Clarke Quay & Boat Quay walking tour & city guide

The river

In the 19th century, bumboats carried goods along the river to the warehouses. Today the colorful buildings host bars and restaurants, and river cruises glide past to Marina Bay.

Around

Fort Canning Park, on the hill above, holds colonial history and gardens. The Asian Civilisations Museum and the Merlion are a short walk downstream.

Good to know

The riverside is most lively in the evening, when the restaurants and bars fill up, and on weekends the area can be very busy. For a calmer experience, walk upstream to Robertson Quay, where cafés and restaurants line a quieter stretch of the river, popular for weekend brunch. The Singapore River walk links all three quays and continues to Marina Bay.

The Fort Canning MRT station is close by, and river taxis and cruises stop at several jetties. In the heat of the day, the air-conditioned museums nearby, like the Asian Civilisations Museum and the Peranakan Museum, are good places to escape the sun.

A walk along the river

A pleasant route starts at the Asian Civilisations Museum, near the Cavenagh Bridge, and follows the river upstream. Boat Quay comes first, with its row of shophouses facing the skyscrapers of Raffles Place, then Clarke Quay, with its colorful warehouses and bars under canopies, and finally Robertson Quay. Along the way, bronze sculptures recall the river's past, including children jumping into the water and traders bargaining. In the evening, a bumboat cruise back to Marina Bay shows the lights of the city from the water.