If you’re contemplating oversea vacations, Singapore should be on the short list for places to see, and upon landing in the Lion City, one of the quickest way to get a sense of the area is to take a tour of its major waterway: The Singapore River. A river cruise is a great way to see Singapore’s history, to obtain a sense of what early life might have been like on this island, and to just obtain an overview of the area’s key places. But a walk along the river will also give you a real immediate sense of Singapore, too. So perhaps a combination of the two are in order.
Plan to take two and a half to three hours for the tour, and add on another forty-five minutes if you decide to take a river cruise as well. If you enter any temples or churches, please remember that modest dressing is required, in particular, trousers or long skirts for women. Don’t wear yourself out, too. There are plenty of cafes and shops along the way.
You can begin at the Esplanade/Theatres by the Bay. It’s an entertainment and performing arts center, containing an art gallery, concert hall, a theater and studios, as well as many cafes and bars and restaurants. There’s a great view on the fourth level on the Roof Garden, where you can watch sampans (bumboats) out in the harbor, as well as see Merlion Park and the Central Business District skyline. Stroll along the Esplanade Park. The Esplanade Bridge will take you to a walk once filled with European homes. Today, you’ll see a number of landmarks: The Tam Kim Seng Fountain, dedicated to a merchant who was one of early Singapore’s benefactors, donating to the Singapore Water Works to help solve a water shortage in his time. The fountain was erected to remember him in 1882.
You’ll also come across the Cenotaph, which memorializes those who died during World War I and II. Right behind you, you’ll see City Hall and the spot where the Japanese surrendered in 1945. Farther on, you’ll find the Indian National Army Monument and the Lim Bo Seng Memorial (an underground resistance fighter).
Leaving the park, you’ll cross the Anderson Bridge, built in 1910, where you’ll find the statue to Sir Stamford Raffles and his Landing Site, where he arrived in 1819, with 120 Indian soldiers and assistants. At this point, you should take a look around for a River Cruise or a River Taxi and see the city from the perspective of the waters, just as Raffles saw it when he first came to this island, one hundred and ninety years ago.