A place as multicultural and diverse as Singapore is best experienced through its food. Look beyond the shining skyscrapers, ultra-luxury malls, and hotels, and you will find a vibrant metropolis with hawker centres and colourful local neighbourhoods that tell a story of family traditions and cherished recipes passed down through generations.
Discova’s guided tour through Singapore’s bustling Chinatown is one such experience where you see local hawker stalls and trendy new-age bars coexist in the same bustling enclave, straddling the line between old and new. This trip is made more special by an expert local guide, who takes you to five tastings at different establishments and seamlessly connects the dots between Singapore’s cuisine, culture, and history.
Three of our colleagues from Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) recently had the opportunity to go on this tour. As repeat visitors to Singapore, they unanimously agreed that it was a great experience for both first-time tourists and seasoned travellers who had been to Singapore before.
Kate Foster, FCTG’s Australia Product and Supplier Leader, says, “A first-time visitor would get to see the city through a local’s eyes on this tour. It wasn’t just about food; our guide, Kim, gave us a wealth of information about the country’s history and culture. Even the most seasoned visitor to Singapore might struggle to navigate the Hawker markets alone and find the best treats! Kim made it all a breeze.”
According to FCTG’s Global Head of Marketing, Megan Henderson, this tour was an effortless way to see the parts of Singapore one might otherwise walk past. As a three-hour excursion, it’s not a huge time commitment in your day either, but it makes you feel like you’ve seen a lot, which is what you want on holiday.
She adds, “History, culture and food are always intertwined; this tour could not have showcased local food without touching on Singaporean culture and history. It gave the tour flavour (pun intended) and gave the dishes more meaning.”
Kathy Clifford, FCTG’s Supply Contracting Manager – Global Insurance and Ancillaries Partnerships, also agrees that this tour showcased a part of Singapore that tourists might not visit on their own and dishes they may not try on their own.
“This was an easy way to get to know where to go in Chinatown, particularly in the Hawker Centres that can be quite overwhelming with lots of choices... Having done a similar tour recently, I had high expectations, as I had loved the other company. However, Discova and Kim really blew me away! It was so much better than expected!” she informs.
Kim Ping Seah is, of course, our in-house guide in Singapore, who has consistently received 5-star reviews from travellers. It came as no surprise to Kate, Megan or Kathy that this was the case.
As Kate points out, “Kim had relationships with all the vendors we visited; she was clearly part of the community, not just someone who works in the area. My expectation from this tour was to eat some good food and see some sites. We got so much more than that. Kim not only provided the delicious food, but she also gave us insights into history, culture and everyday life in Singapore.”
Megan mentions how she immediately reached out to Nick Shuttleworth, VP Sales – North America and APAC, after the tour to convey how much she had enjoyed it.
“Every food retailer we met knew Kim well, and there was a clear mutual beneficial relationship – in the best way possible. She is a true credit to Discova and any traveller would benefit from hearing her local insights and knowledge,” she adds.
Some of our colleagues’ favourite memories include enjoying delicious kopi, relishing an ice-cold beer with their lunch, savouring a local dessert with kidney beans and seeing the place where Lady Gaga had a Milo Dinosaur when she visited Singapore for her concert this year.
“I have already recommended this tour to some friends travelling later in the year. It was the perfect duration, full of fantastic food, informative and most importantly, fun!” concludes Kate.
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and stay at the forefront of new product offerings, Discova behind-the-scenes, destination news, travel trends and thought leadership articles from our on-the-ground experts.