Cheryl Sekkappan

It’s been a rainy couple of days, but we’re not letting the weather get to us as this week’s full of exciting activities and events. Fans of the K-pop group Seventeen can look forward to Seventeen-themed celebrations at Marina Bay Sands, and artsy folk can swing by the Aliwal Urban Arts Festival 2025. Artbox 2025 and Singapore Art Week are still ongoing this week, so you’ve still got time to check out these events. Scroll on for the best things to do in Singapore this week. RECOMMENDED: The 101 best things to do in Singapore and New attractions in Singapore in 2025

Birthday cakes. Wedding cakes. Cheesecake. Chocolate cake. Cake for one, just one. We sift through the best bakeries to present you with the best cake shops on the island. Don't worry – the perfect cake is not a lie. But if you want to lie to yourself about the calories you're consuming, go right ahead.  RECOMMENDED: The best traditional bakeries and cake shops in Singapore and the best cafés in Singapore for dessert   

Hello, 2025! We're already kicking off the new year with plenty of fun activities this January – the city’s annual light art festival is back along with a ten-day art extravaganza. Skateboarding competitions, rare vintage collectibles and interactive art exhibitions are some of the line-ups at several exciting street culture-centric events. Hold on to your wallets because Artbox Singapore is making its return to the city, bigger and better than ever. See more below. RECOMMENDED: The 50 best cafés in Singapore and The best art exhibitions in Singapore you shouldn't miss    

Yearly, several prominent music festivals light up Asia's calendar. Don't hesitate – catch that flight, as there's nothing quite like joining a pulsating crowd of fellow revellers, dancing and shouting your heart out to the tunes you love alongside beloved international artists. RECOMMENDED: The absolute best hotels in Asia right now and The best places to party in Bali

2025 is set to be a momentous year when it comes to travel. Citywide celebrations and milestone anniversaries will be taking place in Amsterdam and Rome, sparkling new cultural centres are flinging open their doors in Rotterdam, New York and Abu Dhabi, and there are fresh chances to see some wonderful wildlife in Australia, Singapore and Greenland – but that’s just the beginning. Read on for our roundup of the 25 coolest, weirdest and most adventurous new things to do across the world in 2025, no matter your whereabouts or budget. RECOMMENDED:🇬🇧 The best things to do in the UK in 2025🛍️ The coolest neighbourhoods in the world🎪 The world’s best music festivals for 2025🌃 The best cities in the world right now  

There's no way to travel all of Asia in one lifetime, but you can damn well bet that we're going to try. From bustling city destinations to wild island paradises, there's so much on the regional travel menu that we'd gladly spend our annual leave on in 2025 – and if you're having a hard time choosing, then you're in the right place. We talked to our Time Out editors and travel contributors in Asia to suss out what's on their radar for the coming year. These destinations are emerging hotspots: long overlooked or previously hard to get to, but now on the map for travellers searching for alternatives to well-trodden destinations like Bali, Tokyo, and Bangkok. Many on the list have become better-connected too – all the more reason to buy that plane ticket in 2025. And it goes without saying: they all have spectacular natural attractions, rich culture, and fantastic dining scenes to satisfy the pickiest of travellers. Here's Time Out's list of the best places to visit in Asia in 2025.  Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Asia newsletter for the best travel inspiration straight to your inbox. READ MORE: The most spectacular places to visit in Asia and The most gorgeous islands in Asia 

The New Year's Eve fireworks in Singapore get even more impressive with each year, and we aren’t expecting anything less this December 31. While the annual Let’s Celebrate countdown show and fireworks will be televised live on our local free-to-air channels, nothing beats getting to experience the fireworks in person. While this show will be held at Singapore Sports Hub at Kallang this year, the Marina Bay area will still be having its own fireworks extravaganza, as will Sentosa – which means you’ll get to admire the pyrotechnics from even more locations this year. Read on for a list of the best New Year’s Eve fireworks viewing locations in Singapore, from free viewing spots to paid venues that are worth the splurge. RECOMMENDED: Best New Year's Eve parties and events in Singapore and 17 heartland locations across Singapore will have New Year's Eve celebrations

Finding the right blooms can be a tricky task, especially if you’re aiming for something thoughtful, meaningful and reflective of the person you’re sending it to. In other words, delivering flowers to someone takes a little bit of planning, because you’ll need to locate the best place to create your perfect arrangement. Lucky for you, we’ve rounded up some of the best flower delivery services around town. From the big and bold to the bespoke, these stores specialise in making arrangements that’ll put a smile on your giftee’s face.  RECOMMENDED: The best florists in Singapore and how to choose the perfect bouquet of flowers

