, we strolled along our road and shopped for a bit longer before regrouping back at our hotel to take a taxi to the Floating Mosque, an audacious landmark situated on the outskirts of town on an island that disappears whenever the water is high... making the Floating Mosque perfectly named indeed.

We forgot to consider the rules for entering this fully-operational holy place, and our cash stock was so limited that we only had enough coins for two of us to rent hair, shoulder, and knee coverings, which meant that Liv and Colin walked the grounds, while Sky, Emil, and I hung out just beyond the gated grounds; thankfully, they snapped some stunning photos of the mosque's architecture and beautiful peninsula views to share with us.

Now late-afternoon, we headed back to the canal for cocktails along the water before landing for a sunset dinner at a beautiful waterfront hotel, where we (some of us more successfully than others) played the 'quiet game,' seemingly now at least mildly tired of one another...

Toward the end of dinner and as our second day in Melaka drew to a close, we opted to finish off our time there with a nighttime river cruise, which was the perfect way to marvel at all the sights we'd seen along the canal and other spots we'd already explored! And the river cruise did not disappoint; seeing this colorful, vibrant gem from the water was something I'll cherish forever. After calling it a fairly-early night after the river cruise, the three of us who were sharing a room (and no, it's not the combo you most likely suspect) watched a movie in our hotel room before passing out. 

On Friday morning, we convened in the hotel lobby, snagged a quick breakfast and specialty coffees from the cool shops on site at our hotel before our driver arrived promptly at 9 am for our 3-hour trip back to Singapore.

After a smooth ride and another easy experience going through customs and immigration to re-enter Singapore, we dropped our bags at the apartment around lunchtime and headed over to Joo Chiat, a fun/trendy neighborhood, for bahn mi (traditional Vietnamese sandwiches) and ice cream. As we strolled past the Peranakan houses (a hallmark row of colorful homes in Singapore), we shopped some affordable boutiques while perusing the higher-end ones, acquiring some last-minute souvenirs for ourselves and loved ones back home to mark what'd been an incredible trip.

That said, our final night all together ended on the best, most special note... we returned to the apartment, where Liv, Colin, and I packed/prepared for our travel back to the U.S. while Sky and Emil so kindly prepared us a homemade meal of pasta, salad, and wine aplenty.

The remainder of the evening included the sharing of highs + lows around the dinner table, the shedding of happy tears, a couple of dance sessions, a little too much wine, a few polaroids, and so many joyful moments. Around midnight, we wrapped it up and all said our goodbyes as I was first to depart - planning to make my way to the airport very early morning, while Liv and Colin were set to leave a bit later in the day.

That said, we were beyond blessed to have Sky and Emil as hosts; from accommodating us at their apartment in Singapore (using it as our "home base" for the two week trip) to relying on them to know the ins/outs of regional travel during our travels to Indonesia and Malaysia, they blew us away with their hospitality, kindness, and commitment to making it an unbelievable trip. Schyler even crafted itineraries for our days in Singapore when they were still working, which ensured we hit all the must dos + sees!

All in all, this was an incredibly special trip with two friends I hold near and dear to my heart, plus their husbands who I got to know (and love) even more! This trip felt so easy and natural the whole time, with everyone able to converse, laugh, and be themselves throughout. I, for one, think it's pretty impressive to travel for two weeks with anyone, let alone close friends, never once having tension or disagreement (except regarding the rightful winner of the 'quiet game') -- and, it is a testament to these friendships and our collective spirit of adventure and acceptance that afforded us an amazing time!

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To Do or Not To Do?

My answer to this question always seems to be the same, but YES! Perhaps I'm a little biased because I love this region of the world, and have been so honored to visit eight countries in Southeast Asia, each with its own rich history, culture, cuisine, and overall vibe.

Now, a couple of caveats: (1) this region is on the other side of the world for most of you reading this post, meaning it's a long, fairly expensive voyage there. Once there, Singapore is notoriously expensive - with food, transportation, and other expenses being comparable to other large cities around the world; though costly, Singapore offers great value because the entire city is impeccably clean, offers a variety of interesting activities without being overwhelming, and is large but manageable.

(2) Because it is so far, I recommend no less than 10 days on the ground in the region, which can be hard for many people to swing (understandably); since you lose about three days traveling there and back, the longer trip allows your body to adjust to the local time (and heat) plus ensures you have ample time to enjoy the many cool places this area has to offer.

We, of course, opted to do a long weekend to Bali, which is popular among the Indonesian Islands for its young, fun vibe, and we were fairly impressed with the beach towns, temples, and other Indonesian sights. If that sounds appealing to you, then Bali should be on your list, too!

What pleasantly surprised me was how much I adored Malaysia; I'd certainly heard wonderful things about Malaysia but found Melaka, as a UNESCO world heritage town, to be even more darling, fun, kitschy (in all the right ways), and animated than I imagined. We covered most of the tourist spots in our two full days there, so I highly recommend adding Melaka to your list outright, if not squeezing it into an existing itinerary if you plan to be in the region.

Final note about the HEAT that I've alluded to several times... because these three countries are so close to the Equator, the seasons are dry and rainy but never cold or even chilly. That said, most days of the trip, we lagged a bit from the humidity, stickiness, and overall staleness of the air. So long as you're prepared with sunscreen, a personal fan, lots of water, and an attitude of it is what it is... you will no doubt enjoy all the unique cultures, interesting views, natural beauty, and good food these countries have to offer.

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