Sparkling Singapore at Night

After visiting on multiple occasions, I consider myself a fan of the city. I am by no means a luxurious traveller. As long as the place I am staying in is safe and clean, then I tend to be quite happy. So how can a budget tourist such as me enjoy a city that is regarded by many to be one of the most expensive in the world?

A first glimpse at Singapore sparks many to assume you need to spend $300 a night at one of Singapore’s spectacular hotels to enjoy the city. With a bit of additional research, I found some great budget hotel options around Clarke Quay that are literally a five minute walk from the Merlion and the waterfront area. More research revealed that there are hawker stalls serving up excellent and affordable traditional dishes behind Boat Quay. The point I am trying to make here is that Singapore can indeed be explored on a budget in a comfortable manner, but it takes some research. Throw in Singapore’s seamless, affordable and efficient MRT network into the mix and you start to get the idea.

Sentosa Island, China Town, Little India, the Singapore Zoo (and the Night Safari) are just a few of the places to check out while in the city. Depending on your budget you may prefer to focus on Little India and China Town to soak up the culture of the city without emptying your wallet. Believe it or not, my most memorable experience of Singapore didn’t cost a penny.

Whenever I visit Singapore I always try to strategically book my room on Bridge St. which is conveniently located near Clarke Quay (and the Clarke Quay MRT Station), Boat Quay and the harbour front area. During my most recent visit, I finally got the opportunity to grab my camera at night in order to capture photos of the world famous skyline that everyone talks about.

I started my evening walk by heading from Bridge St. over to Clarke Quay. For those of you who may be unfamiliar, Clarke Quay is one of the busiest night life spots in Singapore. Rocking live bands and sleek restaurants line the water as tourists and locals discuss everything under the moon. From here, I quickly made the short jaunt over to Boat Quay. Boat Quay does slightly resemble Clarke Quay, however, it offers more in terms of romantic restaurants and less in terms of intense partying. Seafood lovers also tend to love Boat Quay due to the healthy selection of fresh lobsters and crabs waiting to be prepared according to the your cooking preference.

Up to this point, I was already quite satisfied with what I had seen. But then, as I walked closer to the marina area I couldn’t help but notice the Fullerton Hotel at the southernmost end of Boat Quay. It was perfectly illuminated and it reflected beautifully on the water before me. After a few photos to capture the colonial charm of the hotel, I continued south towards the ever-striking Marina Bay Sands. During my previous trips to Singapore, I managed to take up to one hundred photos of Marina Bay Sands, but this would be my first opportunity to take photos of it at night. Now, with the Esplanade and the Marina Mandarin Singapore to my left, Marina Bay Sands in front and the spectacular Singapore skyline to my rear, I couldn’t help but contemplate whether I had ever seen a more memorable city setting than this during my previous travels? I honestly don’t think I have.