Best Views in Singapore: Our 9 Favorite Viewpoints & Rooftop Bars

Marina Bay Sandy

The Marina Bay Sands has become one of Singapore’s most iconic landmarks since it opened in 2010. The infinity pool on the roof is world-famous, and the view from up there is seriously breathtaking.

A visit to the Marina Bay Sands is practically a must for every visitor — even if you’re just on a quick Singapore stopover.

You have three options for getting up to the rooftop terrace:

1. Stay at the hotel — only guests are allowed to use the rooftop pool.
2. Eat or drink at one of the three restaurants on the roof.
3. Buy a ticket for the Skypark.

Most visitors go with option 3, and honestly, it’s the most affordable of the three by a long shot.

Tickets cost 18 euros when you book online in advance through GetYourGuide — and you get to skip the line, which is a real bonus.

Buy your Skypark ticket online

We recommend heading up at sunset. It’s the busiest time, but the view is simply phenomenal — totally worth the crowds.

If you want to actually swim in the pool 200 meters above Singapore’s skyline, you’ll need to book a room at the hotel. Check current room prices here:

Current room prices at Marina Bay Sands

If you’d rather enjoy the best views in Singapore from a more affordable base, check out our full hotel guide:

The best neighborhoods to stay in and our hotel recommendations for Singapore

The Ferris Wheel in Singapore: Singapore Flyer

The Singapore Flyer is located right behind the Marina Bay Sands. Until 2014 it was the largest ferris wheel in the world — today it still holds the number two spot.

It moves very slowly, similar to the famous Vienna Riesenrad. One full rotation takes 30 minutes — so slow, in fact, that it doesn’t even need to stop for passengers to board and exit.

The view is great, but you can only photograph through glass panels here. On top of that, the vantage point is fairly similar to what you get from the Marina Bay Sands Skypark, so we’d suggest picking one or the other rather than doing both.

The ride isn’t cheap at 33 SGD.

Photo tip: When shooting through glass, a polarizing filter can really help cut down on reflections. We explain how to use one correctly in our in-depth article on filter photography.

1-Altitude

If you want to enjoy a drink at 282 meters above ground while looking down over most of Singapore’s skyline, head to the city’s highest rooftop bar: 1-Altitude.

Up here you get a full 360-degree panorama over Singapore. The crowd is a bit snooty and the dress code is smart casual — no shorts, no flip-flops.

Admission costs 30 SGD (35 SGD after 9 PM) and includes one drink.

Our tip: Every Wednesday is Ladies Night — women get free admission to 1-Altitude!

Level33

Our absolute favorite among the rooftop bars in Singapore — and honestly one of our top insider tips for Singapore — is LeVeL33. You get a fantastic view over Marina Bay and a slightly different angle for photography compared to the other spots. Tripods aren’t allowed, but we were permitted to use a small Gorrillapod.

Just as impressive as the Singapore skyline views is the beer. LeVeL33 is the world’s highest craft beer brewery, and the beer is really excellent — though it doesn’t come cheap. Then again, beer in Singapore is never cheap.

You can usually get a spot on the terrace without a reservation. If you want to sit down or eat, though, book ahead.

You’ll find LeVeL33 in Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 1.

National Gallery Rooftop

The rooftop of the National Gallery — also one of the most beautiful attractions in Singapore — offers a lovely view of the skyline.

You don’t need to buy a gallery ticket to get up to the roof. There’s apparently an outdoor exhibition in the exterior area now too (when we visited, there was nothing up there except the bar).

If you want to make more of it, treat yourself to a cocktail at Smoke and Mirrors, the rooftop bar on top of the National Gallery. It’s a seriously great spot to take in the Singapore skyline views.

The Pinnacle@Duxton

The Pinnacle@Duxton is a residential complex on the edge of Chinatown, made up of seven 50-story high-rises.

All seven buildings are connected by a massive rooftop observation terrace, giving you a great view over Chinatown, the Financial District, and the port of Singapore. Best of all: it’s not just for residents — visitors are welcome too. And even better: the whole thing costs just 6 SGD.

There is one small challenge though: finding the entrance isn’t all that straightforward. But that’s exactly why we’re here.

Important: To access the rooftop terrace, you need an EZ-Link card or a Singapore Tourist Pass. If you’re taking the subway in Singapore, you should have one of these anyway.

The seven buildings are labeled A through G. To reach the rooftop terrace, head to Building G — the letters are clearly marked, including on the elevators.

On the 1st floor of Building G there’s a small, somewhat hidden ticket counter. Note that if you walk through the park area between the buildings, you’re actually on the 3rd floor — so you’ll need to take the elevator down to the 1st floor first.

At the counter, pay your 6 SGD per person (cash only!). Your access authorization is then loaded onto your EZ-Link card or Tourist Pass.

Almost there! Take elevator A or B up to the 50th floor, hold your card to the turnstile, and you’re on top.

Esplanade Roof Terrace

The Esplanade Roof Terrace is a free rooftop terrace on the small shopping center attached to the Esplanade Theatre.

The view isn’t extraordinary, but you do get a slightly elevated vantage point looking out over the skyline and the Marina Bay Sands. The pillars of the open-air stage in front of the viewpoint are unfortunately a bit of an obstacle for photographers.

It’s not a must-see — but since it’s free, we didn’t want to leave it off the list.

ION Sky

ION Sky is a lesser-known observation deck right on bustling Orchard Road.

It’s part of the ION Orchard shopping mall and offers a solid view over Singapore from the 55th floor. The catch: the view is entirely behind glass, which makes photography a bit trickier.

Getting up there takes a little effort too. You first need to make a purchase at ION Orchard — for every 20 SGD you spend, you receive a ticket to ION Sky.

Technically you need to install an app and show it while shopping, with your admission ticket sent to your phone a few days later. Since most visitors don’t have that kind of time, there’s a simpler option: just take your receipt to one of the information desks (concierge) in the mall and ask for ION Sky access. They’ll issue your ticket on the spot. Bring your passport — you’ll need to show it.

There are seven daily time slots: 2 PM, 2:45 PM, 3:30 PM, 4:15 PM, 5 PM, 7 PM, and 7:45 PM.

Once you’re up there, you watch a short video before the shutters rise and the view opens up.

Honestly, this is one viewpoint you don’t absolutely need to tick off. But if you’re already shopping on Orchard Road, it’s a fun bonus.

Orchard Central Rooftop Garden

A reader tipped us off to the free Rooftop Garden at Orchard Central Mall — and we’re really glad they did, because we’d have missed it otherwise.

There are two ways to get up there: take an elevator inside the mall to the 11th floor and then escalate to the 12th, or take the outdoor escalators on the building’s exterior. We strongly recommend the second option — it’s far more spectacular. On Orchard Road, roughly at the level of Emerald Hill Road, look for the escalators on the mall side.

Honestly, the long outdoor escalator ride alone — looking down as you glide up — makes the whole trip worthwhile.

Admission is free, and there are plenty of restaurants on the roof if you want to take a break.

Those are our nine favorite spots for the best views in Singapore — all personally visited and tested. Of course, these aren’t every observation deck or rooftop bar the city has to offer, but they’re the ones we’d genuinely recommend.