Bumboat Down the Singapore River

The cruise

Bumboats used to carry cargo on this river. Now they carry tourists, but the boat itself hasn't changed much, and the perspective from the water is the part I like.

We board near Clarke Quay and head downstream. The shophouses lining Boat Quay look different from the water than from the street — most people only see them from above when they're standing at a railing. Down on the boat, you get a sense of how the river actually shaped Singapore's growth as a trading port.

Past the Cavenagh Bridge, the boat heads out toward Marina Bay. Marina Bay Sands, the ArtScience Museum, the Esplanade — they all sit at the river mouth, and the geometry of how they're arranged is best understood from a boat.

I time the cruise to land in Marina Bay around the start of the evening light show. We watch from the water.

Dinner

After the cruise, we walk to a riverside restaurant I've been using for these tours. The view is good, the food is reliable, and I'll talk you through the menu.

Logistics

• 12:30 PM start, 2:30 PM finish (evening start times available on request)
• Maximum 20 people
• Riverside meal included
• English / Arabic / Bahasa Indonesia / Turkish / Malay

Tour Highlights