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23 things to do in Singapore right now

By Ashlea Halpern

It may be the  most expensive city in the world , but Singapore has racked up plenty of other superlatives: cleanest, best planned, and, quite possible, most entertaining. The Lion City is home to the world's largest rooftop infinity pool, the world's first safari park for nocturnal animals, centuries-old temples and, of course, some of the best food in the world. You'll also find extraordinary gardens, righteous architecture, world-class performance venues, shopping streets, and experimental art galleries. The city-state offers a fascinating melding of the old and new, the historic and the modern. Read on for our picks of what to do when you're in Singapore.

Gardens By the Bay

Photo: Kjersti Joergensen/Alamy

This is a hugely popular tourist attraction in Singapore, and rightly so. The breadth of plants and the creative ways in which they're displayed is awe-inspiring. The Supertree Grove and Cloud Forest are both musts for photographers. And the 114-foot indoor waterfall is a site to behold. The Gardens, however, can get extremely crowded. The crowds move slowly so it's not ideal for anyone in a rush.

National Gallery Singapore

Photo: Archimage/Alamy Stock Photo

With more than 8,000 works, National Gallery Singapore owns the largest public collection of modern art in Southeast Asia. It's spread across two beautiful national monuments: City Hall and the country's former Supreme Court. Some visitors spend half a day (or more) wandering the museum's many galleries. But if you're pressed for time, cut straight to the inaugural exhibit, "Siapa Nama Kamu? Art in Singapore Since the 19th Century." And if you're looking to avoid crowds and lines, consider going on a weekday and buying your tickets in advance online.

Kampong Glam

Photo: Ian Dagnall/Alamy

Are you a hipster? Or a devout Muslim? Do you like unconventional modern art or traditional Arab crafts? Do you just want that Instagram snap or are you interested to learn more about this historic district, from its red-light leanings to its religious importance? Or maybe you just want a slice of the delicious kaya swiss roll from the famous Rich & Good Cake Shop? If you answered yes to any of these things, this delightfully eclectic enclave is for you. Singapore's Muslim quarter here dates back to the 1800s, but the area grown and changed, blending the religious and historical with a modern take on the city-state.

Photo: Hemis/Alamy Stock Photo

Jahnavi Bhatt

Condé Nast Traveller

The Intan is a private home that houses one of Singapore's most impressive collections of Peranakan artifacts. Owner Alvin Yapp has spent 30-plus years collecting 1,500 objects from Peranakan culture, most notably kasot manek (ornate beaded slippers worn by Straits Chinese women) and enamel tiffin carriers hand-painted in delicate floral patterns. Yapp's post-war home is a labor of love, and it shows in the meticulous way that he has arranged every square inch of it. Visits are strictly by appointment only.

Photo: Mayu Tanaka/GettyImages

This island was once known for its granite quarries. But when they closed down in the 1970s and jobs dwindled, residents began leaving. Today, the island is home to fewer than 50 people, who have chosen to stay for the old way of life. Which is exactly what people like visiting it for, too. Stepping onto Pulau Ubin is like time-traveling to the way Singapore was decades ago. Even getting to it is old-fashioned: You take a 10-minute ride on a chugging bumboat from Changi Point Ferry Terminal. This is a rich experience even for those who are cash-poor, and the perfect day trip for those looking to see a different time in Singapore's history or experience its wild side.

Merlion Park

Photo: Andy Selinger/Alamy

This promenade overlooking Marina Bay is home to Singapore's iconic 28-foot Merlion statue, a half-fish, half-lion stone carving that shoots water into the bay. The fish symbolizes Singapore's beginnings as a fishing village while the lion head is a nod to Singapura, which means "Lion City" in Malay. Erected in 1972, it remains one of the nation's most popular tourist attractions, and as such it is almost always packed. So plan accordingly.

Gillman Barracks: Contemporary Arts Cluster

Gillman Barracks is a former military barracks turned contemporary art haven. The multi-block compound is home to more than a dozen art galleries, as well as local design shop Supermama and plenty of food and drink options. The art is contemporary but the mediums and themes are all over the place. There are more than a dozen galleries here, so the art selection in any given month is at the whim of each individual curator. Public art sculptures are placed amid tropical foliage, making this an ideal destination to spend an afternoon wandering on foot.

Marina Bay Sands

Photo: Marina Bay Sands

This one's for ballers - if you have cash to splash, you can do everything from have a meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant to check out the view from the SkyPark. The massive Moshe Safdie-designed mall, casino, convention center and  hotel  is perhaps Singapore's most iconic building. A must-visit is the  ArtScience Museum,  Singapore's most future-forward, and the 57-story-high SkyPark, Singapore's best.

Haw Par Villa

Photo: Vasa/Alamy Stock Photo

Forget manicured or wild, this 3.2-hectare outdoor art park is plain bizarre and a feast for the eyes. It was set up in the 1930s by Tiger Balm founder and philanthropist Aw Boon Haw, who commissioned over 1,000 detailed sculptures and dioramas that would teach traditional Chinese moral values. Back then, it was popular and crowded, but has become less so over the years. And though it's lost a bit of its luster, that only lends to its charm and 'raw' feel—what you get here is an unfiltered, in-your-face lesson on Chinese morals and culture that doesn't sit behind velvet ropes or glass panels, and isn't crawling with tourists.This "Asian cultural park" claims to be the last of its kind in the world... though it's hard to imagine there were many like this to begin with.

St. Andrew's Cathedral

Photo: Tibor Bognar / Alamy Stock Photo

You can't miss this giant, wedding-cake-like monument in the middle of Singapore's Civic District - it's one of the oldest buildings in the area and perhaps the most imposing, with its Neo Gothic design topped with a minimalist spire. Park grounds surround the structure so it stands out as a sanctuary in the midst of a very busy urban area. This is Singapore's largest cathedral and also its oldest Anglican house of worship. It's a gem for history, culture and architecture buffs.

Thian Hock Keng

Photo: Peter Schickert/ Alamy

Thian Hock Keng, a.k.a. Tianfu Temple, is Singapore's oldest Buddhist temple. The elaborate architecture, done up in the traditional southern Chinese style, was built without using a single nail. Now fully restored, it's a feast for the eyes with its dragon and phoenix sculptures and Fujian-style broken porcelain roof ridges. Photos aren't allowed in most parts of the temple, and you'll likely get caught if you try to snap one. So you'll have to just keep those memories with you. Admission is free, but it still never gets too crowded.

Photo: Geoff Marshall/ Alamy

Sentosa is a 1,236-acre island resort off the southern coast of Singapore that's home to major tourist attractions like Universal Studios Singapore, the S.E.A. Aquarium, and the Tiger Sky Tower observatory. Singaporeans and international travelers also flock here to hang out on the beaches, zip line at Mega Adventure Park, shop at the massive Luxury Fashion Galleria, and more. Golf is a big deal here, too—the Sentosa Golf Club has two award-winning courses. In short, the island is a tourism machine, fine-tuned to appeal to a broad range of people—except those seeking an off-the-beaten-path vacation.

