We all know that Singapore is undisputedly one of the safest and cleanest countries in the world—home to the best airport in the world as well as cheap yet amazing hawker food, our Little Red Dot is indeed a country that easily piques one’s interest.

Yes, many of us agree that the temperatures here can drop by 10 degrees or so, but there are so many reasons to love Singapore that we endure our all-year-long summer. Besides being famous for the banning of chewing gum and our seemingly animated colloquial slang, Singlish, there are plenty of reasons for us to be oh-so-proud Singaporeans.

Here are 13 Homegrown Brands That Will Make All Singaporeans Proud of Our Little Red Dot—we bet you didn’t know that half of these are homegrown brands! #majulahsingapura

AWFULLY CHOCOLATE

What started as a statement to tackle dessert vendors everywhere, home-grown Awfully Chocolate has successfully established itself as one of the best and most popular chocolatiers around the world. Famed for its variety of chocolate-laden desserts, we absolutely go mad for their All Chocolate cake, that sees a simple chocolate cake between layers of dark chocolate fudge.

BANYAN TREE HOLDINGS

Established in 1994, Banyan Tree Holdings is founded by Singaporean businessman Ho Kwon Ping. In 1995, Ho and his wife Claire Chiang chanced upon an empty plot of land on the western coast of Phuket which was soon after developed into Banyan Tree’s first resort.

Since then, Banyan Tree has grown to be Asia’s premier luxury hotel and resort brand with close to 40 properties internationally. It now has hotels as far apart as Mexico and Seychelles.

Photo Credit: Bee Cheng Hiang

BEE CHENG HIANG

Bakkwa—an all-time favourite snack amongst Singaporeans that is enjoyed particularly during the Chinese New Year period. For the uninformed, Bakkwa is essentially smoked and roasted pieces of pork with a consistency similar to jerky.

Founded in the 1930s by Singaporean businessman Mr Teo Swee Ee, Bee Cheng Hiang started out as a humble stall in Chinatown. Today, Bee Cheng Hiang sees over 260 retail outlets serving their famous bak kwa in 13 other countries across countries including Vietnam, South Korea and Cambodia.

BREADTALK

You’ve probably had a few of Breadtalk’s ever-popular Floss buns for breakfast if you grew up in Singapore. Founded in 2000, BreadTalk has expanded rapidly within the past 2 decades, establishing a distinctive presence in 18 locales across Asia, the Middle East, and most recently Europe.

Other brands that are under the Breadtalk Group include Din Tai Fung, Food Republic and Toast Box, which would probably sound very familiar to Singaporeans as well as those living in our neighbouring countries.

Photo Credit: Visit Singapore

BENJAMIN BARKER

An esteemed purveyor of smart-casual attires for men, Benjamin Barker is a home-grown fashion label founded by Mr Nelson Yap, who—you’d be surprised to hear—is a film graduate from the University of Melbourne as he had the intention to pursue a career in film-making.

The brand’s first store opened in Marina Square in 2009 and now sees retail stores in Melbourne, Seoul, Malaysia and a flagship store in Los Angeles.

Yap says that he intends to develop Benjamin Barker into a lifestyle brand by combining retail, F&B and hospitality—they even have a Benjamin Barker Café located in Cathay Cineleisure Orchard now!

Photo Credit: Miss Valerie Tan

BROWHAUS

One should never underestimate the importance of eyebrows in changing your image. Many of us, image-conscious or not, would be familiar with the brand Browhaus, which is a one-stop salon dedicated to perfect your lashes and brows.

Browhaus was established in 2004 under the wings of Spa Esprit Group, a homegrown brand founded by Singaporean businesswoman Cynthia Chua. The brand now has outlets all over the world, including stores in London and New York City. What more can we say? Browhaus is on fleek!

Photo Credit: Charles & Keith

CHARLES & KEITH

Set up by sibling duo Charles Wong and Keith Wong in 1996, Charles & Keith is a Singaporean fast-fashion footwear and accessories retailer which now has over 600 stores worldwide, including locations in Africa and Latin America.

It is amazing to see a 100% Singaporean brand grow from being a humble shoe shop in Amara Shopping Centre to venturing internationally and imprinting their global footprint across regions in Asia, the Middle East and Europe alongside Latin America and Africa!

OLD CHANG KEE

Lo and behold, the ultimate go-to for curry puffs and giant fishballs. Old Chang Kee started out as ‘Rex Curry Puff’, an assuming stall situated near the then Rex Cinema along Mackenzie Road.

Old Chang Kee has expanded expeditiously to opening franchises in Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia. Just weeks ago in June 2018, they officially launched the opening of an outlet in London where guests can get their hands on Singapore’s famous curry puffs.

OSIM

OSIM would probably be first to come into your mind when luxurious massage chairs are mentioned. With brand ambassadors including Korean superstar Lee Min Ho and Chinese actress and model Fan Bingbing, OSIM has managed to climb its way to becoming a top-tier global brand.

