SINGAPORE: More and more people are making travel plans around culinary experiences, with social media platforms playing a big part in helping them discover the gastronomic highlights and hidden gems in each destination.
Southeast Asia offers a wealth of delights to food lovers, and while some may argue that Malaysia and Thailand are hotter culinary hotspots, there are several reasons why Singapore consistently ranks among the top 10 foodie travel destinations worldwide. Singapore’s appeal lies in its variety, safety, cleanliness, affordability — and, above all, the sheer deliciousness of its fare.
The UK-based travel company Travelbag recently released a study showing the most popular foodie destinations on social media based on the Instagram and TikTok data of 50 cities worldwide. Unsurprisingly, The Little Red Dot did very well indeed, living up to its reputation as a destination for food lovers. On Instagram, there are 1,900,000 posts hashtagged #singaporefood, while on TikTok, there are 47,800.
Travelbag describes Singapore’s food and drink scene as “epic”, adding, “There’s everything from grab-and-go satay at one of the Hawker Centres to slick, Three-Star Michelin restaurants.” Of course, the company mentions Hainanese chicken rice and chilli crab as must-haves for those visiting the city-state.
As for the “exciting” bar scene, Ce La Vie, at the top of Marina Bay Sands, gets special mention, as do the Long Bar at Raffles and Native Bar in Chinatown, a mainstay of many a ’50 Best Bars in the World’ list.
The best destination for foodies, according to social media
London, perhaps surprisingly, tops the Travelbag list of foodie havens in the world with a whopping 3 million Instagram posts and 163,500 TikTok posts tagged #londonfood. While Melbourne has the same number of Instagram posts for #melbournefood, it lags behind on TikTok, with 118,500 posts.
Toronto claims second place overall, while Dubai and Sydney take the third and fourth spots, respectively, rounding out Travelbag’s top five list.
Taking a culinary trip this year?
If the travel bug bites you hard this year and you’re planning a foodie trip, here are the top tips shared by Natalie Watson, the brand and campaign marketing manager at Travelbag.
- Plan ahead
Make reservations for popular restaurants in advance, and work out which restaurants, cafes, and markets you’ll be visiting before you travel. This means you’re not wasting precious eating time trying to figure out where to go. - Book cooking classes
Plan classes and tastings if you can. This way, you not only savour the authentic flavours but also immerse yourself in the very heart of the city’s food culture. Through hands-on experiences, you can learn the tips and tricks behind traditional dishes and cooking techniques. - Ask the locals
Locals know best! Ask residents for recommendations or explore local publications to uncover hidden gems beyond tourist hotspots.
/TISG
Read also: Singapore climbs the ranks as Asia’s 5th best foodie destination in ‘Global Food Cities’ list