Are you someone who loves collecting moments captured as pictures during a vacation? Or, the kind of person who takes photos not just for memories, but for others to get inspired and travel as well? In that case, Singapore should be one of the first choices for you to visit.
The reason is simply that it is brimming with places vivid in colours, verdant greenery, and sights that calm your sprinting mind. It’s one of the few cities that has embraced aesthetics and quiet natural beauty to be part of it. There are plenty of activities in Singapore to keep you busy, but if your choice of spending time capturing its beauty in your camera lens and showing it to the world through Instagram, then you ought to know where to go for picturesque places. So, make sure you have enough battery charge in your camera and storage in your phone, as once you start clicking, you will end up with countless pictures, especially at these fascinating Singapore attractions.
Arab Street and Haji Lane
Make Kampong Glam one of the places to visit in Singapore for chasing perfect frames. It has Haji Lane and Arab Street – two of the most popular cultural streets in Singapore. One should definitely visit them to get some awesome clicks to flaunt on social media. These two streets are less than five minutes apart and offer a treasure trove of colourful backgrounds to level up your photography game. You can find vibrant street art, quaint cafes, and unique shops that make for perfect photo opportunities. The blend of traditional architecture and modern designs creates a visually stunning atmosphere. Whether you’re looking for a colourful backdrop or a serene setting, these streets offer endless possibilities for capturing memorable shots. The colossal golden dome of the Sultan Mosque, one of the most prominent cultural landmarks in Singapore, stands just a few paces from Haji Lane and Arab Street. At Arab Street, you can frame it perfectly with the colourful shophouses and palm-lined lane in the foreground.
Fort Canning
Image credit – https://media.istockphoto.com/
This is one of the most Instagrammable spots in Singapore. One minute you’re shooting large archways sheathed in green foliage, the next you are lying with your back on the ground, angling your camera to perfectly frame those famous spiral staircases and the canopy of the dense trees and blue sky for a brilliant shot. Apart from this iconic spot, the rust-red brick archway draped in green vines, the Spice Garden, and Raffles House are some other gems worth checking out. Even if you are not an expert photographer, the ambience, the architecture, and the gorgeous natural lighting all work in your favour, and you will still end up with some of the best clicks of your life.
Merlion
The image of a half-lion, half-fish statue spouting water into the Singapore River is usually what pops into your mind the moment Singapore is mentioned. The iconic structure that Singapore is recognised for, the Merlion, stands majestically on Fullerton Road in Marina Bay. The Merlion looks fascinatingly beautiful and has a constant presence on Singapore’s postcards, keychains, fridge magnets, and even chocolates. Because of its popularity, you will find it almost impossible to get a clear shot without crowds hovering around it. But if you visit on a weekday afternoon, you can often have this iconic landmark nearly to yourself, with only a few tourists lingering. If you want a stunning shot with the backdrop of Marina Bay Sands bathed in mellow sunlight, we suggest you visit early in the morning. A Singapore River cruise is also a wonderful way to photograph and film the Merlion, along with the surrounding landmark attractions, to add to your Instagram feed.
Marina Bay Sands
Another landmark that has been listed as the most photogenic spot in Singapore, Marina Bay Sands is an avant-garde marvel of modern engineering. It’s a jaw-dropping sight where you’ll find almost anyone standing beneath the three towers looking up with their mouth half-open in pure disbelief and awe. This grand luxury hotel always shines. It reflects the sunlight during the day, then mirrors a riot of multicoloured lights at night against a cyan-orange dual-toned sky. Walk to the Helix Bridge for perfect side-view shots of the towers with the Singapore River flowing calmly in the foreground. Or hop on a Singapore River cruise to fit both Marina Bay Sands and the Helix Bridge into one glorious wide-angle frame. On still evenings, the river turns into a perfect mirror. If you time it right, you can capture a flawless upside-down reflection of the entire hotel on the water’s surface. Also, make Marina Bay Sands the point to anchor your tripod and take snaps of sweeping panoramas of Singapore’s scintillating city skyline from the Marina Bay observatory deck. On Instagram, those photos will flood your feed with likes.
Supertrees Groves at the Gardens by the Bay
Singapore’s Marina Bay section has many iconic marvels whose sight might make you forget to breathe for a second. At Gardens by the Bay, one such attraction is the collection of 12 giant metal trees wrapped with vertical gardens on them – the Supertree Groves. During the day, they look like tall, beautiful sculptures covered in orchids, ferns, and climbers crawling all over them. As the sky goes deep indigo, the Supertrees start glowing brilliantly, looking like something a sci-fi writer dreamed up for an intergalactic movie. The lighting also has a rhythm- the trees light up in slow waves of colour, and it feels like they’re breathing. At around 7.30 pm, the lights quicken their pace, followed by energising music to which the Supertree lights perform in sync with every note. The light show happens twice every evening, and it costs nothing to watch from the ground. However, each photo you capture here is priceless. Try different photography techniques here, from wide-lens shots to the bokeh effect.
Chinatown
Chinatown is a sureshot feature in Singapore packages, and the reason is simple. It is so aesthetically pleasing and fascinatingly photogenic from every single angle. Your first real brush with cultural vibrance in Singapore will almost definitely happen here. Being one of the most dramatically vivid places in the entire country, it gives you endless ways to take pictures. The pastel shophouses standing in perfect rows, the red lanterns floating overhead, and the red-gold temples tucked between hip cafes – all look picture-postcard perfect. No Singapore trip feels truly complete until you have walked those streets, wondering how one single neighbourhood managed to be this pretty.
Singapore Botanical Gardens
If Gardens by the Bay feels too loud and extravagant, the Singapore Botanic Gardens will suit your preference better. Nestled within the city, this is Singapore’s oldest garden, sprawling across a whopping 82 hectares, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s one of the most photogenic places in Singapore to capture nature’s beautiful elements. The lush green walkways and sprawling manicured landscapes make amazing backdrops for solo and group photos. It wouldn’t be surprising to find brides and grooms in their breathtaking wedding attire posing in nature for some memorable post-wedding pictures. Not just humans, otters, swans, and turtles will also strike a pose and end up on your Instagram feed. Inside, you will find huge lily ponds, the intricate Tanglin Gate, the Clock Tower, the extraordinary Swiss Granite Fountain, and the vibrant National Orchid Garden, all of which become perfect backdrops for your pictures.
Jewel Changi
Lastly, when you reach Changi Airport (either on arrival or for your departure), don’t forget to visit the iconic indoor waterfall – the Rain Vortex. Head towards the Shiseido Forest Valley – a lush indoor woodland with colourful orchids and other floral plants framing this beautiful attraction perfectly. Position yourself at the third level of the forest where the trees part just enough to frame the Rain Vortex perfectly for you to capture a shot of this cascade falling from the roof in slow motion, catching the sunlight and shimmering like hundreds of diamonds strung together. From the ground level, time it right so that you can click the approaching Jewel monorail with the falls in the background as well. You will require a bit of patience as there will be people hovering and posing around the waterfall, and you might have to wait for a stranger to walk out of frame. This attraction takes centre stage in your collection and is an excellent Instagram photo to post when visiting Singapore.
Conclusion
For visually nostalgic people and Instagram enthusiasts, Singapore is the perfect muse. Once you have captured the photo-worthy places in Singapore on your feed, you will suddenly feel that your old photos in your feed look quite basic. Singapore lets you borrow a little magic in the photos you click here, that makes strangers stop scrolling, and hit the like button before commenting with curiosity – ‘Where is this place?’ Bring whatever camera you have, even if it’s just your phone, and start clicking! Singapore will make sure that your photos come out extraordinarily beautiful.
