About

The Singapore River is a river in Singapore that flows from the Central Area, which lies in the Central Region in the southern part of Singapore before emptying into the ocean. Singapore River, river/waterway, is located within the Central Region. The 3.2 km long river has been the lifeline of Singapore for more than 150 years. Proof of its ancient beginnings may be monumented on the Singapore Stone with undecipherable inscriptions found in 1819, at the river mouth. With Singapore's strategic location and establishment as a free-port, trade and commerce developed rapidly. The economic activity filled the river-ports waterways and quays with a flotilla of boats, with workmen loading and unloading goods for import or re-export in bumboats or lighters. The river's inadequate and unsuitable berthing facilities, plus the dramatic increase of shipping led to the development and growth of the New (later Keppel) Harbour. Through the years, the river became polluted, and environmental cleanup from 1983 cleared the waters, upgraded its banks, and gave the river "a new lease of life".

River Transport 

The river divided Singapore into the 'commercial' and 'government' sectors, and before the construction of bridges, the two sides were linked by dhonies (English spelling of Tamil word Thonee), a river-crossing Sampan (row-boat) operated by Indians. Propelled by oars, these small wooden boats were also outboard-motor driven and carried goods or passengers, or hawked snacks and sundry items. The much larger bumboats or lighters ferried goods for import and re-export. The "River Clean-up Campaign", which began in September 1983, saw the last of a few hundred lighters and small boats on their final journey out of the river. Today, converted bumboats operate as river-taxis which carry sightseeing passengers, with pickup and disembarkation points along Boat Quay and Clake Quay.

Tips

• You can take the River Taxi for about 40Min, or walk along the banks and see the transformation Singapore has taken through its massive skyscrapers and well-lit skylines
• Note that the Marina Bay attractions are located about 5-10 minutes away from this river
  

Timings