Marina Bay Sands ~ the infamous must-see landmark of Singapore

10 Bayfrount Avenue

Singapore 018956

The stunning Marina Bay Sands from Esplanade.

What a day!!! Too tiring but we enjoyed every minute of our ‘on foot’ journey along Marina Bay. It was a very frantic/demanding schedule, but we managed everything smoothly. At first, we thought that one whole day is enough to check all the attractions here, but we were mistaken as there were still so many attractions we weren’t able to see because of time constraints. We missed some of the spots that we planned to visit like ‘Marina Barrage’, the ‘City Library’, the 'Avalon', the 'Pangea', and the ‘National Art Gallery’. 

The close-up view of Marina Bay Sands from marina bay promenade.

We were a ‘bit’ disappointed at some point; however, we were thankful as we already visited the ‘Fountain of Wealth’, ‘The Flyer’, and the ‘Helix Bridge’ which considered as landmarks of Singapore not to be missed. The location from one attraction to the other is merely 10 minutes or less 'on foot' depending on how fast you walk of course (ahahaha!). No need for you to hire a taxi or ride a bus as these areas is just in close proximity to each other. You can take the MRT to Promenade Station (Circle Line) and from there all of these spot is easily accessible (just don’t forget to bring a bottle of water though just in case). Should you like to take a water taxi, there are area stations located at Grand Copthorne Water Front, Raffles landing Site, Boat Quay, River Side Point and Robertson Quay that cost you around SGD 4 to SGD 16 varies on how far your destination maybe.

Right after our flight to Singapore’s answer to London eye, ‘The Flyer’; we headed directly to ‘Marina Bay Sands’ locally known as ‘MBS’. We passed through the ‘Youth Olympic Park’ and the famous ‘Double Helix Bridge’ while witnessing the magnificent panoramic view of Singapore’s signature city skyline.

Directions inside the mall.

Personally, the focal point of Marina Bay is the impressive architectural design of the Marina Bay Sands. Just the stand alone beauty of this superb structure is so conspicuous. Since it is one of the famous landmarks in Singapore, we told ourselves that no matter what happen we need to witness firsthand the grandeur of this iconic hotel which everything can be found in one roof. 

Wide view near the entrance to the Art Science Museum

Marina Bay Sands is an integrated resort considered as the ‘world’s most expensive stand alone casino property at a staggering SGD 8 billion’ Whew!!! What can you say about that huh? It’s a one-stop destination for business, leisure and entertainment that offers world class luxury casino and hotel complete with 5-star restaurant, a museum,  expo and convention facilities, glamorous shopping mall, two state-of-the-art theaters, sensational nightlife, and of course the stunning ‘Skypark’ that capped the three 55-storey towers, which I will feature in a separate entry.’

Casino entrance signage.

Entering inside the casino section, smart casual wear is required. Short pants, sleeveless shirts, slippers and flip-flops are not allowed. Just show your passports that you are not Singaporean then you are free of entrance fee; however, if you are a citizen then you are required to pay SGD 200.

Bulgari's luxury house.

MBS is not just mainly about casinos and hotel as this is also called the place for everything that you fancy with. That's why, we spent much of our time roaming around ‘The Shoppe’ and feed ourselves with luxury items that are only reachable in dreams (ahahaha!). Even we can’t afford to buy one at least we experienced it personally (ahahaha!). Most of the internationally known fashion brands have its own exclusives lavish boutiques in here such as Prada, Cartier, Chanel, Ralph Lauren, Hermes, Gucci, Chopard, Vertu and a lot more that creates a modern shopping mecca that rivals the fashion capitals of the world. Why bother to go to New York, Paris, or Milan if you can find luxury items that you wanted to have here, ayt? (hmmmmm I was just dreaming ok? ~ ahahaha)

Dior's store at 'The Shoppe'.

