Roots, Roars, and Rotations: A Love Letter to Singapore’s Icons
Singapore is a city that refuses to be just one thing. Ancient myth and futuristic wonder exist here in the same breath, often just a short stroll apart. From the sculptural Supertrees rooted in Gardens by the Bay, to the legendary Merlion roaring at the waterfront, to the slow, sweeping rotation of the Singapore Flyer high above it all, the Lion City packs a lifetime of awe into just a few square miles. Consider this your love letter to three of its most iconic stops.
Whether you’re a first-time visitor trying to squeeze the best of the city into a single day, or a seasoned traveler returning to rediscover what made you fall in love with Singapore in the first place, these three landmarks have a way of stopping you in your tracks. Each one tells a different chapter of the city’s story — nature and innovation, legend and identity, perspective and scale — and together they paint a picture of a place that is endlessly, unapologetically itself. So lace up your walking shoes, charge your camera, and get ready to see why Singapore earns every bit of its iconic status.
Three Iconic Stops in Singapore
After a fantastic cruise on Crystal from Manila to Singapore, I had an opportunity to stay and explore Singapore a bit further on my own. While there, I hit three of the most iconic spots in Singapore: Gardens By The Bay, Merlion Park, and the Singapore Flyer. Since Singapore is such an easily walkable city, I walked to everything. I had a great opportunity to enjoy the entire city along the way.
Gardens by the Bay
My first stop was the Gardens by the Bay. I did this as an excursion on our full day in Singapore prior to disembarkation. This spectacular attraction is actually a series of three different gardens: Bay South, Bay East, and Bay Central. My tour took me to Bay South. Our guide took us to the Super Tree Observatory first. These towering structures are up to 16 stories tall.
Super Trees
After admiring the Super Trees from the ground level, we headed up to the suspended walkway between a few of the trees. Needless to say, the views from up here are pretty spectacular! Seven of the Super Trees are designed to harvest solar energy, and all are sustainable vertical gardens. There are over 200 species of plants (and nearly 163,000 plants!) in these Super Trees.
After the awesome Super Trees, our guide led us on a walking tour through the Bay South gardens. There are lush flowers and plants interspersed with fantastic views of the city skyline here.
Flower Dome
The next stop of the tour was one of the two large domes on the site. The first one we explored was the Flower Dome. It holds the Guinness World Record for the largest glass greenhouse. It is covered with 3,332 glass panels and has a volume equal to 75 Olympic-sized swimming pools!
After a quick introduction to the dome, our guide gave us some free time to explore the Flower Dome. There are many different areas and exhibits inside…some are permanent and others are temporary and change throughout the year. One of my favorites was a smaller one called “Aloes in Wonderland,” which made me giggle.
As I wandered through the Flower Dome, I was captivated by the various types, colors, and sizes of fantastic flora everywhere.
Cloud Forest
The final stop of the excursion was the second domed area, the Cloud Forest. This impressive dome is the size of one and a half football fields. The Cloud Forest maintains a humidity level of between 80%-90%, so it is an ideal spot for many tropical plants. One main area is called “Orchid Haven.”
The central feature of the Cloud Forest is the 115-feet-tall (35-meter-tall) indoor waterfall. After exploring a bit of the ground level, I took the elevator up to the top and started the journey back down on a series of suspended walkways and escalators.
As I made my way back to the ground level, I enjoyed seeing all of the different tropical plants. There were also lots of sculptures throughout the area.
- The 18 Super Trees range from 82-164 feet (25-50 meters) tall.
- The Flower Dome houses plants from five continents and rotates themed floral displays throughout the year…so no two visits are ever quite the same.
- The waterfall in the Cloud Forest is one of the world’s tallest indoor waterfalls.
Exploring Singapore
On my first full day in Singapore after disembarking from the ship, I took a taxi to my hotel. After dropping my luggage off, I headed out to start exploring Singapore on foot. There were a few light sprinkles here and there, but luckily no full rain! Singapore is a great place to simply wander and explore…I found lots of beautiful views and interesting architecture everywhere.
Singapore is a very clean city, with lots of walking paths for pedestrians so it is easy and safe to navigate on foot. There are colorful flowers, striking architecture, and whimsical statues throughout the city.