Sure, 2024 was fun – we became wizards for a day at the Singapore edition of Harry Potter: Visions of Magic and we shopped till we dropped at the hyped up lifestyle enclave along Kim Yam Road, now known as New Bahru. No time to reminisce though – 2025 is set to be nothing short of spectacular, thanks to plenty of upcoming events and new attractions. Mark your calendars for Universal Studios Singapore’s opening of Minion Land and SEA Aquarium’s revamp, then grab your hiking boots and head to Singapore’s newest rainforest wildlife park — already lauded as one of the world’s best things to do in 2025. Scroll for more. RECOMMENDED: The best music concerts and festivals in Singapore and The best art exhibitions in Singapore you shouldn't miss

Gleaming skyscrapers, luxury hotels, instagrammable parks and boulevards filled with air-conditioned malls – Singapore truly has it all. Oh, and there are loads of attractions and great things to do to keep the hordes of visitors occupied too. With so much to explore, it can be tricky to know where to begin – from nature’s endless beauty to breathtaking views, or the abundance of galleries and shops for those seeking a more relaxed experience. Here’s a guide to the best attractions in Singapore, handpicked by our local experts just for you. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here. RECOMMENDED: 101 things to do in Singapore and where to see interesting architecture and landmarks in Singapore

In the blink of an eye, we’ve finally hit December. With just weeks to go until 2025, we’ve got plenty of events that will make you wish the month was longer. Kick off the festive season with the return of yuletide fun around the island. From the dazzling lights along Orchard Road to a European-style Christmas market at Marina Bay, this year’s festive season promises to be unforgettable. Aside from Christmas magic, find Disney magic at a themed floral showcase and airport pop-up. Take a break from the festivities by checking out anonymous street artist Banksy’s debut exhibition here or visit New Bahru for its first design-centric fair. There's plenty to do this month, so scroll to know more. RECOMMENDED: The 101 best things to do in Singapore and 2024 Time Out Singapore recommended venues

It shouldn't have come as a surprise that Shanti Pereira beat us to the Kallang Athletics Stadium on the morning of our scheduled photoshoot. Decked out in a white sports bra and shorts, she's doing dynamic stretches under the baking sun. Shanti gives us a casual hello as she walks by to grab more equipment, but otherwise, she's laser-focused on her routine for the morning. Halfway through her kettlebell workout, a gaggle of students approach her. It's not difficult to guess what they want. From where we're sitting, Shanti looks surprised but happily gives her young fans her autograph. This happens often, we hear. The scene is a fitting microcosm of Shanti's life now, balancing her commitment to track and her renewed fame. As a sportsperson, she'd had her fair share of the limelight, but her 2023 season has been nothing short of amazing. There was no running away from Shanti Pereira this year – open the newspaper and you'd see a headline about her beating her own national record again (at least six times for the 100m race alone) or clinching one historic win or other. The pinnacle of her achievements this year? The 200m sprint gold at the 19th Asian Games, the first time a Singaporean has won gold in track and field at the competition in 49 years. Crossing the line knowing that my coach and I had achieved the goal we set out for, it just felt like a huge sense of accomplishment. Pride. As she gets her makeup done for the shoot, Shanti recalls the moment she crossed the finis

Feel the beat of New York at this grungy, hip-hop bar along Ann Siang Hill. An unassuming doorway on Ann Siang Road opens up into Brooklyn. Lit by low mood lighting, it has three sections: settle into plush seats for a proper sit-down meal, grab a seat by the main bar to chat with the mixologist, or head down a flight of stairs to the basement where an open-air kitchen shows all the chefs in action. Brooklyn bills itself as Singapore’s first hip-hop bar, so you can bet that hip-hop music will be playing all night long.  On the cocktail menu, 12 tipples are divided into three parts: Heart & Soul, King x Queen, and Ghetto Streets. It’s Brooklyn’s way of paying homage to all that makes up New York — its art, music, and culture. Ladies, come through with the Queen B*tch ($24), a refreshing cocktail with gin, elderflower liqueur, dry vermouth, orange marmalade and yuzu. Or try punchy signatures like The Brooklyn! ($26) and The Big Apple ($26). The former is spirit-forward with its use of barrel-aged wild turkey bourbon, while the latter blends Tiki Lover’s Pineapple, Baldoria dry vermouth, Laird’s applejack, apple maple syrup and black walnut bitters. The usual Maraschino cherry is replaced with a bright red candy apple that bleeds artistically onto a Brooklyn-stamped ice cube. In the Ghetto Streets section, the bartender’s virtuosity and skill come through in complex drinks like the Grandmaster Bear ($24), a fruity concoction with clarified cream. Cocktails aside, the food menu

No need for a scuba diving license to enjoy the treasures of the sea at Koral Restaurants. It’s Bali’s first aquarium restaurant, tucked away in the luxurious Apurve Kempinski Bali. Request for a table under the arched plexiglass of the aquarium to make the most of the unusual setting. It gives you front-row seats to the dance of colourful marine life while you tuck into artistic multi-course menus with Indonesian-inspired dishes like wagyu beef with Maranggi sauce and silken tofu with Kintamani tangerine. 

