Over my three visits to Singapore, no area in the city enchanted me more than Marina Bay. While getting to know Singapore, I found myself wandering here several times throughout the days. But no time of day was more memorable than exploring Marina Bay by night.
Need a way to spice up an evening in Singapore? Let’s take a stroll around mesmerizing Marina Bay with this complete self-guided walking tour for first-time visitors, including my recommendations on what to eat & drink and what to see & do!
Fuel up with an early dinner at Lau Pa Sat
Before we lace our walking shoes too tightly, let’s settle into our tour with a delicious meal at Lau Pa Sat. This historic pavilion is located in the heart of Singapore’s Downtown Core, just blocks from Marina Bay.
Whenever I visited Singapore, I always made a point to stop by this top-notch hawker centre. On my first visit to Lau Pa Sat, I was struck by the building’s striking architecture. With its distinctive Victorian-style cast-iron framing, this food court looked nothing like others I’d visited earlier in my trip, like the Maxwell Food Centre and Chinatown Complex Food Centre.
Even so, Lau Pa Sat didn’t disappoint with its food selection. Every time I wandered among the stalls here on my trips, I saw all the Singaporean favorites, from char kway teow and wonton noodles to nasi lemak and laksa. The pavilion also offers a wide selection of international options, including Thai, Korean, and Indian.
Unfortunately, my two favourite char kway teow joints, and usual Lau Pau Sat recommendations—Lai Heng Fried Kway Teow and the Michelin-recommended Lao Fu Zi Fried Kway Teow—both seem to be gone now. (The latter, however, is still a popular stall at the Old Airport Road Food Centre if you want to give it a go.)
Instead, go for the signature wonton noodles at Kallang Airport Wanton Noodle. Their combination of springy wonton noodles and sweet and juicy char siu is among the tastiest I’ve tried while visiting Singapore.
All that salty goodness got you a bit thirsty? Pop out of the pavilion to Beer Republic and enjoy a cold beer on the patio before continuing on your walking tour.
Since we’ve got a long evening of sightseeing ahead, though, I wouldn’t stick around too long here. Aim to get to Lau Pau Sat for an early dinner, around 5:30 pm or so. That should give you a chance to get your food and a table before the suppertime rush.
(In my experience, the crowds tend to pick up here after 6 pm.)
Catch the sunset at the Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade
From Lau Pa Sat, it’s a short 10- to 15-minute walk via Raffles Quay and Marina Boulevard to the next stop on our itinerary: the Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade.
On my three trips to Singapore, I found myself wandering along this bayfront walkway several times. My favourite time to visit? In the evening, just before the sun starts to sink below the skyscrapers in the Singapore CBD.
Throughout the year, the sunset in Singapore falls between about 7:00 pm and 7:20 pm. (Check the exact times for your trip here.)
I would recommend getting here at least 20 minutes before the sun sets. Whenever I visited the Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade during the sunset hour, I noticed the crowds peaked at this time of the day.
Although I wouldn’t say it feels crowded here at sunset, if you want to set up a tripod to catch the city lights at their golden-hour finest, you’ll want to grab your spot along the bay before all the other local photographers stake their claims.
Experience the mesmerizing Garden Rhapsody at Gardens by the Bay
Unfortunately, you won’t have much time to soak in the post-sunset views over Singapore’s Downtown Core. Our next stop, though, will more than make up for the rush!
Once you’ve got your sunset selfies, slide into the Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, a high-end shopping mall attached to Singapore’s most iconic hotel, the Marina Bay Sands. Walk through the mall to the escalators at the back of the mall, leading to the pedestrian overpass to the hotel. (It’s well-signposted; you should have no problems finding your way.)
After walking through the hotel’s lobby from above, continue along the pedestrian bridge towards Gardens by the Bay.
The first time I stumbled onto the Marina Bay Overpass Viewing Point from the hotel, I felt as if I’d walked onto another planet. (After visiting over 50 countries, seeing Gardens by the Bay for the first time still ranks among my favourite all-time urban exploration experiences.)