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum

Photo: Horizon Images/ Alamy

The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum (BTRTM) is a Chinese Buddhist cultural complex founded in 2002 by the monk Venerable Shi Fa Zhao. The design is inspired by classical architecture from China's Tang Dynasty and the principles of the Buddhist Mandala. There are four stories to the temple, plus a basement, mezzanine, rooftop, and elaborately planted courtyards. The colorful exterior with traditional ornate carvings and bright orange paint is reason enough to visit; the rare collectibles within are icing on the cake. Whatever you do, don't miss the Ten Thousand Buddhas Pagoda on the rooftop. In addition to the 11,111 Buddhas and Bodhisattvas enshrined in the pavilion, you'll see a Vairocana Buddha Prayer Wheel and an open-air orchid garden, and hear temple wind chimes rippling in the breeze. It's transportive.

The Southern Ridges

Photo: EQRoy/Alamy

The Southern Ridges is a 5.6-mile recreational trail that connects five parks along the southern ridge of Singapore—Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill, HortPark, Kent Ridge Park, and Labrador Nature Reserve. Like everything in Singapore, it's well-constructed and manicured. The landscape varies between jungle-like canopies of trees, unusual flora and fauna, and architecturally magnificent walkways. If you aren't up for the full five-plus miles make sure you get to Henderson Waves, a timber deck lofted 256 feet in the air. It's the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore and beloved by photographers for its undulating curves.

Sri Mariamman Temple

Photo: Gavin Hellier/ Alamy Stock Photo

This is Singapore's oldest Hindu temple, set—paradoxically—in the middle of Chinatown. It's a religious, cultural and social centre for Hindus, who come here to pray and get their babies blessed. Many believe that its deity goddess Mariamman can also cure illnesses. The building itself is fabulously ornate and colorful, with an imposing entryway crusted with hundreds of sculptures depicting figures in Hindu mythology. The temple is also the center of activities during a country-wide annual fire-walking festival, during which male devotees hotfoot it over a trough of burning charcoal before cooling off in a milk pit! Visiting hours are slightly unusual, so know that going in: 5:30 a.m. and noon, and 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Photo: Lillian Tveit/Alamy Stock Photo

This sanctuary for flora and fauna—an ASEAN Heritage Park—is as wild as it gets in manicured Singapore. The 202 hectares of land is made up of mangroves, mudflats, ponds and forests that are home to a biodiverse ecosystem of mudskippers, crabs, water snakes, monitor lizards, otters and the odd crocodile. It's also an internationally recognized site of importance for migratory birds and is part of the East Asian Australasian Shorebird Site Network. But despite how untouched it is, the trails are quite flat and the whole place is fairly easy to navigate.

East Coast Road

Photo: JS Callahan/tropicalpix / Alamy

There's perhaps no better place to get a taste of Singapore—literally and figuratively—than by strolling through the East Coast Road enclave. Along this lively 3km stretch (one of Singapore's earliest delineated roads), colorful heritage shophouses sit shoulder to shoulder, forming a personality-packed backdrop for photos. Even better: They house some of the island's best eateries, including Yong Huat and its Hokkien noodlse and 328 Katong Laksafor its namesake dish, plus a handful of museums and stores showcasing the Peranakan—or Straits Chinese—culture that forms a large part of the local identity. The area is also a stone's throw from East Coast Park, where you can have a seaside stroll to counter the calories you'll inevitably consume along the way.

Singapore Botanic Gardens

Photo: Thomas Cockrem/Alamy

The Singapore Botanic Garden is carved into four main areas, or "cores." The Tanglin core is the oldest and the one visitors see first as they pass through the historic Tanglin Gate. The Tyersall-Gallop core is integrated into the park's existing rainforest and the Bukit Bukit Timah core is home to a children's garden complete with treehouses, a suspension bridge, and farm. The main tourist belt is the Central Core, where more than 1,000 species of orchids and 2,000 hybrids are on display.

Night Safari

Photo: Lakshay Sharma/ Alamy

This is the world's first safari park for nocturnal animals and a wildly popular one at that. The 86-acre reserve houses some 2,500 animals from 130 species, more than a third of which are endangered. Guests ride around the park on complimentary guided trams. The tour itself takes about 40 minutes and covers seven themed geographic areas, but specific animal sightings are never guaranteed. On the weekend, you can observe live tiger feedings. Lines are long and patience is essential. If you have the ability to walk some of the trails, do it. It'll get you away from the tourist scrum and you're more likely to encounter reserved animals.

Clarke Quay

Photo: Kumar Sriskandan / Alamy

In the 1800s, this quay, or wharf near modern-day Fort Canning Park, was one of the centers of trade, when barges would transport goods upstream for storage in the warehouses. Today, the warehouses have been restored and painted in rainbow hues, making this a great photo spot. Instagram-worthiness aside, Clarke Quay has also become one of Singapore's food, drink and entertainment hubs - the whole area has been converted into an open-air pedestrian precinct filled with restaurants, bars and clubs.

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

Photo: Nathan Allen/ Alamy

Less than eight miles from the city center is this 403-acre reserve named after Singapore's highest hill, Bukit Timah. The reserve is rich in tropical foliage and there are four routes for hikers: two easy, one moderate, and one difficult. There's also a designated mountain biking trail with some extremely challenging sections. People don't come here for a rewarding view at the summit; they come to immerse themselves in jungle greenery.

Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay

Photo: Travelscape Images/Alamy

The premier art venue in Singapore, the Esplanade is home to multiple performance spaces, including a stunning state-of-the-art concert hall, a horseshoe-shaped theater with an orchestra pit, a more intimate recital studio for chamber music and jazz concerts, an outdoor theater, and an open-air concert space. The building is an architectural marvel (it's the face of Singapore's five-cent coins). The dome's spiky exterior has earned it the nickname "durian" in reference to the sometimes-polarizing Southeast Asian fruit. Anyone who loves architecture should swing by for a photo opp. Condé Nast Traveler US

This Is the Best Airport in the World, According to a New Ranking

By Hannah Towey

Hamad International Airport (HIA) in Qatar was just named the best airport in the world in the 2024 Skytrax awards, knocking 12-time winner Singapore Changi Airport down to second place.

The annual ranking is based on customer satisfaction surveys of over 500 airports, evaluating factors such as cleanliness, friendliness of airport staff, the ease of getting to and from the airport, terminal design, dining options, and more.

Hamad International Airport first opened in 2014, replacing the adjacent Doha International Airport as Qatar's main aviation hub. The airport is operated by Qatar Airways, which is consistently ranked one of the best international airlines in the Condé Nast Traveler Reader's Choice Awards , and is the only airport designed specifically for the Airbus A380 plane. This year marks the third time the airport has won the prestigious industry award.

