Show Me the Sunny!
know of very few singaporeans who do not like a beach holiday. It seems ironic that, for a people living on an island nation, we can still be so obsessed with seeking the sun, sand and sea when we live within a 20min drive to any coastline in Singapore. Even those I know who hate the sun wouldn’t mind escaping to the nearest neighbouring island to curl their toes in powdery white sand, while wearing their resort best and slipping on their designer shades. What is it about a beach, or an island getaway, that holds such appeal? I suppose, however you define it, there’s no denying that images of beautiful stretches of coastlines on sunny islands just bring to mind the words “holiday” and “getaway”. (I mean, no one really works at these places, right?) And that is why this month, we are dedicating our annual Travel Special to the best islands around the world. First, we take you to the idyllic island nation on the Indian Ocean that is the Maldives. Our cover personality Gary Xie sums up the appeal of a Maldivian getaway and beach holiday best. He tells us, “This truly is our paradise.” The Residence Maldives, a resort owned and managed by Cenizaro Hotels & Resorts, the hospitality arm of Bonvests Holdings where he is executive director, boasts quiet expanses of beach and the best shades of blue as far as the eye can see. Photographed there with his wife Beverly Chin in our cover spread this month, Gary played the consummate host while the Singapore Tatler crew worked him mercilessly in front of the camera as our cover model. Do the results make you want to hop on a plane to The Residence Maldives now? Turn to p.164 and discover for yourself. In the travel section, we introduce the Singapore Tatler 10: Islands—a collection of 10 islands we think you ought to visit this year. We also get first dibs on Shuyi Liu and Justin Liok’s amazing holiday in the Galápagos Islands—they share their pictures and story with Singapore Tatler first. Also in this issue, we spotlight the spanking new cars that you’d want to be seen travelling on the roads in, in our Motoring Special (p.196). If you’re going away for the June holidays, stay in touch with what’s on back home via Singaporetatler.com. Do share your pictures and comments with us on Facebook and Instagram —your ideas and feedback help us make Tatler the publication you want to read. Till next month, chill out, have a break, and get a (safe) tan if you can!
— Jane Ngiam Editor-in-chief