'A thumbs down': UK YouTuber deems Singapore 'most overrated place' in the world
PHOTO: Stomp
PUBLISHED ONJuly 04, 2024 9:07 AMByBenji Tan
The title is straight to the point.
The YouTube video is called "Singapore is the most overrated place in the world".
It is not even a question.
In the 20-minute video posted on June 19, self-proclaimed "worst backpacker" Gaz Wright from UK said Singapore is "absolutely" not worth visiting for a holiday.
"I've put this place on such a pedestal," said the YouTuber. "Because of what I've seen and the experience we've had so far, so unfortunately, Singapore is getting a thumbs-down."
His travel review focused on the value he got for his dollar - or in his case, British pound - covering transportation, food and beverage as he spent three days in the Lion City at Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, Raffles Place, F1 pit, Haji Lane, Little India and Chinatown.
"Don't get caught out by the additional charges on food and drinks," warned the YouTuber, referring to the service charge and goods and services tax.
"When you are at restaurants and bars, 20 per cent is going to be added for every single bill that you get."
He said there was not a lot to do in the city.
"You can tick off the main things in 24 hours - Marina Bay Sands, if you want to get fleeced at Raffles Place for a cocktail. I thought Raffles was amazing. The setting is beautiful. The staff there are super nice, but you are paying 30 pounds for a cocktail," said the YouTuber, referring to the Singapore Sling at the Raffles Hotel.
[embed]https://youtu.be/rc6_Wg2_AOk?si=dHUN5Txh8RQbsthS[/embed]
He was also not too impressed by Gardens by the Bay.
"I looked online. You see the photos and videos, it looked absolutely phenomenal. I think for me personally, I thought that was the most underwhelming part. It looked great for 30 seconds to a minute."
The YouTuber concluded that Singapore is the perfect transit location but not a holiday destination.
"They've got the best airport in the world for like 15 years," he said, even though Changi Airport just fell out of the top spot into second place in the 2024 Skytrax ranking, overtaken by Doha Hamad in Qatar.
"I would not come here if you are travelling to Southeast Asia on a budget. Because if you've seen - accommodation, drinks and food - it's not the most budget-friendly. Actually, it's horrendous on the budget."
The YouTuber added: "For me, it's probably the most underwhelming places I've been."
Comments on the video mostly disagreed with him and said that he paid more at the tourist destinations and should explore the local cuisines.
The YouTuber responded with a comment: "1 month in Bali = 1 week in Singapore."
Others agreed with him, commenting they preferred other destinations in Southeast Asia such as Thailand and Malaysia.
This article was first published in Stomp. Permission required for reproduction.