Guide to Marina Bay: Singapore’s futuristic downtown

Marina Bay is the area formed by the mouth of the Singapore river when it enters the sea. It is the epicenter of Singapore’s urban transformation. Basically, Marina Bay has become the presentation card of modern Singapore to the world. Ultramodern, with green spaces, business-oriented and with a past (present, and future) in the sea. Marina Bay is a clear totemic area for the city. If you’re wondering what to do in Marina Bay, the area is also home to arguably Singapore’s most representative buildings and attractions, including the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, the Merlion, the Central Business District, Gardens by the Bay and the lesser known but not less exciting Marina Barrage.

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What to do in Marina Bay, Singapore

Marina Bay Sands Hotel

Basically the Eiffel Tower of Singapore, the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, with its three towers crowned with a boat-shaped terrace has become a staple of architecture and the postcard picture of Singapore. This incredible building also doubles as the gates to Gardens by the Bay (which I will cover below), making it a must stop when visiting the city.

Marina Bay Sands’ rooftop view

You can see the building from many places in Singapore, but if you want to see the view from above, you need to head to the SkyPark Observation Deck for a whopping SGD 25 (18€). However, this entrance will not grant you a dip in the world’s largest rooftop infinity pool. For that you must be a guest of the hotel. If money is not a problem (rooms start at ), you can book your suite here.

The Merlion

The Merlion is the sigil of Singapore. This mythical creature is part lion and part fish, and was probably created to fit Singapore. In fact, the meaning of the state’s name is “the Lion city”. That added to its clear focus on maritime endeavour = a lion with a fish tail. Don’t try to look for subtlety. Anyways, there is a statue of it spitting water at the Bay. It is not impressive, but it has deep meaning for the city and it’s a must-see when visiting Singapore. Also, the views of the bay from here are quite impressive.

Central Business District and other buildings surrounding the bay

The Central Business District – abbreviated CBD, I am not sure if they have noticed the acronym resemblance, especially with Singapore’s enmity with drugs – is, unsurprisingly, the Business District located in Downtown Singapore. While business is rarely my focus, CBD in Singapore is home to some of its most impressive skyscrapers. A lot like Manhattan in the 20s (the last 20s, that is), Singapore skyline has seen a boom of skyscrapers, each more daring than the last. This has resulted in a futuristic and modern district that it’s worth seeing on its own overlooking the bay. The race has expanded in other areas of the city, but many remain around Marina Bay.

Some of the most impressive buildings at CBD, Singapore

The Marina Bay Sands Hotel (duh!).

Parkroyal at Pickering, a beautiful gardened glass building featured in Westworld. This is probably my favourite building in the city.

Oasia Hotel Downtown, with its red mesh structure and hanging gardens.

Esplanade Theater, looking a lot like a metal armadillo.

Helix Bridge, with a DNA-like structure and connecting Marina Central with Marina South.

The ArtScience Museum, which for some reason I though it was called “the Orchid” or “the Lotus”, but apparently it’s not (?).

The Sail at Marina Bay.

Marina One, with a psychedelic pattern.

Oceans Financial Center

CapitaGreen

One Raffles Place

CapitaSpring, looking like tangling strings.

Republic Plaza, with an art decó-meets-90s vibe.

The Regus Duo Tower and The Atlas, closer to Bugis, but still around Marina Bay. Don’t miss out on the Atlas’ bar.

Travel tip: if you find yourself in CBD at lunch time, have a bite at Amoy Street Food Center, the most authentic hawker center in the district.

Gardens by the Bay

Gardens by the Bay is undoubtedly one of the most mesmerizing attractions in Singapore and a definite must when you visit the city. Gardens by the Bay is a park spanning 101 hectares in the central area of Singapore around Marina Bay. While technically it englobes parks in Marina East and Downtown Core and Kallang, the main dish remains in Marina South, just behind the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and spanning down to the Marina Barrage (more on that later). The most important attractions in the Gardens are the Conservatories (mainly the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest) and the Supertree Grove, and secondarily the Children’s Garden, Horticultural themed gardens and the Bayfront Plaza and Floral Fantasies.

Entrance from Marina Bay Sands Hotel

There are several entrances to Gardens by the Bay, but the most spectacular one is, without a doubt, the one through the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. To enter through this magnificent bridge towards the Gardens you have to go to the 6th floor of the hotel. This will lead you to a beautiful ramp overlooking the lush Gardens, including the Supertree Grove and the Domes.