Walking through the city gave me a great overview of everything. There is an interesting mix of large, modern buildings and smaller, historic buildings throughout the city. The Singapore River winds through the city, and the waterfront areas along the river are filled with shops, restaurants, offices, and hotels. There are many pedestrian tunnels that run under the river, making it very easy to walk everywhere.
- Singapore is one of the world’s smallest countries – it is roughly 3.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.
- There are four official languages recognized in Singapore: English, Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil.
- Singapore takes cleanliness seriously, with fines for littering, jaywalking, and even failing to flush a public toilet.
Merlion Park
One of the many popular tourist attractions in Singapore is Merlion Park. The Merlion, the official mascot of Singapore, is a half lion / half fish mythical creature. There are six different Merlion statues throughout Singapore. I stopped to visit the original (and largest) one at Merlion Park. It is 28 feet (8.6 meters) tall. One of the other six statues is a smaller one (6.5 feet / 2 meters), which is located in a small park behind the larger one in Merlion Park. The smaller one is commonly called the “Merlion cub.”
- The Merlion is a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish – the lion represents the old Sanskrit name for Singapore (“Singapura,” meaning “Lion City”), and the fish pays homage to Singapore’s fishing village origins and its deep connection to the sea.
- The main Merlion statue weighs 70 tons and is made of cement, with exterior tiles made from porcelain and glass.
- Merlion Park sits at the mouth of the Singapore River and it offers stunning panoramic views of Marina Bay Sands, the Singapore Flyer, and the city skyline.
Singapore Flyer
After checking into my hotel in the early afternoon, I headed out to the Singapore Flyer. It was a fairly long walk from my hotel, but I enjoyed the fresh air and views along the way! I had pre-purchased a special ticket that also included a Singapore Sling. I checked into the VIP lounge area and was then escorted to the Singapore Flyer. They ushered me into my capsule (which I had all to myself!) and handed me my drink. The capsule door closed and I was on my way.
The Singapore Flyer has an overall height of 541 feet (165 meters). It is only surpassed by the High Roller in Las Vegas (550 feet / 167.6 meters). It has 28 capsules, each of which can hold up to 28 passengers. Needless to say, the views were pretty spectacular on the approximately 30-minute experience. I got to see the entire city, including the Gardens By The Bay (where I visited the day prior), the port area where the Crystal Symphony was still docked, and my hotel and the surrounding area.
- Each of the 28 capsules is about the size of a city bus. With a maximum of 28 passengers per capsule, the entire wheel can carry up to 784 people at one time.
- The Singapore Flyer has hosted some unique events over the years, including weddings, proposals, and even a Formula One hospitality suite during the Singapore Grand Prix (the Singapore Grand Prix street circuit actually runs directly beneath the Flyer)!
- The Flyer is lit up with an LED light display each night, making it a striking feature of the city’s already glittering skyline after dark.
Common Questions
Is it possible to visit these three attractions in one day?
Absolutely! These three attractions are perfectly suited for a single action-packed day, and many visitors do exactly that. Merlion Park is free and requires no more than 30–45 minutes, the Singapore Flyer takes about an hour including the ride, and Gardens by the Bay can be done in 2–3 hours if you focus on the Supertrees, Flower Dome, and Cloud Forest. All three are located within the Marina Bay area and are easily reachable from one another by foot, taxi, or MRT. A recommended order is to start at Gardens by the Bay in the cool of the morning, swing by the Merlion at midday, and end with the Singapore Flyer in the late afternoon or early evening to catch both the daylight and sunset views.
Do I need to book any of these tickets in advance?
Merlion Park is free and open to the public, so no booking is needed. For Gardens by the Bay, advance online booking for the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest conservatories is strongly recommended, especially during weekends, school holidays, and peak tourist seasons, as timed entry slots can sell out quickly. The Singapore Flyer also benefits from advance booking, particularly if you are visiting during the evening or planning a special experience like capsule dining. Walk-up tickets are usually available but lines can be long during busy periods.
How crowded do these attractions typically get?
All three attractions can get quite busy, particularly on weekends and during Singapore’s peak travel seasons between June and August and around the December holidays. Merlion Park is an open outdoor space, so crowds feel more manageable, but the famous photo spot in front of the statue can have long waits during peak hours. Gardens by the Bay, particularly the two conservatories, can feel very crowded midday, so visiting early in the morning is ideal. The Singapore Flyer tends to be busiest in the evenings when visitors flock for sunset and nighttime views, so an early afternoon ride offers a quieter, equally stunning experience.
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