Bouldering – it's like rock climbing, but scarier since you're scaling the wall sans rope. But the sport has found quite the following in Singapore because it's a true challenge for both the mind and body. Strength, technique, and strategy are a must to excel. It's also just a great bonding activity to have with friends and other enthusiasts.  Lovers of the sport now have a playground at Project Send, a swanky facility that's housed on the second floor of Esplanade Mall. Founded by climbers Kenneth Ng and Sarah Chua, Project Send stands out for its holistic approach to the sport – combining bouldering, strength training, and a dining concept at Beta Café.  Let's talk about the space. Project Send occupies over 5,200 square feet of space at The Esplanade Mall comprising more than 70 routes covering 12 climbing grades. The 14 bouldering walls overlook cityscape and riverfront views for times you need a breather from – quite literally – staring at the wall. Bouldering nerds will also be happy to know that the walls themselves were designed by seasoned Swiss climber Patrick Andrey, who has taken into account the unique features of the space to create an enjoyable spatial flow.  Besides a world-class bouldering wall to climb, gym-goers can also look forward to a holistic set of classes. Expect strength training and mobility sessions to help you conquer that gnarly overhang while protecting your muscles and joints. It all depends on your climbing goals, which Project Send's coaches

There's a new bookstore in the heart of town, and it's a haven for lovers of Chinese culture, literature and art. Taking over the space in Wheelock Place where the Borders flagship used to be is the ZALL Bookstore. It stocks more than 30,000 Chinese literary works for adults and children across two storeys, and has a café and art gallery to boot. Enter on the first floor and be greeted by black and white calligraphic elements that immediately whisk you away to the Jiangnan Watertown. Here is where you'll find childrens' literature, as well as a spacious multi-functional reading and event space. Head to the café on this floor for some quiet reading time with a hot cuppa – they have a variety of coffee blends, Chinese Chu tea and Taiwan tea on the menu.  Adults will want to head up the spiral staircase to do some book hunting. Expect a comprehensive collection across literature, humanities, history and philosophy from China and Taiwan. If that's not enough culture for you, there's always the art gallery on the same floor. ZALL Bookstore will be featuring creative pieces from both local and international talent, as well as stationery collections you can shop from. 

Taiwan-born Draft Land Singapore turns one, and it's throwing an anniversary bash for the ages. From October 10 to 13, its inviting one and all down for a celebration featuring great food, lively music, and of course, its drafted cocktails.  You'll want to swing by on October 10 (4pm till late), when 20 cocktails-on-tap will be going for the absurdly good price of $10. Dance to a diverse selection of R&B, hip hop, top 40s, and disco tunes by DJ Chuin as you sip on cocktail favourites like oolong tea collins and yuzu whisky sour, alongside new concoctions like Red & Stormy and Pornstar bellini. Draft Land is known for its Sample Service – so do ask the friendly 'draft tenders' to recommend a few cocktails to try before you commit.  The next two nights are all about the music, with multiple DJs on rotation. DJ Val starts the party at 6pm on October 11 with house, R&B and party anthems; followed by DJ Dyna with an energetic hip hop set. DJ Zack C, a big name credited for driving Singapore's top LGBT clubs in the 2010s, takes over with DJ Chuin from 10pm to midnight. If you're in your Mandopop era, swing by on October 12 instead, where DJ Pin will be soundtracking the night with beloved Mandarin ballads and jazz-influenced tracks. Draft Land has a satisfying menu of Taiwanese delights to go with its tipples, but October 13 brings something a little different. Chooby Pizza is set to pop-up with its Naples-style pizza, characterised by naturally leavened, light and thin crust overl

If you can’t race a car, why not hop around town on a GPSS pub crawl instead? For $50, join Pints and Pitstops on a boozy trip to four top bars around Singapore. At each, you’ll get a locally-inspired cocktail: think alcohol-spiked chendol and ice milo drinks, with the night wrapping at one of Singapore’s hottest nightclubs. Come prepared with your F1 knowledge though – the pub crawl includes race-themed trivia and games, with prizes up for grabs, of course.