So, what exactly sets the airport apart from the competition? One of its newest—and most ambitious—features is the “Orchard,” a 6,000-square-meter indoor tropical garden with 65 retail and dining venues launched in 2022 as part of a multi-year expansion project. Home to over 300 trees and 25,000 plants from sustainable forests around the world, it's one of the airport's many green initiatives that includes a waste management program that recycles 3,979 tons of organic compost per year to be used as fertilizer.

“Throughout our young history, we have continued to showcase our commitment to environmental sustainability–from improving carbon efficiency to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and managing wastewater," Michael McMillan, the airport's vice president of facilities management said in a 2022 news release . “Sustainability has proudly been at the forefront of what we do since our inception.”

Over the past couple years, the airport has also added a brand-new airport hotel, Oryx Garden Hotel, as well as four new airport lounges, including the glamorous Louis Vuitton Lounge . In addition to Louis Vuitton, the airport's massive retail center Qatar Duty Free has an entire “street” called Viale del Lusso devoted to luxury shops like Dolce&Gabbana, Jimmy Choo, and Valentino. It perhaps comes at no surprise then that the airport also won Skytrax's 2024 award for the world’s best airport shopping.

The Louis Vuitton Lounge by Yannick Alléno in Doha's Hamad International Airport.

Chef Yannick Alléno highlights local ingredients, French favorites, and international fare.

The airport served over 45 million passengers in 2023, a 31% increase compared to the previous year, surpassing the previous record set during the FIFA World Cup. HIA has also added new international airline partners, including Vistara, Iberia, Xiamen Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, and Japan Airlines, and serves over 250 destinations. The airport's rapid growth shows now signs of stopping: the second phase of the expansion, scheduled to begin in 2023, aims to expand the airport's capacity to over 70 million annual passengers.

“Our continuous investment in our facilities and pioneering initiatives in retail and hospitality within a single expansive terminal has made this achievement possible," Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, the CEO of Qatar Airways Group, said in a news release . "We have introduced a diverse range of experiences at the airport, including ‘Souq Al Matar’, which brings Qatari hospitality and culture closer to travelers; ‘Orchard’, the ideal place for relaxation and rejuvenation between flights; and an array of high-end lounges.”

Other standout winners in the 2024 Skytrax airport awards include Seoul's Incheon Airport, the world’s most family friendly airport; Tokyo's Haneda Airport, the world’s cleanest airport; and the Istanbul Airport, for the world’s best airport dining experience.

Below, see the world's best airports , according to the 2024 Skytrax World Airport Awards. How many have you been to?

The World’s Top 20 Airports for 2024

• Doha Hamad Airport
• Singapore Changi Airport
• Seoul Incheon Airport
• Tokyo Haneda Airport
• Tokyo Narita Airport
• Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
• Dubai Airport
• Munich Airport
• Zurich Airport
• Istanbul Airport
• Hong Kong Airport
• Rome Fiumicino Airport
• Vienna Airport
• Helsinki-Vantaa
• Madrid-Barajas
• Centrair Nagoya Airport
• Vancouver Airport
• Kansai Airport
• Melbourne Airport
• Copenhagen Airport

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Hamad International Airport in Qatar named world's best airport in 2024, Changi Airport takes 2nd place

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Passport-free travel in Singapore is here — but only for certain travelers

• From Tuesday, people traveling via car between Singapore and Malaysia can show self-generated QR codes rather than handing over their passports at two checkpoints.
• Authorities estimate the new procedure will reduce immigration processing time by more than 30%.

Singapore made global headlines last year when the government announced that biometric processing will replace travel document verifications at Changi Airport in the first half of 2024.

But the city-state is going "passport-free" in another area: its land border with Malaysia.

From Tuesday, people traveling by car between Singapore and Malaysia can show self-generated QR codes rather than handing over their passports at two checkpoints.

The new rule , which applies to those traveling via the country's Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, will expedite immigration clearance "without compromising on security," according to Singapore's Immigration & Checkpoints Authority.

Who is eligible

Singapore residents and foreign travelers can generate QR codes via the government's MyICA mobile app. Group codes for up to 10 people can be generated for passengers traveling in the same car too.

Like before, travelers are then subject to a face-to-face check by immigration officers.

However, the QR-code clearance is not available to two groups of travelers: those entering Singapore for the first time and those using a different passport from previous visits.

The new procedure is expected to reduce immigration processing time by more than 30% — saving around 20 seconds for cars traveling with four passengers and up to one minute for cars with 10 people, according to authorities.

One of world's busiest border crossings

The checkpoint linking the Malaysian city of Johor Bahru to Woodlands in Singapore is one of the busiest international border crossings in the world.

From March 7 to 10, more than 1.8 million travelers crossed Singapore's two checkpoints that link the island with Malaysia, according to its Immigration & Checkpoints Authority.

On March 8 — the Friday preceding a week-long break for Singapore public schools — a record-breaking 495,000 people crossed the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, exceeding the 485,000 travelers recorded on August 2019, it said.

Singapore plans to roll out the QR code clearance to more travelers crossing checkpoints via other modes of transport at a later date.   

Part of a larger push

The QR clearance program is part of a larger push to modernize border control and security procedures in the city-state to manage higher traveler volume amid the crunch of its aging workforce.

Changi Airport's "passport-free" immigration clearance, which is based on biometric verification, is undergoing trials, a representative of Changi Airport Group told CNBC Travel.

A launch date for this program has not been released.

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The best new restaurants in the world: 2024 Hot List

By CNT Editors

It’s inevitable: every spring when we pull together the Hot List, our annual collection of the world’s best new hotels, restaurants, and cruise ships, a staffer remarks that this latest iteration has got to be the best one ever. After a year’s worth of travelling the globe – to stay the night at a converted farmhouse in the middle of an olive grove outside Marrakech , or sail aboard a beloved cruise line’s inaugural Antarctic voyage – it’s easy to see why we get attached. But this year’s Hot List, our 28th edition, might really be the best one ever. It’s certainly our most diverse, featuring not only a hotel suite that was once Winston Churchill’s office, but also the world’s largest cruise ship and restaurants from Cape Town to Bali . We were surprised and inspired by this year’s honorees, and we know you will be too. These are the Hot List's restaurant winners for 2024.

