Top 12 FREE Viewing Spots in Singapore

People often tell me how expensive Singapore is. I tend to disagree. There are plenty of ways you can enjoy Singapore FOR FREE, and as part of my series of guides on free things to do in Singapore, I’m going to share with you some of my favourite FREE viewing spots in the city.

My favourite free viewing spots in Singapore are:

Viewing Spot	Why I love it
Merlion	Iconic view of Marina Bay and easy for tourists to access, also a great sunrise
Benjamin Sheares Bridge	Hidden gem - not many people find their way up here, and you get to spend time in the F1 pit lane
CapitaSpring	Another hidden gem, though it has limited opening hours
Bedok Jetty	Harder to get to for tourists, but a fantastic experience and you can watch the planes land at Changi

My criteria in putting this guide together is that the viewing spot has to be FREE; it is a viewing spot (i.e. you can see somewhere else, I’m writing a guide on popular photo spots so stay tuned); and is relatively accessible for visitors to Singapore (i.e. you don’t need a car or a complicated public transport journey to get there).

1. Benjamin Sheares Bridge

I feel this is a real hidden gem given how few tourists I ever see up here. I also find it a very rewarding view as you do have to work a little bit for it.

Benjamin Sheares Bridge crosses the Singapore River side of Marina Bay, connecting Suntec and the Singapore Flyer to Marina Bay Sands.

It also has pedestrian access where you get this incredible sweeping view over Marina Bay from Marina Bay Sands to the Merlion to the theatres at Esplanade.

I enjoy this spot at sunrise and the early morning when the sun is bathing the CBD in that early morning light.

The easiest way to get to the Benjamin Shears Bridge pedestrian walk is from Marina Bay Sands:

1. Walk to the northern end of Marina Bay Sands, where the ArtScience Museum is
2. Proceed underneath the entrance to the Helix Bridge and the Bayfront Avenue Bridge
3. Turn right (south) and look for a pathway between the Bayfront Avenue Bridge and the Benjamin Sheares Bridge
4. Climb the stairs and proceed to the highest point where you will get the best view

You can climb down the bridge the same way you came, or at the other end which leads to Promenade MRT and Millenia Walk shopping centre. Oddly there’s no path at the Millenia Walk side, you have to cross about 25m of grass (I did this once in the rain and it wasn’t too bad). Walk around underneath the bridges to get to the F1 pit lane.

As a public path, the Benjamin Sheares Bridge viewing spot is open 24/7.

2. CapitaSpring

Another hidden gem that I find a lot of visitors don’t know about - there is a hidden viewing deck in the middle of the CBD, and it’s FREE. The viewing deck, called Sky Garden, is Singapore’s tallest publicly available observatory deck and offers incredible views of Marina Bay and the CBD.

360 degree views are available from the Sky Garden, including Marina Bay Sands, the CBD, and out to heartland Singapore.

Completed in 2021, the CapitaSpring building is 280m tall and contains a hawker centre, hotel, office tower, and most importantly, a FREE viewing deck. There is also a publicly accessible garden on the 17th, 18th, and 19th floors.

Free access is only available during certain hours, specifically: 8:30am to 10:30am and 2:30pm to 6pm. After 6pm, access is only available if you are a guest of the bar or restaurant located on the viewing deck level.

To get to the Sky Garden:

1. Take the MRT to Raffles Place station, then take the exit for CapitaSpring (Exit A)
2. Walk over to the CapitaSpring building
3. Proceed to the office entrance and head left for the dedicated elevator for the Sky Garden

3. National Gallery

The Ng Teng Fong Roof Garden at the National Gallery is a relaxing green space you can sit in and enjoy amongst the busy city. It also has this fantastic view where you can survey the city and surrounds from the roof top.

The National Gallery Singapore is located in the former Supreme Court and former City Hall buildings in Singapore’s Civic District. The Civic District sits along the Singapore River and is home to mostly colonial-era buildings showcasing Singapore’s history. The character of this location gives the National Gallery a fantastic view despite its relatively short height (the roof garden is on the 5th floor).

I like this view for the contrast between the open green space, the colonial history, and modern Singapore.

You can walk around the viewing deck to see:

• The Padang - an open space used to play cricket and for the National Day Parade
• The Concert Hall and the Fullerton Hotel
• War Memorial - another open green space surrounding the memorial for the second war
• Stamford and Fairmont hotels - the iconic round hotels incredibly popular during F1 season

Fun Fact: The Fullerton Building has a free display located in the underpass leading to the Merlion which details its history as a government office and the intriguing story of how Singapore purchased its first gold using a torn US 1 dollar note.

To get to the viewing deck at the National Gallery:

1. Take the train to City Hall MRT station and follow the exits for the National Gallery
2. Enter the gallery through any public entrance
3. Proceed to the 5th floor by lift

I also like the bar here called Smoke and Mirrors, it offers outdoor seating where you can enjoy the view.

Opening hours for the National Gallery, including the Ng Teng Fong Roof Garden are 10am to 7pm daily.

