China Town

Singapore's Chinatown is the traditional Chinese quarters of town, and while the entire city is largely Chinese these days the area does retain some of its own charm. The area is also known as Niu Che Shui  in Chinese and Kreta Ayer in Malay, both names meaning "bullock cart water", a reference to the carts that used to haul in drinking water. 

The area between Pagoda Street and Smith Street has been tarted up considerably for tourists, but workaday Chinatown continues south and east, merging seamlessly into the Central Business District. Tanjong Pagar is the unofficial home of Singapore's gay community, with many watering holes in restored shophouses, while Club Street caters more to the expat and yuppie crowd with small, intimate eateries offering excellent (if pricy) Western fare.

Unlike most of predominantly Hokkien Singapore, the dominant Chinese dialect in Chinatown is Cantonese.

The Budha Tooth Relic Temple

The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum is a Buddhist temple and museum complex located in the Chinatown district of Singapore. "The temple is based on the Tang dynasty architectural style and built to house the tooth relic of the historical Buddha. The ground breaking ceremony was conducted on 13 March 2005. Costing S$62 million and 2 years later, a soft launch was held to coincide with the 2007 Vesak Day celebration." It is claimed that the relic of Buddha from which it gains its name was found in 1980 in a collapsed stupa in Myanmar.

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum Inside.

 

The Sri Mariamman Temple is Singapore's oldest Hindu temple. It is an agamic temple, built in the Dravidian style. Located at No. 244 South Bridge Road, in the downtown Chinatown district, the temple serves mainly South Indian Tamil Hindu Singaporeans in the city-state. Due to its architectural and historical significance, the temple has been gazetted a National Monument and is a major tourist attraction. Sri Mariamman Temple is managed by the Hindu Endowments Board

Pagoda Street (Chinese: bao ta jie)is a street located in Chinatown within the Outram Planning Area in Singapore. The road links New Bridge Road and South Bridge Road, but has since been converted to a pedestrian mall with the construction of an entrance to Chinatown MRT Station at its New Bridge Road end.

The colourful past of Chinatown comes alive within the walls of these three beautifully-restored shophouses along Pagoda Street, comfortably nestled in the midst of Singapore's bustling Chinatown district. Every nook and cranny in the Chinatown Heritage Centre pulsates with the memories of yesteryear, offering an experience like no other, as one is transported to Chinatown in the budding years of Singapore's establishment as a seaport.

How to Get there:

BY MRT
China Town MRT Exit A and C. Exit A  will lead you to the more touristy area where you will visit places such as Chinatown Heritage Centre, and rows of tourist souvenir shops and restaurants serving Seafood and other local Chinese food.

Outram Park MRT , Tanjong Pagar  and Raffles Place are also all within walking distance, as is Clarke Quay and the Singapore River to the north. 


To try authentic local food, go to Jalan Besar Town Chinatown Complex which is a short 3 minutes walk from Exit A. Go to the second floor hawker centre. They serve wonderful local Chinese food from Cantonese to Hokkien and fusion styles at very reasonable prices. For more information of Chinatown Complex, click here...


Exit C will lead you to the places where the locals go to. Besides hawker food stalls and retail shops, there are Chinese Medical Clinics. If you are looking for inexpensive Chinese Tailoring, go to People's Park Complex

BY BUS 

South Bridge Road, opposite Sri Marimman Temple:
166, 197

New Bridge Road, at New Bridge Centre:
2, 12, 33, 54, 63, 124, 143, 147, 147A, CT18, CT8

Upper Cross Street, opposite Hong Lim Complex:
51, 63, 124, 174, 174e, 186