Riverside restaurants, ultra-cool bars and Singapore’s hippest crowd can all be found in this popular city-centre district.
For many years after the city’s foundation in 1819, the Singapore River was the main artery of commerce and transport in the former British trading colony. Boat Quay’s ideal location just upstream from the mouth of the river led to this becoming the most important economic area in the city, filled with a mass of shops and warehouses to service the never-ending stream of cargo ships.Singapore's enormous port now takes care the maritime industry but the historic Boat Quay has remained a vital part of the city, with popular bars, clubs and restaurants replacing the wooden warehouses and jetties of old.After a day of work or sightseeing among the soaring skyscrapers and humid streets of inner city Singapore, there are few places more pleasant to come and unwind than Boat Quay tourists and locals can be found here every evening enjoying the cool evening breeze coming in off the river.The quay is lined with dozens of fantastic restaurants and bars offering everything from traditional noodle dishes to international cuisine – the seafood to be found here in particular is some of the city’s best. Dine al fresco along the water’s edge but be aware that, naturally enough, the river-front establishments attract more tourists and are priced accordingly.If you wander back a street from the water however, you’ll find bars popular with the locals that are a lot cheaper – and cooler too! And if you fancy a bit of evening retail therapy, take a stroll down Boat Quay’s pedestrianised shopping street for some great bargains.This vibrant district is located on the south bank of the river, a short walk from the city centre. There are three MRT stations in the vicinity as well as bus services and on-street pay parking.
