Iconic Spots in Singapore
Gardens by the Bay
If you’ve seen pictures of Singapore, you’ve seen Gardens by the Bay. This sprawling complex is located in the heart of the city, on the southern marina where the Singapore River meets the ocean. Gardens by the Bay is known for its towering metal tree sculptures, massive indoor and outdoor gardens, and the famous Marina Bay Sands Hotel. Because of how famous this attraction is, it only felt right to start here.
Gardens by the Bay is essentially the Central Park of Singapore. Unfortunately, it was raining when we visited, although that didn’t stop us from being blown away as we entered the park. The grounds are huge, with paths and gardens everywhere. If you want to see flowers, trees, sculptures or anything in between, this place has it. There are several restaurants, cafes, and indoor seating in multiple locations.
Supertree Grove
As we walked closer to the river, we arrived at the Supertree Grove. These massive metal sculptures reach 16 stories into the sky, and surround on all sides. The tallest of them has an observation deck inside with free admission. If you’re interested in a more up-close thrilling experience, you can walk along a sky bridge connecting several of the trees. Experiencing these up close was very surreal. I’ve never seen such a large art piece, and since there are no nearby buildings, I really felt like I was transported to another world. If you told me I was in an amusement park, I would believe you.
Cloud Forest / Avatar: The Experience
One of the main attractions at the gardens is the Cloud Forest. This indoor greenhouse requires a ticket, which can be purchased outside. The Cloud Forest is a huge glass dome, with a large mountain in the center that is six stories tall. As you wind through the path, you’ll encounter a towering waterfall, beautiful greenery, sculptures, and skywalks. I had no idea how huge the Cloud Forest was, so when we paid 25 USD per person, I was skeptical. However, the forest is much larger than it appears, and you could comfortably spend a full hour walking the paths, enjoying the greenery, and taking photos.
While we were visiting, the Cloud Forest was hosting Avatar: The Experience. Based on the famous James Cameron film, the forest was completely transformed into the world of Pandora. I haven’t been to the Pandora park in Disney World, but this totally nailed the vibe. There were floating jellyfish, strange alien plants, a life-size animatronic Banshee, and even an Avatar character creation booth.
I had no idea this experience was happening, but I’m really glad we were there to enjoy it. The atmosphere of the Cloud Forest at night was incredible, and the alien plants and scenery actually enhanced the vibes. The exhibition is no longer there, but the Cloud Forest is still absolutely worth a visit.
Flower Dome
Next to the Cloud Forest is the Flower Dome. You can buy both tickets together for a small price reduction, which is what we did. The dome is admittedly not as amazing as the Cloud Forest, but it’s still absolutely lovely. I really enjoy greenhouses and indoor plants, and this garden did not disappoint with thousands of beautiful flowers. I suspect that this one would look better in the daytime, with the sunlight streaming through the dome. There are several great areas for pictures with interesting layouts, including rotating displays.
Spectra – A Light & Water Show
On the opposite side of the hotel is a quay looking towards the city. There are several attractions here, including an indoor mall, a teamLab installation, and even a floating Louis Vuitton. But we were here for a specific purpose. The Spectra water show plays several times every night and does not require a ticket. We’ve seen plenty of water light shows, so we weren’t expecting much.
When the show started, we were shocked at how many individual lights and fountains there were. It really reminded me of the Fantasmic ending show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios park. The show was so intense with so many moving elements, I found it surprisingly emotional and almost started welling up during the finale. Needless to say, this is an amazing free activity that I wasn’t expecting to wow us so much, but I’m very glad we came.
Clarke Quay and Singapore River
The Singapore River starts a few kilometers inland and flows towards the bay. All along the river are quays and riversides full of restaurants, cafes, malls, and parks. You can honestly spend an entire day walking up one side and down the other, and you will never run out of things to see and do. One of the main areas along the river is Clarke Quay, where many of the restaurants and bars are located. You can also take a river boat tour from here, although the entire quay was under renovation while we were visiting.
Merlion Fountain
Probably the most famous attraction along the river is the Merlion Fountain. A merlion is a fictional animal invented for the city of Singapore with the head of a lion and the body of a fish. The fish represents Singapore’s roots as a fishing village, and the name Singapore means the city of lions, hence the merlion. The city’s tourism board adopted it as the official mascot of the city in the 60s, and since then, it has been a prominent part of Singapore culture.
In 1978, a statue of a merlion was installed on the southern side of the river with a fountain coming from its mouth. Since then, it has been a popular tourist spot in the city. Thousands of tourists will line up on the bridge to get a shot mimicking the pose of the famous statue. To be honest, I’m not sure why people love this statue so much. Of course, the merlion is iconic in Singapore, but the statue itself is fairly small and only sufficiently whelming, but not overwhelming. Because of the gargantuan crowds, it’s hard to get a good photo. Regardless, it is on the walk if you’re already at the river, so it’s not bad for a quick stop.
Old Hill Street Police Station
Another of the iconic spots in Singapore is on the river just next to Clarke Quay on the north side of the river. This building was originally a police station built in 1934. The station is popular due to its interesting construction, which is in a colonial style often seen in older buildings in Southeast Asia. Although it is no longer a police station, it is now a nationally recognized historical site. Recently, it has been given a beautiful rainbow paint job, which contrasts nicely with the pure white exterior. If you want to take photos of the building, we recommend doing so from across the street at a time with low traffic for the perfect shot.
Little India
There are many populations making up the demography of Singapore. One of the largest minority groups is those from India. Just north of the river is Little India, where you can find several large blocks of Indian restaurants, shopping, and more. Our friends recommended we visit because there is a famous hawker center with amazing street food. Sadly, the center was closed, but it forced us to explore more and find amazing local restaurants. Visiting Little India isn’t essential, but if you have extra time in your schedule we highly recommend.
Meownistry of Meow
While we were on the north side of the quay, we decided to stop by a cat cafe. We both love cats, and were getting a bit tired, so a cat cafe seemed like the perfect stop. This cat cafe is unique because you’re allowed to work there for as long as you need, with plenty of space to plug in your laptop and study, join meetings, or do whatever you need. But let’s be honest, if you’re surrounded by all that cuteness, you’re not going to get anything done.
There is a large wall where all of the kitties come to get their food, although we sadly didn’t get to see feeding time. There are a lot of cats, and all of them were very sweet, although a particular one took a liking to us and spent some time on our laps. Of all the cat cafes we have been to, this was definitely the cleanest and one of the nicest overall.
Final Thoughts
It’s safe to say Singapore is small but mighty. Whether you’re interested in nature, beaches, amusement parks, amazing food, or flashy spectacles, this island nation has you covered. Even though we only had a few days, we really felt like we explored the iconic spots in Singapore. We really enjoyed our time in this unique city, and know we will visit again for more fun.
Travel Diary
