Places of Interest in Singapore: January 2016

Saturday 30 January 2016

Marina Bay Singapore sightseeing

continued from Historical sites along Singapore River

Marina Bay sightseeing

After the visit to the Fullerton Heritage Gallery, which is inside the Fullerton Hotel, we walked the way to the Anderson Bridge to the Marina Bay.

Anderson Bridge, part of the Fullerton Road

Fullerton Hotel along Esplanade Drive, Singapore

Anderson Bridge spans across the Singapore River

Anderson Bridge

Anderson Bridge connects the Finance District (South) to City Hall (North). It is a vehicular bridge spans across the Singapore River.

During the Japanese Occupation (1942~1945), the heads of the criminals were hung on the bridge to remind the citizens not to break the law.

In 1990, due to increasing traffic flow, the Esplanade bridge was constructed to provide faster access between the Marina Centre and the Finance District in Shenton Way.

Waterboat House, Singaore

To get to Marina Bay, you could cross the Fullerton Road to the Waterboat House. On the left leads down to the underpass.

The Waterboat house along Fullerton Road, Singapore

Esplanade bridge underpass

Esplanade Bridge Underpass

Fullerton Waterboat House along the Fullerton Road, Singapore

The Waterboat House was built in 1919 to supply fresh water to incoming ships which called at the harbour. At present, it is known as the Fullerton Waterboat House, a fine dining.

The Waterboat House in the earlier years. Image courtesy of National Archive of Singapore

Another way to go to the Marina bay from the mouth of Singapore River, head to the Esplanade Drive and cross the road to the One Fullerton. You could see stairs on the left down to the underpass. This way lets you see the face of the Fullerton building and the commercial buildings along the Esplanade Drive.

Fullerton Road, Singapore

One Fullerton, Fullerton Road, Singapore

One Fullerton is right opposite the Fullerton Hotel, previously the Fullerton Building

Fullerton Hotel along Esplanade Drive, Singapore

Esplanade Drive, Singapore

Esplanade Drive

Singapore River Cruise Jetties/booth at Merlion Park, One Fullerton

Jubilee Bridge connecting those coming from Esplanade to the Merlion Park

Jubilee bridge, directly connect the Promenade on Esplanade and the Merlion Park. Esplanade bridge is too narrow for pedestrians, With the Jubilee bridge, pedestrians could cross the Singapore river with ease of comfort.

The new bridge was opened on 29 March 2015, one month earlier, on the day of the state funeral of the late Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew.

start of Jubilee bridge from Esplanade Theatres on the bay "The big Durian"

Jubilee Bridge

Jubilee bridge, Singapore

Jubilee Bridge, Singapore

MERLION PARK

The merlion cub measures 2 meters tall, Merlion Park, Singapore

The Merlion cub, Merlion Park, One Fullerton, Singapore

Bayside Restaurant, One Fullerton, Singapore

Merlion Park, One Fullertone, Singapore

In 1972, the Merlion Park was situated next to the Waterboat house. After 30 years, the 8m tall Merlion was relocated to the current park at the One Fullerton.

As per photo below, the Esplanade Drive road has not been constructed yet. When the Esplanade Bridge has been completed in March 1997, the bridge blocked the views of the Merlion statue from the Marina Bay. The Merlion Park then relocated to the front of the bridge.

Former location of Merlion Park, next to Waterboat House. image courtesy of National archive of Singapore

Esplanade Drive, Singapore

Esplanade Bridge, Singapore

Esplanade Bridge is a road bridge spans across the Singapore River. Esplanade Theatre on the Northern part. Merlion Part on the Southern part.

Merlion Park in front of the Esplanade Bridge, opposite Fullerton Hotel and a view of the Jubilee Bridge.

Merlion Park, One Fullerton, Singapore

Merlion Park is a major tourist attraction in Singapore. It is also the landmark and symbol of the country. There are two structures in the park. The original and the cub.

Merlion Park is located at One Fulleton, Singapore.

Merlion Park, One Fullerton, Singapore

Merlion, the iconic statue, half fish and half lion, resides at the Waterfrount Merlion Park.

The original Merlion, 8.6 meters tall as seen on the photo, spouts water from its mouth. It is facing East overlooking the Marina Bay, direction that could bring prosperity as per Feng Shui.

