SINGAPORE — As is the tradition here on New Year's Eve, the Marina Bay area is the go-to spot for thousands of revellers eager to usher in the new year with a front-row view of the fireworks.

Now, a photo circulating on Facebook has revealed that the pyrotechnics display can be equally enjoyed, without a jostling crowd, many kilometres away.

In the photo shared by Facebook user Quek Song Chye, a singular red firework rising over Marina Bay Sands hotel is captured through a gap in a canopy of trees. In contrast, the photo’s foreground reveals a dark and deserted road illuminated only by some street lights.

In his post, Mr Quek stated that the image was taken on New Year’s Eve near Bukit Batok Transmission Centre along Lorong Sesuai.

Google Maps indicated that Marina Bay is located about 12.5km away from the Bukit Batok Transmission Centre.

Mr Quek’s photo wowed online users, with many expressing surprise that the fireworks at Marina Bay could be seen clearly from such a distance.

The image, which was shared on a Facebook group page named "CloudSpotting & SkySpotting Singapore" last Sunday (Dec 31), has attracted more than 6,300 likes, 215 comments and 315 shares as of Thursday afternoon.

Singing high praise, one user commented: “What a shot that is! Like something out of a NatGeo (National Geographic) magazine.”

Other users claimed that the image seemed “unreal”, with one person writing: “It's like a space-time rift revealing another dimension on the other side.”

Speaking to TODAY, Mr Quek said that he came to know of the photo spot at Bukit Batok Transmission Centre through information shared by others on Facebook. 

The Punggol resident said that the area seemed relatively unknown, with fewer than 20 people who turned up to watch the fireworks there that night.

Commenting on the positive response he has received from Facebook users, the 59-year-old clinic manager and photography hobbyist said that he is “very happy” and hopes that the photo will inspire other photographers to capture things “from different perspectives”.