Singapore is well-known as a modern metropolis with its ever-growing number of skyscrapers, but that’s not all to it. Beneath the glittering skyline, you’ll discover a different side of the city-state peppered with forgotten spots, historical monuments, and beautiful natural landscapes to discover at every turn. Chinatown is undoubtedly one of the most historic districts in Singapore. The former enclave for Singapore’s Chinese immigrants now sees vibrant new bars and trendy lifestyle shops sit alongside longstanding temples and traditional medicinal halls – some even with dark histories behind them.
What’s even better? Streets Alive Singapore has curated a walking tour of Chinatown, so you can experience these attractions with storytelling through VRs and interactive performances!
Places to See
Thian Hock Keng Temple
Located along Telok Ayer Street is Thian Hock Keng Temple. It is one of Singapore’s oldest Chinese temples and before the land reclamation, was perched by the sea. It is translated as the Temple of Heavenly Happiness and was popular with newly arrived Chinese immigrants, who offered thanksgiving to Ma Zu, a Taoist deity of seamen for their safe arrival.
Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, unlike Thian Hock Keng, is fairly new in Chinatown. This place of worship was founded in 2002 and is dedicated to the Maitreya Buddha. It is located at the junction of South Bridge Road and Sago Street, which is an area where the older Chinese folk associate with death. Houses were built in that area in the 1950s and 60s for the terminally ill to go live out their last days – as there was a Chinese superstition that death should never occur in a house or it would bring bad luck to its inhabitants.
Ann Siang Road & Hill
Once owned by a wealthy businessman named Chia Ann Siang, Ann Siang Road & Hill is a gem in the middle of Chinatown. Meander through the rows of 1900s shophouses, to Ann Siang Hill where spices like cloves and nutmeg were grown. When you are done, be sure to cool down with a cocktail at a bar along Ann Siang Road.
Murals by Yip Yew Chong
An accountant by day and painter by night – Yip Yew Chong has made himself known as a passionate artist who loves portraying nostalgic scenes of Singapore. Look out for his murals – beautifully painted on the walls of shophouses in Chinatown and have a glimpse of what it was like to live in Chinatown back in the day.
Places to Stay
Chinatown’s shophouses and temples not only have transformed into cafes and bar but chic boutique hotels as well. Here’s where you can stay to soak up all the rich history around you.
Head over to www.changihotels.com now and book your next shophouse stay!
Ann Siang House
The Scarlet
Hotel Soloha
AMOY by Far East Hospitality
Six Senses Maxwell
Has Chinatown filled you with a sense of wanderlust? Get the full experience right here at Changi Recommends – your one-stop shop for all your vacation needs!