Originally starting out as an electrical and household appliance company in 1980, founder Ron Sim saw an opportunity to bloom in Singapore’s healthcare products industry and thus started OSIM to advocate for a healthy lifestyle.

Credit: Razer

RAZER

Razer is a global gaming hardware manufacturing company established in 2005 by Singaporean entrepreneur Min-Liang Tan and Robert Krakoff.

Step into any IT retail store such as Challenger and COURTS and it would be hard to miss the bright green triple-headed snake logo that dons the front of every Razer product. They offer a wide range of products in the likes of gaming equipment and wearables including smartwatches.

Photo Credit: Skin Inc.

SKIN INC.

The homegrown skincare brand is founded by Sabrina Tan, an IT-expert-turned-skincare-guru who took the leap of faith to step into the beauty industry after having worked in IT for 11 years.

Skin Inc. offers a range of skincare products that combine technology and beauty, providing customers with customisable skincare products. The brand has been a winner of over a hundred beauty awards and their products are now sold in over 20 countries in Asia and Europe.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES

Awarded ‘The World’s Best Airlines’ by Skytrax World Airline Award in 2018 is Singapore Airlines, which has constantly been on the list for the world’s top 10 airlines for the past decade.

SIA has 26,000 group employees who are dedicated to making all traveller’s experience the most comfortable and pleasant experience with their impeccable service. Oh, how lucky we are!

TWG TEA

Short for The Wellbeing Group, TWG Tea is a brand that offers fine harvest teas since its founding in 2008. In a short span of 6 years, TWG Tea has vastly expanded to having outlets in countries such as Canada, Korea, Germany and Australia.

Its parent company is OSIM International, so you can be sure that it is not any atas tea brand from Europe!

No one likes to be stuck in an airport. It’s a traveller’s worst nightmare. But sometimes things just don’t go your way and you find yourself slapped with a long layover or stranded by plane delays. Well, since you can’t do anything about it, instead of yelling at every airline employee in sight or tapping your feet in annoyance, make the most of your predicament (like the guy who shot a ridiculously epic lip syncing video to ‘All By Myself’ in the Vegas airport).

Here’s our two cents worth of stuff to do when you find yourself trapped with no place to go.

#1 WANDER AROUND AND TAKE YOUR TIME TO EXPLORE

It’s always good to familiarize yourself with airports, especially the big ones – you never know when you’ll be rushing to catch a connecting flight, so it pays to know their ins and outs. If you’re with a bunch of friends, you can even work out a treasure hunt to while away the hours.

#2 SPEND THE LAST OF YOUR FOREIGN CASH

Whip out your wallet and, if you find something half worth buying, spend the last of your foreign cash on it – bonus points if it’s something that can take your mind off the boredom (like a particularly fascinating novel or some weirdly interesting game or toy).

#3 GIVE YOURSELF A TREAT

Treat yourself. Some airports offer gyms, pampering lounges or spas with massage, hair and manicure services, so you can work off some of that pent-up frustration in an appropriate manner. Alternatively, if you’re desperate, a moving walkway (preferably in a deserted area) works just as well as a treadmill.

#4 START PLANNING FOR YOUR NEXT HOLIDAY

Find the nearest departures screen (the bigger, the better) and figure out which holiday destination sounds best, so you can start planning your next vacay. Or if you think you’re quite the knowledgeable traveller, try testing yourself on which cities are in which countries.

So many places to visit, so little time. We’ve got tips at hand for you to zero in from endless possibilities to the one. Here’s how to decide where to go for your next holiday.

#5 WI-FI IS YOUR BEST FRIEND

Locate the spot with the best Wi-Fi connection – if the airport doesn’t offer a complimentary one (shame on them!), try hunting down cafes or free networks set up by random strangers – and claim it as your own. It’s amazing how much time you can spend just looking at cute cats or watching reruns of your fav TV show.

#6 PEOPLE WATCHING

Hone your people-watching skills by staring (tone down the creepiness, please) at passersby and imagining wacky life stories for them – the crazier, the better.

#7 FIND AN EMPTY AREA AND DO SOME LIGHT EXERCISES OR YOGA POSES

Who says vacationing is all about eating and sleeping? Scout out an empty area and do a couple light exercises or yoga poses to get the blood flowing. That way, you’ll feel better about the brownie you’ll be scarfing down later.

#8 TAKE A SHORT TRIP OUT OF THE AIRPORT

If you’ve got almost an entire day to spare, take a trip out of the airport to explore the sights and sounds of the country. Just make sure you get back in time for your flight.

#9 CONNECT WITH YOUR BUDDIES

Fancy yourself quite the social butterfly? Message, Face Time, Skype or call up some of your buddies (you should probably get hooked up to Wi-Fi first) and bug the heck out of them to entertain you. And by that, we mean, um, have a good heart-to-heart talk with whoever’s awake at that hour.

