Traditional boat on the Singapore River near Clarke Quay

Best boat tours in Singapore

By Alex Birungi

Set on the banks of the historic Singapore River, Singapore has a deep connection to water and it’s the lifeblood of this Asian metropolis. Hopping on a boat ride and exploring the ancient river and its islands is an incredible way to see the city from a unique perspective.

We hit the water and came up with a list of the best boat tours in Singapore. From classic bumboat tours of the city to exploring the northeastern islands of the city-state, you’ll find an array of fantastic boat tours that cater to every desire.

Here are our top picks for boat tours in Singapore. Grab your camera and let’s hit the water!

  1. Singapore River Cruise
Image of Boat, Vehicle, Boating, Water, Water Sports, Bridge, Cityscape, Urban, Ferry,

Highlights

  • See the city from a unique perspective
  • Experience life on the Singapore River both day and night
  • Discover the city’s extraordinary mix of heritage and modernity
  • Spot famous landmarks like the Merlion, Raffles, and the Esplanade

Experience Singapore’s most famous landmarks and historic monuments on a Singapore River Cruise. One of the best boat tours in the city, this fantastic tour takes you past all the top spots in the city.

Hop on a traditional bumboat at Clarke Quay Counter, the very place where Sir Stamford Raffles first stepped foot onto Singapore. Marvel at the enchanting mix of rich heritage and modern architecture. Ancient shophouses along the riverbanks have been beautifully restored to house stylish restaurants and bars and shimmering skyscrapers stand sentry over the city.

Glide beneath the grand bridges of Singapore such as the Anderson, Cavenagh, and Clemenceau Bridges, and learn their fascinating stories from your guide. You’ll also get to visit various historical landmarks along the Singapore River that played a central role in the development of the city.

Pass the emblematic Merlion statue at Marina Bay and keep an eye out for the Raffles' landing at the historic Boat Quay. Admire the breathtaking modern architecture of the Esplanade performing arts center. Designed to look like a durian (tropical fruit), the striking buildings have aluminum cladding that reflects the sun to create a spectacular shimmering effect. Have your camera ready to catch it at the perfect angle.

Singapore River Cruises are offered during the day and at night. Don’t forget to use your pass to get onto one of these incredible tours and soak up the essence of Singapore.

  1. Singapore DUCK Tour
Image of Boat, Vehicle, Ferry, Water, Waterfront, Person, Boating, Water Sports, City,

Highlights

  • Explore Singapore on land and sea by amphibious vehicle
  • Make a splashy entrance into the sea at Marina Bay

Another fantastic way to explore the city from the water is on a Singapore DUCK Tour. These tours are conducted on remodeled amphibious vehicles from the Second World War Vietnam and promise an unforgettable experience. Use your pass to enjoy this one-of-a-kind Singapore experience.

Hop on board at Suntec Shopping Mall and drive to Marina Bay where you’ll splash into the water for the water-based part of the tour. Take in spectacular views of Singapore’s famous landmarks like the Esplanade Theater, Gardens by the Bay, and the awe-inspiring Marina Bay Sands. Keep your camera on hand to snap a shot of the official mascot of Singapore - the Merlion.

Trundle back onto land and drive into the Civic District, passing the giant Singapore Flyer Ferris wheel. Explore the rich history of the city with visits to the Old Supreme Court, where the British surrendered to the imperial Japanese army during the Second World War. Pay tribute to those who gave their lives during the Japanese occupation as you pass the War Memorial Park.

Take a final spin around the world’s largest water fountain, the Fountain of Wealth before ending your tour back at Suntec City.

  1. Sunset Sail - Dinner Cruise
Image of City, Metropolis, Urban, Water, Waterfront, Boat, Vehicle, Cityscape, Watercraft, Barge, Downtown,

Highlights

  • Cruise in luxury on the Royal Albatross tall ship
  • Discover the magic of old Singapore
  • Take in the spectacular sunset from the water
  • Enjoy a gourmet three-course dinner while cruising

Treat yourself to something special with a luxury dinner cruise on the Royal Albatross. Board the four-mast, 22-sail tall ship at the Sentosa Gateway and cruise past the Palawan Beach Walk on Sentosa Island as you sip aperitifs.

Watch the sun dip below the horizon as you sail past the beautiful southern islands of St Johns and Lazarus. Sit down to a gourmet three-course dinner of globally-inspired cuisine. Marvel at the spectacular views of the city by night as you sail back to Sentosa.

