• Sky Garden at 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 - Possibly established as early as 1819, making it older than Thian Hock Keng Temple, Yueh Hai Ching Temple is often overlooked by locals and tourists. Once inside this serene temple, you’ll be transported to a different world.

• 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 story behind its interesting window grills.

• 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.

• Pek Sin Choon Pte Ltd - Established in 1925, this tea shop with its unique Nanyang blends has close to 100 years of history.

• Tai Thong Cake Shop - This old school bakery from 1950 sells Cantonese-style mooncakes and other sweet treats year round. We drop by for a taste.

• 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?

• Licensed tourist guide
• Disposable poncho for rain
• Lunch included

• Gratuities.

On this pedestrian exploration, we follow the journey of the pioneer migrants who ventured from China in pursuit of improved living conditions in South-East Asia, finding their path to Singapore, establishing temples, and creating clans for mutual support. We delve into the stories of some who flourished to become among the wealthiest individuals in Asia, while others labored and died impoverished with no relatives to grieve their passing.

We’ll explore locations where institutions like Chinese opera houses, prostitution centers, opium and betting houses were once rampant when the male-female ratio was skewed at 14 to 1.

Through wall art created by local artist Yip Yew Chong, we get a glimpse into the daily life in the 19th and 20th century Singapore.

We’ll have our lunch at one of Singapore’s oldest establishments before we resume our search for other enduring traditional businesses in Chinatown that have survived the passage of time.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.