RELAX IN PANGKOR
Hidden away from civilisation, Pangkor Laut Resort is a private island sanctuary for travellers who want to disconnect and relax.
And it does not take long to get there. Take a flight from Singapore to Ipoh and a car service takes you on a 1½-hour ride through the sleepy Malaysian town to the jetty, where a speedboat takes you to Marina Island Pangkor.
The 121ha island, off the west coast of Malaysia, has sun, sand and sea, complete with five-star luxury. Think houses on stilts, spas which feature Japanese onsens and fresh seafood at the resort's seven restaurants.
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Read more about private island holidays in the August issue of The Life e-magazine.
Natasha Ann Zachariah
STYLISH SG50 ITEMS
Singapore designers show their love for the nation, making stylish items in the SG50 spirit. And there is something for everyone.
Kids will love designer Jarrod Lim's homage to playgrounds of yesteryear with the iconic dragon playground turned into a rocker.
Find more Objects Of Desire in the August issue of The Life e-magazine.
Natasha Ann Zachariah
COOLIE COIN QUEST
In the 1980s, Mr Roger Loh Ah Keong bought a ceramic piece with a squid motif in Chinatown and that changed his life. It was a piece of coolie currency used to pay indentured labourers from China, who came to Singapore to escape poverty and support their families back home in the 1900s.
Each of the 13 registered coolie houses here issued a set of coolie currency which the labourers used. They were paid in these coins that could be used only in Singapore, instead of Straits Settlements currency, as their employers did not want them to go home after earning enough money.
Find out how Mr Loh, 69, and his wife Patsy, 66, both retirees, built up their coin collection in the August issue of The Life e-magazine.
Deborah Lee
AFFORDABLE LUXURY
Mr Kingston Chu took on his managing director role at established watch retailer Sincere Watch when he was barely 30.
Last year, he launched Maison Franck Muller, where customers can dine on exquisite cuisine while they peruse luxury watch collections in Hong Kong.
The August issue of The Life e-magazine features three luxury watch retailers to watch.
Gladys Chung
