Singapore airport is a 'paradise'



Changi makes most botanical gardens blush with envy.



I've heard airports described in many - usually unflattering - terms but never a "traveller's paradise."

But the folks who run Singapore's Changi Airport - my favourite airport in the world - have come up with a menu of activities - most free - for people who are caught there on a layover which makes the giant facility feel like a paradise.

Hats off to the people running Changi  for trying to help consumers - don't we wish airlines were this thoughtful.

Anyway, Changi is now not a bad place to be left stranded, because:

If you have a two to three hour layover at Changi, you can:

- Surf the Internet or send out some emails with FREE Internet services (15 mins);

- Enjoy a relaxing stroll in the world's first Butterfly Garden in an airport at Terminal 3 (20 mins);

- Whiz down the Slide @ Terminal 3, the tallest airport slide in the world and try to beat the best times too (10 seconds or less - sliders determine the time);

- Get a FREE foot massage at the Foot and Calf Massage Stations (15 minutes);

- Pick up fantastic gifts from a wide selection of souvenirs, toys, fashion and books (30 mins);

- Grab a quick bite at Changi Airport Shopping City's wide selection of food kiosks serving anything from mouth-watering local desserts to sushi (on conveyor belts!) (30 mins).

If you have a three to four hour layover:

- Try out a fish micro-massage therapy at the Fish Spa & Reflexology (30 mins);

- Refresh with a quick shower (20 mins) at the Rainforest Lounge on Terminal 1 or at the Ambassador Transit Lounge at Terminals 2 and 3;

- Gamers, test your skills at the FREE Xbox 360 and PlayStation® 3 games at the Entertainment Deck (30 mins);

- Shop at the wide selection of fashion labels, gift choices and lifestyle brands (1 hour)

- Enjoy delicious gourmet dining at our wide range of restaurants (45 mins) including Mediterranean cuisine at Fish & Co., Cantonese fare at Crystal Jade Shangai Restaurant, freshly made dim sum delights, noodles, and more at Peach Garden Noodle House - there is something for every palette

If you have four to five hours:

- Soak up the sun and take a refreshing dip in the rooftop swimming pool (30 mins);

- Get a new hairdo or manicure (45 mins);

- Catch a blockbuster movie for FREE at the Movie Theatre (2 hours);

- Rediscover the beauty of nature at one of Changi's themed gardens (15 mins);

- Tuck into a hearty meal and chill out at Harry's Bar or Hard Rock Cafe (45 mins);

If you have more than five hours:

- Join a FREE Singapore Tour and take in the sights and sounds of Singapore, as well as get a glimpse into Singapore’s ethnic heritage and tourist attractions (I've done this and it's great fun) (2 hours);

- Try out various cuisine options from local, Asian and international dining outlets in the airport (45 mins);

- Don't miss out on some great buys from our wide range of duty-free products (1 hour);

- Catch a nap at one of our quiet Rest Areas or check into a napping facility (1 hour).

There's also lots of things to keep kids entertain at Changi.

All this tells me why international magazines continually rate Changi as one of the top 3 airports in the world - I say it's No. 1 because no other airport I know of offers so much for free.

With all that's happening in the "traveller's paradise", I just hope people don;t miss their flights.

I bid Langkawi a fond farewell



The sun dropping into the Andaman Sea was our signal
that is was time to leave Langkawi this evening.



DATELINE LANGKAWI, MALAYSIA – Seems we just arrived in this Asian paradise and already it’s time to return to Singapore where we’ll prepare for our long journey home Thursday.

While packing our bags earlier today, we were interrupted by a knock on our Four Seasons villa door.

Standing on the other side of the glass was Aidi Abdullah, the charming Four Seasons naturalist who introduced us to the wonders of Langkawi’s delicate eco-system on a tour he lead just a few days ago.

Aidi, knowing that our Silk Air flight wouldn’t be leaving Langkawi until later (8:45 p.m.) decided he would offer to show us some of the local villages where we sampled lots of great Malay food.

What a wonderful gesture – especially considering it was Aidi’s day off.