Besides astounding retail indulgence, what interest me most is their man made canal that runs through the length of ‘The Shoppes’. This replicates as if you were really in Venice complete with gondola and gondolier. The difference is that they used the traditional and unique ‘sampan’ in here. You will be treated to hourly water shows of 'Rain Oculus' cascading from two stories above while you travel among the waterways that link The Shoppes together. Please note that Children 1-12 years old must be accompanied by adults and babies under 2 years old are not permitted. The price for the boat ride is SGD10 per person that can fit 4 people max each time. I was trying to convinced Balong and Lemwuel to experience the ride but they refused to do so as we have a very long list of attractions to visit that day (ahahaha!).

Ride a 'sampan' for SGD 10.

If food is what you are craving for, then you will be thrilled to know there are over 50 dining choices, including celebrity-chef restaurants, helmed by Mario Batali, Daniel Boulud, Wolfgang Puck, Santi Santamaria, Guy Savoy, Tetsuya Wakuda and Justin Quek. And let’s not forget about Rasapura Masters, the 21,000 square foot food marketplace.

View of the synthetic ice skating rink from the 4th floor.

They have ‘synthetic ice skating rink’ in here should you like try. It is located inside the retail complex on the Canal Level and next to the regional street-food masters of Rasapura Food Court. It is not that huge comparing to SM Mall of Asia Arena (Philippines), but good enough for the kids and adult alike to enjoy. The shape is not your typical elongated oval as it concurs with the design of the ground floor. The pricing is SGD 7 per hour for adults and SGD 6 for kids and you'll pay an additional SGD 5 if ever you'll extend for the next hour. 

Facade of the Louis Vuitton Island Maison in the midst of Singapore's signature skyline.

After few hours of window shopping, we find our way out of the building and roamed around the exterior of the resort. We’ve seen two pavilions just adjacent to MBS. The first one houses two internationally known nightclubs, the 'Avalon' and the 'Pangea' while the other one dwells the 'world’s largest boutique of Louis Vuitton Island Maison'. Both are situated amidst the Marina Bay's breathtaking landscape. There is a floating bridge just in case you’re interested to visit both places. For party goers, Avalon and Pangea are best for you; whereas, if you like to shop lavishly then visits the amazing crystal pavilion of LV Maison. It is the 'first Louis Vuitton Maison in Southeast Asia', and was specially designed by internationally acclaimed award-winning architect Peter Marino.

On our way to the maison while enjoying the view of marina bay landscape.

Just nearby to the Maison is 'largest private museum in Singapore', the 'world's first Art Science Museum'. I was particularly fascinated by the “existence” of a museum near a casino because these two don’t seem to blend but here it was.  There’s absolutely no need to do background reading or be an art enthusiast to “properly appreciate the arts” just the façade of this building will explain everything. The architecture is said to be a form reminiscent of a lotus flower; however, locals and tourist referred this as ‘the welcoming hand of Singapore’ to greet guests from across the globe. We supposed to attend the Harry Potter exhibit but unfortunately the exhibition starts two days after our flight back to Manila. Well, since we won't be able to witness the exhibit; thus, we just enjoy the interesting surroundings and took lots of pictures as souvenirs. 

The stunning architecture of 'Art Science Museum' from LV Maison.

There are places by the Art Science museum that offer outdoor seating to enjoy the bay and we rest in there for a while to recharge a few energy lost and just by watching the beauty of the environs will make you say that 'We'll be back again for sure'.

Up-close view of 'the welcoming hand of Singapore' to welcome guest around the world.

It has been a fulfilling trip with so much done in so little time. Despite some tiny regrets – which were completely a minor planning mistake – We're positive that Marina Bay Sands will offer more fun and values the next time we return.

The pathway in between of LV Maison and Art Science Museum.

Marina Bay Sands is located at 10 Bayfront Avenue, along the Marina Bay Waterfront, in the heart of Singapore, only 10 minutes from Changi International Airport which is open 24 hours.

This is what Singapore's landmark looks like.

So there you go, that’s it for now….

Cheeeeerrrrrrrrrioooooooooossss

Enan signing off.

:)