Chishuru, London, UK

Nigerian-born Adejoké “Joké” Bakare made history this year when she became the first Black woman in the UK to win a Michelin star . Her restaurant, Chishuru, only opened in its current stage in 2023 – moving from the buzzy South London neighbourhood where Bakare started out after winning a local competition in 2019 to a new, bigger spot. This new iteration of the restaurant is set-menu-only (£95 per person at supper; £50 per person at lunch). That menu takes diners on a whip-smart journey through modern West African cuisine and might include pepper soup with cured mackerel or mutton cutlet with a coffee and yaji dressing. Make a reservation now, and don’t look back. Sarah James

Address: Chishuru, 3 Great Titchfield St., London W1W 8AX Website: chishuru.com

Kiln, San Francisco, USA

You can’t put Kiln in a box. The food you’ll sample throughout the two-and-a-half-hour, 18- to 20-course tasting menu is a truly global affair: a little bit Scandinavian meets Japanese meets Californian with a touch of French finesse, courtesy of the tableside pours of luscious buttery sauce on your dry-aged mackerel. There’s no meal quite like those at Kiln because there’s no chef quite like John Wesley. Yes, it’s very much a fine-dining restaurant with white tablecloths and Michelin-starred ambitions, and yet loud hip-hop blares through the speakers while tattoo-armed cooks walk each course to your table. Come as you are, and get ready for a ride. Omar Mamoon

Address: Kiln, 149 Fell St, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States Website: kilnsf.com

Andreu Genestra, Mallorca, Spain

In April 2011, Andreu Genestra opened his first sustainable restaurant in Capdepera, a remote corner of his beloved Mallorca . More than a decade later (and with a few Michelin stars under his belt), the chef has unveiled the second iteration of Restaurante Andreu Genestra in the luxe Zoëtry Mallorca hotel, located in the larger municipality of Llucmajor. The ingredients for the “Mediterranean” concept are the definition of local, sourced from the on-site biodynamic vegetable garden, vineyards, beehives, and sea of olive trees, as well as local Mallorcan farmers and growers. David Moralejo

Address: Restaurante Andreu Genestra, Camí de Sa Torre, 8, 7, 07609 Llucmajor, Illes Balears, Spain Website: andreugenestra.com

Datil, Paris, France

Take the sought-after roving chef Manon Fleury, a predominantly woman-led team, a plant-focused culinary ethos, and an earthy and bright interior, and you have Datil – the talented young chef’s first restaurant, located in the north Marais. Fleury has always given locally sourced produce the starring role in her cooking, treating meat and fish as condiments. But here, dishes are more than just the sum of their sustainable parts; they come out of the semi-open kitchen-like artistic compositions meant for reflection. The menu shifts seasonally, but standouts have included rutabaga and pink radishes layered with garlic cream, almond, harissa, and thinly sliced scallops, as well as a celery and mushroom consommé-congee mashup sprinkled with a few comestible flowers. Lindsey Tramuta

Address: Datil, 13 Rue des Gravilliers, 75003 Paris, France Website: datil-restaurant.fr

Canalha, Lisbon, Portugal

After departing from a Michelin-starred restaurant Feitoria, and partnering with food group Paradigma, chef João Rodrigues returned to Lisbon to establish a casual restaurant that honors his hometown’s heritage. Canalha is a quintessential “neighbourhood restaurant” – increasingly rare in a city gentrified by overtourism. Everything here exudes a sense of nostalgia: the yellow tram gliding past on the street, the extensive counter for meal service, the sturdy dark wooden tables adorned with marble tops, and a menu brimming with culinary delights, such as line-caught squid with sheep butter sauce, open-face omelettes prawns and onions, and traditional Portuguese bitoque (steak crowned with a fried egg and signature pan sauce). But Canalha is also a haven for exceptional local produce and charcuterie. An imposing green charcoal oven nestled in the kitchen serves as a shrine where Rodrigues and his team grill to perfection fresh red scarlet prawns, clams, and fish sourced from Portugal’s bountiful coast. Rafael Tonon

Address: Canalha, R. da Junqueira 207, 1300-338 Lisboa, Portugal Website: instagram.com

Maizajo, Mexico City, Mexico

Maizajo’s conception began eight years ago when chef Santiago Muñoz began focusing on the recovery of maíz criollo, which for years had been losing the battle against the industrialisation of tortillas. After opening a tortillería in Mexico City ’s Roma neighbourhood, he moved to Condesa to open this three-in-one restaurant. Downstairs, fresh tortillas are sold daily, made with 100 per cent nixtamalised corn, either by hand or with special equipment, and always highlighting different regional varieties. Upstairs, a completely Mexican menu features street food with a boost, including wedding tamal and glazed tongue with salsa verde, and longaniza (pork sausage) tacos paired with either fried shrimp or rib eye. Paula Móvil

Address: Maizajo, Fernando Montes de Oca 113, Colonia Condesa, Cuauhtémoc, 06140 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico Website: maizajo.com

Le Pristine, Tokyo, Japan

A vast open black doorframe hinting at the gates of a Shinto shrine marks the threshold of Le Pristine Tokyo, Michelin-sprinkled Dutch chef Sergio Herman’s first foray into Asia. The restaurant is located in Hotel Toranomon Hills, whose softly minimalist Nordic-meets-Japanese interiors by Space Copenhagen hide behind a new twisted-façade skyscraper. The street-level venue is home to both a café and restaurant, the latter of which offers an escapist gourmet journey through modern European cuisine with a fresh Japanese twist. Dishes include marinated mussels, dashi, yuzu, and verbena; hamachi (a type of yellowtail), hairy crab, pistachio, mikan (Japanese mandarin), and black radish; and Sergio’s signature seafood orecchiette. Food is not the only winning ingredient, however: Diners also soak in the intimacy of the elegant lines and crafted textures of the plant-scattered decor, with the mushroom-like Como SC53 Portable Table by Space for &Tradition tabletop lamps, Rotgazen wall-clinging melted disco balls, and Fredericia Furniture chairs playing into the theatre of the central open-plan kitchen. Danielle Demetriou

CNT Editors

Olivia Morelli , CN Traveller

Olivia Morelli

Address: Le Pristine Restaurant Tokyo, 2 Chome-6-4 Toranomon, Minato City, Tokyo 105-0001, Japan Website: lepristinetokyo.com

Trescha, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Tomás Treschanski took a gamble when he opened Trescha in March 2023, with just one other fine-dining restaurant in Buenos Aires for company. But now that he has a Michelin star under his belt – and the bonus track of the Young Chef prize – it was a risk worth taking. After honing his culinary skills at 108 (Copenhagen), Frantzén (Stockholm), and Azurmendi (just outside of Bilbao), 25-year-old young gun Treschanski was sufficiently versed to create an experimental 14-course tasting menu on returning home to Argentina . Cooking up architecturally captivating dishes, he breathes new life into world flavours: Think chawanmushi with aged bacon dashi and uni with its garum, paired with a 1999 Gewürztraminer – one of 740 gems from the chef’s treasured cellar. With just 10 seats up for grabs at the curved kitchen counter, Trescha has fast become the reservation to bag in Buenos Aires. Sorrel Moseley-Williams