Apparently, Christmas season, wishing white spheres installed in the water. Should you have any environmentally inquiries about the plastic spheres effect on the marine life and water, check out this faq

view from Merlion Park, MBS Skypark and the Arts & Science Museum

view from Merlion Park: Singapore flyer and the floating platform

Arts and Science Museum, Singapore

Esplanade theatres on the bay, Singapore

30,000 seating capacity Floating Platform, Marina Bay, Singapore

Esplanade Waterfrount, Singapore

view from Merlion Park, MBS Skypark and the Arts & Science Museum

Merlion Park, in front of the CBD buildings, and the view of Jubilee bridge

Merlion Park, One Fullerton, Singapore

PANORAMIC VIEWS OF THE MARINA BAY SIGHTSEEING

See also:

Mouth of Singapore River
Other Places of Interest in Singapore

Friday 29 January 2016

From the Historical sites around Singapore River to Marina Bay scenic views

continued from the statues of Sir Stamford Raffles at the North Boat Quay

Before we exited to the Cavenagh bridge from the Victoria Theatres and Memorial Hall Building, we checked out first the Asian Civilisations Museum. We have not been inside yet... soon.

Asian Civilisations Museum preserves the cultural heritage of Asia especially the Singaporeans' ancestral heritage and includes the Southeast Asia, India and the Islamic World.

Ref: Jubilee Walk

Asian Civilisations Museum, Empress Place Building, Singapore

This building was completed in 1867 and previously served as a courthouse and later became Government Offices.

The Adjacent square was named Empress Place in 1907 in honour of Britain's Queen Victoria, who was also the Empress of India.

The building was converted to Empress Place Museum in 1989 and became home to the Asian Civilisations Museum in 2003.

Asian Civilisations Museum, Empress Place Building, Singapore. view from the South Bank

Polished Steel Spheres near the Asian Civilisations Museum

Singapore has launched in November 2015 the 8km walk trail of Singapore iconic sites called Jubilee Walk. One of the three arts feature is the 24 hrs in Singapore which consists of the five steel spheres in front of the Asian Civilisations Musuem that play audio recordings of daily life in Singapore such as the sounds of traffic in the CBD and MRT trains.

Asian Civilisations Museum Entrance fees and Opening hours

Entrance to Cavenagh bridge from the North bank of the mouth of Singapore

We just finished the trail of the famous sites around the mouth of Singapore River. We started from place where the buildings shown on the left are situated

We came from Raffles Place MRT. The Cavenagh Road is just few meters on foot to the right.

Across the Cavenagh bridge is the Elgin Bridge going upstream. We continued to the left to the Boat Quay Restaurants that lead us to the Elgin bridge. Latter connects the South Boat Quay to the North Boat Quay

Boat Quay Restaurants along the Singapore River

UOB Plaza along the Singapore River

Elgin Bridge, Singapore

After crossing the Elgin bridge we went down and passed the present location of the Parliament House, Singapore to the white statue of Sir Raffles. Passed the Old Parliament House which is now the Building of the Arts Museum and exited to the European style buildings of the Victoria Theatres and the Victoria Memorial Hall joined by the Clock Tower.

Elgin Bridge, Singapore

Parliament House

White statue of Sir Stamford Raffles

Arts Museum

view from Anderson Bridge, Victoria Theatres and Victoria Memorial Hall joined by the clock tower

Signs and Sculptures feature around the Cavenagh Bridge

Cavenagh bridge, Singapore

Notice displayed at the Cavenagh bridge, Singapore

The First Generation

Family of Singapura cats

Next to the Cavenagh bridge is the Historical Fullerton Hotel, a five star hotel at the south bank of the mouth of Singapore River. Fullerton Hotel was previously the General Post Office Building. I will write a separate post about the history of the Fullerton Building. We went inside to view the Heritage Gallery. The hotel was still in Christmas mode.

Fullerton Hotel near the mouth of Singapore River

The Red Pillar Box

The Red Pillar box at the Fullerton Heritage Gallery serves as a legacy of the British colonial era in Singapore. There are only three operational Red Pillar Post boxes in the country. One at the Post Bar of the Fullerton Hotel and the other one is at the entrance of the Singapore Philatelic Museum.