Vew of the Singapore Skyline with the sunrise in the background

Places to watch the sunrise in Singapore

Here's how you can start the day with gorgeous picturesque views...
By Karleen Stevens

Beautiful islands, glinting statues and tranquil gardens – there are enough places to watch the sunrise in Singapore to make anyone an early bird.

If you’re a regular early riser, you’ve probably seen plenty of Instagram-worthy sunrises in your time – especially if you like to get out for an early morning walk or run. There’s just something about being up and about before everyone else that induces the sort of calm that only the predawn hush can inspire. Even if you’re not, it can still be worth dragging yourselves out of bed at least once when you’re on vacation, to watch a different part of the world gradually come to life around you – that’s if you’re not still up partying from the night before, of course! Fortunately, in Singapore, the proximity to the equator means that the sun rises at a pretty consistent time throughout the year, generally between 6:45 and 7:15am, which is not too early. And with so much water, the colors and reflections make sunrises almost impossibly glorious – spectacular enough to make early-birds of even the most night-owlish of us. Depending on whether you prefer nature or cityscape backgrounds, you could head to:

  • Marina Bay
  • Mount Faber Peak
  • Merlion Park
  • The Chinese Garden
  • Changi Boardwalk
  • Pulau Ubin

Marina Bay

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If you’re lucky enough to be staying at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, head up to the roof just before dawn and watch the sunrise from the gently lapping water of the Infinity Pool. Look down from the highest point in the city as the lights go out and are replaced by thousands of tiny glass reflections. If you’re not, head to the nearby Dragonfly and Kingfisher Lakes, where you’ll get a spectacular view of the hotel, Gardens by the Bay and Floral Fantasy from ground level. Enjoy a stroll around the lakes and see if you can spot any local residents hiding just below the surface of the water. Or if you want to find a spot that looks over the bay and the ocean, try the Marina Barrage, which is a reservoir and rooftop park popular with picnickers and kite flyers.

Mount Faber Park

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If you like an early morning hike to get the blood pumping, then a trek up to Faber Peak, the west of the city center, is a pretty trail with a rewardingly good view at the end. You can start at the Harborfront Exit D and take the Marang Trail, which is only 800 meters to the top of the Point, or take the Henderson Waves Bridge, which is the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore and is designed to mimic the curves and twists of a wave. Once you’re at the top, stop to watch the sunrise over the city then take the Cable Car over to Sentosa Island, where you’ll find beaches, old forts, Madame Tussauds and Universal Studios.

Merlion Park

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Merlion Park sits on the tip of the Marina with a prime view across the bay and to the east, making it an ideal spot for a sunrise snap. Catch the distinctive silhouette of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and its reflection in the water and watch as the sun’s rays creep over the imposing Merlion statue, the half-lion half-fish symbol of the city. Fortunately, this spot is right in the city center, so you won’t have to factor in much travel time when you set your alarm – however you will find this is one of the most popular sunrise viewing places in the city, especially with photographers. If you’re after that winning image you’ll have to get there early – if not, find a comfortable place to sit and just sit and watch the scene unfold.

Chinese Garden

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A hidden haven of tranquility, the Chinese Garden in Singapore is a 13.5-hectare manicured garden dotted with ponds, paths and pagodas. It’s open daily from 6am so you’ll have plenty of time to find a place to sit and meditate, or just walk gently around and listen as the birds herald the coming of the sun and water features burble gently in the background. If you look around, you’ll see clear water and white pagodas glowing in the sun’s early rays - could there be a more peaceful way to start the day? Well, only if you stop by the teahouse for a traditional Chinese brew, of course.

