Sprouting from a 1970s land reclamation, Singapore’s Marina Bay transformed what was once part of the sea into an arts and culture hub. Its attractions draw an equal mix of locals and tourists as well as transplants whose finance and high-tech office buildings sit nearby.

Architectural dazzle spans all directions, from the lotus-shaped ArtScience Museum that seemingly floats on the bay and the DNA-inspired Helix Bridge linking Bayfront and Marina Centre to the oversized durian-shaped twin buildings of the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay containing a concert hall and performing arts theater.

Helix Bridge © Tangjans | Dreamstime.com

Anchoring the skyline are the three hotel towers of the Marina Bay Sands casino resort, connected 57 stories up by the boat-shaped SkyPark which stretches longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall.

The open-air SkyPark Observation Deck and SkyPark’s two restaurants, Sky on 57 and Cé La Vi, lend some of the best vantage points of Marina Bay, especially for sunset or the nighttime lights. SkyPark is also known for its hotel guest-only infinity pool that looks as if it’s dripping off the edge of the tower.

Inside Marina Bay Sands sprawl the seemingly endless walkways of upscale boutiques and brand-name stores at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, as well as the Marina Bay Sands Casino. At night, the Wonder Full 13-minute laser and electric lights show outside incorporates high-tech visual effects by the waterfront as it traces the journey of life, all to the backdrop of a pre-recorded 140-piece symphony orchestra.

Another prime vantage point for Marina Bay views, the Singapore Flyer, an observation wheel modeled on the London Eye, stands nearly 500 feet tall. One rotation takes about 30 minutes, enough time for a cocktail in a capsule shared with as many as 28 people.

On ground level, Marina Bay’s highlights ring a two-mile promenade around the bay, merging into a more than seven-mile waterfront route around Marina Reservoir. The route passes the showpiece of the Marina Bay district, Singapore’s futuristic park, Gardens by the Bay, including its often-photographed metal trees.

Spanning 250 acres, Gardens by the Bay comprises three gardens: Bay South, Bay East and Bay Central. Bay South, the largest waterfront garden, is home to the surreal “supertrees,” vertical gardens measuring up to 16 stories that also function to collect rainwater and generate solar power. A suspended walkway among the trees offers views over the gardens.

For all the glitz entailed in Marina Bay’s new constructions, there is one link to Singapore’s past. Merlion Park, near the Esplanade Bridge, features the popular statue of a merlion, with the body of a fish and head of a lion. First unveiled in 1972, The Merlion sculpture was originally located at the mouth of the Singapore River before being moved in 2002 for better viewing. Its body symbolizes Singapore’s beginnings as a fishing village, a reminder to all taking in the awe of Marina Bay how far this Lion City has come.