Address: Trescha Restaurant, Murillo 725, C1414 Cdad. Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina Website: trescharestaurant.com

Naar, Darwa, India

Chef Prateek Sadhu’s ambitions as a culinary innovator are defined by two words: faeter (Kashmiri for “crazy”) and naar (“fire”). It’s fitting, then, that one of India’s most celebrated chefs announced his return with the aptly named Naar restaurant. Nestled amid the pine forests of Himachal Pradesh, this first-of-its-kind destination dining experience is a culinary progression across the Himalayas , from the north to the east of India. The 16-seater restaurant has six menus throughout the year that follow the distinct seasons in the mountains, courtesy of dishes that transform traditional hill food into extraordinary surprises – think trout sandwiches with locally caught fish that is cured, dried, and treated at the in-house lab; a chinar leaf-shaped buckwheat biscuit that pays homage to Sadhu’s favourite tree in Kashmir; a miniature bowl of Ladakhi buckwheat pasta (or chutagi ) with tripe; lamb neck smoked with juniper leaves; and a smoked version of a Himachali steamed bread called aiklu. Naar is a labour of love and a showcase of the hills – its ingredients, its people and their culture, and a chef’s long journey back home. Diya Kohli

Website: restaurantnaar.com

The Guild, Dubai, UAE

Few restaurant openings this past year have been as highly anticipated as The Guild, prolific Dubai restaurateur Tom Arnel’s first foray into fine dining. Fronted by heavy grey velvet curtains and a small jungle of more than 300 plants, The Guild is one restaurant, but many things at once: Inside, there’s a patisserie, brasserie, Champagne bar, seafood restaurant, wood-fire kitchen, cocktail bar, and chocolatier. The laid-back nursery space is perfect for a cosy date night (tip: Order the Brie de Meaux truffle sandwich), while the more upscale Rockpool is where you’ll find the bulk of The Guild’s seafood. The latter features a live shucking bar, the day’s catch displayed on ice, and glass-fronted aquariums stacked to the ceiling filled with live king crabs and crayfish. Over at the Salon (which Arnel describes as his favourite spot), white-clothed tables sit underneath grand crystal chandeliers and overlook two open kitchens. Here, the starter of crispy prawns – slathered in surprisingly light batter and served with red chimichurri dip and lime salt – is incredibly tasty, while the Wagyu beef tartare, with shallots and chopped cornichons, is the right mix of rich and tangy. The Guild will soon add a piano bar and cigar lounge to its lineup, designed for those who want to keep the night going – which we envision they will. The Guild is a truly enchanting space, one that you’ll no doubt want to return to time and time again. Sophie Prideaux

Address: The Guild, Icd Brookfield Place - Trade Centre - DIFC - Dubai - United Arab Emirates Website: theguilddubai.com

Osa, Madrid, Spain

Osa may be located on the outskirts of Madrid ’s centre, but it’s close enough to justify at least one visit from the city to enjoy chefs Sara Peral and Jorge Muñoz’s creations: Think homemade cured meats, wild pig’s head with rooster and porchetta, cod pil pil, and smoked eel with roe over rye bread and butter. Theirs is a one-of-a-kind experience inside a renovated two-story house, with an open terrace and a dining room built to welcome 20 lucky diners. In every bite, expect the omnipotent presence of French technique with the aesthetic of Japanese minimalism. Paula Móvil

Address: Osa, C. de la Ribera del Manzanares, 123, Moncloa - Aravaca, 28008 Madrid, Spain Website: osarestaurante.com

Fish Shop, Ballater, Scotland

Despite its name, Fish Shop is not a classic British chippy but a smart, sustainability-focused seafood restaurant with its very own fishmonger. The double-use venue is the sister property of Scotland’s slickest hotel , the Fife Arms, which is located just 25 minutes away. Russell Sage Studio (who also designed the Fife Arms interiors) chose tasteful nautical accents to complement the food. The menu is local and seasonal but might include Cape Wrath oysters in Champagne tempura or Shetland mussels with East Coast cured nduja. Whatever you order, accompany it with a round of Negronis (local gin and vermouth with Campari, pimped up with samphire), followed by glasses of Riesling or Picpoul. Sarah James

Address: Fish Shop, 3 Netherley Place, Ballater AB35 5QE Website: fishshopballater.co.uk

Koan, Copenhagen, Denmark

At windswept Langelinieskuret, Kristian Baumann (formerly of Noma and 108) has transformed a former harbour warehouse into a must-visit on Copenhagen ’s strong fine-dining scene. Born and adopted in South Korea and raised in Denmark, Baumann reconnects with his roots at Koan, seamlessly bridging a Nordic culinary upbringing with Korean impressions like kimchi, kkwabaegi (Korean doughnuts), and carefully selected ceramics. Koan’s high-ceilinged dining room with an open kitchen and sleek, light wooden designer interiors beautifully mirrors Baumann’s minimalist and meticulous dishes. A standout is Norwegian langoustine with lardo, green strawberries, and chilli, served with a sesame sauce flavoured with Korean rice wine. Aside from standard and “prestige” wine pairings (the latter showcasing rare labels), Koan offers a pairing of Korean sool (fermented rice wine) produced in Copenhagen by startup Yunguna Brewery. Only 70 days after opening last year, the restaurant received two Michelin stars directly – a testament to the ambitions here. Lars Roest-Madsen

Address: Koan, Langeliniekaj 5, 2100 København, Denmark Website: koancph.dk

Soul Kitchen, Dubai, UAE

Following years of turmoil in their native Lebanon, Beirut creative collective Factory People transplanted their thoughtfully curated restaurant, listening room, and communal hub Soul Kitchen to Dubai’s Business Bay. The food – Levantine/Latin hybrid that celebrates waves of Arab migration to Central and South America – is, indeed, soulful: Think ceviche tabbouleh, hummus chimichurri, shawarma empanadas, and Wagyu kafta in pillowy arepas paired with Araki bellinis and sumac-laced peach margaritas. But musically minded locals have also forged a community around Monday jazz sessions, Latin Sundays, iftar supper clubs, and party brunches with global musicians and DJs taking the stage. The lush, plant-filled space also doubles as an arts venue: Rumi Dalle’s Feathers of a Migration is suspended from the ceiling, and walls are adorned with textiles curated by carpet house Iwan Maktabi. Sarah Kahn

Address: Soul Kitchen Dubai, Soul Kitchen Dubai - Marasi Dr - Business Bay - Dubai - United Arab Emirates Website: soulkitchendxb.com

