Besides spectacular views of the entire Marina Bay, visitors will be treated to other points of interest around this landscape of water and gardens, such as:

Collyer Quay

Named after George Chancellor Collyer, the chief engineer of the Straits Settlements in the 1860s, Collyer Quay is a road that houses landmarks such as Clifford Pier, Change Alley and Ocean Towers. Until the late 1960s, the front of Clifford Pier was a car park where mobile food stalls arrived after office hours, and was a late-night haunt for musicians and an assortment of night birds.

Raffles Place

Raffles Place, Singapore’s main Central Business District, is situated south of the mouth of the Singapore River. Originally known as Commercial Square, it was named after modern Singapore’s founding father, Sir Stamford Thomas Raffles, in 1858. Retailers in the district soon gave way to the rapid development of finance houses and major banks in the 1960s and 1970s.

The Fullerton Singapore

An internationally acclaimed five-star luxury hotel located near the mouth of the Singapore River, The Fullerton Singapore was converted from Singapore’s historic general post office building to one of Singapore’s most prestigious hotels.

Esplanade – Theatres On The Bay

Located at the picturesque waterfront overlooking Marina Bay, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay is Singapore’s most exciting performance arts venue to date. Housing a 1,600-seat concert hall, a 2,000-seat theatre and several recital rooms, theatre and rehearsal studios as well as outdoor performing spaces, the dome-shaped complex also boasts a shopping mall, cosmopolitan food outlets and an arts library.

Merlion Park

The Merlion, a half-fish half-lion hybrid, is a commanding presence standing 8.6 metres tall on the south bank of Singapore River. The Merlion originates from the legend of Sang Nila Utama, a prince who named this sunny island “Singapura” (Lion City) after sighting a lion upon his first arrival to Singapore’s shores. The majestic Merlion has since become a popular tourist attraction for visitors.

Empress Place

Located near the mouth of the Singapore River and built as a Court House, this impressive colonial masterpiece was home to many government departments before being renamed Empress Place in 1907 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s visit to Singapore. Today, Empress Place has been reincarnated as the Asian Civilizations Museum and is a trendy spot for high-end waterfront dining.

Singapore River

Once Singapore’s lifeline for trade, where early immigrants worked and lived, and stevedores unloaded cargo from ships and bumboats, the Singapore River has been given a new lease of life with the development of art venues, alfresco dining, entertainment and retail in conserved shop-houses. Highlights on the banks of the River include popular tourist attractions such as Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay.

Padang

The Padang, located at the heart of Singapore’s Central Business District, was where Mr Yusof Ishak took his oath to become the Republic’s first president on 3 December 1959. Today, the Padang is a popular venue for sports, line-dancing and rock concerts.

Fort Canning Park

Established in 1859 as an arms store, barracks and hospital, Fort Canning Park was the site for the palatial resort of former Majapahit kings and the residence of colonial governors such as Sir Stamford Raffles. Today, the park is a popular location for picnics, exhibitions, plays, performances and other showcases for the arts.

Floating Stadium

The colourful Floating Stadium, located next to the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, consists of a 27,000-person seating gallery and the world’s largest floating platform performance stage on water. Singapore’s annual National Day Parade was held at the Floating Stadium for the first time in 2007 due to the planned demolition of its former home, the Singapore National Stadium.

Future developments in the area include:

F1 Circuit

Singapore is proud to welcome F1 motor-racing to its streets in September 2008. A capsule on Singapore Flyer will provide the best seats in the house, with a clear view of the action from the observation wheel.

New Bridge

Designed as a double helix structure, the new 280-metre bridge will link the Bayfront area to Marina Centre, completing a walking route that brings visitors to the major attractions around the bay including Singapore Flyer. The bridge, expected to be completed around 2009, will be spearheaded by award-winning architect Philip Cox.

Art Park

The Art Park, situated on the northern end of the new bridge at Marina Centre, will feature artworks by Singapore youths submitted during an Art Competition organised by the Urban Redevelopment Authority. The competition was designed to commemorate the new bridge, which is set to become a spectacular landmark to view from the observation wheel of Singapore Flyer.

Marina Barrage

Singapore’s biggest reservoir to date, Marina Reservoir, looks set to become the next hotspot for watersports enthusiasts for water activities such as canoeing, wakeboarding and F1 power-boat racing.

Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort

Singapore’s very first Integrated Resort will add a new dimension to the landscape of Marina Bay in 2010. Comprising a world-class hotel, casino, convention, leisure and entertainment facilities, and a museum, Marina Bay Sands will also offer luxury retail outlets and unique dining venues. Its hotel consists of three 50-storey towers linked by a two-acre sky garden, and will be clearly visible from the top of Singapore Flyer.

Try to catch the various points of interest from the Singapore Flyer in virtual reality: day view and night view.