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Living in the city, one thing is difficult for me: resting.
But a three-day trip to Lazarus Island, a tiny island five miles off the coast of Singapore, forced me to slow down. Beach.
“Into the Woods,” which opened in February, is a lodging facility promoting slow living. The cost of staying in a tent is 380 Singapore dollars (about US$290).
Into the Woods co-founders and husband-and-wife team Ray Lee and Sam Wong said they wanted to create a space where people could relax without worrying about itineraries or filling their days with activities.
The founders grew up camping with their kids while living in the US and Australia, and although they had no experience in hospitality or real estate, they wanted to start something similar in Singapore.
During the pandemic, they stumbled upon a government initiative to promote sustainable tourism on Lazarus Island, and Lee and Wong ultimately won a three-year bid to open Into the Woods on Lazarus Island in March 2023. The couple estimate they invested about $800,000 into the project, half of which came from their personal savings.
“I want guests to leave feeling like, ‘I feel like I didn’t do anything, but I feel like I accomplished everything,'” Wong said.
Can doing nothing bring you satisfaction? I was trying to find out.
We stayed at Into the Woods on a Sunday night in August.
When we arrived at Lazarus, a member of staff picked us up at the jetty in a buggy, walked past the resort’s rows of tiny houses (the only accommodation on the island, where we spent the next night), past the island’s only convenience store, and a few minutes later arrived at our glamping tents on Lazarus Beach.
There are nine tents, six of which sleep two people and three that sleep up to four. The tents are fully air-conditioned and are located just a few feet above the water’s surface.
This was no ordinary tent.
They feature queen-size beds, cooktops with microwaves and refrigerators, and hardwood floors. Everything we needed for a day at the beach was included, from mats to complimentary snacks to a beach bag.
Slow life on the island
After unpacking, I headed down to the beach to explore, but there wasn’t much to do except try stand-up paddling at the island’s only water sports centre. This is the slow life, I thought.
I sat on the beach and took in the views. It was nearly 5pm and the beach was buzzing with activity: teenagers blasting pop music on portable speakers, young children building sandcastles, and dogs running free on the sand.
At around 6pm, the last ferry left the island and the beach became quiet except for the sound of waves lapping gently on the sand. For a moment, I felt surreal. Singapore is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. It was oddly comforting to have such a large space to myself and the 10 other guests on the beach.
There’s no dining option on the island, so guests must cook or bring their own food. I preordered a barbecue meat set from the island’s convenience store for about $52. It feeds two or three people and includes skewers of meat and sausages, as well as macaroni and cheese and ota (a grilled fish paste dish).
It was a rare opportunity to cook our own food on the beach, so we took the time to savor every bite and take in the surrounding scenery.
Guests are encouraged to wash their own dishes, so leave dirty cutlery and pans aside to take to the shared kitchen sink the next morning.
There was no TV and the internet was spotty, so I was on my own figuring out how to spend the rest of the night. Thankfully, there was a doodle pad and reflection journal in each room, which I appreciated for the opportunity to reflect.
That night, instead of the latest Netflix series playing in the background, the sounds of waves lapping on the shore lulled me into a deep sleep.
The next morning the beach was still empty.
We found a couple who brought along a Maltese and a toy poodle for a carefree trip.
“Even though there is Wi-Fi here, I don’t feel like working or checking email,” said Pei-Lin Kong, a financial consultant in her 30s.
“It’s the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city,” she added.
Kong isn’t alone in wanting to escape: Interest in luxury glamping experiences has increased since the pandemic, Mike Harlow, general manager of luxury travel agency Scott Dunn, told me after returning from a trip.
“There’s no doubt that people who are usually in highly stressful environments, such as the workplace, want to experience more expansive landscapes, be more in touch with nature and get away from the hustle and bustle of crowded tourist destinations,” he said.
Glamping has grown in popularity in Singapore in recent years, with several companies offering services to pitch tents on beaches and public parks. Mandai Wildlife Reserve, which manages the city’s zoos, offers zoogoers the chance to experience wild glamping by the zoo’s lakeside or next to the penguin enclosure at the Bird Park for about $1,300 per tent.
In the US, hotel chains are also getting in on the action: Earlier this year, Hilton announced a partnership with AutoCamp, allowing members to use their Hilton Honors points to book luxury campsites. Similarly, World of Hyatt members can use their points at select Mr & Mrs Smith properties, including glamping resorts around the world.
Toilet hikes lacked luxury
While the comfortable beds and air-conditioned space offered a premium camping experience, other aspects of our stay didn’t feel as luxurious.
For example, the tents don’t have private toilets – guests must use the communal ones a three-minute walk away. Not that it’s inconvenient, but it is, especially considering the resort’s prices.
“It reminds me of my time in the army,” joked a customer in his 50s.
When I returned from my trip, the co-founders told me that cost and time constraints meant they couldn’t build custom toilets — they said that Lazarus Island is a “light” tourist destination, and they didn’t want to disturb the island’s natural environment by installing pipes or a sewer system.
Overall, Into the Woods is a great option for those who want to camp in Singapore without the rigors of camping outdoors, but don’t expect the same luxurious experience you’d get in a five-star hotel.
Sure, there wasn’t much to do, but that was the point: I left feeling reinvigorated and ready to get back into city life.
Business Insider covered the author’s expenses for the trip.