The Projector has long been a staunch ally of the LGBTQ+ community. It runs regular queer parties and events, the crown jewel of which is the annual film festival, Pink Screen. With Pride Month just around the corner, The Projector has now opened ticket sales for this year's festival. It presents a tight curation of indie flicks from Singapore and around the world, which collectively spotlight queer inclusion, transgender experiences, and diverse voices from the community.  From May 31 to June 15, catch romantic comedies, noir flicks, and touching dramas on the big screen. A hotly anticipated film is a re-run of Bugis Street (1995), which paints an evocative portrait of queer Singapore in the 1960s. It's told through the eyes of a young cleaner employed at Bugis Street's Sin Sin Hotel – also a regular haunt for transvestites and transgender sex workers. This film was banned in Singapore for a good 20 years – an important reminder of how far we've come and how much there is left to go.  On the roster are Femme (2023), a seductive erotic thriller about a drag queen on a revenge quest after a traumatic homophobic attack; Love Is Strange (2024), a Women Film Critics Circle Award favourite about a married gay couple who lose their New York City apartment after one of them is unjustly fired from their job; and Peafowl (2022), an award-winning Korean drama that follows Shin-myung, whose dreams of winning a waacking dance competition (and the prize money for gender reaffirming surge

Lazarus Island is undoubtedly one of Singapore's most beautiful islands, and is rightfully beloved for its laidback, rustic charm and idyllic shores. The island has seen some development in recent times, with the addition of Tiny Away Escape @ Lazarus Island cabins, a convenience store called Sol by BDC, and the water sports centre Camelot. The latest addition? Into The Woods, a new glamping experience laying claim to Lazarus Island's most beautiful beach.  Founded in 2022 by Ray and Sam, who were inspired by camping trips they had enjoyed overseas with their young children, Into The Woods is all about "experiencing a life unhurried". The idea is to book one of three family tents (sleeps four) or six couple tents (sleeps two), where you can slow down, disconnect from the bustle of city life, and immerse in nature.  What is it like living at Into The Woods? Where the 'glam' part of the vacation comes into play is in these rooms. On a one-night stay with Into The Woods, we checked into a family tent and found a whole lot to love. It's spacious and fully air-conditioned, with a king bed and a sofa bed to accommodate a family of four. Full-length glass sliding doors offers views of the beach – the glass is tinted so you can look out at the waves from the inside while staying shielded from anyone outside who might be looking in (in any case, there are curtains that you can draw for extra privacy). The room has a snack bar stocked with cereals, biscuits, coffee, and tea, a small f

Grounded is a riveting story of an ace Air Force fighter pilot, whose career in the sky is brought to an abrupt end by an unexpected pregnancy. Recommissioned to the Nevada desert to pilot military drones, she remains physically safe away from the action during combat shifts – but struggles with the disorienting clockwork of motherly duties blended with the psychological toll of war. Based on an award-winning script by George Brant and featuring actress Oon Shu An, Singapore Theatre Company’s Grounded is an empathetic study of both the personal and geopolitical costs of modern warfare.  Oon Shu An’s stellar performance as the protagonist kept us on the edge of our seats for the full 90 minutes, commanding the stage with an unwavering intensity. The script for Grounded is a demanding one, as the pilot slowly descends into madness as the line between her work and personal life begins to blur, a challenge that Oon navigates flawlessly. Despite the character’s disturbing joy in bombing “the guilty”, we found ourselves rooting for her, glad that she found some semblance of happiness in the “chair-force” – a job that she initially despised. The themes of Grounded resonate deeply in today’s context, where one side remains shielded from the threat of death while callously imposing a relentless demise upon others. Grab some friends and book the Watch With Friends package (minimum of four tickets) to enjoy 15 percent off. Interested in a theatre marathon? Grounded is also part of The S

After more than 50 years of parades, Chingay continues to keep things interesting. This year, it's setting out to dazzle with a large-scale floor projection on the F1 track, featuring a lush Chingay garden to fit 2024's theme of 'Blossom'. Look forward to an array of floral motifs throughout six acts to tell the story of Singapore's thriving culture and community.  The whole parade promises to be a visual treat. The floor projection, a first for the parade and the longest yet seen in Singapore, will transform the track at the F1 Pit Building into a massive moving canvas. The parade will open with a majestic dragon flying throughout the F1 track, followed by anamorphic illusions of buildings, flowers, and spaceships. Listen out for the Chingay Gardener (George Chan) and the Flower Fairy (Tan Rui Shan) as they narrate the story of 'Blossom', told through vibrant performances incorporating dragon and lion dances, inline skating, cheerleading, wushu, and pieces by international groups from Uzbekistan, China, Indonesia, and more.  Of course, an indelible part of the Chingay parade is the vibrant floats. This year, five main floats will grace the parade. Presented by groups like Tote Board Group, POSB, and Harmony Circle, they pay tribute to the youth, the elderly, our four major ethnic groups, and more active communities in Singapore. There's no missing the pomp and pageantry in the heartlands either – a float caravan will be parading through residential estates at the Chingay@Hea

