When in Singapore: Ride the Tiger, dance with the Lion & honor the Dragon

The Tiger, the Lion, and the Dragon. A fierce alliance. It was feral in Singapore's Chinatown.

Can anyone ignore Tiger Airways' roar to fly a Dragon to the Lion City and celebrate the Chinese New Year?

"There is a large Chinese community here in Singapore, close to 75% of the country's population," said host Sharon Cheong, Tiger Airways Customer Relations Officer. She added how Singapore's Chinatown transforms into its festive state weeks before the Lunar New Year arrives.

Chinese New Year in Singapore's Chinatown—how can I decline?

The Chinese constitute the largest ethnic group in Singapore. Outside of Greater China, it is the only country in the world that accounts for the majority of its population.

In the Chinese calendar, the Lunar New Year is the most important and the longest festivity for the Chinese community. The celebration lasts for two weeks, and it is customary to splurge on presents, decoration, food, and clothing. The residences undergo thorough cleaning to sweep away any ill fortune and are decorated with auspicious ornaments, like red paper cuts and couplets, lanterns, lucky fruits like the Mandarin oranges, which symbolize gold, and plants, to usher in good fortune, happiness, wealth, and long life.

On the eve of Chinese New Year, supper is a feast with the families. Over the family reunion dinner, where everyone is sporting new clothes in red, everyone extends well wishes and gives "hongbao," a red envelope with money for good luck, which is a common practice done by the elders for the children.

What is a new year without the firecrackers and loud beating of drums? Practicing this tradition ensures a prominent year ahead and rids the home and business establishments of unlucky spirits.

In the Singapore Chinatown, the host and tour guide pointed out every good luck charm, identified all the must-eat food along the streets, and explained what each symbolizes. Ergo, it entailed a lot of eating. 

After navigating a maze of stalls, we arrived at our destination, the Yum Cha restaurant. 

To commence the Chinese New Year feast, a Prosperity Toss was in order. The Yee Sang kicks off the meal to bring good luck, prosperity, and health for the coming year. After the cheerful ceremony , we dined on traditional Chinese fare, including Peking duck, hot pot, and tofu. 

After a hearty dinner, it was time to sweeten the evening's celebration at one of Chinatown's famous dessert places. We were lucky to snag a table at the popular spot. We filled it with the restaurant's bestsellers, including the flavored sherbet of green tea and black sesame seeds. 

When heading to Singapore for the Chinese New Year or at any time of the year, head to the Chinatown Complex. The huge open-air building is the go-to spot for the locals to shop for food and garments and dine. The third level houses numerous food stalls offering specialties 24/7. Amazing!

Hop on Tiger Airways to fly to the Lion City; it's a beautiful and exciting place to welcome the Year of the Dragon.