Marilyn Lum: Life’s lessons in travel
For the social enterprise co-founder, seeing the world comes with a sense of purpose.
Jaime Ee
GROWING UP, MARILYN LUM GOT a taste of Europe when travelling with her parents - London, Paris, Rome and the like. But shopping along Avenue Montaigne or skiing in Whistler doesn’t hold much appeal for the now mother of two, who instead seeks inspiration in Asia, soaking in the rich culture and cuisine, and interacting with locals in their day-to-day lives.
Her travel choices have evolved according to the stages of her life, says the executive director of investment company Lum Wen Kay Holdings and co-founder of Crib, a social enterprise which supports women entrepreneurs. “I was definitely more maverick when I was younger, actively seeking out new and exotic locations, like my first trip to Yogyakarta in Indonesia, which is famous for its Javanese fine art and culture.”
In fact, the day before she was scheduled to leave, she chanced upon a local dish Nasi Gudeg, a curry of unripe jackfruit served with fried beef skin. “I loved it so much that I extended my trip just so I could learn how to make it for family and friends back home.”
Kids and sustainability
The luxury of spontaneity has since given way to a more structured approach now that she has 2 boys – Philip, 6, and Robert, 5. Holidays are planned around her two priorities – an educational experience for the kids, and sustainability.
“I’m a big supporter of hotel concepts that promote sustainable practices”, says Lum, who has also been involved in the industry for the past 10 years, including being part of the pre-opening team of the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport hotel. She holds a masters in hospitality management and is currently pursuing her doctorate in education.
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She found a combination of both in Bali’s Desa Potato Head in Seminyak, which boasts a creative village concept where her sons learned to build kites, plant coconut trees and even make paint from scratch using eco-friendly materials. “Everything in the hotel is built around sustainability,” says Lum. “In the village they hand make toiletries and products like wastepaper baskets used in the rooms, and they also have a plant-based restaurant using local ingredients.” And the kids “got to learn about the small changes they can make to help look after the planet”.
While in Bali, the food lover was fascinated by her subterranean dining experience at The Cave in Uluwatu. It sits on a property belonging to a villa owner who wanted to maintain the 25,000 year old cave in its natural state, and engaged chef Ryan Clift of Singapore’s Tippling Club to create the menu.
“It’s located 6.5 metres below ground and structurally sound. You enter via a staircase and the restaurant was built without destroying anything. It serves a 7-course tasting menu and I was very impressed that most of the ingredients were sourced from all over Bali, which made it more special to me.”
Covid travel
Bali was her second trip when international borders reopened after travel was disrupted by the pandemic. “We had originally planned to go to London when Philip was 4 years old, but then Covid happened and everything had to be put on hold.” But even before that, the boys were too young to take them on long-haul trips, which is partly why she has focused mainly on Asia.
“In a way, I’m thankful for the unwelcome break during the 2 years of Covid. It gave me time to rediscover my family, and during the school holidays, I ended up reading more about Singapore’s history and cultural heritage so I could take the kids to parts of Singapore they’d never explored before. I took them to places like Kampong Lorong Buangkok – the last surviving kampong here – and on a 15-minute boat ride from Changi to the Kelong Smith Marine floating restaurant, which serves delicious seafood from their own fish farm.”
The first trip she took with her family after the borders reopened was to Desaru’s One & Only resort, for its natural surroundings and sustainability focus. Set within native rainforest, it opened their eyes to the plight of wildlife such as the indigenous dusky monkeys, whose young are often poached because of their distinctive yellow colour. “We went on a nature walk, and the guide told us how poachers would kill the mother and take the babies. It’s so sad.”
Out of the comfort zone
When her kids are older, Lum hopes to expose them to how people live in other parts of the world, especially in less privileged areas. Before Covid, Crib worked with the Operation Hope Foundation in Cambodia to raise funds for a local primary school. While her children were too young to take along, she was joined by some of her friends and their children.
“It was a humbling experience,” she says. “Coming from Singapore, we assume that when a kid goes to school, he has a school bag, gets to wear shoes, and has clean water to drink. But in Cambodia, kids have to walk from their village to school which takes up to 2 hours, without shoes. Water is a challenge because of sanitary conditions, so the schools have to build filtration systems for the students.”
Through Crib, she hopes to do more such initiatives. “Being able to experience the beauty and laidback charm Cambodia has to offer and then having the opportunity to give back to the local community is a unique experience that I would definitely want to be a part of again.”
Connecting with locals opens your eyes to different cultures and perspectives, says Lum. And seeing the world shouldn’t be limited to developed cities or picture perfect countrysides.
Although she’s planning trips to Australia and London this year, it doesn’t detract from her desire to seek out meaningful experiences.
“There’s so much beauty in the world, so many lessons to learn. And that’s something I always look for when I travel.”
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