Getting off the beaten track doesn’t have to involve multiple transits, a mad rush to catch that once-a-day train, and getting hopelessly lost. Lose yourself instead at these unconventional destinations, but a short direct flight away.
READ MORE:
8 Things You Need To Know About Singapore’s First Breast Milk Bank
12 Parenting Gems You Won’t Find In The Baby Books
Jun Ji-Hyun And Other Celebs Expecting Babies In The Next Year
This bustling metropolis is rapidly developing, but its rich traditions and culture still prevail.
Witness magnificent Buddhist temples glisten in the glory of the Golden Hour. And when your stomach starts rumbling after sunset, visit the Anawrahta Road Night Market for local delicacies like Burmese tempura.
Travel time from Singapore: 3 hours
There’s not much to do when you land at Clark Airport; instead, it’s a getaway to picture-perfect places in Philippines like Mount Pinatubo.
A word of warning: the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption was the largest to happen in the past 100 years.
But if you’re after an adventure, a stunning scene awaits after you hike to the peak.
Travel time for Singapore: 3 hours 40 minutes
Think of Lombok as Indonesia’s second Bali (in fact, they’re neighbours).
Minus the tourist crowds, granting the island even more idyll.
Here, adventure abounds — the water’s edge is never fat, and neither are the mountains and trails beyond the white sand beaches.
Oh, have we mentioned the magnificent pink beach?
Travel time from Singapore: 2 hours 40 minutes
Langkawi is for every sort of traveller, with its multitude of ways to get your dose of nature: while the turquoise waters nuzzle your toes by the shore, hiking up mountains home to flying foxes and eagles, or from above on the exhilarating Sky Bridge beyond even the towering mountains.
It’s for good reasons that its official title is Langkawi Permata Kedah, meaning “Langkawi, the jewel of Kedah”.
Travel time from Singapore: 1 hour 30 minutes
This vivacious hive is sprawling with modern malls and restaurants, but that’s not to say it’s lost its character to civilisation.
Dutch colonial facades sit beside modern amenities — of even house them — while elsewhere, museums and even the royal Maimoon Palace offer a glimpse into this city’s rich heritage.
Once you get over the impossibly busy streets where torrents of vehicles vie for space.
Travel time from Singapore: 1 hours 30 minutes
As a flourishing trading hub — sibu means trade in the native Cebuano, after all — it’s got all the modern amenities for luxury living.
Centuries-old heritage sites have lush gardens to call their front yard; the Southern end of the city, which peeks out to the sea, enjoys well-manicured beaches. From the Tops lookout, raved about by locals and tourists alike, take in the striking views of the cityscape.
Travel time from Singapore: 3 hours 50 minutes
Miri boasts its own unique charm that’s not quite like, say, the busy Kuala Lumpur or the acclaimed food capital Penang.
It’s sometimes sleepy, sometimes adrenaline-boosting — depending on how you choose to explore it.
Take it slow sunbathing at Luak Bay, or journey through the rainforests and hills. Party animal? A bustling nightlife awaits.
Travel time from Singapore: 2 hours
Locals might boast about Chiang Mai as a city that’s everything Bangkok isn’t.
That’s true on some fronts — it’s sleepier, and in the place of towering skyscrapers and busy entrepreneurs are magnificent mountains, beautiful temples and vibrant hill tribes.
But if you love Bangkok for its hipster cafes and luxury hotels, we’ve got good news. Chiang Mai’s got its fair share as well. Little wonder it’s an increasingly popular destination for holiday-goers.
Travel time from Singapore: 2 hours 55 minutes
Shed your impression of Vietnam as notoriously hectic — this provincial beach town is anything but.
Down at the Pham Von Dong beach, fellow families, both local and tourists, are joyfully at play. When night falls, the beautifully lit Dragon Bridge is a must-see — it even spits fire every Saturday and Sunday at 9pm.
Travel time from Singapore: 2 hours 40 minutes