Ilis, New York City, USA

The large nondescript door at 150 Green Street in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint prepares you little for what’s to follow. Behind it lies a sprawling space with wood-beamed ceilings and low-slung white furniture that has shed all vestiges of its former life as a factory warehouse. This is Ilis, Noma co-founder Mads Refslund’s ambitious New York dining debut alongside Will Douillet, formerly of Chicago’s Alinea. The name is a portmanteau of Il and Is , or “fire” and “ice” in Danish, which illustrates how you choose your dishes to be served: fired up or chilled. An industrial open kitchen – with four stations, two each dedicated to “fire” and “ice” – anchors the space, and diners watch on as a flurry of chefs works in near-reverential silence. Those same chefs later double up as servers; here, there’s no traditional distinction between front and back of house – just “one house,” as Refslund likes to say. On the menu, expect ingredient-forward dishes like raw tuna with nasturtium and salted plum and brown trout, cooked in its own roe butter and served with charred cabbage. A dining highlight here is the roving trolley that’s laden with chilled appetisers and a surprising amuse-bouche – a peppery tomato clam broth served in a large, slightly ridiculous clamshell fashioned into a flask. As you tip its contents down your throat, the act feels both primal and playful – it’s a decidedly Noma touch, right in Brooklyn. Arati Menon

Address: Ilis, 150 Green Street, Brooklyn, NY 11222, United States Website: ilisnyc.com

Papa's, Mumbai, India

​​Eleven Madison Park alum Hussain Shahzad’s eclectic skills are on full display at this fine-dining concept, a 12-seat countertop that overlooks an open kitchen in the space above Veronica’s, a bustling sandwich shop. The vibe is a delightful hodgepodge: Delicate glass lamps share space with a chamber for dry-aging duck, and the chef’s playlist of ABBA and Prince pairs nicely with the easygoing service. The modern Indian menu makes clever use of the nation’s many home-grown ingredients: Clarified Bloody Mary cocktails arrive alongside petite pizza boxes of Monaco biscuits (India’s Ritz cracker) topped with Belper Knolle cheese; hibachi-grilled rabbit is served in a red-ant marinade; and a soup of sun-dried yak cheese is amped up by habanero chiles. The name Papa’s is a nod to Shahzad’s late mentor, chef Floyd Cardoz – whom he does proud. Julian Manning

Address: Papa's, 3R3G+JMX Veronica's, Waroda Road, Ranwar, Bandra West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400050, India Website: papasbombay.com

Locavore NXT, Bali, Indonesia

After closing Locavore, a hot-ticket and hyperlocal eatery in Bali’s Ubud late last year, Dutch Indonesian chef duo Eelke Plasmeijer and Ray Adriansyah moved on to open the concept’s aptly named next iteration. Pitched up in the rice fields just outside Ubud, concrete-clad Locavore NXT takes the chefs’ wildly ambitious methods to a new extreme with 20(ish)-course-tasting menus that draw on ingredients grown in the rooftop food forest, subterranean mushroom vault, and koji fermentation lab – and ones sourced from surrounding farmers, fishermen, and foragers. Seasonal menus could include imaginative creations such as honi pineapple with lardo and flower-flecked pudding from rice koji with bee pollen. For a full immersion in Locavore NXT’s closed-loop ethos, guests can overnight in one of the restaurant’s adjoining cabins and participate in a chef-guided tour and staff breakfast the next day. Chris Schalkx

Address: Locavore NXT, Jl. A.A. Gede Rai Gang Pura Panti Bija, Lodtunduh, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia Website: locavorenxt.com

Pot Au Phở, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

At Pot Au Phở, Vietnamese banker turned chef Peter Cuong Franklin sets new standards for Vietnam’s beloved noodle soup, his 10-course tasting menu deconstructing phở and then reassembling the iconic bone broth. Inspired by French and Japanese fare, Cuong also plays with molecular cuisine and jellied consommé, even paying tribute to French chef Paul Bocuse’s legendary black truffle VGE soup. Perhaps the most cherished dish is Mom’s mì Quảng, a traditional prawn and pork turmeric noodle soup prepared by his mother, Nguyễn Thị Như Thừa, at her Đà Lạt rice noodle shop; he was sent to the US as a child refugee, and they reconnected 30 years later. Housed in the same building as Cuong’s Michelin-starred Anan in the thick of the wet market on District 1’s That Dam Street, the soup counter is designed for just 14 guests. Order the Phojito, mixed with fresh herbs and spices like cinnamon and star anise. Sorrel Moseley-Williams

Website: instagram.com/potauphobyanan

Air, Singapore

At this sprawling space – an erstwhile clubhouse for civil servants – in Singapore ’s leafy Dempsey enclave, chef Matthew Orlando (who used to pilot Copenhagen’s influential Amass) is continuing his mission to make circular cooking as natural as, well, breathing air. You’ll know this isn’t your typical restaurant from the moment you enter, up a sweeping walkway and past a thriving tropical garden commanded by Orlando’s business partner, Will Goldfarb of Bali’s Room4Dessert. In the dining room, funky tables hewn from the leftover cores of balau trees and chairs with arms twirled out of recycled Styrofoam play off exposed concrete pillars. Orlando’s tasty zero-waste approach to Southeast Asian ingredients includes dishes like a whole coral fish transformed into a rillette with lavash made from the puréed bones of the fish. Don’t miss the surprisingly fudgy reincarnated chocolate dessert whipped up with the by-products of common food processes – none of which are chocolate or cocoa beans. Upstairs, there’s a pickling and fermentation room, a cooking school, and a research lab where anyone can dabble in food experiments. Audrey Phoon

Address: Air, 25B Dempsey Road, Singapore 249918 Website: instagram.com/air_cccc

Oseille, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In late 2023, chef Thomas Troisgros – the fourth generation of the renowned French culinary dynasty – opened Toto as something like a Parisian neo-bistro, but with a menu inspired by the chef’s travels around the world. Nestled within a townhouse in the vibrant centre of Ipanema, the casual restaurant was a quick hit. Troisgros recognised the potential for an elevated dining experience, however, and envisioned Oseille in the vacant upper part of the same building. With the help of a three-member team, the chef fashioned a 16-seat counter around a well-equipped kitchen, where he now exclusively serves signature tasting menus (five or seven courses) that change from time to time – but they’re always anchored in local and seasonal ingredients, combining his French heritage with Asian influences, all topped with a Brazilian accent. The level of hospitality makes diners feel as if they’re being welcomed into the chef’s home – visitors can even choose their preferred background music. Rafael Tonon

Address: Oseille, R. Joana Angélica, 155 - Loja B - Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 22420-030, Brazil Website: instagram.com

Le Foote, Sydney, Australia

Sydney hospitality maestros Swillhouse have savvy locals tackling the tourist-drenched cobblestones of The Rocks for their latest swing-and-hit restaurant, Le Foote. Part Parisian wine bar, part Mediterranean grill, the restaurant is a sandstone labyrinth of nooks, crannies, and choose-your-own-adventure spaces in a sprawling former pub. The alfresco courtyard is just the place for fluffy fish sandwiches and carafes of orange wine. Upstairs, settle into the moody candle-lit bar and order two-sip martinis to a soundtrack of funky jazz. The main dining room is draped in dramatic Greco-Roman style, with giant Etruscan canvas murals, white tablecloths, and smart waiters in crisp shirts. Most of the Mediterranean-by-way-of-Australia menu is done on the Josper grill, and hits include fleshy barramundi in charred hazelnut butter, marbled tomahawk steaks, juicy tomato picante prawns, and a gooey cheese pie. Suddenly, Sydney’s oldest neighbourhood feels fresh again. Chloe Sachdev

