In this post we’ll share some of our favourite places to see in Singapore’s Chinatown, with photos of these beautiful, scenic or interesting spots. We’ve visited Singapore a handful of times, often in transit between Australia and Europe. It’s a very cool city, and country and Chinatown is one of our favourite areas. Make sure you see these places if you can.
I’m not going to include paid attractions in Chinatown Singapore, just things to see, for free, as you explore the city.
On this trip we were staying at The Fullerton Hotel in the Bay area. Next time we will stay in Chinatown. Our last visit was about trying as many Singaporean foods as possible. We did visit a lot of the food outlets in Chinatown, but we didn’t have enough meal-times to try them all. We’ll put that right next time. We did create a beginner’s guide to Singaporean food with guidance from a local food blogger.
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What To See in Singapore Chinatown
You can easily just wander the streets of Chinatown and just see what’s around every corner. A DIY walking tour. Of course, guided walking tours are available, along with downloadable walking guides. You can book a 3 hour guided walking tour here to help you find all of these treasures.
If you glance through this post and see just how much there is to see in Chinatown, hopefully, you’ll be inspired to explore and find out more about the history and blended cultures of Singapore.
Where to Stay in Chinatown?
Where to stay in Chinatown Singapore? There is a 5 star hotel with family rooms on the edge of Chinatown. The Amara Singapore (these links go to Booking.com) is a very striking building that we walked past several times, with a pool. For a heritage hotel in Singapore, also 5 star, The Duxton Reserve Hotel Singapore looks amazing, very traditional, but doesn’t seem to have family rooms. This one is on my list to try next time! Agoda are Singapore-based, they may be able to find you a better deal, The Amara is here, The Duxton here.
For a budget stay (also on my list) I can’t find anything for a family of 4 at less than $130 US per night currently. The cheapest/best may be one of the Wink hotels. Try Wink at Mosque Street here on Booking, here on Agoda.
In Chinatown, solo travellers should be able to find a bed in a hostel dorm for about $25 per night. There are also capsule or pod hotels from about $30.
I would be very interested to try the CUBE Family Boutique Capsule Hotel in Chinatown, it’s not the cheapest but it looks interesting.
KeSa House is one I’d like to try myself. It’s moderately priced and is another heritage-style hotel. I can’t see any family rooms. It’s also on Agoda.
Places to See in Chinatown Singapore
Chinatown in Singapore is filled with pastel painted Chinese shop houses, market stalls, bars and restaurants, plus food courts and street art. It is also home to a few stand-out places of interest, like The Temple of The Sacred Tooth Relic, below.
Chinatown’s Street Art
There is a lot of really beautiful and pristine street art around Chinatown.
Outside the Chinatown Mass Rapid Transit Station (MRTS) you’ll find a famous mural in a lane there. There are more on Pagoda St. You can’t fail to find these artworks as you explore. If you need a map and more details of the artists, there is one here.
Old Chinese Shop Houses
Old Chinese shop houses are common in Singapore, Malaysia, and even southern Thailand. We went to shop house museum in Phuket Thailand and learned a lot about how and why these buildings are the way they are.
You will find these buildings all over Singapore, but there are some great examples in Chinatown, including some that have been turned into hotels.
Food Courts and Famous Food Stalls
Chinatown is packed with opportunities to eat. There are even Michelin Guide hawker stalls in Chinatown, like the one below.
Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice is on the second floor of the Maxwell Food Centre. Anthony Bourdain has been there and the queue was phenomenal. We don’t like chicken rice, but it’s very popular throughout Asia.
You could also visit Amoy St Food Centre in Chinatown.
If you want to find the other Michelin Guide hawker stalls and restaurants in Singapore’s Chinatown, the actual Michelin Guide for the Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre and Maxwell Food Centre is here.
Old Mosques in Chinatown Singapore
There are several historic mosques in Chinatown. Take a look at the blog post links above for more details in their history.
The Temple of The Tooth
There are quite a few temples around the world housing sacred relics of The Buddha, Siddartha Gautama. This is a Chinese Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum. The left canine tooth of the Buddha is here. The tooth is on display on the fourth floor.
The temple building opened in 2007, so it’s not historic, but it is spectacular. There is a dress code to enter this temple, keep knees and shoulders covered. Head coverings must be removed. There is a vegetarian food hall in the basement, allegedly, we didn’t find it. It’s near the Chinatown MRT station.
Sri Mariamman Temple
Sri Mariamman Temple is a Dravidian-style Hindu temple in Chinatown Singapore, established in 1827 by immigrants from South India. The temple is dedicated to the Goddess Mariamman, well known for curing ills. The gopuram (entrance tower decorated with sculpted deities) is fairly small but very beautiful. This temple is just a few minutes walk from the Tooth Temple.
For the worldschooling families in our audience, the history of Singapore is something to learn about. Raffles, the colonial days, the split from Malaysia (1965) and the many nations that came here through the spice trade. You can visit Hindu and Buddhist Temples, churches, cathedrals and synagogues in Singapore and taste the cultural mingling in the foods available in Singapore today. The cleanliness and modernity of Singapore is also to be admired. Every country has educational opportunities for our worldschooled kids, and us.
Singapore is a rapidly becoming one of our favourite countries to visit. Not least because it’s so close to Australia and we can get direct flights. It’s also a stop-over destination on many long-haul flights. If you do get the chance to stay, grab it. Singapore is pretty amazing! What I once thought of as just a modern city, has so many hidden gems from history and many faiths. It really deserves a few days of your time.
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