  1. Kelong and Pulau Ubin Guided Boat Tour
Image of Nature, Outdoors, Scenery, Land, Water, Waterfront, Rainforest, Tree, Vegetation, Summer, Sea,

Highlights

  • Escape the city and explore the northeastern shores of Singapore
  • See mangrove swamps, uninhabited islands, and loads of nature
  • Experience life on a floating fish farm
  • Discover the island of Pulau Ubin

Escape the concrete jungle and enjoy a three-hour sojourn to the northeastern banks of Singapore. Hop on a catamaran at the SAF Yacht Club and head out to sea with an experienced guide at the helm. As you make your way towards Pulau Ubin, keep an eye out for fishermen earning their living and floating kelong villages.

Learn about life on a kelong, a wooden platform built by fishermen primarily for fishing or fish farming, and the struggles of sustainable fishing and fish farming. Larger structures are also used by fisherman and their families as dwellings. Only a handful of these ancient structures remain due to rapid urbanization.

Cruise along the shores of Pulau Ubin, the only inhabited island out of Singapore’s 63 islands, and home to traditional kampongs (villages) and disused granite quarries. Pass the lush mangrove swamps of the Chek Jawa Wetlands and watch out for bulbuls and kingfishers.

End your trip with a visit to a kelong with a floating restaurant and enjoy a delicious meal as you experience life on a floating fish farm.

  1. Southern Islands Tour
Image of Nature, Outdoors, Sea, Water, Coast, Shoreline,

Highlights

  • Explores Singapore’s lesser-known southern islands
  • Learn interesting history and facts about the islands from an experienced onboard guide
  • Enjoy a picnic on Lazarus Beach

Hop on a private boat charter for a curated tour of Singapore’s lesser-known islands. Explore five beautiful islands, including Kusu Island, Lazarus Island, St John's Island, Sisters’ Islands, and Seringat Island.

As you cruise around the uninhabited islands, a professional guide will share the rich historical and cultural heritage of the islands and the extraordinary biodiversity of flora and fauna that reside on them.

Visit the Sisters’ Islands Marine Park, home to Singapore’s first turtle hatchery. Discover why Kusu Island is also known as Tortoise Island and is steeped in local folklore and myth. Learn the significant history of St John's Island that is tied to Singapore. Enjoy a picnic on the little-known beach paradise of Lazarus Island and swim in gin-clear waters.

