Bhutan develops adventure and music tourism to draw international crowds
The Himalayan kingdom is now more accessible to Singapore travellers as Chan Brothers Travel is offering more chartered direct flight tours.
BHUTAN – Taktsang Monastery, famously known as Tiger's Nest, stands as one of Bhutan's most iconic landmarks.
Many visitors consider the journey to this breathtaking site – perched on a cliffside 3,120m above sea level – a must. Given the steep and winding terrain, travel guides typically advise allocating five to seven hours for the 6.5km round-trip hike.
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Straits Times
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Straits Times
13 hours ago
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First look: National Museum of Singapore's new immersive display Singapore Odyssea
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Singapore Odyssea, housed in the Shaw Foundation Glass Rotunda, opens to the public on Aug 8. SINGAPORE – Seven centuries of Singapore's history await visitors in the new immersive exhibit called Singapore Odyssea as they walk down a 50m-long spiral ramp in the National Museum of Singapore's (NMS) Shaw Foundation Glass Rotunda. The rotunda re-opens to the public on Aug 8 after a 10-month closure for the new exhibit to be installed. Singapore Odyssea features episodes from the country's history from pre-colonial times to the present day. NMS director Chung May Khuen highlighted that the exhibit was helmed entirely by a local team, a reflection of the progress local design talent has made since the rotunda was last revamped about a decade ago. 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Transition zone ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN Four myths are presented in this section, which links the glass rotunda to the start of the Singapore History Gallery. Graphics are used to represent Pauh Janggi, a magical tree above the navel of the ocean; Sang Nila Utama (above), the Palembang prince who supposedly gave Singapore its name; the swordfish attack that gave Bukit Merah its name; and Raja Chulan, a Chola king who is said to have explored the waters near Singapore in a diving bell. From this zone, visitors will enter the Singapore History Gallery. At a media preview of Singapore Odyssea on July 31, Ms Chung said that the glass rotunda's permanent exhibits reflect how visitors' expectations of museums have changed over the years. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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Referencing the opening of that display, Ms Chung said: 'It was very groundbreaking for us when we first launched an immersive gallery at the National Museum, because it marked a shift from us – moving away from object-centric stories to actually exploring new ways of telling our Singapore Story.' She said that Story Of The Forest reflected how museum visitors had evolved beyond 'one-to-one interaction of artefacts' and wanted to enjoy museums in larger social groups, such as with family or friends. Ms Chung noted that while Story Of The Forest was a more passive experience for visitors, Singapore Odyssea is more multi-sensory, and allows visitors to participate in the experience. The RFID wristbands that visitors wear in the rotunda, for instance, unlock display features.
Straits Times
14 hours ago
- Straits Times
England win toss and opt to bowl in fifth test v India
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Cricket - International Test Match Series - Fifth Test - England v India - Kia Oval, London, Britain - July 31, 2025 England's Joe Root and Brydon Carse during the warm up before the match Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs LONDON - England won the toss and chose to bowl in the final test of the five-match series against India at The Oval on Thursday, with the tourists needing a victory to level a hard-fought series. England are without captain Ben Stokes due to a shoulder injury, with Ollie Pope leading the side in the all-rounder's absence, while fast bowler Jofra Archer has also been rested. Pope said opting to bowl on a green pitch in overcast conditions was a "no-brainer". "We've lost a few men, the captain is down. (Chris) Woakes is tracking nicely and we've got a few fresh faces, which will be nice," Pope said. "We wouldn't be content with a 2-2, we're going to go out and try and win." India have rested fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who was expected to play only three tests in the series, while Dhruv Jurel comes in to keep wicket in the absence of the injured Rishabh Pant. India have now lost 15 tosses in a row but skipper Shubman Gill said he does not mind losing the toss as long as they win the match. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore No entry: ICA to bar high-risk, undesirable travellers from boarding S'pore-bound ships, flights Singapore 5 foreign women suspected of trafficking 27kg of cocaine nabbed in Changi Airport Singapore Over half of job applications by retrenched Jetstar Asia staff led to offers or interviews: CEO Singapore 17-member committee to drive roll-out of autonomous vehicles in Singapore Business Singapore gold investment soars 37% to 2.2 tonnes in Q2 while jewellery demand wanes Singapore Underground pipe leak likely reason for water supply issues during Toa Payoh fire: Town council Multimedia 60 years, 60 items: A National Day game challenge Singapore 'Switching careers just as I became a dad was risky, but I had to do it for my family' "It is a bit overcast, but the wicket looks good. Post good runs in the first innings and let's see then what happens from there," Gill said. "Our bowlers are very much ready for this contest and it looks like a good wicket for the bowlers. So, hopefully, everyone will chip in." England lead the series 2-1 after winning the first and third tests at Headingley and Lord's, respectively, while India won the second test at Edgbaston. The fourth test at Old Trafford ended in a draw. TEAMS England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (captain), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Shubman Gill (Captain), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Washington Sundar, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna REUTERS
