After a long tiring wandering in Gardens by the Bay, we roamed around in Clarke Quay until late evening. Travelers never run out of energy, for sure we are the best example! But honestly Clarke Quay’s vibe and energy is so electric and contagious, the place is so alive with lots of restaurants, bars and the colorful lights reflected on the Singapore river. Who would not be energized with that!
We started by walking around the bridge fronting the river. There were some souvenir shops. Then we saw appetizing menus outside the restaurants. There were king crabs, that’s deliciously yummy and expensive, plus we’re in Clarke Quay, I bet it doubled the price. We looked for another restaurant that’s more affordable and fronting the river. We are a budget travelers and will visit multiple countries, we don’t want to splurge yet on Singapore as it’s the first country we visited, worried of running out money as Singapore is expensive in terms of lifestyle.
Top things to do in Clarke Quay for Budget Travelers
Dinner by the Singapore River
It would be perfect to dine and enjoy the meal with overlooking riverfront. The colorful lights from Clarke Quay reflects on the river which is a great view already.
Here are the recommended affordable restaurants
Little Saigon – is a Vietnamese food, they sell golden whitebaits, crab soup around SGD7-10. It’s cheap but delicious. They serve different drinks as well.
Yan Kee Noodle House – if you are on a tight budget, then go for a noodle soup at Yan Kee Noodle House. Cheapest they offer ranges from SGD3.50-4
nomVnom in Clarke Quay Central – it’s affordable too. They serve burgers, fries, pasta, lowest price from SGD 5.
Chillin’ at the Bar and Cafe
Enjoy a cool and relaxing drinks while enjoying the view, as well as the music. You can find a lot of bars in Clarke Quay that offers live acoustic music and dance clubs. We choose to stay in a bar with soft music, just chill and enjoying chit chats and enjoying the drinks.
Top Rated Bars in Clarke Quay
Crazy Elephant – a decent bar with slow rock live music every night. The ambiance is casual and vibrant.
Cafe Iguana – they offer good Mexican food but expensive. Majority of restaurants and bars in Clarke Quay are expensive so make your budget a little higher if you want to experience the cozy atmosphere. But if you are on a tight budget, you can skip this one.
Budget Tip: We spent SGD 3-5 every meal in Singapore. That’s around 150 -250 in Philippine pesos. If you don’t fancy the restaurants and bars and if you want more cheaper food, there is a 7-Eleven convenience store in Clarke Quay too and and there are tables and benches available outside that’s fronting the river.
River Cruise
You can do river cruise around Clarke Quay. It’s a magical experience – a 40 minutes boat ride along the river. This cost SGD 25-30 and best time to do river cruise is around 7:30 to 8:30PM.
Shopping
There are lots of shopping stalls in Clarke Quay from apparel, to bags, shoes and souvenirs. When done with other stuffs and activities, why not try shopping.
Walk Around
If you don’t like bars, noises but would like to experience the view, walking around is fun and a great option too in Clarke Quay. There are still lots to see, and being a first timer in Singapore, I enjoyed walking around before heading to MRT station going back to hotel.
Practical Travel Tips
- Casual and comfy wear. Best to skip slippers or flip flops if you’ll enter clubs
- Clarke Quay is busy at night, have an early dinner. Tables with river view fill up so fast around 7pm-8pm.
- Singapore is a little expensive specially in good food like in Clarke Quay
- It is safe to walk in Clarke quay even until dawn, perfect for solo travelers
- Most restaurants will close at 11pm and some bars operate until 12 midnight. Singapore has a regulations in liquors
- Bring power bank and phones to take photos. Surely your phone might be power out already from day tour activities.
How to Get There
Take the north east line going to Clarke Quay station. It’s walking distance from the Mrt exit. If you spot vibrant lights, just follow it, it will lead you to Clarke quay.
My Clarke Quay Travel Reflection
Clarke Quay might sound less compare to those iconic attractions in Singapore but Clarke Quay is not just a night life but it’s an experience. Your itinerary might be fully booked already, but save one night and visit Clarke quay. I assure you it’s worth to remember too when you are in Singapore.
Check out the Complete DIY Travel Guide: Singapore Mainland to Sentosa Island
