Jaunted

Tags: Airports / Singapore Travel / Changi Airport / Airport Heaven / → All Tags

Confirmed: Singapore's Changi Airport Is Absurdly, Famously Decadent

A new survey is out on travelers' favorite airports, this one claiming to be among the most comprehensive to date. 14,500 frequent travelers representing 160 countries from around the world were polled, and after everything was tallied the winner was Singapore's Changi Airport. Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok and Amsterdam's Schiphol were 2nd and 3rd respectively.

We're not sure how actually legitimate these results were and if there was any campaigning in the background. Whoever's responsible for the airport's PR seems to have an ambitious streak, and someone has gone so far as to insert copy into Wikipedia: "the designer airport is one of those anomalies where the phrase 'I spent all my time in the airport' is likely to be a positive."

So maybe this was a commissioned survey. But as the old saying goes, if you've got it flaunt it. And the Singapore Changi Airport certainly seems to have it.

more ›

Tags: Shopping Travel / Harry Winston / Singapore Travel / → All Tags

Singapore Will Soon Wear Harry Winston Diamonds

What with the recession supposedly ending this year, it's time to get back to building jewelry stores and luxury shopping emporiums! First to hop on the hopeful train is diamond dealer Harry Winston, who'll debut their first Singapore store within the ultra-glam ION Orchard shopping center.

Opening next month, Harry Winston Singapore marks the 19th international store for the ritzy jewelry brand and their fourth city in Asia after Hong Kong, Taipei and Beijing.

Of course, if they're trying to attract the big spenders with cash left to burn, this new shop is going to have to literally sparkle. That's why, for their autumn grand opening period, they'll be showcasing "one-of-a-kind pieces from The Incredibles, a travelling collection of rare gems and magnificent designs inspired by the Winston archives." No, these pieces aren't from the Disney movie, but are surely going to be just as entertaining if you can handle staring at items that cost well into the six figures.

Related Stories:
· Harry Winston [Official Site]
· Shopping Travel Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Harry Winston Hong Kong]

Tags: Airfare Deals / Singapore Airlines / Singapore Travel / → All Tags

Singapore and More for $679 Is Something We Can Get Behind

Sadly, the much-hyped Airbus A380s don't fly over American skies for Singapore Airlines, but the carrier is still tops in service and in-flight amenities no matter the route. This is why we're thrilled to hear that their joining in with the summer travel discounts, and even extending the low pricing through November.

Travelzoo alerts us to this deal: Book by June 28 and travel between July 1 and November 30 out of New York to Singapore, Bangkok, Bali, Manila and Kuala Lumpor for $679, including taxes and fees. Of course keep your dates flexible to find the cheapest fares, but man is this some good stuff.

Another $200 to total an $879 flight will get you from New York to Delhi, Mumbai, Melbourne and Sydney. It seems like only months ago we were thrilled about a $750 Hong Kong direct, and now these fares fall into our laps. You know what to do: book early, book often.

[Photo: grosbyvn]

Related Stories:
· Global Sale on Top Airline from NYC [Travelzoo]
· No Sex, Please: We're On Singapore Airlines [Jaunted]
· Airfare Deals Coverage [Jaunted]

Tags: Bizarre Foods / Food Travel / Restaurants / → All Tags

Food That's Good to the Last Eyeball

That's more like it! After we scolded Andrew for going soft in Australia last week, this episode he got back to the truly bizarre with a food trek through Singapore.

We usually think of the tiny city-state as being more modern than exotic, but between its Chinese and Indian populations, there are sure still some crazy eats here, and we can at least say this for Singapore eaters: they finish their meals. As in, they eat every animal down to the last bizarre morsel.

Andrew slurped some soup made from the throwaway parts of pigs at People's Park, bit into steamed shark heads at Tin Jin Hi Seafood Restaurant, devoured fish eyeballs at Banana Leaf Apollo, and even sampled some deer penis at Lee's Restaurant (it soothes a bad back, apparently – who knew?)

Travel Channel's got the info for all the bizarre eateries Andrew visited, so you can be sure where to check out (or avoid) when next in Singapore.