#10 SEARCH FOR ENTERTAINMENT

Some airports feature cool architecture, while others have art galleries, gardens, cinemas, aquariums, ice-skating rinks, golf courses, museums and even a planetarium. If all else fails, find a friendly-looking (or interesting-looking) stranger who looks equally as bored as you. After a nice long chat, he or she could become your next travelling buddy!

About the writer:
Alicia Lee is a dessert junkie with a serious (and probably incurable) case of wanderlust. Never one to pass up on retail therapy, she loves a great bargain and can usually be spotted on weekends browsing through quirky shops or chillaxing at a quiet cafe.

Chasing planes is always a thrill that adds on to the entire travel experience, and this was what we used to enjoy, until we got spoilt by Changi Airport and decided we all need a travel ritual to kickstart a true blue holiday.

No two airports are identical, and for that, Changi Airport is outstanding and amongst the best in the world. A holiday actually begins at Changi Airport, because our award-winning international airport has an enthralling list of offerings that makes it all worthwhile to check-in early so as to enjoy the facilities and amenities to its best.

Need to fill your tummy? The F&B options cater to different taste buds and time allowances. Whether you are rushing for a flight and need a quick take-out, or looking for a cosy diner to enjoy a meal with family and friends who are sending you off, there are plenty of options in both the public and transit areas.

And if you need to pick up duty-free items, the shopping is so irresistible that we strongly advise putting aside more time for some retail therapy. From perfumes and cosmetics, to books and electronics, you can find everything you need at Changi Airport.

Here is a guide to Changi Airport, featuring some of our favourite dining options, places to go, and things to see at the World’s best airport.

For a start, checking-in is a breeze because there are ample rows and counters that clearly segregate the airlines and flights, and there will always be staff patrolling and doing crowd control. We have been to many airports – both domestic and international – and we say it with utmost certainty that Changi Airport has the most seamless experience in this aspect.

Photo credit: Changi Airport

Things to see and do at Changi Airport

Catch a free show at the movie theatre, or watch the latest soccer match on large screen at the Xperience Zone. For the kids, there are several playgrounds located at all three terminals.

Or how does a spa indulgence sound? Head to Wellness Spa for some self-pampering! For the brave-hearted, try the fish spa where you have your feet submerged in a pool of tiny fishes, and they will rid the dead skin off your feet.

To relax your mind, take a stroll at one of the five gardens – Butterfly Garden (T3), Enchanted Garden (T2), Cactus Garden (T1), Orchid Garden (T2), and Sunflower Garden (T2) – in Changi Airport.

There are so many things to see and do at Changi Airport that it is impossible to share everything in this post. Next month, we have lined up a special guide on the 12 Things to do at Changi Airport, where we will share some of the things that you never knew about our beautiful airport.

Shopping at Changi Airport

Changi Airport is truly a shopping heaven. Melody always goes crazy at the perfume and cosmetic shops because there are so many brands to choose from, and enticing promotions that no one can resist. The guys have it good too. The latest gadgets can be found at the electronic stores. If not, head to the bookstore and pick up a good read for your flight.

When you shop at Changi Airport, you will get to enjoy 7% GST savings, which can be a substantial saving especially for big-ticket items. The 7% GST savings also applies to all shops in the public area. And the best part is there is a 30-day Money Back Guarantee. For those who are not satisfied with their purchases, they can return the product within 30 days for a full refund or exchange.

Dining at Changi Airport

Melody and I go to Changi Airport so often that it feels like our second home. When our family is sending or picking us, some of the places we dine at include O’Coffee Club, Swensen’s, Itacho Sushi, Saboten, and Ramen Champion.

Swensen’s and O’Coffee Club at Changi Airport open for 24 hours daily, making them the ideal spots to grab a bite when we touch down in Singapore late at night. Both of us are big fan of Japanese food, so it is no surprise that Itacho Sushi is our favourite haunt as it serves good quality sushi at reasonable prices.

Another Japanese diner that we really like is Saboten, which has consistently good tonkatsu and is great for a quick meal before boarding the plane. For ramen lovers, a stop to Ramen Champion will have you spoilt with different renditions from 4 carefully selected chefs from Japan, who each dishes up their specialties in the individual booths.

The transit area has even more options. Peach Garden Noodle House, Cedele, Bakerzin, Killiney Kopitiam, Tai Hing Roast Restaurant, The Green Market, just to name a few.

In March, we will be sharing a more comprehensive guide on where to eat in Changi Airport.

The World Airport Survey is conducting polls for the World’s Best Airport Award. You can vote for your favourite airport via this link – let’s do our part for our beloved airport!

Changi Airport is often the talk of the town (or the world), and it is with great pride that as a Singaporean and as the first social media ambassador of Changi Airport, I share with you the best of our award-winning international airport. With infinite possibilities, a myriad of shopping and dining options and endless entertainment, your holiday starts at Changi Airport.

For more information, go to www.changiairport.com. Follow Fans of Changi on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for the latest updates.

This post is brought to you by Singapore Changi Airport.