Tanjong Rhu Pier

Marina Bay’s skyline, seen from the side that doesn’t sell tickets.

Tanjong Rhu Pier is where to watch the sun go down over the city without paying for it or sharing it with a tour group. The lookout tower faces the CBD across the Kallang Basin, with the National Stadium and the Tanjong Rhu suspension footbridge in the same frame, and it is free and open around the clock. The compromise is that it is a view and not much else, so it rewards a clear evening and does nothing for you in haze. Pick your night, then come.

Why it works

The tower is the reason. It is four levels, with an unobstructed view of the CBD at sunrise or sunset and a few corners inside that seem designed for a phone held at arm’s length. From the top the city lines up across the water: the stadium’s curved roof on one side, the financial district beyond, the Singapore Flyer turning in the distance. Marina Bay has the closer view; this side has the space to stand still in.

The second reason is the bridge. The suspension footbridge crosses the Geylang River on thick cables slung between 19-metre A-frames, and it is lit after dark, with the lamps throwing orange reflections on the water. Walk across and you are at the stadium, Kallang Wave Mall and Leisure Park Kallang in a few minutes, which makes the pier an easy add-on before a match or a concert.

How to do it well

Aim to be up the tower half an hour before sunset; the light changes faster than you think, and the walk from the MRT takes longer if you stop to take photos of the bridge, which you will. A weekday is calmer than a weekend, as residential waterfronts tend to be.

If you want to earn the view, the Tanjong Rhu Park Connector runs for about 1.5 kilometres along the waterfront towards Gardens by the Bay East, so runners and cyclists can turn a sunset into a proper evening out. Coming from the other direction, walk beneath the Benjamin Sheares Bridge on the way for one more angle on the skyline, then follow the water round to the tower.

Getting here is easier than it used to be: Tanjong Rhu station on the Thomson–East Coast Line is close by, and Stadium MRT is a short walk across the bridge. Afterwards, cross to the stadium side for a drink; Brewerkz at the Indoor Stadium is an easy walk away.

It suits couples, runners, photographers and anyone who has had enough of Marina Bay at sunset. Bring water and patience for the light. The tower charges nothing, which is less than the Flyer you will be looking at.

Good to know The pier at 50 Tanjong Rhu Place is free and open 24 hours. Tanjong Rhu MRT is nearby, and Stadium MRT is a short walk across the footbridge.

Tanjong Rhu Pier | Tanjong Rhu, near Tanjong Rhu MRT, Singapore