Singapore skyline with a pink and yellow sky

Places to watch the sunset in Singapore

By Karleen Stevens

Have a look through the photos on your phone and chances are you'll find plenty of sunsets. There’s just something about a glowing pink sky that makes us want to stop and capture it, despite the fact that it happens every day. When we’re traveling, finding a good place to watch it becomes part of the itinerary, almost like a destination hunt, or going to see a show. Singapore, with its iconic skyline, rooftop terraces and scattered islands, has plenty of picture-perfect places to see it, but you have to get your timing right as they only tend to last between 20 and thirty minutes. The good news is, because Singapore is so close to the equator there isn’t much variation in its timing – you can expect the sun to set between roughly 6:50 and 7:20pm whatever time of year you’re there. For the best views, head to:

  • The Marina Bay Sands
  • The Gardens by the Bay
  • The Pinnacle@Duxton
  • From the river
  • Mount Faber Park and Cable Car
  • Sentosa Island

The Marina Bay Sands

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If you’re not staying at the Marina Bay Sands, you should at least make one visit to this iconic structure and its 57th floor SkyPark. With 360-degree views it’s the perfect place to watch the sun sink below the horizon, whether you want to look east over the bay or west towards Sentosa Island. While you’re there, see if you can take a selfie with a celebrity in the background, and be sure to stop for a drink at the Ce La Vi SkyBar. Inside the hotel you’ll also find a casino, museum, shopping mall and several celebrity chef-inspired restaurants, so you won’t run out of things to do!

The Gardens by the Bay

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No visit to Singapore would be complete without a visit to the iconic Supertrees in the Gardens by the Bay – and because of their unmistakable silhouette this enchanting canopy makes the perfect backdrop to any sunset. If you can time it right, watch the light fade from the OCBC Skyway, a 128-meter-long boardwalk between two of the Supertrees, 22 meters above the ground. Even better, head up to the garden’s highest point in the Supertree Observatory, where you’ll also find refreshments and interactive information displays. Look out at familiar landmarks like Floral Fantasy and the Marina Bay Sands Hotel as you enjoy nature’s most spectacular and ever-changing display.

The Pinnacle@Duxton

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This little-known vantage point is the tallest public residence in Singapore, right on the western edge of Chinatown. It has two sky bridges and the highest one, on the 50th floor, is open to the public for a small fee. It’s a wonderful spot for looking down on the district, especially in the evening when the red-roofed pagodas begin to glow and colorful paper lanterns twinkle cheerfully. It’s open until 9pm and there’s a garden as well as a deck area, so you can lounge around with a drink if you like or have a quiet stroll before you return to the bustle below.

From the River

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The gentle lapping of water, pink and yellow hues reflecting in the water, cool breezes gently blowing in your hair – we all know that sunsets look better from the water. It’s a great way to see Singapore as well, giving you a chance to move back from the hive of glass and concrete and admire the skyline as it turns from glowing pink edifice to stunning silhouette. Bop along gently in a traditional bumboat from Marina Bay and along the Singapore river, watching as iconic landmarks like the Fullerton Hotel and the Merlion Statue are lit up in the harbor. The Singapore River Cruise lasts around 40 minutes, so time it for about 6:30pm and you should be in for some exceptional evening entertainment.

Mount Faber Park and Cable Car

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If you like a hike before your sunsets, head to the top of Mount Faber Park to the west of the city for stunning views over Keppel Harbor and the waterways to the west. Here you’ll find a number of eateries, if you need a degustation-themed reward for your exertions, and also plenty of spots to sit and have a picnic – especially if you want to stay and watch the stars come out. You could also ride the cable car from Faber Peak, which will carry you over the glittering harbor to Sentosa Island – float over city lights and lush rainforests while the sky turns to indigo around you. The cable car runs until 10pm and your pass includes a return trip, so you can enjoy a pleasant evening exploring the island before heading back.

Sentosa Island

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It’s on the western side of the city and has plenty of beaches, which makes it the perfect place to sit and savor a spectacular sunset. There are hotel rooftop terraces – such as at the Outpost and Village hotels, or you could ride the SkyHelix Sentosa, which is a rotating gondola that takes you 79 meters above sea level. If that’s not enough adrenaline for you, perhaps you’d prefer the AJ Hackett Sentosa Skybridge, where you can swing from a height of 40 meters over the beach. On the other hand, if you’ve spent the day exploring Universal Studios, enjoy the sunset view from the top of one of its unique rides, such as Puss in Boots’ Giant Journey, the Battlestar Galactica: Human vs Cylon Dueling Coasters, or Donkey’s Dragon (from Shrek) Enchanted Airways Coaster.

Follow the sun with Go City

No matter where you go in Singapore, there’ll always be a sunset worth finding a spot for. And whatever you do, make sure you have your Go City All-Inclusive or Explorer Pass to hand, to make sure you save on all your favorite attractions around the city.

