Situated in the southern region of Singapore, District 01 includes:
- Boat Quay: A historically significant riverside neighbourhood now transformed into a popular entertainment and tourist district.
- Raffles Place: A premier downtown financial and business centre filled with skyscrapers and office towers overlooking a spectacular waterfront.
- Marina Bay: A world- renowned and iconic waterfront that houses some of Singapore’s most exciting malls, resorts, casinos, attractions, offices, and top-class culinary destinations.
Nature and Sports Centres
While Raffles Place and Boat Quay do not offer as many pockets of green spaces compared to other neighbourhoods, they do have a unique waterfront that makes up for it – the Singapore River. For many residents living in the vicinity, the Singapore River promenade makes for a scenic route to jog, cycle, and take relaxing evening strolls that you just can’t get anywhere else in Singapore.
Prefer more green spaces near your home? Nature lovers will rejoice knowing that the adjacent Marina Bay neighbourhood is home to Gardens by the Bay, a sprawling 101 hectares of lush greenery, dramatic Supertrees, and air-conditioned flower domes. What’s more, it is connected via a cycling and walking path to the Marina Barrage (a hotspot for kite flying and picnicking families), and an equally expansive Marina Bay Golf Course.
For sports lovers, there is a wide variety of fitness centres (from yoga studios to boxing gyms) around the district to cater to office workers seeking adrenaline after a long day of work.
Heritage Attractions
Designated as a conservation area back in 1989, you’ll notice that the buildings in the Boat Quay area have been restored to their 19th-century Chinese shophouse and warehouse glory to house a variety of exciting food & beverage establishments and night entertainment outlets.
Within Raffles Place, historical landmarks include Singapore’s first Teochew temple, the Yueh Hai Ching Temple, Cavanagh Bridge, the oldest bridge linking the commercial and civic district, and Fullerton Hotel, a 5-star hotel that is also a national monument. And even more significantly, it’s where you can find Raffles’ Landing Site, the location where it is believed that Singapore’s founding father, Sir Stamford Raffles landed in 1819.
Schools, Libraries, and Other Public Facilities
Due to the prime real estate, public primary and secondary schools are not found in this district. However, there is a wide range of preschools in the area, like Little Skool House and MindChamps Preschool, to cater to working parents with little ones.
The main library within the district is located within the Esplanade Performing Arts Centre. Not only is it a one-stop-shop for information on the performing arts, but it also hosts a variety of arts programmes and exhibitions regularly.
Food & Beverages (F&B) and Retail Outlets
District 1 is home to so many popular F&B favourites that residents nearby will be spoiled for choice.
For authentic, affordable, and local Singaporean cuisine, there is the historic Lau Pat Sat hawker centre, Market Street Hawker Centre, and Foodfare @ Clifford Centre amongst many others. For diverse international cuisine, there’s a whole stretch of casual restaurants along the riverfront in Boat Quay and the Bayfront at One Fullerton, to the top-in-class Michelin restaurants in Marina Bay Sands.
Part of the tourist belt and bustling business district, the district is jam-packed with exciting retail options to cater to every need. From the luxury shopping at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, the family-friendly Marina Square (with more than 200 shops), to the array of underground malls like Marina Bay Link Mall for everyday needs, everything is a stone’s throw away.
Incredible Connectivity
With 2 major interchanges at Raffles Place and Marina Bay, and stations along the Downtown line (Telok Ayer, Downtown, and Bayfront), the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations within District 1 offer unparalleled connectivity within the downtown area and across the island.