I stayed in a $290-a-night glamping tent off the coast of Singapore to put the 'slow living' lifestyle to the test

18.09.2024 - 00:55 / insider.com

As a city dweller, there's one thing that's difficult for me to do: rest.

But on a three-day trip to Lazarus Island, a small island five miles from Singapore, I was forced to slow down. I spent one night in a glamping tent on thebeach.

Launched in February, Into the Woods is an accommodation that promotes slow living. My stay in the tent was 380 Singapore dollars, or $290.

Ray Lee and Sam Wong, the cofounders of Into the Woods and a married couple, said they wanted to create a space for people to relax without worrying about following an itinerary and filling their days with activities.

The founders had enjoyed camping with their kids while living abroad in the US and Australia. Despite having no hospitality or real estate background, they were eager to start something similar in Singapore.

During the pandemic, they chanced upon a government initiative to promote sustainable tourism on Lazarus Island. Lee and Wong ended up winning a three-year tender to open Into the Woods on Lazarus Island in March 2023. The couple estimates that they've invested almost $800,000 in the project — half of which was from their personal savings.

"We want guests to go home with the feeling of, 'It feels like I didn't do anything, but I feel like I achieved everything,'" Wong told me.

Can it be fulfilling to do nothing? I was about to find out.

Upon reaching Lazarus, a staff member picked me up from the pier in a buggy. We drove past a resort that consists of tiny houses — the only other accommodation on the island, and where I spent the following night — past the island's sole convenience store and reached the glamping tents on Lazarus Beach a few minutes later.

There are nine tents, including six that can sleep two guests and three that can sleep up to four. The tents are fully air-conditioned and perched just a couple feet from the water.

This was no ordinary tent.

It fits a queen-sized bed, a cooking station with a microwave and fridge, and has hardwood floors. The space alsoincluded essentials for a day at the beach, from a mat to complimentary snacks and a beach bag.

After unpacking, I stepped out to the beach to explore. But apart from trying stand-up paddling on the island's only water sports center, there was little to do. So, this is slow living, I thought.

I sat on the beach and took in the surroundings. It was almost 5 p.m., and the beach was full of life. Teenagers blasted pop music on their portable speakers, young kids built sand castles, and dogs ran free on the sand.

At around 6 p.m., the last ferry left the island, and apart from the sound of the waves crashing softly into the sand, the beach turned quiet. At that moment, it felt surreal; Singapore has one of the highest population densities in the world.