Karleen Stevens

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Singapore skyline with a pink and yellow sky
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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
Stuart Bak
Vew of the Singapore Skyline with the sunrise in the background
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Places to watch the sunrise in Singapore

Beautiful islands, glinting statues and tranquil gardens – there are enough places to watch the sunrise in Singapore to make anyone an early bird.
Karleen Stevens
Temple in Little India, Singapore
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Things to do in Little India

Spend some time away from the bright lights and crowded Marina in Singapore, and you’ll discover delightful, multicultural districts dotted like small, colorful time capsules hidden around the city. Once such enclave is Little India, north of the center on the other side of the Rochor Canal. Noisy, bustling and bursting with life, it’s a welcome reprieve if the somewhat sterile efficiency of the rest of the city is getting you down. Everything here is walking distance from everything else, so head here on the Big Bus Red Route, then wander the narrow lanes, try a Roti Prata (grilled pancake with a Singaporean twist) and shop for shimmering silks or bright flower garlands. Other things to check out while you’re here include: Festivals The Indian Heritage Center A puzzle hunt Temples Shopping centers Festivals Though busy and bustling most of the time, Little India is particularly vibrant during festival times. Check your calendar and be sure to swing by if you happen to be in town when any of these are happening: Deepavali Also known as Diwali, this Hindu festival takes place every October or November and celebrates the triumph of good over evil. It’s also called the Festival of Lights, because many homes light oil lamps and the narrow lanes are lit up with lights and lanterns hanging from one building to another. Visit during this time and you’ll see streets filled with art, have a chance to try special Diwali-inspired food and adorn yourself with flowers or a henna tattoo. Pongal This South Indian harvest festival takes place over four days in the new year and celebrates prosperity and new beginnings. Each day is devoted to a different practice, but each involves light displays, traditional dress and street performances. In the spirit of the abundance, locals consume plenty of rice and vegetables and fill the streets with music and dancing. Thaipusam Honoring the Hindu deity Lord Murugan, Thaipusam is celebrated every year in late January or early February. Devotees pierce their cheeks, tongues and bodies with metal skewers, then process through the streets carrying arches decorated with flowers and peacock feathers. This practice is considered to be an act of thanksgiving for answered prayers, and requires a particular amount of physical and mental fortitude! Navratri If you happen to be in Little India in September or October, you may be fortunate enough to witness the celebration of Navratri, which lasts for nine nights and ten days. This Hindu festival pays respect to the nine forms of the goddess Durga, and each of the nine days is marked by a different color. On the tenth day a silver chariot carrying a statue of the goddess is paraded through the streets, celebrating her victory over the buffalo-headed demon Mahishasura. Indian Heritage Center Though it’s only been called ‘Little India’ since the 1980s, this area of Singapore has been home to an Indian community since early colonial times. Visit the Indian Heritage Center to learn more about how they came to be there, see the interesting collection of Indian artifacts and top up your knowledge of south Asian history while you’re at it. There are plenty of interactive displays and interesting exhibitions, making it a nice escape from the heat and crowds outside. Temples Though predominantly a Hindu district, Little India is surprisingly diverse when it comes to religions. If you find your spiritual side needs a pick-me-up, take yourself on the self-guided ‘Walk of Faiths’, which goes past eleven religious sites over a one-and-a-half-mile route. Along the trail, you’ll see the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, decorated with colorful statues of various Hindu deities, the pyramid-shaped Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple and the Chinese Buddhist Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple. There’s also the Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple, known the Temple of a Thousand Lights because of the chain of lights surrounding the giant Buddha statue, as well as a couple of Christian and Muslim buildings. Take your time wandering from one building to another, or hire a bike if you prefer a more whistle-stop version. Puzzle Hunt If you need a little guidance on your explorations, or are looking for a fun group activity, try a Little India Puzzle Hunt, which is a kind of outdoor escape room. This immersive puzzle-solving game will take you all around the district as you search for clues and learn fun facts along the way. Be sure to take time for a photo opportunity at the colorful Chinese villa known as The House of Tan Teng Niah, and if you’re hungry grab a biryani or some spicy prawn noodles from a street food stall at the Tekka Center. Shopping If you didn’t get all your shopping done during the day, don’t worry, because the Mustafa Center in Little India is open 24 hours. Hidden within the organized chaos of this four-storey mall you’ll find clothes, perfume, electronics and jewelry, as well as locally made accessories and souvenirs. There’s also the Little India Arcade, where you’re likely to find locals shopping alongside the tourists. Whatever your preference, be sure to pick up some of the district’s most famous export, Tiger Balm! Explore Little India with Go City Whether you prefer feasts or festivals, temples or trinkets, there’s something for everyone in Little India. Be sure to get a pass from Go City before you go, so you can save on all your favorite attractions while you’re exploring!
Karleen Stevens

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