Most Iconic Landmarks in Singapore

Singapore is an architectural wonder where lush greenery and eco-friendly malls co-exist. The spirit of Singapore transcends cultural borders, and new experiences are created here every day. Singapore is the only place in the world that is a city, state, and island—all three in one. You will find people from different cultures—Malay, Chinese, Indian, and European in one city.

Singapore’s food culture is something worth experiencing. You will find world-class restaurants along with lip-smacking street food here. This culinary landscape is a foodie’s paradise and can make anyone fall in love with the city. You will find Hawker centres all around Singapore, which give you a taste of the city’s multi-cultural cuisine.

Those who love history and culture can spend days exploring the various museums and sites, celebrating the multi-cultural diversity and cosmopolitan roots. Places like Kampong Glam, Little India, and Chinatown light up during festivals and ethnic celebrations.

If you are up for some retail therapy, Singapore is the place to be. There are malls at every corner of the road, and the shops at Marina Bay and Orchard Road are the hotspots for shopping in Singapore. You will find everything from high-end brands to local brands here in Singapore. So, shop till your heart drops while in Singapore.

There’s something for everyone in Singapore. Let’s explore some famous Singapore landmarks that must be a part of your Singapore itinerary.

Gardens by the bay

It is a horticultural and architectural wonder covering about 250 acres of the Marina Bay waterfront. Three huge glass structures house more than a million plants worldwide. The first one, the floral dome, is the largest cooled glass conservatory in the world and showcases an array of plants and flowers from five different continents around the world. It has nine different gardens. Themed exhibitions keep happening, and the floral display keeps changing here.

Floral fantasy is the second conservatory divided into four zones—Dance, Float, Waltz and Drift—all of which feature garden artistry. Displays are inspired by fairy tales and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Cloud forest is the third conservatory with a tall 111-foot, jungle-clad cloud mountain, and the world’s largest indoor waterfall. One can walk along with the cloud and tree top walks to experience great views of the Marina Bay waterfront.

There are 18 supertrees, each of which has a unique height, some even reaching up to 50 metres. Each supertree mimics the function of a real tree. Each tree has built-in photovoltaic cells, which create energy from the sun’s rays. This energy is used to run the park. The trees also collect water every time it rains and distributes the water in the park’s irrigation system. You can take an elevator up these humongous tree trunks and walk across suspended walkways that twist throughout the structure.
The supertrees are functional as well as aesthetic. These play an important role in sustainability as well.

Marina Bay Sands

Singapore’s famous landmarks are incomplete without mentioning this popular hotel in Singapore. This 56-story hotel with a ship perched on its roof is one of the city’s main attractions. You will find millions of photos of this hotel on Instagram, making it a ‘gram’ worth location and a stand-out. The hotel is also home to the world’s largest infinity pool, 200-metre high jacuzzis on the observation deck, and great views of the entire city from the top.

If you wish to visit this landmark, visiting here without being a guest is also possible. You can pay 20 SGD and go to the Sands SkyPark observation deck. If you are not looking to spend just for the view, you can also have a drink at this hotel’s rooftop bar. If you feel too luxurious, you can stay at the hotel and experience the infinity pool and jacuzzi meant only for hotel guests.

Universal Studios, Singapore

Universal Studios is Asia’s only and largest Universal Studios theme park. It is one of the six themed parks around the world. It is a famous Singapore landmark, crowd puller, and a major attraction for all tourists visiting Singapore. Universal Studios is home to 28 thrilling rides and seven themed zones. You will also find several shows happening here all the time. You will need at least a day to experience the entire park and the Sentosa Island where the park is situated. The park has a lot of other attractions such as a floating aqua park, Fort Siloso skywalk, Gogreen Segway, and Headrock VR experience zone.

There are lots of things to do in the park, so make sure you take time to visit Universal Studios.

Chijmes

There’s always something happening at this venue: a full-fledged art and culture venue featuring ethnic cuisine, shops, and a venue for concerts, musicals, and theatrical performances.

This former catholic church is one of the oldest buildings in Singapore. It had a convent school and an orphanage for babies and is now an art and culture venue. The place features whitewashed buildings and gothic-style architecture, matching Singapore’s historical buildings.

Kranji War Memorial

This is one of the most peaceful attractions of Singapore. If you are a history buff, then this place is a must-visit. To give you some background history of this war memorial- Singapore was a colony of the British for the longest time. In 1942, the empire of Japan invaded the Malayan peninsula. This resulted in the capture of Singapore by the Japanese. This intergovernmental graveyard is dedicated to people from the United Kingdom, Malaya, New Zealand, Netherlands, Australia, and Canada who lost their lives. The place has graves of more than 5000 people and is a place of historical importance.
The Kranji war memorial is situated around 20kms from the main city, and you can also hike to the nearby hills while here. Get into the history mode and visit this peaceful place to learn more about World War 2.

Singapore Merlion Park

We are sure you must have seen the photo of the Singapore Merlion sculpture somewhere on the internet. Singapore Merlion park has the famous Merlion sculpture, which is a mythical structure of a combination of fish and lion. The lion head represents ‘Singapore’ (Sanskrit for lion head), and the bottom, a fishtail, represents the country’s fishing history.

Visitors throng the park for photo opportunities with the Merlion statue. Your visit to Singapore is incomplete without a picture of this iconic Singapore location. The waterfront can give you amazing views of the Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Flyer, and the Artscience building. After that, a romantic walk at the waterfront and a jetty to Marina Sands can be the perfect end to a romantic evening.

Singapore Botanic Gardens

Singapore is home to numerous gardens that are some of the best in the world. Singapore Botanic Gardens is one of the most famous places in Singapore and was established in 1859. In 2015, it became the state’s first UNESCO World Heritage site. Today the garden is a peaceful retreat just a few minutes from the busy Orchard road. The garden has four distinct core areas where you can stroll and a museum where you can learn about the botanical garden in detail. The Botanic gardens include several plant species, waterfalls, lakes, and fountains. The garden also has a learning forest which is designed to integrate with the already existing 6-hectare rainforest. In the learning forest, visitors can experience wetlands and lowland rainforests. The forest has some of the tallest tree species in Southeast Asia. You will also find interesting themed collections of different trees here.

Each of the four distinct core areas has its theme, and the garden has five different entrances. The place has several cafes, eateries, and shops from where you can buy plants for gifting or yourself.

ArtScience Museum

The famous ArtScience museum of Singapore is designed in the shape of a lotus. It opened in 2011 and is located in Marina Bay Sands. Each of the ten petals of the lotus has a distinct gallery space or hall. The building covers up to 65,000 sq ft and is 197 feet in height. The museum was designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie and has housed several world-famous artists such as Salvador Dali, Leonardo da Vinci, Andy Warhol, and Vincent Van Gogh. The ArtScience Museum has also displayed several breakthrough technologies, science, and digital exhibits.
Although the exhibitions keep changing here, “Future World: Where Arts Meets Science” is a permanent exhibition that gets updated once in a while. The exhibition displays 19 digital artworks from the Japanese company teamLab, bringing art, science, and magic together in its exhibits. The ArtScience museum is one of Singapore’s iconic landmarks that you must visit if you love art and science. This is also a recommended place for kids to enjoy. So, bring your kids here for a fun family retreat full of learning and knowledge.

Conclusion

Can’t decide which famous landmarks to visit in Singapore? Check out these Singapore tour packages by Thomas Cook. These are guided tours with a whole lot of fun! Our packages are well-curated with all the famous landmarks, sightseeing, and stays included. So, just book and have a stress-free Singapore holiday soon.