“I could not let you leave without showing you the same hospitality that your country showed me when I lived in Edmonton,” said Aidi, who worked in the Alberta capital a few years ago before returning to his homeland.

“Canadians were the only people who ever accepted me for who I am, not what I am,” said the proud Muslim.

You have no idea how my heart swells with pride when I hear those words spoken about our country by people of other lands who have sampled our hospitality and generosity.

The sun dipping behind one of the 99 treasured islands that make up Langkawi and dropping into the Andaman Sea this evening indicated it was time to head to the airport.

We leave here with many wonderful memories – our stay at the fabulous Four Seasons Langkawi Resort was a true delight; our tour of the mangroves where we were eyeballed by strange creatures was life changing for me; and our tour of the local towns where we met creative islanders making amazing crafts – but the hospitality shown us by the mostly Muslim population is what we’ll remember most about Langkawi.

Langkawi is Malaysia's magical island made up of mountains and myths

Swimmers at the Four Season Resort on Langkawi look out on the Andaman Sea and nearby Thailand .

DATELINE LANGKAWI, MALAYSIA – I’ve been so fortunate over the years to have visited some of the most magical tropical islands on Earth.

The Seychelles … the Maldives … Thailand’s Phuket – visits to those islands are the ones I treasure most.

And now I can add Langkawi, Malaysia’s island of mountains and myths, to that list of my all-time favorites.

Since arriving here Sunday and checking into the fabulous Four Seasons Langkawi Resort, it’s been one thrill after another.

The Four Seasons Resort is itself a treasure that comes wrapped in beautiful Moorish and Malay architecture. Its luxury seaside villas – 228 square metres big - and rooms feature outdoor showers and plunge pools with breathtaking views of the Andaman Sea strait that separates this Malaysian outpost made up of 99 islands from Thailand. On clear days – that’s well over 300 here – you can see the mountains of Thailand clearly.

The Canadian-operated resort is a favorite with families from neighbouring Asian countries as well as Europe – Russians really like it here – and North America. It has great restaurants, a world class spa, and some of the friendliest staff this traveller has ever encountered.

Today’s poolside promotion was three cans of Carlsberg for the Canadian equivalent of $11.

I think I’ve found paradise folks!

Langkawi – Lang means “eagle” and Kawi means “stone” in the Malay language – is an eco-paradise where eagles, monkeys, tropical fish, poisonous snakes and rare birds thrive in the island’s treasured mangroves. The Four Seasons arranged a three-hour trip through the mangroves this morning with their resident naturalist Aidi and it may have been three of the most enjoyable hours I’ve ever spent.

The island’s myths come from ancient legends that surround locations like Tasik Dayang Bunting – the Lake of the Pregnant Maiden – whose waters, when drunk, is said to promote fertility in women; or the Mahsuri Mausoleum, the fabled white tomb set in a rice paddy where the body of an innocent young bride apparently rests; or Lagenda Park, a garden museum that tells the story of heroic giants, mythical birds, evil ogres and beautiful princesses.

This place, made up of granite mountains and where once marble was mined, has given me many story lines that will soon show up in TraveLife magazine and at travelife.ca.

So stay tuned for more on this treasured island.

Special moments on Langkawi

This is the scene that greets me each morning
outside my luxurious Four Seasons seaside villa.

Langkawi is a botanical wonderland.

Each morning local women sweep up debris that
the Andaman Sea spit out overnight.

I visited a craft shop where Malay women were
busy handpainting some fabric.

On my mangrove tour, I came across these cute little monkeys.

The island's mangrove is one of the most fascinating places
I've ever visited - it's the lifeblood of Langkawi.

I've arrived in Langkawi, Malaysia



The view from my Four Seasons beach villa in tropical Langkawi.



DATELINE MALAYSIA – The second leg of my Asian odyssey began today (Sunday) with my arrival from Singapore (aboard Singapore Airlines’ excellent subsidiary carrier Silk Air) in Malaysia’s tropical paradise Langkawi.

We were greeted by warm weather (34C) and warm smiles from the mostly Muslim population.

The island is located on Malaysia’s west coast just south of the Thai border and flying into this mountainous wonderland was pure eye candy.