Entrance through the gallery and up to the Ng Teng Fong Roof Garden is free, though there are paid areas within the gallery itself (I found this really confusing the first time I visited because there were no ticket barriers).

4. Merlion Park

The iconic symbol of Singapore, the Merlion, offers the classic view of Marina Bay and the Marina Bay Sands hotel.

Merlion Park is of course home to the Merlion, but it is also home to a viewing platform that gives you a 360 degree view of the CBD and Marina Bay Sands.

I like recommending this view to anyone who doesn’t have much time to visit Singapore. Its easy central location and spectacular views make it the thing to do when you don’t have much time to explore Singapore. And it’s FREE!

From Merlion Park, expect to see:

• Sweeping views of the CBD
• The iconic view of Marina Bay Sands
• Esplanade theatres (the durian buildings) and the Art Science Museum

I feel the best times to visit Merlion Park are:

• Early morning before it gets too hot (the sun shines against the Merlion giving him the best colour profile)
• Afternoon as the sun is setting (the sun shines against Marina Bay Sands giving it the good colour profile)
• Evening at 8pm or 9pm when you can watch Spectra - A Light and Water Show

Check out the References section at the end of this guide if you want to learn more about the light and water show.

To get to Merlion Park:

1. Take the train to Raffles Place MRT and exit for the Fullerton Building
2. Cross at the traffic lights (or use the underpass inside the Fullerton Building)
3. Descend to the waterfront and turn left for the Merlion

You can also get to the Merlion from Esplanade MRT station by taking a walk across the Jubilee Bridge. This route gives you a nice view approaching the Merlion. I love the way the morning sun lights up the Fullerton Building - typically the best effects are before 10am on a clear day.

5. Bedok Jetty

For a view that’s a little different, I like to bring visitors to Bedok Jetty. The jetty at Bedok sticks out over 100m into the sea meaning that when you stand out there you get a wide view of Singapore’s east coast.

From this viewing spot, expect to see:

• East Coast Park and all its greenery
• Marina Bay Sands off in the distance
• Planes landing for Changi Airport

I like to bring visitors here very early in the morning, or later in the evening. The jetty is mostly exposed and it can get hot if you’re out in the sun.

As a public space, the jetty is open 24 hours a day, but it’s much easier to get here during the day.

Bedok Jetty is located in the eastern part of Singapore, somewhat near Changi Airport. It is accessed via East Coast Park.

Usually I cycle to Bedok Jetty, rental bicycles are abundant in East Coast Park.

Bayshore MRT station (brown Thomson East Coast Line), one of the newest on the network, is also located nearby. From the MRT, walk through the underpass, a short distance along East Coast Park, and then out onto the jetty.

6. The Promontory @ Marina Bay

This is often an over-looked viewing spot when it comes to Marina Bay. Most people think of the Merlion or Marina Bay Sands, but The Promontory offers some fantastic views from a different angle, and a place to sit down.

The advantage of The Promontory is the highlighting view it gives you of Fullerton Bay Hotel and Customs House. It’s also a nice stroll, particularly if you’re heading to the Red Dot Design Museum, or walking over to Marina Bay Sands from the Merlion.

I like to recommend this viewing spot early in the morning when the sun shines over the western side of Marina Bay, or at night when the lights from the various buildings shine through.

To get to The Promontory:

• Option 1: Walk around from the Merlion (or from Raffles Place MRT)
• Option 2: Walk over from Downtown MRT Station (blue Downtown Line)
• Option 3: Walk around from Marina Bay Sands

I usually bring visitors here if we’re cycling around Marina Bay - the paths are wide and very bicycle friendly.

As The Promontory is an open public area, you can come here 24 hours a day.

7. Marina Promenade

This is not another typical Marina Bay view.

At Marina Promenade, you are standing on the iconic Marina Bay Street Circuit Formula 1 track. You can walk the track (and the pit) and experience first hand what it’s like to be part of the Formula 1.

The view here though gives you a different perspective on Singapore. From this spot you can:

• Gaze out over Gardens by the Bay, including the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest
• Get a landscape side-on view of Marina Bay Sands
• Look up at the Singapore Flyer

The Promenade is a public space and is thus open 24 hours a day.

Make sure you check out the Formula 1 pit lanes while you’re here. They often still have the team and portrait banners still up from the last race (I last visited in May, 8 months after the race, and the banners were still there).

Due to its proximity to the Formula 1, this viewing spot is difficult to get to during the week before and the week after the Formula 1 event in September each year.

8. Marina Barrage

Singapore really loves showing off Marina Bay.

Marina Barrage is another piece of infrastructure that the public can use to get an incredible view out over Singapore. From here you can see:

• Gardens by the Bay
• Gardens by the Bay East (an upcoming extension on the eastern side of Marina Bay)
• Expansive green space
• The CBD off in the distance

It used to be really difficult to get to Marina Barrage, but now that the Gardens by the Bay MRT station is open it’s become a lot easier.

To get to Marina Barrage, take the brown Thomson East Coast Line to Gardens by the Bay MRT station. Follow the signs for Marina Barrage, then climb the circular path around the outside to get to the upper level (there is also an elevator available).