Talk about a stunner. The 5-star Artyzen Singapore on Cuscaden Road is Artyzen Hospitality Group's debut in Singapore, and it's a maximalist dream. In a departure from brands that seek to provide a consistent experience across global properties (not a knock, that has its own charm), Artyzen Singapore grounds itself in local history and culture – providing a vibrant stay with a wonderful sense of place.  One fascinating tidbit about Artyzen Singapore is that it's built on prime estate formerly occupied by Villa Marie. It was a 1940s era mansion built by Tan Hoon Siang, a keen horticulturalist and relation of philanthropist Tan Tock Seng. His love of plants, and particular interest in orchids, has been woven into the fabric of Artyzen Singapore. You see it in the bold floral motifs stamped throughout the hotel lobby, in the arched trellises that drip with plants and gems alike, and in the green and tranquil sky gardens across the floors.  The hotel has 148 impressive rooms spanning four categories: Deluxe, Premier, Grand Terrace Room, and Terrace Suite. It's worth noting that all have balconies and soaring ceilings (at least four metres high), which give them a sense of spaciousness and grandeur. The Straits-inspired art we get a peep of in the lift (colourful artwork by Terence Tan that depict Peranakan shophouses) finds its way into these rooms, in the scenic wallpaper and Peranakan-tile motifs.  Our room for two nights is the Terrace Suite, and it's jaw-dropping to say the

A gorgeous new hotel has opened on 21 Carpenter Street and it's designed by none other than the award-winning architects WOHA. Built in a restored and redesigned former remittance house, the boutique beauty weaves heritage stories and elements seamlessly with urban design sensibilities. Called 21 Carpenter, the hotel takes up the existing Depression-era shophouse, once known as the prominent remittance house Chye Hua Seng Wee Kee. Founded in 1936 by local philanthropist Mr Lee Wee Nam, it was where Singapore's earliest immigrants came to send money back home. These transfers were often accompanied by poetic letters written for them by skilled writers in Chinatown – pieces of this history can be found in the phrases, plucked from archived letters and records, cut into the aluminium facade of 21 Carpenter's contemporary extension.   21 Carpenter has 48 rooms that are split into the Heritage Wing (26 rooms) over the first four floors and the Urban Wing (22 rooms) over the top five floors. Thoughtful touches elevate every room: custom-made furniture lends graceful form and function, and WOHA calligraphic artworks adorn the room walls in a nod to the remittance letters of Singapore's earliest immigrants. In the heritage rooms, sturdy Chengal timber boards from the 1930s have been lovingly restored and used for flooring in a nod to the shophouse's heritage.    For the ultimate luxury, stay in the Heritage Two Bedroom Suite (which spans a whopping 55 square metres) or Heritage Bal

Call us biased, but Asia has some of the most kick-ass cities in the world. You get ultra-modern megacities like Shanghai, Seoul, and Bangkok – colourful, chaotic, with a centre of gravity of their own – and quainter destinations like Hanoi and Kyoto, threaded through with tradition and old-world charm. Whatever your lifestyle or holiday needs, we guarantee there's an Asian city to suit your preferences.  If you're searching for a place in Asia to visit (or settle down in), then you've come to the right place. Every year, Time Out talks to thousands of locals worldwide (18,500 city dwellers this year, to be exact) to suss out how they feel about living, working, and playing in their hometowns. We're talking food, culture, nightlife, affordability, and even how easy it is to find love. Our city editors also chip in by voting on the most exciting places in the world right now. The result – a definitive list of the 50 best cities in the world. And guess what? 11 hip and happening Asian cities made the global list for 2025, with some exciting new entries and incredible comebacks. Let's take a closer look at the results.  Bangkok is the second-best city in the world Give it up for Bangkok, the second-best city in the world and officially the best city in Asia for 2025. That records an incredible jump of 22 spots from our 2024 round-up of the world's best cities. So, what propelled Bangkok to the top? Time Out staff writer Kaweewat Siwanartwong boils it down to a few essential fact

