A night walk around Marina Bay

An evening loop around the water past the Merlion, the Helix Bridge and the lit-up towers, timed to catch the free light and water show from the promenade.

Area

Marina Bay & the river

Start from

Raffles Place or Esplanade

Distance

a loop of about 3.5 km on foot

Time needed

one evening, 2–3 hours

Best season

All year; clear evenings after rain are the best

Difficulty

Easy

Transport

MRT to Raffles Place, Esplanade or Bayfront

Tickets & rules

None for the walk; the Marina Bay Sands observation deck has a ticket

Why go

Marina Bay is the postcard, and on foot after dark it becomes something more personal than a postcard. A promenade runs all the way around the water, almost entirely flat and lit, and in about two hours you can circle the whole thing: the financial district towers, the old Fullerton building, the spiky domes of the Esplanade theatres, the three towers of Marina Bay Sands with their ship-shaped roof, and the Helix Bridge curling between them.

The evening air off the water is a relief after a day in the city. Office workers jog the loop, couples sit on the steps at the Esplanade's outdoor theatre where free concerts are often held, and tourists line up at the Merlion for the classic photograph of a stone lion-fish spitting water towards the hotel.

The free Spectra light and water show in front of Marina Bay Sands is pleasant rather than profound, but watching it from the event plaza with the skyline reflected behind it is a nice way to end the walk. I also like the loop for the details: the bronze sculptures, the quiet benches, the small boats gliding past with their lanterns.

The story

This whole bay is a recent creation. Until the 1970s and 1980s, the shore ran much closer to the old colonial buildings, and much of the land under Marina Bay Sands and the gardens was sea. Land reclamation pushed the coastline outwards, and in 2008 the Marina Barrage dammed the mouth of the bay, turning it into a freshwater reservoir in the middle of the city. That is why the water is so calm.

The Merlion, half lion and half fish, was designed in 1964 as an emblem for the tourism board. The lion refers to the legend of the name Singapura, 'lion city', supposedly given by a Sumatran prince who glimpsed a strange beast here centuries ago; the fish tail recalls the island's past as a fishing village, Temasek. The statue was carved in the early 1970s and moved to its present spot in 2002, when a new bridge blocked its view of the sea.

Marina Bay Sands opened in 2010, designed by the architect Moshe Safdie. The 'SkyPark' on top spans all three towers and cantilevers out over the edge, and the infinity pool up there is for hotel guests only. Across the water, the Esplanade theatres, nicknamed 'the durian' for their spiky aluminium sunshades, opened in 2002 and host everything from orchestras to free weekend gigs.

The Helix Bridge, opened in 2010, was inspired by the double helix of DNA, and its curving steel tubes have small lettered markers that pick out the C, G, A and T of the genetic code. Few people notice them as they hurry across to the light show.

Getting there

Start at Raffles Place MRT and walk down to the river near Fullerton, or begin at Esplanade MRT. The loop works in either direction; going clockwise from the Merlion lets you reach the Marina Bay Sands event plaza in time for the show.

Bayfront MRT is beneath Marina Bay Sands if you want to cut the walk short.

A suggested plan

1. 7:00 pmStart at the Fullerton building and walk to Merlion Park as the towers light up.
2. 7:30 pmCross the Esplanade Bridge to the Esplanade; check for a free concert at the outdoor theatre.
3. 8:00 pmFollow the promenade past the floating platform and over the Helix Bridge.
4. 8:30 pmReach the Marina Bay Sands event plaza and watch the Spectra show from the steps by the water; check times, as there are usually two or three shows each night.
5. LaterContinue to the Lions Bridge for the Supertrees, or return to Raffles Place by the Fullerton side.

Where to stay

A base in Chinatown, Bugis or along the river makes the evening easy, since the walk ends a short MRT ride from any of them.

Good to know

• Wear proper shoes; it is longer than it looks and all on hard paving.
• The view from the Esplanade's rooftop terrace is free and almost as good as a paid deck.
• Free outdoor concerts at the Esplanade usually happen on weekend evenings; check the programme.
• Carry water; even at night the air is warm and humid.