Singapore Historic Districts
 The restaurants of Boat Quay with Singapore's high rise towers in the background. |
The British imported Chinese workers as well as peoples from other parts of the empire. These groups often congregated into their own districts, giving Singapore areas with distinctive buildings and styles. Take a walk down Arab street, where you'll find fabrics from across Asia. Not far from here, along Serangoon street, is "little India." Of course, there's also a Chinatown.
Over the last few years are so, numerous "historical" areas have been developed, such as Bugis Junction, Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Tanjong Pagar. These are very tourist-oriented areas, where the development has a Disneyland quality to it. The buildings have been completely gutted, and some even built from scratch, to conform to an ideal of what we think old Singapore should look like, rather than what they really were. That doesn't make them bad places for eating a relaxing dinner, though.
Our favorite is Clarke Quay. It has the requisite compliment of far to many restaurants to choose from easily, but unlike Boat Quay just down the river, it also has carts and small curio shops to poke around in while trying to decide what kind of food you're in the mood for. Not that Boat Quay is without its own charms. Almost all the dining area is right on the river. Across the river, the neo-classical museum is brightly lit at night, making a highly romantic setting for an intimate dinner. After dinner, take a stroll down past the end of Boat Quay where the plaza of a large modern office complex affords many places to sit and watch the lights play on the water.
Walking Tours
Each of the districts is small enough to easily see on foot. Our partner Viator offers a range of guided walking tours to lead you around each district.
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Secrets of the Red Lantern ™ - A Chinatown Night Walk | |
| 2 hours. Departs from Singapore | Starting from USD $17.66 per person | |
Finalist of Singapore Tourism Awards for Best Sightseeing/Leisure/Educational Programme 2005 The lantern beckoned him. The new 'ah ku' was pretty, fresh from Canton. High on opium, he made his way unsteadily towards the gas-lit brothel. In 1887, the brothels in Chinatown were as many and as close together as the teeth of a comb. Combine that with the proliferation of opium and gambling dens, it was sin city. It is no accident that Chinatown was also known as 'Bu Ye Tian' - The Place of Nightless Days. Discover vice and tragedy in the shadows of Chinatown by night. Join the guides who are experts in Singapore's rich heritage and colorful history. We will venture into the fringes where entertainment, in its rawest form, is still practiced today. Tread with us as we go where many men have gone before! Highlights on this walk include Food Street, Street of the Dead, a barbequed pork shop and venturing through numerous back alleys and through a Red Light District. Please note: This tour contains adult themes, therefore if you choose to take children under 18 years of age, we recommend parental supervision and guidance. | ||
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Dhobis, Saris and a Spot of Curry™ - A Little India Walk | |
| 2.5 hours. Departs from Singapore | Starting from USD $17.08 per person | |
Finalist of Singapore Tourism Awards for Best Sightseeing/Leisure/Educational Programme 2005 The cries from the abattoirs filled the air while the 'bhai susu' outside rang their bells 'Milk, fresh milk! Buffalo carts bearing goods and people of every shape, size and persuasion went rickety by. It was once said that there are three ways to India from Singapore: by ship, by plane, and by a short walk to Little India. Look here a spice, there a garland, and hail, a sagely old bird who tells your fortune! One always finds it so difficult to resist the charms of Little India and it's little wonder that this is one of our guides favorite Walks. Join the guides as they share about Singapore's rich heritage and colorful history. Highlights on this walk include revisiting traditional trades and customs, the Little India Arcade and the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple. | ||
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Sultans of Spice™ - A Kampong Glam Walk | |
| 2.5 hours. Departs from Singapore | Starting from USD $17.66 per person | |
Winner of Singapore Tourism Awards for Best Sightseeing/Leisure/Educational Programme 2004 How was Singapore sold to the British for 60,000 Spanish Dollars? Find out about the man who did it, and the man who forced him to. No one remembers the sultans that used to rule, except the guides on this tour. The old Royal Palace, the Sultan Mosque, the Tombs of the Malayan Princes: they all carry an air of royalty snatched away too quickly. Uncover a curious blend of Malay folk traditions and Islam in the legends of the mysterious 'keris' (dagger), exotic perfumes, 'jamu' remedies to every conceivable ailment and the story of the faith that is so often misunderstood. Don't miss this hidden cultural enclave where Singapore's indigenous culture still thrives. Join the guides who are experts in Singapore's rich heritage and colorful history. Highlights on this walk include the Sultan Mosque, a 'Keris' gallery, understanding traditional Indonesian medicine and Arabic goods, the Old Royal Palace and Tombs. | ||
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The Time of Empire™ - A Colonial District Walk | |
| 2.5 hours. Departs from Singapore | Starting from USD $17.08 per person | |
This place possesses an excellent harbour... Singapore is everything we could desire' - Sir Stamford Raffles, 1819. On 6th February 1819, Singapore was claimed as a trading outpost of the British Empire to "secure to the British flag the maritime superiority of the Eastern seas". In governance, religion, entertainment, and many other spheres, the imprint of Singapore's colonial past is indelible. Learn about Singapore's national flower, the Sarkies brothers, The Straits Times and that wonderful drink called the Singapore Sling. Discover Singapore's colonial legacy from "the time of empire". Join the guides who are experts in Singapore's rich heritage and colorful history. Highlights on this walk include St. Andrews Cathedral, Armenian Church, CHIJmes and Raffles Hotel. | ||
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Red Clogs Down the Five Foot Way™ - A Chinatown Walk | |
| 2.5 hours. Departs from Singapore | Starting from USD $17.08 per person | |
The street was filled from end to end, with stalls and knick-knacks of every kind. Here a pair of ready-made clogs, there a steaming hot bun. Sticky cakes, exotic fruits, sweetmeats - it's food paradise always on the streets of Chinatown. Enjoy the fragrance of Chinese tea, ginseng and herbal eggs. Check out paper cars, houses, 'handphones', and even lingerie - all part of an ancient Chinese funeral ritual. We'll also introduce to you the Yins and Yangs of Chinese traditional medicine. And finally, we might just show you where to get those ready-made clogs and that steaming hot bun! Join the guides who are experts in Singapore's rich heritage and colorful history. Highlights on this walk include Thien Hock Kheng temple, introduction to Eclectic Singapore Architecture, a Traditional Chinese Medicine store, Chinatown stalls and an ancestral worship shop. | ||