Address: Le Foote, 101 George Street, The Rocks NSW 2000, Australia Website: swillhouse.com

Nikkei, Cape Town, South Africa

On perennially cool Bree Street, Nikkei brings its namesake cuisine to Cape Town. Executive chef Justin Barker displays his range with a menu that marries South American spices and ingredients with bright seafood – think shrimp crudo with ancho chilli oil and sesame tuna with guacamole and a lime-jalapeño ponzu – and a robust cocktail menu that showcases both sake and pisco. The modern space, decorated with a riot of tropical plants, feels just right as the backdrop for Barker’s vibrant food. Look up, and you’ll see oblong chandeliers shaped like chakanas, a symbol that has been used by Andean societies for over 4,000 years, which fittingly signifies a “bridge” or “a crossing over.” Harriet Akinyi

Address: Nikkei, 87 Bree St, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa Website: nikkei.co.za

Barro, Ávila, Spain

Located in Ávila, about a 90-minute drive away from Madrid ’s city centre, Barro is a contemporary defence of the rural world through the use of regional ingredients. This wise approach earned the restaurant its first Michelin star, making Carlos Casillas the youngest chef to achieve one in Spain. Once inside his restaurant – where a minimalistic approach reigns in the decor – go for the Alberche tasting menu, composed of 15 dishes such as a suckling pig with kimchi brava sauce; a 150-day-aged rib eye with a hollandaise sauce (made with the meat’s own fat); and a rabbit lasagna accompanied by grilled kidney, green beans, and a consommé with fermented tomato water. Paula Móvil

Address: Barro, C. de San Segundo, 6, 05001 Ávila, Spain Website: barrorestaurante.es

99 Restaurante, Santiago, Chile

It’s taken Chilean chef Kurt Schmidt three years to reopen his casual fine-dining 99 Restaurante, but a bespoke new space and finely tuned menu means it’s been worth the wait. Tucked away in buzzy gastro-hub CV Galería in upscale Vitacura, the spot offers a calming analogue experience that fuses open-fire cooking, flickering candlelight, and a vinyl soundtrack. With 12 guests dining in tandem, the chef and his two-strong team prep in the open kitchen before Schmidt shares details about the nine courses. The menu expresses Chile’s diverse and lengthy terroir: On this occasion, the spotlight was on a single Chilean region, Huasco, and its bounty of ocean-caught and mountain-gathered ingredients such as loco (abalone), mussels, papaya, and kid goat – wrapped in vine leaves – all sourced from small producers and artfully paired with local vintages. Sorrel Moseley Williams

Address: 99 Restaurante, Alonso de Córdova 4355, 7510077 Santiago, Vitacura, Región Metropolitana, Chile Website: 99restaurante.com

Trattoria del Ciumbia, Milan, Italy

Sèm chì! We are here! Ciumbia is a very Milanese exclamation, akin to wow in the local dialect. Indeed, the food at this restaurant in the Brera district is a triumph of hyperlocal dishes, the kind any child of Milano would have had at their grandparents’ when they were little: cotoletta, veal Marsala scaloppine, Russian salad, Quinto quarto, but also delicious vegetarian dishes like asparagus flan. Here is a classic trattoria – just cooler and filled with a pleasant and different clientele (the restaurant is majority-owned by Leonardo Del Vecchio of the Luxottica family) – and the food makes for a decidedly lighter meal compared to the original recipes of old. The interiors by Dimore Studio are splendid, evoking Milanese architecture from the 1960s and 1970s in its solid elements and dark tones. And it’s centrally located in a neighbourhood where crowds of tourists sit at the outdoor tables of cafés and restaurants . But Ciumbia is a touch different. You have to know it to find it since you wouldn’t be able to tell how special it is from the outside like it so often happens in Milan. And when you do, you’ll realise you’re in exactly the right place, where you need to be. N.B. There’s also a private club. Maddalena Fossati

Address: Trattoria del Ciumbia, Via Fiori Chiari, 32, 20121 Milano MI, Italy Website: trattoriadelciumbia.com

Saporium, Florence, Italy

Amid mirrors, crystal chandeliers, and lush greenery in a 1950s-style dining room, a gourmet meal at Saporium feels like a night at the theatre. In the open kitchen, chef Ariel Hagen, a homegrown wunderkind, finishes his dishes with a set of perfect gestures one could watch forever – but only until the food is set on the table to amaze with its scents, textures, and flavours, whether from land or sea – even the strictly vegetarian fare leaps off the plate, leaving audiences-slash-diners with the idea that haute cuisine without animal protein is spectacular and well-deserving of an encore. Every ingredient is from Tuscany , organic and seasonal, and often comes straight from the farms and gardens of one of the most luxurious resorts in the region and all of Italy : Borgo Santo Pietro. Sara Magro

Address: Saporium Firenze, Lungarno Benvenuto Cellini, 63/R, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy Website: saporium.com

Kozo, Kigali, Rwanda

The latest iteration of Kōzo – a self-proclaimed “dining journey” known for its fusion of Afro-Asian cuisine, originally launched in Accra – is the brainchild of Thai-Dutch executive chef Sakorn Somboon. Tucked into the hillsides of Kigali’s Kimihurura neighbourhood, the restaurant offers a sparkling skyline view that sets the stage for a culinary experience as diverse as the cultures it represents. The monochromatic space, adorned with modern African art and bright pops of colour alongside natural elements, is an open-concept design that flows seamlessly from the main dining area to the bar and terraces. The menu theme changes every three months and is designed to be shared. The chef described the next menu concept – Sea Breeze – as citrusy, sparkling, umami-rich, and focused on locally sourced meat inspired by his recent trip home to Southeast Asia. Among standouts are the Akabanga beef spring rolls and rock shrimp with spicy mayo to start and the wok tiger prawns (imported every week from Kenya ) cooked in a chilli-garlic sauce with ginger and fresh basil, served with green beans. The slow-cooked lamb in a cardamom curry with a plantain mash is divine, and the sizzling beef served in a steaming cast-iron pan is a show in itself. Sip bartender Tresor Twishime’s Forest Negroni – a twist on the classic with clove smoke and locally distilled Imizi botanical rum. Alicia-Rae Light

Address: Kōzo Kigali Restaurant, 17 KN 14 Ave, Kigali, Rwanda Website: kozogh.com