We've written extensively about overtourism in Japan and efforts by the country's government to curb the influx of visitors. There was the cap on daily tourist numbers in 'Spirited Away' town Ginza Onsen, the ban on tourists in Kyoto's Geisha district, and a compulsory fee for hikers on Mount Fuji. And now, Kyoto is poised to implement a tax hike on hotels and lodgings in the city.  The move is in response to the staggering tourist numbers in Kyoto. The ancient capital saw more than 30 million visitors between January and October 2024, with tourist numbers expected to have hit a record 35 million for the whole year. Kyoto's public transport infrastructure is reportedly unable to cope, and added to that, misbehaving tourists (who have been reported to harass geiko in the city's geisha district) have left a sour taste in locals' mouths.  If you've visited Kyoto anytime since 2018, you'd be familiar with its existing tiered system of accommodation taxes. Now, visitors pay 200 yen for a hotel costing less than 20,000 yen per night, and 500 yen for a stay between 20,000 yen and 49,999 yen per night. The current maximum tax rate is 1000 yen for accommodations costing 50,000 yen or more per night.  If approved by the municipal assembly, the new tax rates will be 200 yen for accommodation costing up to 5,999 yen per night and 400 yen for hotels between 6000 yen and 19,999 yen. You'll pay double the tax for hotels costing between 20,000 yen and 49,999 yen per night – so, 1000 yen inst

Are you a 'MeMooner'? That's the term coined by Hilton in its 2025 Hilton Trends Report for a rising class of travellers – solo travellers. This trend picked up in 2024 and shows no signs of abating this year, with more than half of millennials and Gen Zs expected to ditch their friends and fly solo often in 2025.  If you're part of the crew, then you're likely on the lookout for good solo travel destinations. One good place to look at for inspiration is TripAdvisor's Travellers' Choice Awards Best of the Best Destinations, which has a category dedicated to the top solo travel spots in the world. Out of 8 million listings on its platform, 25 cities received top marks from its community as great places to visit all on your own. Top of the list is a city right here in Asia: Seoul, South Korea. According to TripAdvisor, the Korean capital topped the list for its "fascinating mix of old and new". This glittering city has UNESCO World Heritage Site-listed palace complexes, sprawling food markets like Gwangjang Market, the largest shipping container mall in the world, and slick, modern nightclubs (or noraebangs, if singing karaoke is more your jam) to occupy you from day to night. It also wins points for having "one of the world's best subway systems". Having travelled solo to Seoul before, we can attest to the ease of getting around on its incredibly well-mapped subway, with Owl Buses that run after midnight. Even a day trip out of Seoul (to an idyllic camping site in Tae-an) was

A powerful passport is something that shouldn't be taken for granted. After all, travel is so much sweeter without the hassle and stress of applying for visas. That's why we like to keep our eyes on reports like the Henley Passport Index, which monitors the most (and least) powerful passports in the world based on data from the International Air Transport Association. It's just released its first index of 2025, and we're chuffed to see that two Asian countries have topped the list. Unsurprisingly, bragging rights go to Singapore (No. 1) and Japan (No.2). These two countries have consistently topped Henley's list, but this year, they've broken away from the group of six countries that shared joint first place in 2024.  With a Singapore passport, you can enter 195 of 227 destinations visa-free. Meanwhile, Japan has recently regained visa-free access to China, bumping up its number to 193 destinations globally.  Another Asian country on the list of the ten most powerful passports is South Korea. It sits in third place with France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Finland, all with access to 192 destinations, with no prior visa required. Not bad at all. In the meantime, China is one of the biggest climbers on the Henley's Passport Index. It added 40 destinations to its list of visa-free access destinations, slinging it up from 94th place in 2015 to 60th in 2025.  Here are the most powerful passports in the world in 2025, according to the Henley Passport Index: Singapore; 195 destinati

New year, new things to do. As 2024 comes to a close, it's time to look at the biggest and best happenings next year – all the better to plan your travels, right?  If you need some inspiration, Time Out has compiled a list of the 25 most incredible things to do worldwide based on recommendations by our extensive network of travel editors and experts. And lucky us, there are five experiences right on our doorstep here in Asia, with something to feed culture lovers, adrenaline-seekers, geeks, and foodies alike.   Coming in at No. 7 is a vintage steam train journey in Vietnam that should chug out of the station by early 2025. As Time Out contributor Liv Kelly reports, these are original steam trains from the 1960s that have been restored to beautiful working condition under the hands of some of the last remaining Vietnamese steam engineers. These trains will travel between Da Nang and Hue and have themed dining menus at three stops: Kim Lien (Da Nang), Lang Co, and Hue. Find out more about these retro trains here.  If you love a dose of adventure and wildlife, then the next activity on the list might inspire you to book a ticket to Singapore. The little island nation is set to open its fifth zoological park, Rainforest Wild Asia (No. 8). This is no ordinary zoo: home to 29 animal species, it's criss-crossed with thrilling adventures like freefall jumps and caving expeditions in exhibits modelled after natural gems in Asia (like the Mulu Caves in Sarawak, for example).  Then ther

