Making Tracks

Some people commute; others travel. Imagine, if you will, the usual traffic inching its way across the Johor-Singapore Causeway. And then picture me, sipping oolong-tea-infused mangosteen juice in the plush confines of Belmond’s Eastern & Oriental Express (E&O), speeding gracefully alongside the logjam towards Malaysia.

Artful travel is innate to every E&O journey. My adventure began at Singapore’s Woodlands Train Checkpoint, where my bags swiftly disappeared into the hands of porters, allowing me to admire my gilded portal to the past: a forest-green and cream livery adorned with a prancing tiger motif. My friendly steward, Jabez Loh, welcomed me into my cabin moments before the whistle blew and we eased off towards what I knew was going to be a journey to remember.

The E&O, originally from New Zealand but given an Art Deco overhaul in Singapore in 1993, is timeless and elegant, with stately elm, cherry, teak and rosewood interiors, nostalgic entertainment and a dress code that “encourages glamour”. Its just-finished refresh has updated the interiors, blending traditional craftsmanship with modern comforts across 16 carriages, including eight sleeping cars, two restaurants, a Piano Bar and an open-air Observation Car.

Top: The elegant livery of the Eastern & Oriental Express; Above: Cocktail hour on the Eastern & Oriental Express

My plush State Cabin took inspiration from Penang’s coastal beauty, a jewel box of navy and malachite greens with intricate dragon embroidery – a nod to the city’s many Chinese temples. An embossed keepsake box containing E&O-branded stationery and luggage tags was a thoughtful gift, while refillable drinking water (treated onboard) and eco-friendly toiletries from Malaysian brand Remedy showcased a commitment to sustainability. Two new three-night itineraries that start and end in Singapore are available: The Essence of Malaysia travels to Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi and Penang, while Wild Malaysia (my choice) takes guests to Taman Negara National Park and Penang.

With just 64 passengers (down from the previous 80), the refreshed E&O felt exclusive yet social, with plenty of opportunities to mingle and trade stories with my nattily-dressed fellow guests, who ranged from honeymooning couples to British retirees enthusiastically rediscovering the reinvigorated train. Dining in the ornate restaurant cars, singing along with a fur-clad chanteuse in the Piano Bar, or simply gazing at the changing landscapes from the open-air Observation Car felt literally transportive. And utterly cosseting too, with an attentive crew always ready to hand guests a Negroni or magically transform cabins from sitting rooms into cosy boudoirs during dinner.

The train’s new menu was developed by Michelin-starred Taiwanese chef Andre Chiang, offering a tour de force of fusion dishes such as laksa bouillabaisse, Sichuan green pepper-spiked black-bone chicken soup and 16-hour-braised beef cheek with a nine-pepper jus, each indulgent bite a mirror of the E&O’s diverse routes.

Above: Views from the open-air Observation Car

Fuelled with fine food and Champagne, it was time for an outdoor adventure, starting with my chosen excursion to Taman Negara National Park. This involved a scenic treetop walk, where we heard distant gibbon hoots and howls, and spied greenish-brown bulbuls in the canopy, before meeting conservationists from MYCAT working to save the critically endangered Malayan tiger, of which fewer than 150 remain.

Arriving in Penang, a market tour and cooking class at a hilltop boutique hotel provided a taste of local life and flavours such as nasi ulam and pani puri, concluding with a sparkling wine-fuelled feast with spectacular views of the coast.

As the journey wound back to Singapore, I found myself awake before dawn, watching the sunrise from the open-air, wood-panelled Observation Car. This is where every passenger will eventually find themselves, filled with a growing appreciation for slow travel. Enveloped in a tranquil haze, the world seemed to pause. I wish I could say the same for myself but news that the region’s first Dior Spa – with its own toile de Jouy-decorated carriage and signature treatments – would debut on the E&O just after my journey meant I was already plotting my return.

Above: The jewel-box interiors of the cabins