165 meters above ground in Asia’s largest Observation Wheel

Oh man, Lars and I are chickens when it comes to heights. As soon as we get to heights that we are not used to our hands get sweaty and our hearts beat faster.

We are excited when we leave Singapore’s MRT station “Promenade” and the giant steel construction appears in front of us. With its 165 meters the Singapore Flyer is an integral part of the city’s skyline; like the skyscrapers and the Marina Bay Sands Hotel.

The sky in blue above the Singapore Flyer in the early morning

It is a sunny morning but suddenly Singapore’s sky turns into a dark grey cloud cover and a heavy thunderstorm is about to begin. Within a few minutes vivid lightning flashes and loud thunder rolls around us which is so loud and strong that I am even a bit scared. While I am hoping for a quick end Lars is fascinated by this natural spectacle and tries to capture the moment with our camera. I am just thinking “Great, our ride is about to start in a few minutes. That is perfect timing!”

Fascinating lightning during the thunderstorm

Just a few minutes later I am very happy to hear a voice coming from the speakers, saying the Singapore Flyer stops operating as long as the thunderstorm is going on. That is exactly what I wanted to hear.
What I do not know yet, because it is our first morning in Singapore, is that thunderstorms are totally normal here and usually appear as quickly as they disappear again.

Just half an hour later the sky clears up and the flyer starts to rotate.

Happy in our capsule

We enter one of the 28 capsules of the observation wheel and are surprised. As we contacted the management of the Singapore Flyer before to ask for photography and film permission, they gave us the private MOET capsule. This and other capsules can be booked for private events e.g. romantic dinners, champagne receptions or business meetings.

Golf ball BoB enjoying the view of the Gardens by the Bay

Our capsule starts to move and we are impressed how smoothly the second biggest observation wheel in the world (only Las Vegas’s observation wheel is higher) spins. First we get to see Singapore’s Formula 1 pit lane and the higher we get the more of the city comes into sight. Golf ball BoB, Lars and I are fascinated by the view and are so happy that Singapore’s sky always clears up quickly after a thunderstorm.

Almost without noticing we reach the top of the observation wheel. At this point our capsule stands at 165 meters which is the height of a 42-storey building. That is pretty cool! From up here the cars on the street below us look like little moving spots.

The view of Singapore from the top of the observation wheel is amazing

We do not know where to look first. On one side are the two big glass roofs of the conservatories and the high Super Trees of Gardens by the Bay and in the opposite direction we see Singapore’s skyline with its high-rises and the probably best-known building of the city; Marina Bay Sands. The hotels observation deck is even a bit higher than the flyer but the stunning roof feels pretty close.

Look at this! The stunning view of Singapore’s skyline from our capsule

In good weather conditions one can see as far as the southern end of Malaysia’s mainland as well as the islands of Indonesia. Our camera is very busy because we do not want to miss a good shot of the city. With the floor-to-ceiling windows of the capsules you can look almost everywhere.

We are almost as high as the roof of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel

In each capsule up to 28 people can enjoy this smooth ride and the amazing views. All capsules are air-conditioned and when you have a closer look at the steel construction you have a very good and safe feeling. Even cowards like us can be totally relaxed. Our hands are as dry as the desert which is really a good sign.

After about 30 minutes the capsule has completed its 360° ride and we three leave the capsule with hundreds of pictures more on our memory card. A ride with the Singapore Flyer is definitely an adventure for young and old.

The Singapore Flyer at night with its colorful lights

For all who get a bit hungry during the ride the Singapore Flyer offers different restaurants on the ground level. Also a small tropical rainforest that is located right under the steel construction invites to a short stroll.

Have you been to the Singapore Flyer? How did you like the ride in the capsule and the view from the top? Leave a comment below!

Thanks for reading and safe travels,
Liane

Thank you Singapore Flyer for your invitation, the great ride and the stunning views! All opinions are, as always, our own.