Changi Boardwalk

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To the east of the city is Sungai Changi, a tidal creek that creates a natural coastal wetland full of the kind of wildlife that starts to come to life at dawn. Along that particular stretch of coast, and finishing at the river mouth, is the Changi Boardwalk, a 2.2km wooden trail that looks out over Singapore’s Islands and to Malaysia in the distance. Walk from west to east to get the full view of the sunrise and its colors reflected in the water, or find the shelter near the golf club and enjoy your breakfast while you watch. There are plenty of places nearby to grab a coffee afterwards, or walk back along the path in the daylight when you’ll have more chance of spotting a native skink or starfish.

Pulau Ubin

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Just off the north-east coast of the city is the island of Pulau Ubin, home of Singapore’s last remaining traditional village and one of the best places in the city to catch the sunrise. This one takes a little effort, as you need to be up early enough to get the first ferry at 6am, but from there it’s only a ten-minute ride and a short walk to find a nice spot on the beach. Since you’re there you may as well spend some time exploring the island – one of the best ways to do this is in a kayak, since the water is so calm. Paddle through mangroves and around the village, and if you’re lucky you might spot a kingfisher or even an otter!

Get up and go with Go City

Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, there’s always plenty to see in Singapore! Make the most of your time with a Go City Explorer or All-Inclusive Pass, which gives you entrance to dozens of attractions all around the city.

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NYE
Blog

New Years Eve in Singapore

By Mia Russell Singapore shimmers with bright lights and buzzing energy and is one of the best places to ring in the New Year. With extravagant fireworks displays, dazzling parties, and glittering celebrations, Singapore packs a punch when it comes to saying goodbye to one year and welcoming in the next. From fabulous fine dining at some of the world’s best restaurants to sipping cocktails at the top of the Marina Bay Sands, here are some ideas for celebrating New Year’s Eve in Singapore. Marina Bay Marina Bay is where it all happens on New Year's Eve there’s no better way to ring in the New Year than from the SkyPark Deck on the top of the Marina Bay Sands. Based on the 57th floor, this stunning spot offers the most incredible views of the sunset-silhouetted cityscapes and Marina Bay. Book a table at the CÉ LA VI SkyBar to get front-row seats of the breathtaking fireworks to display at the stroke of midnight. Enjoy a five-course menu with standout dishes and use your pass to enjoy a free drink. Watch the fantastic Share the Moment light projection show that illuminates the façades of the Fullerton Hotel Singapore and the Merlion hotels while resident DJs will be spinning dance-hall-infused hits all night long. Star Island Say hello to the new year with a musical extravaganza of live entertainment and spectacular fireworks at Star Island. Expect 80 minutes of dazzling lights, sound, and color with larger-than-life pyrotechnics, world-renowned DJs on the decks, and specially designed-fireworks. There is also plenty of pre-show entertainment and family-friendly activities at the Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza, including food and drinks booths and meet-and-greets with some of Sanrio’s most beloved characters. The Great Bay Fiesta Join the family-friendly festivities at the Great Bay Fiesta. Taking place at the Bayfront Event Space for the entire month of December, you’ll find a host of fun, family-friendly activities to enjoy from a circus show and a food festival to a colorful carnival. Feast on delicious local and global fare from 35 different food stalls and take a trip back in time on Flying Dumbo and Bumper Cars rides at the Great World Carnival. Make snow angels and build your own snowman; try ice skating, ice bowling, and ice curling; and watch acrobats perform death-defying stunts at the Great Cirque des Cascades. Skechers Sundown Festival Hit the beach for an epic New Year countdown event and dance your way into the new year. Head to Palawan Beach Sentosa for Skechers Sundown Live, a one-night music event featuring headline DJs and other Asian acts. There’ll also be loads of family-friendly activities like face painting, scratch art, film screenings, and a food village. Make your way to Sentosa Island with a fun ride on the Singapore Cable Car and use your pass to soar over Singapore’s skyline to the island. LAVO New Year’s Eve Party For a glitzy and glamorous countdown party, head to LAVO Italian Restaurant & Bar at the Marina Bay Sands. Located on the 57th floor of the luxurious hotel, the restaurant serves contemporary Italian-American cuisine and an inventive craft cocktail menu against a backdrop of spectacular views of Singapore’s glimmering city skyline. Relax over post-dinner drinks in the luxurious lounge to the tunes of international DJs before the midnight countdown in Marina Bay. Watch the fantastic Share the Moment light projection show illuminates the façades of the Fullerton Hotel Singapore and the Merlion hotels, followed by the world-famous fireworks display Singapore is famed for. Party at the MARQUEE Welcome to the new year with an unforgettable carnival experience at one of Singapore’s nightlife superstars: MARQUEE. Spread over three floors with 30-meter-high ceilings, the mega club features a giant indoor Ferris wheel, three-story slides, and four thematic bars. Party to a line-up of highly talented resident spinners and international DJs against a backdrop of stunning visuals and state-of-the-art lighting. 665°F and Mr. Stork at Andaz Singapore Take to the sky to ring in the new year with award-winning cuisine, fine wines, and spectacular views at 665°F and Mr. Stork at Andaz Singapore. Begin the evening with a special New Year’s Eve five-course tasting menu at sky-high steakhouse 665°F at Andaz Singapore. Feast on delectable bites like Boston lobster, Kaluga caviar, blue cod bouillabaisse, and winter black truffles. Sip the world’s finest champagnes and pair your meal with a selection of curated wines. After dinner, head up to Mr. Stork to soak up Singapore’s iconic skyline against a backdrop of tunes from a live DJ.
Cara Merren
Singapore skyline with a pink and yellow sky
Blog