If there's one thing that we can all get excited about in the coming year, it's all the public holidays and long weekends in store for us. If you haven't already heard, out of all the 11 gazetted public holidays in 2025, four will fall on a Friday or Monday. This means that we'll get to enjoy four long weekends. That's one long weekend less than what we got in 2024 (which is admittedly a tad disappointing) but it turns out that two public holidays happen to fall on a Saturday – so those on a five-day work week have the option of claiming those as an off day, or receiving salary in lieu. Our advice? Create your own long weekend by taking that off-in-lieu day on a Friday or Monday too.  These are the public holidays to look forward to in 2025, with long weekends marked by an asterisk: New Year's Day: January 1, Wednesday Chinese New Year (day 1): January 29, Wednesday Chinese New Year (day 2): January 30, Thursday Hari Raya Puasa: March 31, Monday* Good Friday: April 18, Friday* Labour Day: May 1, Thursday Vesak Day:  May 12, Monday* Hari Raya Haji: June 7, Saturday National Day: August 9, Saturday Deepavali: October 20, Monday* Christmas Day: December 25, Thursday  If you're required to work on a public holiday, remember that you're entitled to time off in lieu, an extra day's salary at your basic rate of pay, or even overtime pay depending on your particular scenario, as part of Singapore's Employment Act. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has a useful calculator to help you

  Listen, we love Bali, Tokyo, and Bangkok. There's a reason that these destinations have been at the top of travellers' bucket lists for decades (and we do mean decades). There's Bali's idyllic beaches and meditative forests, Tokyo's unbeatable retail and dining scene, and Bangkok's rich culture and street eats.  We could go on listing the many compelling reasons to visit these hotspots in 2025, but if you're looking for alternatives that are just as appealing, then you're in the right place. We've just dropped our list of the best places to visit in Asia in 2025, and it's filled with under-the-radar gems recommended by our local editors and travel experts. These spots are ripe for a visit: many have become much easier to travel to or are just starting to come into their own after being long overshadowed. Photograph: AA.Apt/Shutterstock   Topping the list is Sumba, a unique island in western Indonesia. It strikes the right balance between "unspoiled natural beauty and rich cultural traditions", according to Time Out Asia contributor Delfina Utomo. Here, you can enjoy some spectacular (and quiet) beaches like Nihiwatu, once voted the world's best beach, and sunsets over undulating hills covered in golden maize and cassava.  Sumba's cultural traditions also continue to run strong. Experience a slice of it in February and March at the Pasola Festival, a traditional spear-fighting competition that heralds the harvest season. At villages like Ratenggaro and Prai Ijing, you can

Nasi lemak, chilli crab, bahn mi, pad thai...travelling through Asia is always guaranteed to be a riot for the tastebuds. There are thousands upon thousands of dishes to try in this corner of the world that reflect the diverse cultures here, from Chinese and Indonesian to Thai and Vietnamese and all the sub-ethnicities within.  If you don't know where to start, how about taking some pointers from TasteAtlas's ranked list of 100 Best Dishes in the World? The food encyclopedia pulled this delicious list together based on more than 300,000 ratings for 11,258 dishes in its database as part of its TasteAtlas World Food Awards 24/25.  Thailand's phanaeng curry emerged as the fifth-best dish in the world and the best dish in Asia. TasteAtlas describes the red curry as having a "thick texture and salty-sweet peanut flavour". A popular rendition of the dish includes pork, which is stewed with coconut milk, panang curry paste, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, and palm sugar. If you're dying to try this, TasteAtlas recommends spots like Baan Rim Pa Patong in Phuket and May Veggie Home in Bangkok.  Indonesia's rawon dish also ranked high at No. 8 on the global list. Said to originate from Surabaya in East Java, this flavourful beef soup stands out for one special ingredient: buah keluak, an Indonesian black nut that's fermented (so it loses its toxicity) and which TasteAtlas says gives the soup "its earthy and sour taste" and "unique dark black colour". Give it a go in its hometown of Sur

