On our last day in Singapore, we spent the afternoon and evening on and around the water, starting with a Singapore River bumboat ride from Clarke Quay to Marina Bay.
We took the MRT to Clarke Quay, quickly found the river cruise ticket office, and bought tickets for the 6pm sailing. With time to kill, we wandered Clarke Quay’s many bars and restaurants and settled on a microbrewery for a refreshing drink before boarding.
Our boat was a bumboat, a modern version of the wooden lighters that once carried cargo between ships anchored offshore and the warehouses lining the river. Indian crews first worked these “tongkangs.” Later, Chinese boatmen took over the trade and called their boats “twakows.” The working boats were cleared from the river in a 1983 cleanup, and the few that remain now carry tourists instead of freight.
When our boat pulled up, it was already half full, and every outdoor seat at the back was taken. Still, our indoor window seats gave us a good view as we cruised downriver. The ride was relaxing and informative, with a video pointing out landmarks as we passed. We sailed from Clarke Quay past Boat Quay and out into Marina Bay, then retraced our path back to the start, about 40 minutes in all. We were aiming for golden hour, but I’d recommend a slightly later boat to catch the city lights, which were just switching on as we returned.
As we stepped off, Clarke Quay was coming alive. The air was cooling, buskers were singing, and crowds were arriving for its famous nightlife. We took in the scene, and then, with dinnertime approaching, we retraced the boat’s route on foot toward Boat Quay.
From the water, we had admired the contrast at Boat Quay: a low row of old shophouses along the river with skyscrapers towering behind them. On foot, that scene felt different, because we had to walk a gauntlet of touts trying to pull us into each and every restaurant. We’ve grown used to this elsewhere in our travels, but it was a bit jarring here, since it was the only place in Singapore we encountered it. We dodged and weaved and ended up at the one spot that wasn’t actively recruiting, at a pleasant table by the water.
After dinner, we kept walking as the Singapore skyline lit up in full. At Merlion Park, we welcomed the mist from the Merlion’s spout as a chance to cool off on a night that stayed hot and humid. From there, we watched Spectra, Marina Bay Sands’ nightly light and water show, start at 8pm across the bay. Then we headed back to the MRT and our hotel for a well-earned night’s sleep, a fitting end to our time in Singapore.
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