Overnight Stopover in Singapore

If your vacation includes an overnight stop in Singapore, there’s a fair chance you’ll have enough time on your hands to venture out and see a little of the Garden City, you lucky thing. This is one of the world’s most-visited cities, so it stands to reason that there are oodles of things to keep tourists entertained. Our advice is to plan your layover carefully: pick one or two things you’d really like to do and book tickets up front if required. With only a few hours to spare, you’ll want to maximize your time enjoying the attractions rather than waiting in ticket booth queues or frantically googling for fun things to do on the hop. Read on for our guide to the perfect Singapore stopover... Singapore Stopover Hints and Tips Singapore’s immigration policies are fairly accommodating for layovers, with many nationalities qualifying for the 96-hour visa free transit facility (VFTF) and others requiring proof of onward travel or easily acquired short-term visas. You can browse a fairly comprehensive summary of requirements here. Avoid sweating your way around downtown Singapore with trolley cases and backpacks in tow by taking advantage of 24-hour left luggage facilities in any one of Changi Airport’s four terminals. Trust us: you don’t want to be carrying a week’s worth of clothes and toiletries around with you in the afternoon heat! Heading downtown? Your best bet from the airport is to take a cab. Sure it’s more expensive than the otherwise super-efficient MRT (Singapore’s mass rapid transit system), but it’s also your fastest way of getting to the heart of the action and, on a layover, every minute you can save on transport and admin is an extra minute being wowed by Singapore’s superlative sights. Note that once you’re actually downtown, the MRT comes into its own and is by far the better method of getting from A to B at speed, while cabs can spend what feels like hours laboring through the often dense city center traffic. Singapore Stopover Highlights for Sightseers Sightseers can have it all on a whirlwind visit to Marina Bay. This is where you’ll find one of Singapore’s most iconic landmarks: the towering tree-like structures that make up Supertree Grove in the Gardens by the Bay. Get up close to the lush vertical gardens that cling to these manmade steel monsters on a stroll around the elevated OCBC Skyway platform. Or explore all manner of tropical plantlife (as well as one of the tallest indoor waterfalls in town) in the huge durian-shaped hothouses. Further vertiginous exploits await around the bay,in the shape of the colossal Singapore Flyer observation wheel, inevitably one of the world’s tallest, and the 57th-floor SkyPark atop the futuristic Marina Bay Sands Resort, another instantly recognizable star of the Singapore skyline. If you prefer your entertainment a little more, shall we say, down to earth, you can hit the massive shopping complex on the resort’s ground level, complete with bank balance-sapping luxury brands and cute Venetian-style waterways where you can take a sampan boat ride. Step outside to meet the island’s mascot in statue form. Part mermaid and part lion, the famous Merlion stands sentinel, splashing water into the bay from its roaring mouth. Singapore Stopover Highlights for Families Kids are notorious for their itchy feet, so it’s a good thing Singapore has plenty of great stuff for families to do on a layover. Chief among these is the island playground of Sentosa, where the cable car ride to get there is just the beginning of the fun. We’re not kidding when we say this tiny landmass is absolutely packed with activities and attractions. Universal Studios theme park