Visiting the Cataract Falls at Jewel
Being a nation short on natural beauty, Singapore has to create its own unique wonders. This indoor waterfall within a purpose-built mall, designed by Moshe Safdie and built at the staggering cost of S$1.7 billion, is a stunning example of Singapore’s idea of a sublime spectacle. I have very mixed feelings about the Cataract Falls at Jewel. The engineering skills required to create the waterfall are noteworthy: the light that pours through the latticed, glass ceiling makes the space feel cathedral-like; the overall effect is quite stunning, especially at first glance. But unlike any waterfall encountered in the wild, this one exists to attract people to a mall. Singapore wants your money and it has found a way to reward you with striking, top-notch, man-made curiosities. It’s a strange bargain, but it works, given how both locals and tourists have found the cataract worth visiting, photographing, and blogging about. Even I find myself drawn to write about it. The whole thing is just so odd and it encapsulates so much of what I feel about Singapore: how it’s so impressively cutting edge; how beautiful the waterfall is; how it seems to prioritise and promote nature (Singapore styles itself as 'a city in nature'); and yet its raison d’être is enticing people to spend money. Singapore is sometimes called ‘Singapore, Inc.’ with good reason. Even nature becomes weirdly instrumentalised here.
The Cataract Falls at Jewel may actually be the quickest way for a visitor to experience an important facet of Singapore in all its contradictions. It’s high tech, it’s gorgeous, but it’s also strangely hollow.
When I happened upon this wedding couple taking their bridal photos at Jewel, I couldn’t help but feel that they had picked the perfect spot. The Cataract Falls (as a projection of an idealised Singapore) is a stunning location for imagining what you hope your 'happily-ever-after' wedded bliss will be. Everyday married life, however, will be more jagged and messy, and far less shiny. That kind of reality is not on show here and to find it requires a bit more digging. For that you need to hunt in back alleys and in the more humble areas of Singapore, where the locals live out their daily life. But that is another photo essay and another newsletter…
Logistics
Jewel is directly connected to the departure hall of Changi Terminal 1, so if your flight takes off or arrives there, you can go take a look at the Cataract Falls very easily. From Terminals 2 and 3, Jewel is about a 10-to-12-minute walk away. You can also take the Skytrain that connects Terminals 2 and 3 and catch a glimpse of the waterfall when the train cuts through the space on its way to and from the terminals. The Skytrain is free and is available both from the public and secure areas of the terminals. If you are transiting in Singapore and have the time, this should be an amusing activity. Be warned that they do turn off the water, so if you are too early or too late, you will be disappointed!
What to eat
There are eateries where you can dine with a view of the falls (Shake Shack being one). If you don’t care for a view, then you might want to try Tsuta for some ramen. The original Tsuta in Tokyo was once Michelin-starred, but since their expansion outside of Japan, they have lost their star. Nonetheless, they still serve up some pretty solid ramen. Their karage (fried chicken) is not bad either. For mall fare, you probably won’t do much better than this.
For dessert, look for Birds of Paradise. It’s a local boutique gelateria that specialises in botanical flavours inspired by fruits, herbs, and flowers from the region. While they also carry familiar standards like chocolate or pistachio, you might wish to try their White Chrysanthemum or Osmanthus Pear Sorbet or Macadamia Butterfly Pea. They don’t give out samples, but feel free to talk to the staff about which way you might be leaning. They’ll be able to guide you to an appropriate choice.