The island is noted for its caves, delicate eco-system and myths and in the next few days I intend to check them all out.

I’ll also be touring some of the local villages where I’m told the craftsmanship is something very special.

Oh, did I mention that I’ll be staying at the Four Seasons Langkawi – one of the most talked about properties in Asia – and reporting back on how special this Canadian-managed property is.

So stay tuned as I take you along on my latest adventure.

Sharing photos of my Good Friday walk around lovely Singapore

I started the day watching the sun come up over Marina Bay
 where offshore dozens of ships, waiting to enter port, were anchored.

Then I walked around Marina Bay and got this photo of the
 city's new  lotus flower-shaped Arts and Science museum.



Then I took this shot of the Esplanade entertainment centre,
 now a rival to Sydney's famed Opera House in good looks.

As amazing as Singapore's new designs are, it's still ther city's
old shuttered homes that are being revitalized.

Singapore's skyline, seen from the famed Singapore River,
is one of the most dramatic in the world.

Then I watched a chef at a local dining spot make
fresh paste  for my noodle soup.

What makes Singapore such an amazing city
to walk is its great downtown parks.



Then I came upon this film crew making
a movie in the downtown core.



The streets of Singapore are filled with amusing
art that visitors just love photographing.



Singapore turns into Swingapore!





That's me in the infinity pool  at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel.

DATELINE SINGAPORE – I finally got to swim in the incredible pool at the $6 billion Marina Bay Sands Hotel and the experience was priceless.

The infinity pool, located on the hotel’s 57th floor, is as long as an Airbus A380 double-decker and is three times the length of an Olympic-sized swimming pool. From ground level, it takes the shape of a ship.

It’s not the highest hotel swimming pool in the world – that honour goes to the new Ritz-Carlton in Hong Kong,  which is located on the 108th floor of the recently-opened hotel on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong.

The only thing higher than the Marina Bay Sands Hotel swimming pool are the prices being charged at the restaurants and bars located on property. I just paid $25 (Cdn.) for a glass of New Zealand wine and meals at the Marina Bay run around $100 (Cdn.) – and that's just for appetizers.

The Marina Bay Sands rooftop pool has become the new gathering spot in Singapore – the first thing guests do after checking into Marina Bay is head to the swimming pool to take pictures and email them back home – that’s me in the photo that accompanies this blog.

Despite the high prices, Singapore remains one of my favourite cities on this plant – it’s certainly one of the most colourful cities in the world and the Marina Bay Sands project, with its first-rate accommodation, high end shopping complex, entertainment venues and gambling casinos is a welcome addition.

Finally, Singapore has shed its redneck reputation (you could get flocked for spitting on the streets here not so long ago) and it’s become more “Swingapore” than Singapore.

The Maina Bays Sands, operated by the Sands group out of Las Vegas, is too big and imposing for my liking – it took me 20 minutes to walk from check-in to reach my 14th floor room in Tower 3 – but it does add some life to a city that has often been described as being too boring.

I’ll be in touch tomorrow after enjoying some local chili grab at Jumbo Seafood on Clarke’s Quay.

Singapore Airlines makes me smile!

Singapore Airlines crew are the prettiest
and the most efficient in the skies.

DATELINE SINGAPORE – We touched down in Singapore a few minutes ahead of schedule – at 5:05 a.m. local time Thursday morning (Wednesday evening back in Toronto); 17 hours and 50 minutes after my Singapore Airlines flight took off from Newark’s Liberty International Airport.

And, as usual, I didn’t want to get off.

Once again, the Singapore Airlines crew proved to me why they earn top marks in the aviation industry with their service with a smile attitude, no matter what the situation.

People often ask how I can stand being cooped up in an airplane for so long?

Actually, I love it! Airplanes and golf courses are great escapes for me from the real world. They are my fortresses of solitude, where I can catch up on work or catch up on some “me” time.

And besides, when you fly first-rate carriers like Singapore Airlines, the time passes quickly – lots of good food, good entertainment, a good sleep and some good conversation with the worldly crew makes the time fly by.

Can’t wait for the return flight – another 18 hours of blissful relaxation!