9. Botanic Gardens

Despite how close it is to the city, the views here are 100% green. You can stand on top of a hill and look out over the lakes and jungle of the Gardens and not have a building in sight.

The Gardens are over 160 years old and are a UNESCO World Heritage listed site. They are home to over 10,000 species of plant and span a space of just over 80 hectares.

If it’s an open green space view you’re looking for, then I highly recommend the Botanic Gardens. Given how densely packed Singapore is as a city, I always find it refreshing to walk through the Gardens and enjoy the green viewing spaces.

I find the best views are from the various hills that overlook the lakes. There are a few locations like this I like to recommend:

• At the north end, overlooking the Eco Lake
• In the middle, overlooking the Symphony Lake
• At the south end, overlooking the Swan Lake

Getting to the Botanic Gardens is easy. It’s connected directly to Botanic Gardens MRT station (yellow Circle Line) and Napier MRT station (brown Thomson East Coast Line). The viewing spots above are located at either end (north is Botanic Gardens MRT, south is Napier MRT).

Opening hours for the Gardens are 5am to midnight, though for viewing spots I recommend coming during daylight hours.

10. Cavenagh Bridge and the Singapore River

The view here is really the banks of the river next to the bridge, though the bridge itself also has a decent view.

I like this view for the feeling you get of how Singapore used to be 100 years ago. Looking out, you can imagine all the boats and ports that were here.

To get to the Cavenagh Bridge and Singapore River:

1. Catch the MRT to Raffles Place MRT station
2. Take Exit H
3. Use the Cavenagh Bridge to cross to the Civil District

Walk along the river next to the Asian Civilisations Museum for the best views of Boat Quay.

I usually like to come here in the evenings when it’s a little cooler. The area also feels more lively in the afternoon. Try this walk after you visit the National Gallery or the Asian Civilisations Museum. The bridge and the river are of course public areas and open 24 hours a day.

11. ArtScience Museum

I actually like this view for the water garden of flowers below the ArtScience Museum, but technically it makes my list for having a wide view of Marina Bay, including the Merlion and Fullerton building.

To get to the ArtScience Museum, walk over from Marina Bay Sands or Gardens by the Bay. Its iconic shape means it’s unmissable.

The viewing area outside the museum is public space and open 24 hours a day. If you’re visiting the museum (which doesn’t have a viewing area inside), it’s open from 10am to 7pm every day - I wrote a complete guide to the best museums in Singapore here.

12. Marina Bay Sands (at the bay)

I really like the viewing deck at the ground floor (water side) of Marina Bay Sands. It’s the opposite view of the Merlion and gives you a spectacular view of the CBD and the Merlion.

It is of course free, unlike the observation deck at the sky level.

The viewing area is also really easy to get to - simply walk out of The Shoppes at Marina Bay to get to the viewing deck.

This is also the best viewing spot for the Spectra light show at 8pm and 9pm each night.

13. Fort Canning Park

Fort Canning Park is a hill and former fortification that straddles Clarke Quay and Dhoby Ghaut. It’s home to the famous tunnel tree Instagram spot, but also some fantastically accessible views of the city.

There are two main viewing spots in Fort Canning Park:

• From Raffles House looking out towards Marina Bay Sands
• Southerly climb up overlooking Clarke Quay

A bit of history is also available at the top of Fort Canning Park: Fortifications pre-dating British rule have been preserved and can be explored (there isn’t much remaining, so it’s free to visit).

I like bringing visitors here if they don’t have much time in Singapore. Fort Canning Park is easy to access and very safe to explore - there is no danger walking around here in the middle of the night.

Fort Canning Park is easy to access from the Dhoby Ghaut or Fort Canning MRT stations.

14. Jewel

What is a trip to Singapore without taking a photo of the iconic waterfall at Jewel. This 40m high indoor waterfall and its surrounding green space make for some fantastic photos.

The draw card view here is the waterfall itself. You can take enjoy the view from the 1st floor, but for a better experience climb up the stairs to the 3rd or 4th floor (there are escalators and lifts available as well).

There are paid and free viewing areas on the 5th floor as well - use the escalators or lifts to get here.

I recommend Jewel to everyone visiting Singapore, even if you’re only here for a few hours in transit (I asked the ICA immigration officers what the shortest time was to enter Singapore and visit Jewel, they said if I had 4 hours until my next flight then I could get in a quick visit).

Dropping off your luggage is also possible at Jewel, which is why I usually recommend coming here when you are leaving Singapore. Do note that you have to arrive a few hours early to drop your luggage at Jewel.

There are a few options to get to Jewel depending on where you are:

• From Changi Airport - all terminals connect to Jewel, though Terminal 1 is the closest
• From the city via taxi - ask the taxi driver to drop you at Jewel
• From the city via MRT - the MRT is connected to Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, which are in-turn connected to Jewel; follow the signs once you step off the train
• From the city by bus - bus route 36 stops at Terminal 1 from which it’s a short walk to Jewel

References

• Details of the Sky Garden (on a real estate listing though)
• Spectra - A Light and Water Show is run by Marina Bay Sands, you can find out more about it on their website here.