Related Stories:
· Singapore Travel Guide [Bizarre Foods]
· 'Bizarre Foods' Aren't Far From Home, Especially Roadkill [Jaunted]
· The Real Outback Steakhouse [Jaunted]

[Photo: Travel Channel]

Tags: Changi Airport / Airport Lounges / Singapore Travel / → All Tags

Don't Leave Singapore's Airport Without Your Oxygen

We've spent many an hour in transit at Singapore's Changi Airport without chancing across the curious range of delights that await us at the Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal 2.

A shower for S$8 ($5) is pretty reasonable; having to pay for a three-hour nap (S$30; US$20) is something we're less sure about, because it's not clear what kind of private place we get to catch our Zs. And somehow we're just not hip enough to pay between S$15 and S$23 for the oxygen.

To be sure, this place doesn't have the sleek appeal of the Singapore Airlines first class lounge, but then the sleek place doesn't offer oxygen. Or perhaps it does, but it's gratis. Take your pick.

Related Stories:
· Singapore's First Class Lounge Invites Great Experiences [Jaunted]
· Changi Airport Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Steel Wool]

Tags: Airport Lounges / First Class / Singapore Airlines / Changi Airport / → All Tags

Singapore's First Class Lounge Invites Great Experiences

Some airlines fascinate us with bidets in their first class lounges, but Singapore Airlines has won us over with what we can only describe as style and sophistication.

This is their hometown lounge at Changi Airport and we like it for its late-night, Lost-in-Translation vibe. This is an airport lounge where elegant strangers fetch you drinks and (we figure) anything can happen.

The nice part is that Singapore Airlines actually lives up to the expectations this lounge gives you: remember their fancy-looking first class cabin on board? Attractive strangers welcome in either spot.

Related Stories:
· British Airways [Jaunted]
· How First Class on Singapore Airlines Spent Christmas [Jaunted]
· Singapore Airlines Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Richard Moross]

Tags: Travel Snapshot / First Class Travel / Boeing / Singapore Airlines / → All Tags

How First Class on Singapore Airlines Spent Christmas

How come we can’t persuade anybody to send us on a long-haul flight in first class? Because if we could, we might get to see more than just this great picture of the first class cabin on a Singapore Airlines 747.

We’re digging the Christmas decorations although they’ve no doubt been banished to their rest-of-the-year storage cupboard by now. Since Singapore Airlines is having a rough patch and cutting flights, we’re confident that they will be reusing those wreaths again next Christmas, if you want to see them.

But what’s really making our jaw hang open is all the wonderful space and ultra-comfortable looking chairs. According to SeatGuru that single seat right at the front is the most coveted on the plane because it’s so private, although there are some ultra-fussy fliers who get bothered by the flight attendants accessing stuff in the closets nearby. We can pretty much promise that if we got that seat, we wouldn’t be bothered. If you want to try for yourself: Singapore’s 747s cover routes to New York and Los Angeles as well as Europe and Australia; NYC to Singapore in first class will set you back upwards of $12,000.

Related Stories:
· Singapore Airlines Offers Passengers iPod Docks But Cuts Some Flights [Jaunted]
· Singapore Airlines Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Blackwych]

Tags: Singapore Airlines / iPods / Inflight Entertainment / Travel Tech / → All Tags

Singapore Airlines Offers Passengers iPod Docks But Cuts Some Flights

You win some, you lose some. And that's how the week looks for Singapore Airlines. The win is in cool technology, and the loss is all about major cuts in flights, so looks like we have to take the good with the bad.

In tech news, Singapore Airlines are saying it's a world first for passengers on their A330s to be able to plug in their iPod and iPhone directly into the inflight entertainment system. iPod capabilities will roll out on Australia to Singapore flights first and gradually, well, take over the world. Nice.

The down side is that there are a lot less fewer flights to book with Singapore these days. They've announced the deletion of over 200 flights to Australia, China, Europe and India because the numbers of passengers have been falling so much. Seems to us they should have thrown the iPod connectivity in earlier and they might have least kept geek passenger numbers high.

Related Stories:
· Singapore Airlines Cuts More Than 200 Flights [AFP]
· Singapore Airlines Gets iPod & iPhone Support [APC]
· Singapore Airlines Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Alex Steffler]

Tags: Airline Parties / Singapore Airlines / A380 / Airline News / → All Tags

Singapore Airlines Readies Millionth A380 Passenger Party

Flying to Singapore anytime soon? If so, watch out for party balloons and press a la Publisher's Clearing House at your boarding gate because Singapore Airlines is on the lookout for its millionth A380 passenger in February.

