Singapore in Pictures: 18 Beautiful Places to Photograph

The island city-state of Singapore is a place with incredible cultural diversity, lush nature reserves, and rainforest thriving with diverse species of flora and fauna. Opportunities for great pictures can be found everywhere, from the colorful city streets to the lush forests.

A place for art lovers, foodies, and adventure lovers, Singapore truly has no end of things to do, no matter what you’re looking for when planning a trip. Here’s a list of the must-see places to photograph in Singapore.

1. Marina Bay Sands

Marina Bay Sands, a waterfront resort, is one of the most recognizable and photographed buildings in Singapore. The massive complex includes a hotel, museum, a 74,000-square-meter shopping center, theaters and galleries, and a Skypark with an infinity pool and a rooftop garden overlooking the bay.

• Read More: Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Singapore

2. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

Just 12 kilometers from the heart of Singapore and sitting on the slopes of Bukit Timah Hill, this tiny 1.64-square-kilometer park is covered in rainforest and home to over 500 animal species – including the reticulated python, crab-eating macaques, and the rare red-crowned barbet bird. Tropical ferns and dense jungle surround the many hiking trails here, and the reserve also offers rock climbing and abseiling (rappelling) opportunities, as well as mountain bike trails.

3. Gardens by the Bay

This 101-hectare park right on the Marina Reservoir is most famous for its walkway among the canopy of tree-like sculptures covered in exotic ferns and orchids. This is also the perfect place to capture dramatic photos.

The lights wrapped around the trees are completely powered by sunlight. The gardens are also home to the world’s largest glass greenhouse and the “Cloud Forest,” a greenhouse that mimics the weather from tropical mountains.

4. Sentosa Island

Home to two golf courses, resorts, a Universal Park studio, a casino, and the Adventure Cove Water Park, Sentosa Island also has some of the most beautiful beaches in Singapore. Palawan Beach is particularly famous because of its suspension bridge, which connects the beach to a tiny islet that’s considered Asia’s closest point to the Equator.

• Read More: Top-Rated Weekend Getaways from Singapore

5. Siloso Beach

One of the best beaches in Singapore, man-made Siloso Beach is a prime destination for canoeing, kayaking, and skimboarding. It’s also the home of many unique attractions, including wind tunnels, artificial barreling waves, ziplines, and Singapore’s first bungee jump location.

Siloso’s stretch of white sands and turquoise lagoons is a popular escape from the city and a fun place to capture images of the ocean and coastal scenery.

6. Sisters’ Islands

The soft white sands, 250 species of colorful corals, and turquoise waters of the Big Sister and Small Sister islands make for a perfect snorkeling destination. The islands are part of Singapore’s First Marine Park and offer two dive options: the six-meter-deep Shallow Dive Trail, where visitors can see giant clams and clownfish, and the 16-meter-deep Deep Dive Trail to swim around sea stars and sea fans.

7. MacRitchie Reservoir

The oldest reservoir in Singapore (dating back to the 1800s) is a popular spot to catch the sunset. TreeTop Walk, a 25-meter-tall suspension bridge, offers visitors a sweeping view of the primary forest that hugs the reservoir.

8. Esplanade

The nearby modern Jubilee Bridge is the perfect spot to take photos of the Esplanade, the performing arts center located right on the Singapore River. Surrounded by greenery and palm trees, the massive performance venue includes concert halls, areas for experimental theater, and a library.

9. Clarke Quay

Singapore’s Central Quay is particularly stunning in the evening, as the lights come on over the water. The quay was originally a 19th-century port and mooring space that was eventually abandoned and then revamped into the thriving commercial and entertainment space it is today.

10. Saint John’s Island

A former cholera quarantine station, this 40-hectare island is now a popular weekend getaway that offers soft white beaches, swimming lagoons, plenty of hiking trails, and even bungalows for those looking for an overnight island stay. Colorful coral life, small patches of mangrove forest, and the occasional sighting of dolphins off the coast make Saint John’s a beloved destination for both locals and foreign tourists.

11. Marina Barrage

Sitting at the confluence of five rivers, the Marina Barrage dam overlooks the city’s skyline from the lush green grass and has become a popular place to catch the sunset. The steady water levels in the marina reservoir allow activities such as dragon boating and kayak rental year-round.

12. Pulau Ubin

One of the very few rural areas that exist in Singapore, the island of Pulau Ubin is home to the Chek Jawa Wetlands ecosystem and a long boardwalk that cuts through the island’s mangrove forest. There are also a number of abandoned granite quarries, and as vegetation and rainwater took over the quarries, they transformed into stunning lake-like areas.

13. Peranakan Row Houses

Rows of historical shophouses take over the sidewalks in the Joo Chiat and Katong districts of Singapore. Designed in traditional Peranakan architecture (also known as Chinese Baroque because of the ornate colorful embellishments used in decoration), the buildings are a reminder of the mixed heritage that helped forge the country.

14. Orchid Garden

Over 60,000 orchid plants are displayed in four colorful zones representing the seasons in this carefully designed area of the Botanical Gardens. With arched walkways, specially selected trees, and vines, the garden feels magical around every corner.

15. Helix Bridge

This 280-meter-long stainless-steel pedestrian bridge is particularly stunning at night, when the lights create a unique visual experience that highlights the unique structure of the bridge. The design of the bridge was inspired by the curved DNA structure, and those crossing the bridge will see certain illuminated letters that represent the four amino acids that are the base of DNA. Four viewing platforms along the bridge offer picture-perfect views over the bay.

16. House Of Tan Teng Niah

Located in the Little India neighborhood, this colorful 1900s merchant house was originally built by a local businessman, and it’s now a protected National Heritage landmark. Painted in a rainbow of reds, avocado green, yellows, and bright pinks, the house has become one of the most Instagrammable places in Singapore.

17. Jewel Changi Airport

You might think of airports as crowded, sterile spaces to get out of as soon as possible, but Singapore’s is nothing like that. It’s a lifestyle destination filled with lush indoor gardens (including the world’s tallest indoor waterfall), mist-filled play areas, and a 14,000-square-meter rooftop park. Singapore’s largest hedge maze is also located within the airport.

18. Masjid Sultan

Singapore’s golden-domed mosque is a striking work of architecture and one of the country’s most beautiful religious buildings. It sits in historic Kampong Gelam, where historical shophouses have been turned into restaurants and textile shops. Just a few blocks away is the iconic, colorful Haji Lane, Singapore’s chicest indie street, filled with beautiful street art, boutique shops, and cafés.