Honeymooning in Singapore and Langkawi

A few days after our wedding weekend we jetted off for a four-night stay in Singapore, our first honeymoon destination. We wanted our first stop to be a city break and, having visited Singapore a few years prior, we knew it would be a great pit stop to unwind from the whirlwind of the wedding. We stayed at the recently built and elegant Fullerton Bay Hotel in a suite with stunning views of the marina and the incredible ship-like Marina Bay Sands Hotel. The breakfasts were absolutely enormous, the service truly spectacular, and the rooftop pool bar was simply superb. We spent our first two days half-submerged in the pool, acclimating to the humidity of Singapore, drinking delicious cocktails and fresh juices, eating the most incredible truffle-oil french fries, and trying desperately to get a semblance of a tan. As with all of our holidays, food played a leading role in our trip. We ate our way around Singapore, hunting down the famous black pepper crab I had been craving since my first trip.

One of our favorite parts of the stay was meandering through Singapore’s botanical gardens. We loved seeing the unusual flowers, seed pods and giant trees, and found the gardens to be a great (and green) respite from the man-made feel of the rest of the city.

After four days in Singapore we were ready for some down-time on the island of Langkawi. We checked into a private villa at The Datai, a stunning hotel in the heart of the rainforest, with a private white-sand beach. Staying at the villa felt as though we were staying in our very own rainforest. The design drew upon the unique nature of the surroundings, with tall trees and foliage providing privacy for each suite and allowing us to experience the natural beauty of Langkawi in all its glory. We watched cheeky monkeys in the trees above our room and reveled in the many different sounds of the forest – the singing of the birds being my favorite! With jet-lag still going strong, we decided to fully unwind at the hotel’s wonderful spa, where we wiled away rainy afternoons with massages and lazy lunches.

For the golf lovers out there, the resort was a dream come true. There wasn’t a soul in sight on the entire course, except for naughty troupes of monkeys, all eager to steal our bag and its contents. Lucky for us, these furry pickpockets didn’t get a chance to steal my film or my camera, but it certainly wasn’t for a lack of trying! Despite not being a golfer, these golfing afternoon were truly special. With the sea on one side and a dense rainforest on the other, this was a golf course that kept reminding me of scenes from Jurassic Park – lush dense foliage, giant trees, and strange sounds coming from the rainforest!

After our four-night stay at the Datai, we made our way to our favorite hotel on the island. The Four Seasons Langkawi is a beachfront hotel with an Arabic design influence and private villas lining the beach, each with its own plunge pools, spa rooms, day beds and al-fresco dining areas for a private and decadent stay. The service at the Four Seasons was beyond spectacular. The staff was discreet, helpful, knowledgeable, and so kind. From the moment we arrived, we truly felt as though we were the only guests at the hotel. Our favorite part of the trip was spending the day with Aidi, the Four Seasons naturalist who was incredibly passionate and knowledgeable about Langkawi’s flora and fauna. We thoroughly enjoyed the mangrove tours and visits to the more remote parts of the island. Aidi’s explanations and fun stories made it a truly unforgettable experience.

Our favorite part of the stay was definitely watching the sunset on Rhu-bar’s swinging day-beds before enjoying a delicious fish curry at Ikan-Ikan. We finally ended the night with a few more cocktails by candlelight, watching the twinkling lights of Thai fishing boats in the distance, and hoping we could stay just a few more nights.

Fullerton Bay Hotel
80 Collyer Quay
Singapore 049326
+65 (6) 333 8388

The Datai
Jalan Datai, Teluk Datai
07000 Langkawi,
Kedah, Malaysia
+60 4-959 2500

Four Seasons Resort Langkawi
Jalan Tanjung Rhu
07000 Langkawi
Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia
+60 (4) 950 8888

A film-photographer of life’s beautiful moments, Aneta is a wedding & portrait photographer based in London, traveling the globe for work and pleasure.