Maty's, Miami, USA

Maty’s is a happy place. It glows with golden warmth despite its capacious warehouse-style dining room, which has polished concrete underfoot and exposed pipes above. That’s due not only to front-of-house activity but also to the sights, sounds, and smells of the open kitchen in the rear. A seat at the bar – complete with a pisco-dashed martini and an order of the ingenious crudo special of scallops and grapes – is the perfect vantage point for taking in all that chef Valerie Chang has orchestrated here. Standouts range from humble seasonal pickles and chicken Milanese to oysters kissed with leche de tigre and charred corn in a shower of pecorino. Charlie Hobbs

Address: Maty's, 3255 NE 1st Ave, Miami, FL 33137, United States Website: matysmiami.com

Yess, Los Angeles, USA

Dining at the contemporary Japanese Yess Restaurant is a spiritual experience. Located in Los Angeles ’s colourful Arts District in a former bank, the space is large, tall-walled, and minimalist in design and decor. And despite the room’s massive size, dinner is an intimate affair. Diners sit side by side at a long cypress counter as they face chef Junya Yamasaki and his team – dressed in all-white garb like some sort of culinary cult – work their magic in the kitchen, slicing sashimi in silence or gently grilling skewers of freshly foraged mushrooms, twisting and turning until just cooked. The meal is a meditation on restraint, where less is more and ingredients take centre stage on the plate. Somehow, you’ll leave Yess feeling like a healthier human. Omar Mamoon

Address: Yess, 2001 E 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021, United States Website: instagram.com/yess.restaurant

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Follow our news, recent searches, walk-ins for some singapore driving licence services to cease from may 13, advertisement.

Vehicles on a road in Kallang, Singapore. (File photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)

SINGAPORE: Walk-ins for some driving licence services will cease from May 13, the police said late Monday night (Apr 22).

These services include changing driving licence particulars or converting a foreign driving licence to a Singapore one.

The Traffic Police is launching an online appointment service for those looking to change the photograph on their driving licence or update their citizenship status.

People who are collecting or cancelling a driving licence, as well as those requesting a driving licence extract should also use this online appointment system.

They may book, change or cancel their appointments online via the e-Services page at the Singapore Police Force's website. 

The Traffic Police will also use an online form for applications to convert foreign driving licences.

"This follows a previous trial, announced in July 2022, where holders of Malaysian driving licences could submit their applications for conversion of their foreign driving licences online via FormSG," said the police.

Applicants will be updated on the outcome of their applications via email within six weeks.

"Only successful applicants will be given an appointment date and time to finalise the conversion process. During the appointment, applicants will be required to bring their supporting documents (both original and copy) to the TP headquarters for verification," said the police.

Walk-ins for these services will still be allowed from Apr 29 to May 12. From May 13, all walk-ins will cease, with the exception of long-term visit pass holders renewing or replacing their driving licences.

“The Traffic Police would also like to seek the public’s continued understanding as it processes a high volume of applications for conversion of foreign driving licences, and that during the processing, time is required to authenticate the documents and ensure that the conversion eligibility criteria are met," the police said.

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This is the best airport in the world, according to a new ranking

By Hannah Towey

Hamad International Airport (HIA) in Qatar was just named the best airport in the world in the 2024 Skytrax awards, knocking 12-time winner Singapore Changi Airport down to second place.

The annual ranking is based on customer satisfaction surveys of over 500 airports, evaluating factors such as cleanliness, friendliness of airport staff, the ease of getting to and from the airport, terminal design, dining options and more.

Hamad International Airport first opened in 2014, replacing the adjacent Doha International Airport as Qatar's main aviation hub. The airport is operated by Qatar Airways, which is consistently ranked one of the best international airlines in the Condé Nast Traveller Reader's Choice Awards , and is the only airport designed specifically for the Airbus A380 plane. This year marks the third time the airport has won the prestigious industry award.

So, what exactly sets the airport apart from the competition? One of its newest – and most ambitious – features is the “Orchard,” a 6,000-square-metre indoor tropical garden with 65 retail and dining venues launched in 2022 as part of a multi-year expansion project. Home to over 300 trees and 25,000 plants from sustainable forests around the world, it's one of the airport's many green initiatives that includes a waste management programme that recycles 3,979 tonnes of organic compost per year to be used as fertiliser.

“Throughout our young history, we have continued to showcase our commitment to environmental sustainability – from improving carbon efficiency to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and managing wastewater," Michael McMillan, the airport's vice president of facilities management said in a 2022 news release . “Sustainability has proudly been at the forefront of what we do since our inception.”

Over the past couple years, the airport has also added a brand-new airport hotel, Oryx Garden Hotel, as well as four new airport lounges, including the glamorous Louis Vuitton Lounge . In addition to Louis Vuitton, the airport's massive retail centre Qatar Duty Free has an entire “street” called Viale del Lusso devoted to luxury shops like Dolce&Gabbana, Jimmy Choo and Valentino. It perhaps comes at no surprise then that the airport also won Skytrax's 2024 award for the world’s best airport shopping.

The airport served over 45 million passengers in 2023, a 31 per cent increase compared to the previous year, surpassing the previous record set during the FIFA World Cup. HIA has also added new international airline partners, including Vistara, Iberia, Xiamen Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, and Japan Airlines, and serves over 250 destinations. The airport's rapid growth shows now signs of stopping: the second phase of the expansion, scheduled to begin in 2023, aims to expand the airport's capacity to over 70 million annual passengers.

“Our continuous investment in our facilities and pioneering initiatives in retail and hospitality within a single expansive terminal has made this achievement possible," Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, the CEO of Qatar Airways Group, said in a news release . "We have introduced a diverse range of experiences at the airport, including ‘Souq Al Matar’, which brings Qatari hospitality and culture closer to travellers; ‘Orchard’, the ideal place for relaxation and rejuvenation between flights; and an array of high-end lounges.”

Other standout winners in the 2024 Skytrax airport awards include Seoul's Incheon Airport, the world’s most family friendly airport; Tokyo's Haneda Airport, the world’s cleanest airport; and the Istanbul Airport, for the world’s best airport dining experience.

Below, see the world's best airports, according to the 2024 Skytrax World Airport Awards. How many have you been to?

The World’s Top 20 Airports for 2024

• Doha Hamad Airport
• Singapore Changi Airport
• Seoul Incheon Airport
• Tokyo Haneda Airport
• Tokyo Narita Airport
• Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
• Dubai Airport
• Munich Airport
• Zurich Airport
• Istanbul Airport
• Hong Kong Airport
• Rome Fiumicino Airport
• Vienna Airport
• Helsinki-Vantaa
• Madrid-Barajas
• Centrair Nagoya Airport
• Vancouver Airport
• Kansai Airport
• Melbourne Airport
• Copenhagen Airport

A version of this story was originally published on Condé Nast Traveller US