Continue reading

Tourists crossing a pedestrian bridge in the Singapore jungle
Blog

Adventurous Activities in Singapore

There’s oodles of adventure to be had in Singapore, a huge playground where activities range from giant swings to futuristic indoor surfing to outdoor adventures amid the vast tracts of lush jungle and tropical rainforest that cover around half of the entire island. Read on for our pick of the most adventurous activities in Singapore, including: The Singapore Flyer SkyPark Observation Deck Sentosa Island Forest Adventure Chestnut Nature Park Southern Ridges hiking trail Hawker centers for adventurous foodies Adventurous Activities in Singapore for Thrill Seekers Adrenaline junkies on vacation in Singapore are in for a real treat. Heck, you only have to look at the forest of skyscrapers in the Downtown district to know that this is a city that takes its dizzying highs seriously. Head to the SkyPark on top of the soaring Marina Bay Sands hotel and you’ll soon see what we mean. At 56 floors up, this observation deck is one of Singapore’s highest and affords splendid views across the city and bay. Evenings are particularly special, with spectacular light shows taking place far below at both the Gardens by the Bay and the Marina Bay Sands’ own Event Plaza. Also in the Marina Bay area, the Singapore Flyer is one of the planet’s tallest observation wheels, soaring to a heart-pumping 541 feet. Steady your nerves by booking a ticket that includes a glass of champagne or go native with a classic Singapore Sling. Best of Sentosa Island Sticking with the vertigo-inducing theme, hop on the cable car to Sentosa island for a thrill ride with a very gentle pace. The 15-minute journey across the bay carries passengers at around 200 feet above sea level. Essentially just a mode of traveling from A to B, it doubles as an adventurous Singapore attraction in its own right. Visitors with a passion for natural highs will be in clover once on Sentosa, where the SkyHelix spins heavenwards, reaching a dizzying 260 feet above sea level, with views from its vantage point on Imbiah Lookout that take in Singapore and the Southern Islands. This rotating ride lets you take in those glorious sunset vistas with a soda or slushie as your feet dangle underneath and you spend a full 10 minutes right at the top. Best of all, phones are permitted on the ride, so you’ll be able to fill your Insta feed with dozens of envy-inducing filter-free snaps. And, if you like your thrills a little more... high octane, you could always try the giant swing at Siloso Beach. What’s so thrilling about a giant swing, I hear you cry! Well, this one soars out above the palm-lined white sands at heights of up to 100 feet so, suffice to say, it is not for the faint of heart. There’s also bungee jumping here as well as a nearby luge track that winds through rainforest, down hillsides and around hairpin bends at hair-raising speeds. Splash down on the Double FlowRider at Wavehouse Sentosa’s Surf Cove, where beginners and pro surfers alike can wipeout in the huge artificial wavemaker. Back to Nature Singapore is one of the greenest cities on the planet, with almost 50% of its urban sprawl dedicated to green space. It stands to reason then that there are multiple outdoor adventures to be had here, whether in the city’s parks or beneath the jungle canopy that covers much of the rest of the island. Forest Adventure is as good a place to get a taster as any, its treetop obstacle course and multiple ziplines making for a fun family day out. Wobble across rope bridges high in the canopy and zip your way across the waterways; there’s quite literally hours of fun to be had. Or take to the waters in a kayak. This guided tour lasts 4.5 hours and takes you along the northeast coast by Pulau Ubin, a traditional Singaporean village set among the ancient mangrove forests. Your guide will steer you out towards the island of Pulau Ketam, where native wildlife includes kingfishers and herons, and where you may even be lucky enough to spot the occasional otter frolicking playfully in the shallows. Such lush countryside of course makes for world-class hiking and cycling opportunities. Saddle up, slap on the sunscreen and hit the Northern Eastern Riverine Loop, a 26km route that takes you through the parks, beaches, waterways and wetlands of Punggol. Or walk the stunning Southern Ridges Trail. This elevated walkway takes you through the treetops south of the city, where the canopy fairly teems with red-whiskered bulbuls, banded bay cuckoos, and other colorful native birdlife. Meanwhile, Chestnut Nature Park offers the best of both worlds, with 81 hectares of segregated hiking and biking trails that take in secluded streams and lakes and provide further opportunities to spot endangered bird species like the delicate orange-bellied flowerpecker. Adventures in Food There’s much for adventurous foodies to enjoy in Singapore, with over 100 hawker centers serving cheap and delicious street food across the city. The meeting of Malaysian, Chinese and Indian cooking here, melded with that of other neighboring nations, has created a unique cuisine with something for everyone, though lovers of seafood and spice are particularly well catered for. Our advice? Bodyswerve the ubiquitous burger and pizza joints and get straight to the heart of the action in the bustling hawker centers, where the aroma of sizzling satay and pungent fish head curry alone are enough to make a grown man weep. Spicy, sticky, peanuty satay is easy to track down here (just follow your nose!). It’s a national favorite and you’ll find purveyors of this heaven-sent treat in its many forms (chicken, pork, beef, fish) in any Singapore hawker center worth its salt. Try local favorite satay bee hoon, in which the spicy hot sauce is liberally smothered over a bed of rice vermicelli, often with prawns or pork. Sweet-and-savory-sauce-drenched chili crab – effectively the national dish – is another absolute must-try. Feeling bold? Up the ante with some of the nation’s more out-there delicacies. We’re talking turtle soup, live octopus, pufferfish, fried pigs’ fallopian tubes in piquant kung pao sauce and – for the truly adventurous – century egg, a highly, shall we say... aromatic dish of egg preserved in salt, lime and clay. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it! Save on attractions and activities for teens in Singapore Save on admission to Singapore attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Relaxing Things to do in Singapore
Blog

