Historic Chinatown Walking Tour with Lunch
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Duration - 3 hours, 30 minutes
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Guide optionsEnglish
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Cancellation PolicyStandard
Overview
Historic Chinatown Walking Tour with Lunch. We make history come alive as we journey through temples, schools, shophouses etc built in the 1800 and 1900s and recount what life was like for our forefathers who left China in search of a better life in Singapore.
Highlights
- Panoramic view of the city from the second tallest building in Singapore.
- Historic Chinese temples and shrines.
- 19th century Chinese clans, associations and clubs.
- Vibrant street art.
- Traditional trades from the 20th century which have survived the test of time.
Description
Historic Chinatown Walking Tour with Lunch
On this walking tour, we trace the footsteps of the early immigrants who left China in search of a better life in South-East Asia, and how they found their way to Singapore, built temples and formed clans to look after each other. We learn about how some prospered to become some of Asia’s richest men, whilst others slaved and died penniless without any next-of-kin to mourn them.
We’ll see where Chinese opera theatres, brothels, opium and gambling dens once thrived when the ratio of men to women was 14:1.
Through murals by local artist Yip Yew Chong, we sneak a peek at what life was like in 19th and 20th century Singapore.
Lunch will be at one of the oldest establishments in Singapore, before we continue our hunt for other traditional trades in Chinatown which have withstood the test of time.
What's included
- Inclusions:
- English-speaking Licensed Tourist Guide
- Lunch
- Exclusions:
- Gratuities
Itinerary
- Visited Places:
- Sky Garden at CapitaSpring
- Yueh Hai Ching Temple
- Fuk Tak Chi Museum
- Nagore Dargah
- Thian Hock Keng Temple
- Masjid Al-Abrar
- Ann Siang Hill
- Chinese Weekly Entertainment Club
- Goh Loo Club
- Mohamed Ali Lane
- Original Chew Kee Eating House (Chew Kee Soy Sauce Chicken)
- Yue Hwa Chinese Products (Chinatown)
- The Majestic
- Lim Chee Guan New Bridge Road Store
- Peranakan Tiles Gallery (娘惹砖家)
- Sri Mariamman Temple
- Lau Choy Seng Pte Ltd
- Smith Street
- Fong Moon Kee
- SkyGarden of CapitaSpring: Enjoy a panoramic view of the city from Singapore's second tallest skyscraper. From here, we'll have a bird's eye view of the Historic District of Chinatown.
- Yueh Hai Ching Temple: Be transported to a different world when you step inside this serene temple in the heart of the bustling Central Business District.
- Pekin Street: Step inside the courtyard of a Chinese boys' school from 1854 and imagine what the area must have been like with school boys learning to read and write, and playing traditional games like chapteh after classes.
- Fuk Tak Chi Museum: Once a temple built by Cantonese and Hakka worshippers of Tua Pek Kong (God of Prosperity) in the 1820s, the quaint building now houses a museum with an intriguing display of what life was like in the area about 200 years ago.
- Thian Hock Keng Temple: Established in 1821, Thian Hock Keng Temple is the oldest Hokkien temple and likely the second oldest Chinese temple in Singapore. Admire its stunning architecture, built without a nail being used, learn about Taoist and Buddhist practices, find out about the gift from Qing Emperor Guang Xu to the temple, and hunt for the bats which live on the premises.
- Ann Siang Hill: See if you can spot the last water well in Chinatown, learn about the hills and plantations which used to exist in the area, and find out how Ann Siang Hill got its name.
- Chinese Weekly Entertainment Club: Discover the truth behind how Club Street got its name, and the high society parties which used to take place at this millionaire's club.
- Goh Loo Club: We stop at another Chinese millionaire's club and find out the role it played in the successful overthrow of the Qing Dynasty etc.
- Mohamed Ali Lane: Come face-to-face with local artist, Yip Yew Chong's second mural on this tour. He has successfully breathed vibrancy into Historic Chinatown with his brilliantly-coloured, often interactive, heritage-themed street art.
- Chiew Kee Noodle House: Enjoy a traditional soya sauce chicken noodle/rice lunch at this establishment dating back to 1949.
- Yue Hwa Chinese Products: Once the "Raffles Hotel of Chinatown", we learn about the illustrious past of this 1927 building, which now houses a Chinese emporium.
- The Majestic: Find out how The Majestic Theatre came into being, and the wealthy Chinese merchant who made it possible.
- Lim Chee Guan New Bridge Road Store: Established in 1938, Lim Chee Guan endured the Second World War and remains as one of Singapore's best loved brands 85 years on.
- Lau Choy Seng Pte Ltd Located along Temple Street where we'll find 3 more of Yip Yew Chong's murals, Lau Choy Seng (1948) is a treasure trove of kitchenware which will inspire you to display your culinary skills.
- Smith Street: We take a look at another of Yip Yew Chong's murals, one which depicts his own home in Sago Lane, Chinatown more than 5 decades ago. We also stop to take a look at Lai Chun Yuen Opera House along Smith Street, which was Singapore's first integrated resort, bringing theatre, opium-smoking, gambling and prostitution all under one roof. We learn about the sordid past of Smith Street, where numerous brothels once lined, and the coolies, rickshaw pullers, businessmen, etc. who used to frequent them.
- Sago Street (Street Of The Dead): Find out how Sago Lane became known as the Street of the Dead, and what has become of it today.
- Fong Moon Kee: We end our tour at Fong Moon Kee. Established in 1908, this 115-year-old ointment shop might just have the answer to any aches and pains which may have been nagging you. If coolies and rickshaw pullers lived by their ointments, who are we to question their wisdom?
Frequently Asked Questions
How much time does the Historic Chinatown Walking Tour with Lunch take?
Historic Chinatown Walking Tour with Lunch duration is 3 hours, 30 minutes.
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You can book Historic Chinatown Walking Tour with Lunch at least in 1 days. Check availability calendar in "Book Now" form to see currently available dates.
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