FROM BEING A QUIET business park while the sun is still up, Clarke Quay begins to put on makeup and change her mood as the sun goes down, while the Singapore River turns busy for another night of playing host to thousands of visitors.
People of different nationalities strolling around the area start settling into the restaurants, bars, and watering holes strategically located along the riverside.
The kids and their parents who lined up for the 1.5-dollar ice cream near the bridge have started to disappear, giving way to the adults — mostly Koreans and Hong Kong Chinese — who want a taste of our version of dirty ice cream.
The famed dollar ice cream in Singapore.
Clarke Quay is used to being busy. This side of the city-state has always been among the busiest parts of Singapore, even in earlier days, as history tells it.
The Singapore River, like nearly every river around the world, has been a center of trade since modern Singapore was founded in 1819.
Situated upstream from the mouth of the Singapore River, Clarke Quay is a historic riverside quay where business happens. It takes its name from Sir Andrew Clarke, Singapore’s second governor and Governor of the Straits Settlements from 1873 to 1875, back when this city-state was a British colony.
How to go to Clarke Quay?
From any point in the city, you can reach the area by any mode of transportation, but if you’re taking the MRT, alight at Clarke Quay MRT Station and you’re there. Try not to get pulled into shopping the moment you step off the train through ‘The Central’ shopping center — though we’ll leave that decision to you.
We made sure to spend a few hours at Clarke Quay every day for five days straight before finally heading back each night to our stay, Fragrance Hotel – Riverside, located on Hong Kong Street, right by the river and just a five-minute walk from the central area. If you’re planning to explore Singapore and want to stay close to where the action happens, we’d recommend Fragrance. Read our full review of the hotel here.
What to do in Clarke Quay?
Modernization may have turned Clarke Quay into a place whose main draw is a distinctive nightlife experience, but the touch of its old charm remains. Walking around the area, you’ll never fail to notice its vibrant, unique colors.
Moored Chinese junks (tongkangs), refurbished into floating pubs and restaurants, sit all along the water.
Dine in at a tongkang restaurant afloat on the Singapore River.
And though it takes a bit more to entice the island guy in me (Kim is more of a Metro guy), experiencing the river by cruise or river taxi is a must-try for anyone from a highly urbanized area.
If you’re after an adventure, try the G-MAX reverse bungee by the entrance. After hearing the screams of those who did, the cowards in us didn’t even bother. No, thanks!
Still, be sure to give in to your appetite. The various cuisines on offer here make for a dining experience worth remembering, and while you’ll have plenty of choices, don’t skip the local delicacies — we’d kill for their chili crabs. Swear!
Getting into the night
Together with Filipino friends who work here, we grabbed cans of Heineken and San Miguel Pale Pilsen from a nearby 7-Eleven before finally diving into Singapore’s nightlife. We sat by the bridge, traded jokes and ideas, and watched the crowd go by.
Over a bottle of beer or vodka, foreign workers talk about their jobs and how they’ve come to love this country, whose newer policy limits foreign workers to only 10 percent of the total workforce — a shift meant to open up more employment for locals, after foreign workers had come to dominate the workforce in the recent past.
It’s hard for tourists like us not to compare this progressive city to others in Southeast Asia, let alone to our own countries of origin. In most cases, we’d guess, Singapore wins.
A glimpse into the nightlife scene in Clarke Quay
Like the nights before it, tonight is another night of loud laughter, singing and dancing, and stories about life, with the river as witness.
Indeed, a single day isn’t enough to fully take in the beauty of Clarke Quay, much less to really taste it. Coming back more often is simply necessary. Good thing we decided to spend our last six days in Singapore on this side of the city.
Clarke Quay is that quietly devoted daughter, vibrant and full of energy, tasked with making visitors’ short stay in Singapore memorable. Her role is to give visitors a lasting experience in the field she knows best: great bars, nightclubs, fine food, and entertainment. Tonight, she did that job well.
Before she wipes off her makeup and says goodnight to the river that never sleeps, let us be the first to call it a day. We’ll carry our experiences here into our dreams and share our own stories about her once we’re back home. And yes, we’re coming back to know her more.
Photos by TravelMore.ph, bestinsg.com, and ClarkeQuay.sg.