Quick guide to Marina Bay Singapore Countdown 2013

Singapore’s biggest annual countdown event; Marina Bay Singapore Countdown 2013 is just a day away. Usher in and embrace the New Year with your loved ones, families and friends. Witness the awakening of the New Year at the stroke of midnight as Marina Bay comes alive with celebrations, fireworks display and parties. Do expect large number of crowds and party revellers around the Marina Bay area and though it may be a good enough reason to stay home, you can still come down and soak in the atmosphere provided your ‘ingress’ and ‘egress’ routes are planned proper. You may want to refer to my fellow blogger, Daddy M’s A to Z guide to the countdown to help you plan your way around.

As major roads in and around Marina Bay will be closed, driving to Marina Bay is not advised. Instead, you are highly encouraged to use the public transport. As human congestion is likely to ensue, there are other 6 MRT stations at your convenience.

Bayfront: Marina Bay Sands. | City Hall: The Padang. | Raffles Place: One Fullerton, Clifford Square, Merlion Park. Marina Bay: Promontory, The Lawn | Esplanade: Esplande Watefront, Marina Square steps. | Promenade: The Float, Helix Bridge.

Moreover train and feeder bus services on New Year’s Eve will be extended till late to facilitate the huge turnout. Please refer to SMRT and SBS Transit for further details.

If you’re still keen on driving, please refer to the map above for information on road closures provided by One Motoring.

Fringed Activities

If you happen to be at Esplanade while waiting for the clock to strike midnight; here are some of the activities to keep you entertained. For instance, Esplanade’s Outdoor Theatre New Year’s Eve features Blue Minks and ShiLi & Adi. “What are you grateful for?” video will also be screened at the Waterfront Canopy and The Edge as well. Admission is free and screening details are as follows:

Date:	Time:	Place:
31 Dec	7.40pm – 8.05pm \| 8.45pm – 9.10pm 9.50pm – 10.15pm \| 10.55pm – 11.20pm	Esplanade Outdoor Theatre

Another fringe activity happening at Esplanade is ‘To Joy with Gratitude’ – a Reflections celebration at Esplanade Concourse with Amy Cheng, R. Chandran & Shameer Jabar.

For those philharmonics, Esplanade in conjunction with the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown 2013 presents the December edition of Rhythms by the Bay, especially scheduled on New Year Eve to add on to the many other exciting activities happening at and around Marina Bay.

For those inspiring photographers; amateur or professional, do remember to participate in the photography contest or perhaps you would like to photograph the 8 minute stunning fireworks display. Participants stand to win an OSIM uSoffa Runway worth S$3,088 and to increase your chances of capturing stunning fireworks photos, here are some fireworks photography tips for you.

Keep your camera still. Bring a tripod. Good fireworks photos require long exposures, and the best way to get them is to use a sturdy tripod.
Invest in a remote release device or set self-timer to the shortest duration possible. Sharper shots, guaranteed.
Scout for location. Frame your shot in an unobstructed position and make sure you won’t have people’s heads bobbing up into your shots.
Adjust right aperture. Mid to small range tend to work reasonably well and would usually shoot somewhere between f/8 to f/16.
Set shutter speed. Fireworks move and as a result the best photographs of them capture this movement meaning you need a nice long exposure.
Lower your ISO setting. Stick to 100.
Most importantly go flash-less.

You may want to consider these vantage points around the Marina Reservoir to capture the spectacular fireworks display.

On a side note, while you are partying to usher in 2013, please do remember to consolidate your trash and bin it at designated rubbish bins. Together we keep Marina Bay clean. There’s a saying, “Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.” Think twice the next time you litter, think about the kind of world you want live in. Let’s welcome 2013 with a big bang!