Relaxing Things to do in Singapore

Sometimes we all just need to relax. Life's hard, you know? That's especially true on vacation. No matter where you go, you'll always want some time to put your feet up and just breathe. We understand. Even on holidays when you can see and do so much, it's good to pepper in some quiet time. So let's talk about Singapore. Yes, there are a lot of amazing experiences there, but which of them are truly relaxing? Let's explore the best relaxing things to do in Singapore and you can take your pick! Including: Gardens by the Bay Historical Singapore Bicycle Tour CÉ LA VI SkyBar Cable Car Sky Pass and more! Visit the Gardens by the Bay Let's start our serene dream with some of the green stuff. No, not envy. We're talking about nature! Nothing beats the serenity of walking around a verdant space full of life and silence, and at the Gardens of the Bay, you'll find both in spades. Over 101 hectares and filled with 1.5 million plants from all over the world, you'll explore indoor and outdoor gardens, lakes, conservatories, huge sculptures, artwork, and more. Its beauty is so widely known that you might even recognize it - many films and TV shows have filmed scenes amid its luscious flora. Be sure to check out the Flower Dome, the world's largest glass greenhouse. Inside, you'll find displays representative of five continents, including 1000-year-old olive trees. And make sure you don't miss Cloud Forest - a display that takes you up into the clouds, with striking mountain views and a diverse range of plants. If you're looking for relaxing things to do in Singapore, it doesn't get much more relaxing than Gardens of the Bay. Try a Historical Singapore Bicycle Tour One of the best bits of taking a vacation is seeing the sights and sounds of a new culture. But when you only have so much time to spend there, how do you fit all the greatest hits in? Well, you're in luck. Take this historical Singapore bicycle tour, and check off every single one from your itinerary! You'll pass Chinatown, the Singapore River, Boat, Clarke & Robertson Quays, Kampong Glam, The Museum District, and more. And, thanks to your expert guide, you'll learn about the history of each location. Another benefit of said guide is that, over your peaceful four-hour exploration of Singapore, you'll also get top tips on the tastiest local cuisine in the local markets. Food, exploration, and relaxation? Sign us up! Visit CÉ LA VI SkyBar at Marina Bay Sands After all that busy cycling from one landmark to another, you might need to take a load off. And where better to kick back and sip on a cool refreshing drink than at a rooftop bar? Sounds good, right? Well, the good news is that CÉ LA VI has you covered. Visit their Skybar at Marina Bay Sands and have one on us. Literally. Swagger into the VIP area, drink in the stunning views from the 360-degree rooftop, and drink up the complimentary drink you'll get on entry. And hey, if you decide to add a couple more before you leave, no judgment here. Enjoy a Cable Car Sky Pass There are plenty of fantastic views in beautiful Singapore, but none of them quite match the spectacle of looking down from a cable car. See the skyline from a different perspective with a roundtrip journey above Singapore! Your trip will take you from Mount Faber to Sentosa, Singapore's premier wonder park. You can travel during the day, or pass over the city lights at night. We might suggest the latter, because evening adventurers will also be treated to MIRACULOUS 2, a multimedia night show. Enjoy a kaleidoscope of lights projected onto a heart-shaped tree at Arbora if you're visiting after dark. So sit back, relax, soak in the views, and take plenty of photos. That's an order! A relaxing order. Go on a Puzzle Hunt in Chinatown If you want to ease your foot onto the pedal a bit, then why not try an easy-going scavenger hunt? On a Puzzle Hunt in Chinatown, you'll find just that. Given that you'll play the role of advisor to the 'Toast King', you needn't worry about the hunt being overly serious. Sadly, this King of crispy bread has lost his memory, including the password to his treasure vault. And what's in that vault? Who knows? Could it be wealth beyond your wildest dreams? Possibly. Is it just piles of toast? Probably. Your job is to comb Chinatown for clues, solve puzzles, and find the password. Then you and only you can unlock the Toast King's treasure vault. What will you find inside? You'll have to play to discover its secrets. But it's toast. It's probably toasted. Wonder at a Night Safari And finally, we end our list of the best relaxing things to do in Singapore with a trip to animal town. Next stop - animals. But not just any animals; animals at night time. That's right, ladies and gentlemen, this here's a night safari. And what could be more relaxing than seeing the likes of lions, leopards, hippos, tigers, and bears in pitch black? Right? In all seriousness, it's a truly lovely experience. You'll see how all these animals behave when the sun goes down, from the comfort of a safe and secure vehicle. It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have your own nature documentary experience. Trust us, you won't regret it. And that was about rounds out our guide to the best relaxing things to do in Singapore! Looking for a wide variety of activities to experience when relaxation time is over? Check out Go City. With our Explorer Pass and All-Inclusive Pass, you can pick and choose the best of Singapore for one low price.
Dom Bewley
Girl with giraffe at Singapore Zoo
Blog

The Best Zoos in Singapore

The mighty Mandai Wildlife Reserve holds the monopoly on zoos in Singapore, comprising several of the island’s most popular animal attractions. Read on for the lowdown on Singapore Zoo, Bird Paradise, River Wonders and the Night Safari.
Stuart Bak

Have a 5% discount, on us!

Sign up to our newsletter and receive exclusive discounts, trip inspiration and attraction updates straight to your inbox.

Thick check Icon