Chinatown is very popular with visitors to Singapore. Its beautifully preserved shophouses provide a glimpse into the area's past, whilst the street stalls and fancy boutiques provide some of the most varied shopping in town. An abundance of temples and museums highlight the multi-ethnicity of Singapore, explore its inhabitants cultural outlook, and provide an understanding of their past. A plethora of hawker stalls, restaurants and wine bars give plenty of options for eating and entertainment.
The best place to start to get a feel for this ethnic area is number one on our list Pagoda Street - its heritage buildings, bustling street stalls and unique boutiques give a good first feel for the area. Also on this street you will find the Chinatown Heritage Centre, which gives an in-depth insight into the history of the area, its inhabitants and their culture.
At the end of Pagoda Street, you will find South Bridge Road, epitomising multi-cultural Singapore with its variety of places of worship - including three on our list: the impressive Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum, Sri Mariamman Temple -Singapore's oldest Hindu Temple, and the unique bright green Jamae Chulia Mosque. A bit further afield but not to be missed is the Thian Hock Keng temple, arguably Singapore's most beautiful Chinese temple.
If it's shopping you're after, then check out the funky boutiques of Ann Siang Road, or search for bargains in amongst the stalls of the Chinatown Complex. Don't miss the traditional wet market in the basement for fresh fruit & veg, seafood - and live frogs! The nearby Yixing Xuan Teahouse will make a welcome break for some Chinese tea sampling and souvenir shopping. End your day in Chinatown with some refreshments at Far East Square - a complex of traditional shophouses converted into bars and restaurants.
Pagoda Street
Street market and souvenirs...
48 Pagoda St
History and Tradition of Chinatown...
288 South Bridge Rd
Learn the fascinating history of Buddhism...
158 Telok Ayer St
1/2 block beyond Nagore Durgha Shrine
Singapore's Oldest Chinese Temple...
244 South Bridge Rd
At the corner of South Bridge Rd and Pagoda St
Singapore's Oldest Hindu Temple...
218 South Bridge Rd
At the corner of South Bridge Rd and Mosque St
Bright green mosque in heart of Chinatown...
Ann Siang Road
(at Club Street)
Eclectic Styles...
335 Smith Street
Cheap shopping and wet market...
30 Tanjong Pagar Road
A haven for tea lovers...
13 Amoy Street
The Old Chinatown Relived...