Clarke Quay Fast Facts:

  • Clark Quay was named after Singapore’s second Governor and Governor of the Straits Settlements.  His name was Sir Andrew Clarke and he held office from 1873 to 1875.
  • In 1896, Clarke Street was officially given the same name after originally being two streets (East Street and West Street in north Kampong Malacca).
  • Clarke Street was also converted into a pedestrian mall.
  • A government clean-up of the Singapore River and its surroundings occurred between 1977 and 1987.
  • One of the conservation projects was called the Clarke Quay Festival Village and Clarke Quay officially opened on December 10, 1993.
  • Clarke Quay was redeveloped only ten years later in 2003.

Slowly but surely, the Singapore River area has transformed during the past 150 years from the most basic seaport trade to a mix of traditional and modern industries that serve the public with a variety of entertaining venues.  Clarke Quay continuously provides a spectacular waterfront view for all of its restaurants and shops, and sipping wine at one of its high-class bars is more than enough to have visitors coming back for more.

Here is a little bit of Clarke Quay history:

Before Clarke Quay became a popular attraction for tourists and locals, the Singapore River was visited by fishermen from neighboring villages.  During its most prosperous period, bumboats scrambled for their own space along the Clarke Quay.  By the end of the twentieth century, pollution in the Singapore River was significant.  When the government chose to relocate its cargo services to Pasir Panjang, the smaller bumboats and lorries followed along.  In this way, Clarke Quay was abandoned until it was again affected by the government a second time.  Clarke Quay’s second chance was the best thing that could have happened to the Singapore River (since it meant cleaning everything up!).  When you visit, you won’t be disappointed.

What recreations are available at Clarke Quay?

There is plenty of waterfront recreation through the Royal Selangor Process Demonstration Tour and the Royal Selangor’s School of Hard Knocks course; you will feel that pewter making has never been as fun as when you tried it at Clarke Quay. Combine it with a great opportunity for some adrenaline rush on Singapore’s first G-Max Reverse Bungy and you’ll never want to leave!  G-MAX reverse bungee opened at Clarke Quay in November of 2003.  Release whatever is stressing you by allowing the open-air capsule to catapult you to a height of 60 meters at the great speed of 200 kilometers per hour! You can then relax on an original bumboat ride down the waterways or take in the view on a traditional trishaw ride through the area.

What other attractions are at the quay?

Clarke Quay is not just charming for its renewed shop-houses, pushcarts, and five-foot merchant ways.  Beyond imagining the loading and unloading of vessels in the navigable water, restored warehouses and Chinese tongkangs make the experience just as historically significant.  Who knew five historical blocks could pack in so much modern enjoyment, with the likes of  Singapore’s First Permanent Illusion Show in The Arena, along with the Ministry of Sound, the Clinic, the Forbidden City (by the Indochine Group) and other popular restaurants and nightclubs (like Hooters and Indochine).  There are river taxis and river cruises too!  Sundays are a great time to visit as the area is filled with people going through the flea market.

Get a different view.

If you want to see Clarke Quay on a larger scale, just take a walk on the nearby Ord Bridge for pedestrians.  Ord bridge was selected by the Urban Redevelopment Authority for conservation on November 3, 2008.  It crosses the Singapore River at Clarke Quay and takes traffic from  Singapore’s central business district.  Just for your information, Ord Bridge’s name was taken from an abbreviation of its old name, Ordnance Bridge.  Its old name was associated with the old British ordnance depot on Magazine Road.  People have also called it the Toddy Bridge because of toddy shops in Pulau Saigon, a reclaimed island on the Singapore River.

Tips for Travelers:

  • Clarke Quay has an MRT Station of the same name and it is located nearby.
  • A new development concept, operating somewhat as a shopping center, was completed in 2007.  It is called The Central and it is located right above the MRT station.
  • Clarke Quay is upstream from Boat Quay.
  • For more information visit the official Clarke Quay website.

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