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n page eight of Credit Suisse’s Global Wealth Report 2017 is a map of the world with countries shaded in various colours to represent defined economic strata. Red, signifying wealth levels of more
than US$100,000, is notable in Asia for its absence, appearing only in a handful of distinct areas – Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and, if you look really hard, a speck at the bottom of Peninsular Malaysia: Singapore. According to Credit Suisse’s analysis,
the “Little Red Dot” ranks ninth globally (and the highest in Asia) for household wealth per adult. It’s a place that’s flourished through industry, shipping and now finance – a modern economy rolling in money. There are more than 150,000 millionaires in Singapore (in a country of 5.6 million people, approximately every 37th person), and this is projected to rise to 170,000 in 2022. Looking at the number of ultra-high net worth individuals – those with assets of US$50 million or more – the total stands at a staggering 1,000. So, it’s no surprise that if you want the
full Crazy Rich Asians-style experience in Asia, Singapore is where to go. For one, the book is largely set here and good chunks of the film were shot around the city-state, so even casual visitors can arrange simple, low-thrills ways to relive moments from the movie. For instance, after landing at Changi Airport, where the couple’s arrival scene takes place, tourists can enjoy a no-frills meal at Newton Food Centre (the hawker dinner in the movie). They can also stroll
DE CEMB E R 2 0 18
Tere are more than 150,000 millionaires in Singapore – in a country of 5.6 million people, that’s approximately every 37th person
around Chijmes, a former Catholic convent where the wedding took place, order a coffee among the shophouses of Bukit Pasoh Road, pose by the Merlion fountain at Merlion Park, and ogle the Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay. But there are ways to emulate the film
in a manner aligned to its uninhibited sense of joie de vivre and conspicuous consumption. In a city where Rolls-Royces, Bentleys, McLarens, Maseratis, Ferraris and Lamborghinis rumble around the roads with disarming regularity, thrill-seekers can tear up and down the East Coast Parkway – the roadway in the open-top car driving sequence in the film – in a power machine (stick to the speed limit, though). Ultimate Drive offers short rentals for three different types of Lamborghini, the Ferrari California, or the sleek 750cc Harley Davidson Street, muscular monsters that can reach 100 km/h in less than four seconds. The Lion City’s top-end hotels don’t
hold back when luring the super-rich. Marina Bay Sands – the city’s de facto emblem and at the time of opening the most expensive building ever constructed – has arguably the most exclusive room in Singapore. The Chairman’s Suite, offered by invitation only (anyone who’s anyone will have the know-how to get invited), has four bedrooms, a private gym, massage room, hair salon and media room with karaoke. It
comes with views of the bay through floor- to-ceiling windows and its own dedicated service team that’s adept at arranging anything and everything for VVIPs: four- piece string quartets, private yacht tours... anything is all in a day’s work. For those travelling with their pooch –
preferably one that is white, fluffy, small enough to fit comfortably on a lap, and has the proclivity to yap at the slightest hint of dissatisfaction – the Capella offers a coddling pet stay. The property, a lushly landscaped resort on Sentosa Island with a sinuous wing designed by Norman Foster, supplies a bed and water bowl and if you give the hotel sufficient notice, staff will embroider the pet’s name on its pillow. Premier Suites at The Ritz-Carlton
Millenia will have you feeling like a king or queen, especially while soaking in tubs that come with uninterrupted perspectives of the Singapore Flyer through the hotel’s signature octagonal windows. The St Regis oozes high-class, old-money
sensibilities through its suites with hand-cut crystal chandeliers, hand-painted chinoiserie wallpaper, butler service and bathtubs with multicoloured French Breche de Benou marble. Bathtubs – and beds – in the Ocean Suites at Resorts World Sentosa come with windows looking onto 40,000 marine animals, thanks to the rooms’ location alongside the S.E.A. Aquarium.
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