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

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.

I stayed at Into the Woods on a Sunday night in August

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 also included essentials for a day at the beach, from a mat to complimentary snacks and a beach bag.

Slow living on the island

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. It was strangely comforting to have such an expansive space to myself — well, and the 10 other guests on the beach.

With nowhere to eat on the island, guests can cook their own meals or pack food. I pre-ordered a barbecue meat set for around $52 from the island’s convenience store. It came with enough for two to three people and included a spread of meat skewers and sausages, along with mac and cheese and otah, a grilled fishcake dish.

It was a rare opportunity to cook my own food by the beach, so I took the time to savor each bite and take in the surroundings.

As guests are encouraged to wash their own dishes, I put the dirty cutlery and pans aside to haul to the communal kitchen sink the next morning.

With no TV and a spotty internet connection, I was left to my own devices to figure out how to spend the rest of my evening. Thankfully, each room has a doodle book and reflection journal, and I was grateful for the opportunity to engage in some self-reflection.

That night, instead of the latest Netflix series droning in the background, the sound of the waves crashing onto the shore lulled me into a deep sleep.

The next morning, the beach was still empty

I spotted a couple who brought their Maltipoo and a Toy Poodle for a hassle-free getaway.

“Even though we have WiFi here, I don’t feel like working or checking emails,” Peiling Kong, a financial consultant in her 30s, said.

“It’s a perfect place to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life,” she added.

Kong is not alone in her desire to get away. Interest in luxury glamping experiences has grown after the pandemic, Mike Harlow, the general manager of the luxury travel agency Scott Dunn, told me after I returned from the trip.

“Being in highly stressed environments, usually at work, we’re definitely seeing people want to experience more expansive landscapes, be more in nature, and get away from the hustle and bustle of busy tourist destinations,” he said.

Glamping has gained popularity in Singapore over the past few years, with several companies offering services to set up tents on beaches and public parks. Mandai Wildlife Reserve, which manages zoos in Singapore, even offers zoo-goers the opportunity to try glamping in the wild by a lake in Singapore Zoo or by a penguin enclosure in its bird park — for around $1,300 per tent.

In the US, hotel chains have also been getting in on the action. Earlier this year, Hilton announced a partnership with AutoCamp, that allows members to use Hilton Honors points to book luxury campgrounds. Similarly, World of Hyatt members can spend points at certain Mr and Mrs Smith’s properties — which include several glamping resorts around the world.

The toilet hike lacked luxury

Although the comfy beds and air-conditioned space offered an upscale camping experience, other aspects of the stay didn’t feel as luxurious.

The tents, for example, did not include an en-suite toilet. Guests have to share a communal toilet a three-minute walk away. It’s no hardship, but it is an inconvenience — especially at the resort’s price point.

“It reminds me of my army days,” a guest in his 50s jokingly told me.

When I returned from my trip, the cofounders told me they could not build en-suite toilets due to cost and time constraints. They said Lazarus Island is a “light-touch” destination, so they didn’t want to disrupt its natural state by installing pipes and setting up a sewage system.

Overall, Into the Woods is a great option for those who want to try camping in Singapore without roughing it out outdoors. Just don’t expect the luxury experience you’ll get at a five-star hotel.

Sure, there wasn’t much to do. But that was the point — I left feeling recharged and ready to return to city life.

Business Insider covered the cost of the author’s stay.