Merlion Park Church

Address: Merlion Park, 1 Fullerton Road, Singapore 049213

Website: https://www.visitsingapore.com

Hours: Park open 24 hours; statue area busiest daytime and evenings

Admission: Free to visit park and view the Merlion; fees apply for Marina Bay Sands SkyPark or river cruises

Merlion Park is a small public park on the Marina Bay waterfront in central Singapore, anchored by the iconic Merlion statue that combines a lion head with a fish body. The larger statue is a well known symbol of the city-state and dates from the early 1970s.

The site is primarily a photographic viewpoint and short promenade offering unobstructed views across Marina Bay to landmarks such as Marina Bay Sands, the Esplanade concert hall and the central business district skyline. The main Merlion statue is 8.6 metres tall and is paired with a smaller Merlion cub positioned beside it. People use the promenade for short walks, skyline photography and to board nearby sightseeing boats that operate on the bay.

The Merlion motif was adopted as a promotional emblem in the 1960s and the larger concrete statue was installed in the early 1970s; it was relocated to the current Marina Bay promenade area in the early 2000s to improve public access and views. The statue was created for the Singapore Tourism Board and has since remained a civic and tourist symbol.

The park sits on the northern edge of Marina Bay, adjacent to the One Fullerton area and within central Singapore. It is in the downtown bay district and is easily reached from nearby public transport nodes and pedestrian routes.

• Best viewing times: Best light for photos is at sunrise and sunset when the Marina Bay skyline and reflections are most vivid.
• Boat access: Small sightseeing boat services and river cruises board within a short walk of the park, providing a different perspective of the bay.

What to See#

• Main Merlion: Sited on a waterfront promenade at Marina Bay, the larger statue stands 8.6 metres tall and was sculpted for public display in the 1970s.
• Merlion cub / secondary statue: A smaller complementary statue sits beside the main figure and is commonly called the Merlion cub; it is markedly lower in height and used as a secondary photo subject.

Merlion Park is a short walk from Raffles Place MRT (North-South and East-West lines) - about a 10-12 minute walk via the Esplanade Bridge. Multiple bus routes stop nearby at the Fullerton area.

• Go at dawn or just after sunset to avoid midday glare and to see the Merlion's head silhouetted against the skyline.
• For photographs without crowds, stand on the steps of the Esplanade Bridge or take a short waterfront walk toward the Fullerton Hotel.
• Combine a visit with a river cruise to view the Merlion from the water for different angles.