Located at the southern tip of the island near the Central Business District (CBD), Marina Bay is home to luxury hotels, brand-name boutiques, exclusive nightlife spots, fine dining destinations and world-class theater venues—all of which are connected by a beautiful waterfront promenade. The heart of this district is the integrated resort by the Las Vegas Sands group, Marina Bay Sands (MBS). It comprises three towers and a shopping arcade, with sumptuous suites and a casino.

ATTRACTIONS

Examples of early colonial architecture abound here. There is the 150-year-old  Saint Andrew’s Cathedral (11 St Andrew's Rd., 6337-6104), the nation’s largest cathedral, and Raffles Hotel (1 Beach Rd., 6337-1886), a regal establishment opened in 1887.    

You can also find modern architectural sites such as the distinctive spike-covered Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay (1 Esplanade Dr., 6828-8377), a top spot to watch world-class entertainment acts. Nearby, the three-story  F1 Pit Building (1 Republic Blvd., 6884-6940) is a hub for the Singapore leg of the Grand Prix, just next door to the  Singapore Flyer (30 Raffles Ave., 6734-8829), a 165m-tall giant observation wheel. 

Across the water—a short walk over the beautiful glass and steel mesh  Helix Bridge—is Gardens by the Bay (18 Marina Gardens Dr., 6471-7808) with over 200,000 rare plants in domed conservatories. Another attraction here is the  ArtScience Museum (Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave., 6688-8868), which houses international touring exhibitions.

DINING & NIGHTLIFE

There’s plenty to eat, too, with an array of choice options at Marina Bay Sands. French dining temple Guy Savoy (#02-01 Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave., 6688-8513), exclusive Japanese spot Waku Ghin (#02-02, Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave., 6688-8507) and American celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck’s steakhouse CUT (#B1-71 Galleria Level, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave., 6688-8517) are all on-site. For the best views of the city, try Sky on 57 (57/F Sands SkyPark, Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave., 6688-8857) or Ku Dé Ta (57/F Sands SkyPark, Marina Bay Sands Tower 3, 1 Bayfront Ave., 6688-7688).  

At night, clubbers can visit two glamorous party venues, housed in MBS' stunning South Crystal Pavilion, Pangaea (South Crystal Pavilion, Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Ave., 8611-7013) and Avalon (South Crystal Pavilion, Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Ave., 6688-7448).   

Other top spots are at Swissôtel the Stamford (2 Stamford Rd., 6338-8585), including French fine dining restaurant JAAN (70/F Equinox Complex, Swissôtel the Stamford, 6837-3322) and New Asia Bar (71-72/F Equinox Complex, Swissôtel the Stamford, 6431-5681), as well as Spanish spot Catalunya (The Fullerton Pavilion, 82 Collyer Quay, 6534-0188, S(049327), www.catalunya.sg), which boasts incredible views of the Bay. 

For local food, visit   Lau Pa Sat (18 Raffles Quay, 6220-2138), a Victorian cast-iron structure with a wide range of hawker stalls. Also from the colonial era is the 19th century convent and chapel compound,  CHIJMES (30 Victoria St., 6337-7810), which is today a food and beverage haven.

SHOPPING

Luxury lifestyle center MBS houses Louis Vuitton’s first Island Maison store (Crystal Pavilion North, Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave., 6788-3888) in Southeast Asia, as well as Ralph Lauren’s duplex store (#B1/B2-72/68 Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave., 6688-7161).

Beyond that, there’s Suntec City Mall (3 Temasek Blvd., 6825-2667) featuring a comprehensive range of boutiques, as well as the Fountain of Wealth. For a quieter shopping experience, head to Millenia Walk (9 Raffles Blvd., 6883-1122) for high-end stores like Cortina Watch and BOSE.