To fete the single, clueless guest who puts them into seven figures, the airline will roll out the red carpet with champagne and Singapore Airlines goodies for all passengers on the winning flight. If you just happen to strike gold as Mr. or Ms. 1,000,000, you'll be getting upgraded with a special in-flight package plus a three-night luxury hotel stay, limousine from the airport and meals at nicey nice restaurants.

It seems like only yesterday that Airbus birthed the big baby A380 and we all fantasized about joining the mile high club in their semi-private on-board suites. In actuality, that was already more than a year ago, and we're sure that at least a small percentage of the million passengers did make it past third base at 35,000 feet. Surely they won't deny a simple pleasure to their honored guest?

Related Stories:
· Singapore Airlines Prepares for One Millionth A380 Passenger [Asia Travel Tips]
· No Sex, Please: We're on Singapore Airlines [Jaunted]
· A380 coverage [Jaunted]

[Original photo: asiatraveltips]

Tags: Hanging Out / Ferris Wheels / Singapore Flyer / → All Tags

Singapore Flyer Traps 173 Tourists

The world's biggest Ferris wheel shut down for six hours Tuesday night, trapping 173 passengers in capsules high above the ground after an electrical fire cut power to the attraction. Ten of the trapped managed to rappel out of their bus-sized pods, while the rest waited for the Singapore Flyer to restart to escape by foot.

While the wheel has lost power three times before, it's never been for as long as six hours. Officials were able to restore some AC and the intercom system after a time to help comfort the trapped tourists. Still, one said that wasn't enough to convince her to make a repeat visit:

I love Singapore but I don't think I'll come to the Flyer again.

As when Whistler's gondola broke down, we were really only curious about one thing: Tourists on the Singapore Flyer had to resort to using plastic bags because while the capsules can hold up to 28 people, they don't have bathrooms.

Related Stories:
· Tourists Safe After Drama at World's Biggest Ferris Wheel [AFP, via Google]
· Singapore Flyer Opens Again and Again [Jaunted]

Tags: Anime Travel / Singapore Travel / → All Tags

Sexy Japanese Cartoons Coming To Singapore

The only sight more ubiquitous in Asia than a woman dressed in flannel Hello Kitty pajamas is an internet cafe plastered in anime posters. The Anime Festival Asia ’08, hosted at the Suntec Convention Centre in Singapore November 22-23, pays homage to the cultural phenomenon.

The location site is even odder than the cartoons themselves, since anime is a distinctly Japanese creation. It’s the first of its kind, and the event is expected to draw more than 80,000 attendees.

The event's flyer reads as follows:

If you know what Shojo, Shonen, Hentai and Yaoi means; if you know all the characters in Naruto and their special moves; if you know every single one of Clamp’s works and how they link up, then Anime Festival Asia 2008 is exactly right for you!

Um, our answer to all of those questions is an emphatic "Not really!" But are we into watching obscenely well-endowed people with enormous eyes fight each other using strange futuristic weapons? Why not. There are worse ways to lounge off a hangover.

Related Stories:
· Singapore to Hold Japanese Pop Culture Festival [Japan Times]
· Anime Festival 2008 [Official Site]
· Casinos Coming to Singapore [Jaunted]

[Photo: super_rats]

Tags: Changi Airport / Singapore / Airports / Celeb Travel / Tommy Lee / Vince Neil / → All Tags

Tommy Lee and Vince Neil Lure Passengers

Singapore’s Changi Airport is pulling out all the stops to make sure its customers don’t stray. From adding terminals to providing free entertainment, there seems to be no end to their schemes to stop us from flying through places like Dubai or Hong Kong instead.

Now they’ve got a "Smile Campaign" going to improve customer service within the airport (which doesn’t sound too original), and they’re also using a celebrity meet-and-greet idea to entice people to come.

Last week slightly-aged rockers Tommy Lee and Vince Neil from Mötley Crüe welcomed passengers at Terminal 2. Because there’s obviously, uh, a strong connection between Mötley Crüe and Singapore.

--AmandaK

Related Stories:
· Welcome to Singapore, I’m Tommy Lee [The Age]
· Changi Airport’s Getting Greedy for Terminals [Jaunted]
· Changi Airport Wants to Entertain You [Jaunted]

[Photo: Aviation Record]