Mid-June 2026
Visiting the Merlion and Breakfast at Ya Kun Kaya Toast
Our third day—and the final day of our trip—was blessed with beautiful weather, so we started the morning by visiting the Merlion.
The Merlion was once widely known in Japan as one of the “World’s Three Most Disappointing Tourist Attractions,” so I went there expecting to be thoroughly underwhelmed. Instead, I found a magnificent white statue standing proudly with Marina Bay Sands across the water. It was much larger than I had imagined, and the stream of water from its mouth was surprisingly powerful.
It didn’t disappoint me at all.
Ironically, I was disappointed that I wasn’t disappointed.
Later, after returning home, I looked into why the Merlion had earned such an unfortunate reputation. It turns out there were two main reasons:
- Its original location made it difficult to view the statue from the front.
- Mechanical problems frequently stopped the water from flowing.
Today, however, the statue has been relocated and the water feature works continuously, so it no longer deserves its old reputation.
After enjoying the Merlion, we walked to Raffles Place Park and stopped by Ya Kun Kaya Toast for breakfast. We ordered French toast and steamed bread, and both were excellent.
Relaxing at The Westin Singapore
After breakfast, we returned to The Westin Singapore and spent some time swimming in the pool.
At the poolside, a lesbian couple was taking photos of each other with their phones. Every time one of them pressed the shutter button, the other would enthusiastically shout things like, “Wow, super sexy!” or “Gorgeous!” Watching them made me think they were both excellent photographers.
Bak Kut Teh and Musang King Durian
In the afternoon, we visited Lau Pa Sat, one of Singapore’s famous hawker centers. It felt like a huge, clean food court, but since there was no air conditioning, it seemed like the kind of place that could be tough to enjoy unless you still had plenty of energy left.
We didn’t eat there, though. Instead, we headed to a restaurant recommended by a friend: NG AH SIO Bak Kut Teh.
Bak kut teh appears in practically every Singapore guidebook, so I had been looking forward to trying it. My very first impression was, “Wow… that’s a lot of pepper.”
Then I dipped a piece of youtiao (Chinese fried dough) into the soup.
To my surprise, it was absolutely delicious.
Honestly, I thought the soup-soaked fried dough tasted even better than the wonderfully tender pork.
Our meal—two bowls of bak kut teh, rice, youtiao, and two soft drinks—came to SGD 43.76.
After lunch, we walked next door to Combat Durian.
One of the main reasons I had planned this trip in June was to finally give durian another chance.
I’d already tried durian three times before—in Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam—and every single experience had ended with the same reaction:
“Ugh… this is tough.”
However, one of my friends absolutely loves durian and never stops talking about how delicious it is. Every time I listened to her, I couldn’t help thinking that maybe I had simply never eaten a really good one.
I’d heard that June is one of the best seasons in Singapore to find naturally ripened durians that have fallen from the tree, so I’d long decided that if I were ever going to try durian again, it would be here, in June.
Still, once we arrived at Combat Durian, my confidence disappeared. Neither my partner—who had never tried durian before—nor I felt confident about finishing an entire fruit.
When I admitted to one of the staff members that we were complete beginners, she smiled and said,
“You don’t have to buy a whole one. We just packed some fresh Musang King durian. Start with that.”
The package cost SGD 26.00.
When I nervously took my first bite, my immediate thought was:
“It doesn’t stink.”
That alone came as a huge surprise.
Every durian I had eaten before had smelled like rotten onions, making me instinctively recoil.
This one was completely different.
Saying it “didn’t stink” isn’t entirely accurate. It certainly had a fermented aroma, but instead of making me want to gag, it reminded me ever so slightly of soy sauce or miso.
The texture was incredibly rich, creamy, and smooth without feeling overly heavy. The sweetness wasn’t as bold as a mango’s, but it was refined and elegant, accompanied by a faint bitterness that gave it real depth.
It was unlike any fruit I’d ever tasted.
And honestly…
It was delicious.
I think this trip may have turned me into a durian fan.
Since my partner had absolutely no preconceived ideas about durian, he simply ate it happily, saying over and over how good it was.
The only downside was what happened afterward.
Although the durian was wonderful, my stomach felt unusually full for the rest of the evening, and every time I burped, I could still taste and smell the durian.
Maybe we got a little too carried away.
Haji Lane
After leaving Combat Durian, we took a Grab to Haji Lane.
The street had a lively atmosphere filled with colorful murals, cafés, bars, and young tourists. Personally, though, it felt a little too loud and crowded for our taste, so we didn’t stay very long.
Afterward, we returned to our hotel and headed to the airport.
Jewel Changi Airport and Heading Home
At the airport, we explored Jewel Changi Airport, an enormous shopping and entertainment complex.
It was incredibly crowded, but it was so large that you could probably do all of your shopping and dining there without ever leaving the building.
The enormous indoor waterfall cascading from the ceiling in the center of the complex was spectacular.
One last thing I noticed about this trip:
I never used cash—not even once.
Every single payment was made with my credit card, and I never found myself wishing I had brought cash.
