If Singapore had an official mythic creature, the Merlion is it. The icon was designed in the 1960s as an official symbol of the Singapore Tourism Board, and it's taken on a life of its own since then. In the local "Singlish" slang, "to merlion" means "to throw up" (referring to the spout that ejects from the Merlion statue - thanks to its redundant piping, the Merlion never stops "merlioning").
The Merlion statue stands in a 2,500 square meter park beside the Singapore River, adjacent to One Fullerton and the historic Fullerton Hotel. A viewing deck stands ready to accommodate up to 300 people who want to survey the Merlion and the surrounding skyline. Boat passengers can also disembark here, thanks to a boat landing point near the statue.
Nearby, the One Fullerton offers a variety of restaurants and bars, where tourists can rest before going to the next stop on their trip. The historic Fullerton Hotel is ready to accommodate guests with some extra dosh; a number of cheaper hotels can also be found within walking distance of the Merlion.
Address: Fullerton Road, Singapore
How to get there: Take the MRT, get off at Raffles Place station. Exit towards United Overseas Bank (UOB) Plaza (refer to the map in the station for more details). From the middle of the plaza, you'll see Fullerton Hotel. Merlion Park is immediately behind it.
