Singapore was established as a fishing village but transformed into a shipping and trading hub in the early 1800s. To accommodate large trade demands, various docking stations were created along the Singapore River. Each one handled a tremendous amount of goods going into and out of the country, but when shipping moved to another part of the city-state, the Singapore River fell into disarray.

For most of the first part of the 20th century, the Singapore River was terribly polluted. All of this changed when the government dedicated funds to refurbishing the river and its loading and unloading areas (labeled “quays,” pronounced “keys”) sitting adjacent to the water. The cleanup project ended in the late 1980s and commerce came flooding into the former river quays.

Cleanup efforts birthed three major tourist attractions along the river: Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay. While each had been known by the same names in the past, the areas once overrun by warehouses welcomed an influx of commerce in the form of shops and restaurants. Today, tourists and locals can enjoy taking in beautiful lights, lush gardens, tasty restaurants and entertainment options (theater houses and live music abound in the area) along the quay system, spanning less than two miles, making it a pleasant stroll for those visiting Singapore.