From the viewpoint, you’ll get a picture-perfect view of the park’s mesmerizing Supertree Grove. And at night, it’s an even more jaw-dropping experience!
Fight the urge to stick around too long. (We can save the photos for the walk back.) Instead, I’d recommend heading over the Dragonfly Lake Bridge and beelining to the Supertree Grove to soak up one of Singapore’s coolest experiences: the Garden Rhapsody.
Every evening at 7:45 pm and 8:45 pm, the Supertree Grove hosts a spectacular light & music show. Over the course of 15 minutes, the supertrees light up in dazzling colours, timed with music.
On all three of my trips to Singapore, I didn’t miss a chance to catch the show at least once. The music is constantly changing, creating a different experience on each visit. (In my experience, the crowds start picking up around 20 minutes before the start times.)
As you might expect, the Garden Rhapsody is a popular activity with both locals and tourists. Try to get there as early as possible if you want a prime viewing spot for the show.
If you want to add to your Gardens by the Bay adventure after the show, I’d recommend checking out the OCBC Skyway. For just S$8, you can take a walk around the supertrees, enjoying a bird’s-eye view over the park and the brightly-lit supertrees.
Dazzle at the Spectra Light & Water Show
After experiencing the Garden Rhapsody, backtrack through Marina Bay Sands back to the bayfront promenade. In front of the mall, we can experience another visually stunning urban experience: the Spectra Light & Water Show.
Much like the Garden Rhapsody, the Spectra Light & Water Show features a dazzling display of lights and water effects timed to a dramatic orchestral soundtrack.
Although Spectra isn’t quite as memorable as the Gardens by the Bay light show, it’s still worth adding to your Marina Bay night tour. The combination of the water and lights with a backdrop of Singapore’s glitzy skyscrapers offers a unique view of the city.
The Spectra Light & Water Show lasts for 15 minutes, starting at 8 pm and 9 pm from Sunday to Thursday and at 8 pm, 9 pm, and 10 pm on Friday and Saturday. (No shows on Mondays.)
Cross over the Helix Bridge
After jamming in the water & light show, stroll northeast along the promenade. Swing around the lotus-shaped ArtScience Museum to soak up another one of Singapore’s stunning examples of modern urban design: the Helix Bridge. The walk should take less than 10 minutes.
Designed to look like a DNA strand, the Helix Bridge is one of the most eye-popping structures in a city well-known for pushing urban design to the limits. While I loved walking along the bridge at any time of the day, it’s even more impressive with its twisted stands lit up.
Walk along the Helix Bridge, stopping along the way to admire the city lights twinkling in the waters of Marina Bay.
End the evening sipping drinks at Makansutra Gluttons Bay
From the Helix Bridge, it’s less than a 10-minute walk via Raffles Avenue to our last stop of the night: Makansutra Gluttons Bay.
While Makansutra Gluttons Bay doesn’t have the look and feel of a “classic” central Singapore food centre, I can’t help but recommend ending the evening here. The food selection here is secondary to the real reason I love coming here: the beautiful city views.
Pull up a table at this popular open-air food court to sip beer or cocktails with the lights of Marina Bay in the background. If you get hungry, there’s plenty of delicious dishes here, too, including satay (yes, with its world-famous peanut sauce to dip) and pineapple fried rice.
Makansutra Gluttons Bay is open until 11 pm daily and until 11:30 on Fridays and Saturdays.
If you want something a little more “refined,” head back across the bay for sophisticated cocktails at CÉ LA VI, located on the 57th floor of Marina Bay Sands, or European-style craft beers at LeVel33, located on the 33rd floor of the Marina Bay Financial Centre.
NOTE: Both CÉ LA VI and LeVel33 have a dress code. They’re also on the pricier side. If you’re on a tighter travel budget, I wouldn’t recommend either as a final stop for the night.
