A Walking Tour Of Singapore's Chinatown ~ Singapore, Singapore | 1 day
Singapore’s Chinatown dates back to the early 19th century, and although brothels and opium dens are gone, its old buildings and street markets make a nice change from the city's skyscrapers. Some Singaporeans say that Chinatown is nothing like it used to be, but it is a nice area to walk around especially in the evening, when the food stalls lure passers-by with Chinese food.
ACTIVITIES/ATTRACTIONS: Shopping, Religious, Eating, SightSeeing
SEASON: Any time
PUBLISHED BY: Satu Rommi (Travel Writer) view profile
Day 1 ~ Explore Singapore's Chinatown On Foot
Start at Chinatown MRT station (North East line) and exit to Pagoda Street to check out stalls and stores filled with Chinese art as well as cheap souvenirs, clothes and handbags.
Half way down Pagoda Street, the Chinatown Heritage Centre displays information about Chinatown’s history.
As you arrive on South Bridge Road, there are three places of worship for three different religions within a few minutes walk from each other. The Sri Mariamman Hindu temple, at the end of Pagoda Street, is Singapore’s oldest Hindu temple. To the left from the Sri Mariamman temple is the Masjid Jamae mosque, built in the 1830’s. And if you turn right from Sri Mariamman temple and walk down South Bridge Road, you’ll arrive at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. It is dedicated to Maitreya Buddha and houses a sacred Buddha tooth relic in a stupa composed of 420 kg of gold.
The street behind the Buddha Tooth Relic temple is a great place to stop to drink a sweet Thai coconut - or a cold beer. Many stores in the area also sell traditional Chinese delicacies such as moon cakes.
Chinatown is filled with Traditional Chinese Medicine halls. One of the most famous is the Eu Yan Sang chain that has a reputation of being the oldest TCM hall in Singapore. The son of the the chain’s founder Eu Yan Sang, the tycoon Eu Tong Sen, built the Yue Hwa Chinese Products Emporium (formerly Southern Hotel) and The Majestic (a former opera house built for his wife, now a shopping centre) on New Bridge Street, in the other end of Pagoda Street.
The Chinatown Night Market opens in the early evening and extends to several narrow streets. Need four pairs of slippers for $10? This is your place.
One of the best things about Singapore is its street food. In the evening chairs and tables are brought out on Smith Street, known as Chinatown Food Street, and dozens of stalls serve fantastic Singaporean food. The Maxwell Food Court is also popular with locals.
TIPS: Tips: Don’t try to walk during midday, Singapore is too hot. Chinatown is best explored in the afternoon or evening. Bring an umbrella to protect from sun and/or tropical rain showers
Places
Maps and more tourist information. www.visitsingapore.com
Delicious vegetarian food.