Marina Bay travel guide

The Singapore River empties into the Marina Bay, an artificial inlet formed by reclaimed land, which has become the heart of the city’s redevelopment. At the heart of this new hub is the Marina Bay Sands, one of Singapore’s two new Integrated Resorts (IRs). Surrounding it are the 101-hectare Gardens by the Bay, the Singapore Flyer (the island’s answer to the London Eye) and the Marina Bay Street Circuit, which hosts the Singapore Grand Prix. It is dominated by the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, the pride and joy of Singapore’s arts scene, and is home to Suntec City and Marina Square – self-contained retail and business cities.

Marina Bay

Taking centre stage here is Marina Bay Sands, which was opened in phases from May 2010. At the heart of this development is the Marina Bay Sands hotel, made up of three towers, crowned by the Sands SkyPark on the 57th storey. Shaped like a boat perched at the top of the towers, the one-hectare sky oasis has restaurants, sculptured gardens and an infinity pool.

The building also houses a casino, theatres, exhibition space and The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, with over 300 shops and restaurants. 

The ArtScience Museum is a lotus-shaped museum that marries both art and science, resulting in unique, world-class exhibitions. A 280-m (918-ft) bridge, connects the two sides of the bay. Viewing platforms along the path allow superb bay vistas.

Opposite, Gardens By The Bay is a sprawling horticultural attraction housing over 250,000 rare plants in huge, domed conservatories. The Supertrees are 25-50 metre-tall vertical gardens, with a suspended 128-metre-long walkway, giving you a bird's eye view of the Gardens and the Marina Bay area. Discover more about the area’s transformation at the Marina Bay City Gallery.

Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

Whatever your opinion of the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay – looming on the waterfront with its spiny hedgehog-like profile – there’s no denying the role of this S$600 million arts centre as a symbol of the city’s aspiration to be Asia’s arts hub. The audacious structure has been a magnet for artistic creativity since it opened in 2002, showcasing a finely tuned repertoire of performing arts from Singapore and abroad. The adjoining Esplanade Mall houses an array of restaurants and quirky shops, busiest on performance nights. Walk along the Marina Bay Promenade just outside; this is one of the best spots to view the CBD skyline. The Makansutra Gluttons Bay, to the Esplanade Theatres’ right, is popular for after-performance suppers.

Marina Square

On the same side of the bayfront as the Esplanade Theatres is Marina Square, a huge mall linked to several of the city’s top hotels – Ritz-Carlton Millenia, Mandarin Oriental and Pan Pacific. Suntec City, a massive shopping and business development, is also connected to Marina Square. Retail options abound in the oversized Suntec City Mall, noted for its gigantic Fountain of Wealth – the world’s largest. 

On the eastern tip of the bayfront turns the Singapore Flyer. Enjoy a jaw-dropping panorama of the bay from the world’s highest observation wheel at 165m (541ft). If the weather is pleasant, it is worth making a detour to the left of the Esplanade Theatres, where a string of modest memorials stand, set in tree-lined open spaces. These include the War Memorial, in the park of the same name, a tribute to the countless civilians who died in World War II.The Esplanade Park, stretching along Connaught Drive, is dotted with monuments like the Victorian-style Tan Kim Seng Fountain, built to mark the merchant’s £13,000 contribution in 1857 to build the town’s public water works.