The Conservatories

The conservatories in Gardens by the Bay are the two largest cooled conservatory structures in the world. They have a futuristic glass and metal design and two very different approaches to conservation and display. You can buy your tickets here.

Opening hours: 9-21h. Price: SGD 28 (around 20€).

Flower Dome

The Flower Dome is a conservation garden focused on displaying a range of native flora from distinct areas around the world. This includes a Mediterranean, South American, South African and Australian gardens, Olive, Baobab and Succulent areas as well as a Flower Field containing flowers from the Netherlands and other areas.

I must say that while I find the idea fantastic, the execution is not how I would have done it. Don’t get me wrong. It is still impressive to see all these species in the beautiful dome. However, there are too many trinkets, sculptures and “toys” scattered around. In my opinion, the plants are impressive and beautiful enough. Perhaps more informative panels and less paraphernalia would make for a more educational and natural environment. Still, it is nice to see and the entrance also includes the Cloud Forest, which is much nicer in my opinion.

*These were quite tasteful compared to others.

Cloud Forest

Things change in the other dome, the Cloud Forest. While the Flower Dome feels dated and gimmicky, the Cloud Forest is original, aesthetically pleasing and educational. The Cloud Forest dome is home to one of the tallest indoors waterfalls. It also explores vegetation in cloud forest habitats (humid, warm forests in altitudes of up to 2000m above sea level).

This is very cleverly displayed in a mountain-like structure with caves and aerial walkways that gives it a very futuristic dystopian aesthetic that I loved. It is divided in 9 levels. They lead the visitor into different aspects of this habitats, such as the importance of fresh waters, the tree canopy or the vegetation at high altitude. There is also an orchid garden in the lowest level, showing many species of orchids with very different shapes and colors.

Supertree Grove

The Supertree Grove is probably what you know Gardens by the Bay for. Supertrees are structures rising up to 50m tall shaped like trees. Besides the spectacular look of the structures, they are innovative ways to grow and display plants.

You can visit the Supertree Grove for free. However, if you want to see it up close, you can purchase a ticket to the OCBC Skyway, a hanging walkway that takes you up to the trees. You can even go higher in the Supertree Observatory. The observatory is all the way up onto the Supertree canopy, where you’ll get amazing views of Singapore. Also, at sunset, the Supertree Grove lights up during the Garden Rhapsody (for free every day at 7.45 and 8.45 pm).

Satay by the Bay Food Center

Satay by the Bay is the Gardens’ answer to a Hawker Center. However, I must say that the best thing it has is its location and the name. Overall, it seems very focused on tourists. As such, the stalls’ quality is rather low, the variety scarce and the prices high. It is convenient if you want to grab a bite or a drink before the Garden Rhapsody. Otherwise I would stick to more authentic hawker centers somewhere else in the city.

Marina Barrage

The Marina Barrage was, for me, the biggest – and best – surprise of Marina Bay, probably because I didn’t know of its existence and I haven’t seen it mentioned in any other guide. The Marina Barrage is a dam in the southern part of the bay. It was built in 2008 to achieve a better fresh water reservoir, turning the Singapore river from salt to fresh water.

The best part is that it has been adapted as a leisure area and it has views to Marina Bay and Downtown Singapore, as well as Gardens by the Bay. This makes it a perfect spot for Singaporeans to gather and watch the sunset. When we visited, the area was full and lively but not overcrowded, with people flying kites, dancing or having a beer to one of the best views of the city. So, we did the same!

Where to stay in Singapore

Singapore is an expensive city for the standards of Southeast Asia, so you may need a little extra planning when choosing your accommodation if you’re on a budget. However, you can find all kinds of accommodations in the city, so choose depending on your main interests based on the area. Check out this post where I give you recommendations based on the type of trip you’re looking for and the areas in Singapore:

Where to stay in Singapore

Or you can use the map below to find where to stay:

Booking.com

Closing statement

Marina Bay is one of the most representative areas in Singapore and no visit to the city is complete without it. Complement it with some visits to heritage sites of the city to understand the past, present and future of this wonderful city state. Don’t forget Marina Bay in your itinerary and make sure you have a look at the full post about things to do in Singapore:

What to do in Singapore: Top 11 things to do in Singapore

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