with white-knuckle and child-friendly rides? Check. Water park? Check. Massive aquarium? You betcha. This is also where you’ll find some of Singapore’s best beaches, complete with Insta-perfect golden sands, emerald-green lagoons and swaying coconut palms. A handy shuttle service serves the sunny Palawan, Tanjong and Siloso beaches, saving you yet more precious time. If you don’t quite have the time required to make the most of a trip to Sentosa, fear not! Help is at hand in the form of Jewel, a cavernous entertainment complex connected (landside) to Changi Airport itself. If anything this is even more ideal than Sentosa, especially if you’re traveling with difficult-to-please teenagers, thanks to its rich mix of high-end shopping, hip restaurants and super-cool attractions that will appeal to any selfie addict worth their salt. We’re talking (another) sky high waterfall or, more accurately, ‘Rain Vortex’ (pictured above), a four-story slide, an indoor forest garden that spans five floors, cinemas, mesmerizing kinetic sculptures, a butterfly garden and, yep, even a Pokémon Center. Just imagine: all that fun without even leaving the airport! Singapore Stopover Highlights for Foodies Foodies rejoice! Singapore’s delicious hotch-potch of Asian cuisines – Indian, Chinese, Malay, Indonesian and more – means you’ll never go short of a new dish (or six) to try. A swift foray into Chinatown or Little India oshould be considered essential on all but the very shortest of layovers. We’re talking steaming grills, heady with the aromas of kung pao chicken and Peking duck and spicy fish head curry served up in the kind of picturesque labyrinthine lanes of which Instagram dreams are made. Want more? Kampong Glam, Singapore’s buzzing Muslim district and bona fide foodie mecca, promises sticky peanut satay, traditional nasi padang and zingy lamb rendang that’s almost as delicious as the neighbourhoods edible-looking Peranakan shop fronts in lime greens, mustard yellows and chili reds. The legendary Old Airport Road Food Centre is a short cab ride from Changi Airport and offers more of the same, with a dizzying array of street food stalls all condensed under one unspeakably tempting roof. Nighttime Singapore Stopover Highlights Staying overnight? Singapore’s flurry of fun nighttime activities will have no trouble enticing you away from an evening spent flicking through cable channels at your airport hotel. Hawker centers like the aforementioned Old Airport Road are great places to wander, soak up the vivid Singaporean culture, take memorable snaps and stuff yourself silly. There are over 100 of these spread out right across the city, meaning whichever part of town you visit you’re never far from a delicious (and surprisingly affordable) feast. Feasts of the visual variety are free to enjoy back down in Marina Bay, where nightly light-and-sound shows are held at both Supertree Grove and in front of Marina Bay Sands. The resort’s Spectra spectacular combines dancing fountains with huge visual projections, mist effects and lasers, backed by a booming orchestral soundtrack. Watch both shows from the SkyPark, 57 floors up, or catch a ride on the Singapore Flyer for sensational nighttime views of the sparkling city skyline. Animal lovers can even take a night safari inside the world’s first park dedicated solely to nocturnal beasts. Meet a cavalcade of crepuscular creatures from the Asian tropics and African savannah, including oddball favorites like fishing cats, slow lorises, giant anteaters and barking deer. Save on attractions and activities 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

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