Asia is in for an incredible run of concerts and music festivals, with big names like Charlie Puth, 2NE1, Seventeen, The Script, and YOASOBI set to play across the region. Now, there's one more name to add to that list – and it's American singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams. The indie-pop star confirmed she's bringing her highly successful The Secret of Us tour to our shores in 2025, kicking things off in April at Singapore's The Star Theatre. The Asia leg of her tour follows her completed run in North America and upcoming shows in Europe and the UK.  If you're a Gracelander (or Gracie, as her fans call themselves), you'll probably know what to expect. The Secret of Us tour features some of the latest tracks from the star's second studio album of the same name, so brush up on lyrics of songs like "I Love You, I'm Sorry", "Tough Love, and "Good Luck Charlie".  But first – you'll have to secure tickets. Here's all you need to know about the tour, including dates, locations, and prices.  When and where is the Gracie Abrams Asia tour? Gracie Abrams' tour is hitting a good number of spots in Southeast and East Asia – here are the exact dates and venues:  April 3: Singapore, The Star Theatre April 6: Seoul, Myunghwa Live April 8: Tokyo, Zepp Haneda April 10: Shanghai, Music Park April 14: Hong Kong, MacPherson Stadium April 17: Taipei, TICC April 19: Bangkok, Samyan Hall  When do Gracie Abrams Asia tour tickets go on sale? The general sale goes live at the following dates and times: 

While an island getaway is always high on our bucket list, we do love a good city break and everything that promises: great shopping, diverse attractions and dining options, and of course, some solid infrastructure to get around safely and easily. From Bangkok to Seoul, Asia has some pretty impressive big cities suitable for a weekend trip, or – heck – to settle down in. No matter your favourites, two in particular stood out in a new study by Euromonitor International. The data analytics and research firm just released its annual Top 100 City Destinations Index, and we're proud to say that Tokyo and Singapore made it to the very top ten. But first, what makes a city attractive? For Euromonitor, it's these six pillars: economic and business performance, tourism performance, tourism infrastructure, tourism policy and attractiveness, health and safety, and sustainability. It assessed 100 cities using 55 metrics across these pillars to create an overall city attractiveness score.  This year, the ever-popular Japanese capital city moved up to third place while Singapore entered the top ten for the first time. The latter performed well thanks to its strong economic and business performance and attractive tourism initiatives.  Asia also shone overall, with six cities in the top 20 rankings. Taipei stands at No. 11, Seoul at No. 12, Osaka at No. 16, and Bangkok at No. 17.  Where did people actually travel to, though? Bangkok, apparently. The Thai capital, famed for its intriguing mix

Updated as of December 2, 2024 For most of us, our holiday begins even before the plane takes off – at the airport. From a thoughtfully designed immigration area to top-notch efficiency paired with excellent retail and dining options, these details can really set us off on the right foot for our getaways. It’s safe to say Singapore's very own Changi Airport has been hitting all the marks, evident in its steady stream of accolades over the years. And now, Singapore Changi Airport, specifically Terminal 2, has earned a spot among the six most beautiful airports in the world for 2024, as recognised by the prestigious Prix Versailles international architectural awards. And as of December 2, 2024, the results from UNESCO are in: Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 has clinched the title of 'Special prize for an Interior'. Photograph: Changi Airport Not too long ago, Singapore's Changi Airport Terminal 2 underwent a glow-up and eventually reopened in November 2023 after three and a half years of expansion and upgrading works. Its most striking new feature is The Wonderfall, a 14-metre-tall digital display of a cascading waterfall in the departure hall. The rest of the terminal is a walk through nature: the carpeted floors evoke a bird's eye view of land and sea, pillars and beams drip with plants, while the south garden offers rest under an LED ceiling that changes with real-time weather conditions.  Not to say there aren't more practical enhancements too. The terminal introduce

Wish upon a star to end the year – or better yet, a meteor shower. Every November and December, us earthlings are blessed with the Geminid meteor shower, known as the best and brightest of the year. And it's just about to peak.  Radiating from the Gemini constellation, this 200-year-old meteor shower is known to produce dazzling meteors that rain down relatively slowly (making them all the easier to spot). However, the Geminids are getting stronger. Space.com reports NASA astronomer Bill Cooke saying that it is being tugged ever-closer to earth by Jupiter's gravity.  What's great about this meteor shower is that you can catch it from anywhere in the world, no telescopes or binoculars required. Read on to see when, where, and how you can catch this celestial phenomenon in Asia.  What is the Geminid meteor shower? Unlike most meteor showers, the Geminids do not originate from a comet, but from an asteroid called 3200 Phaethon. It was first observed in 1862, much later than other meteor showers like the Perseids (36 AD) and the Leonids (902 AD). Considered the most consistent and active shower, the Geminids produce up to 120 to 160 meteors at its peak.  When can you see the Geminid meteor shower? The Geminid meteor shower is active between November 24 and December 24. However, the best time to see it is during its peak on December 13 and 14.  What time is best to see the Geminid meteor shower? Be in position by 2am local time, when the shower's radiant (the constellation it appe