China Town

Chinatown History
Chinatown was originally built as a Chinese settlement by Sir Stamford Raffles in the 19th century. It is also known in Chinese as “Niu Che Shui” or in Malay as “Kreta Ayer”. Both meaning bullock cart water; ox-drawn carts were used to haul drinking water for the city. To promote tourism in Chinatown and Singapore, the area was divided into four main districts, each featuring its own unique flavor and design. The four main areas include Telok Ayer, Kreta Ayer, Tanjong Ayer and Bukit Pason. In present days, Chinatown is known as the cultural heart of Singapore, along with Little India and Arab Street.

Getting Around Chinatown
Chinatown is easily accessible via the North-East MRT line. Hop down at Chinatown station to be right in the heart of this colorful vibrant district. From the station, you can enjoy a short stroll to Outram Park, Raffles Place and Tanjong Pagar. Clarke Quay and the spectacular Singapore River are located to the north of the station.
To fully enjoy what Chinatown has to offer, simply walk. Most of the attractions are within walking distance to each other. Perhaps the main attraction of Chinatown is the town itself, with hundreds of Chinese shop houses and traditional restaurants. You can also enjoy a leisurely Chinatown ride with three-wheeled bicycles called trishaws to explore town.

Chinatown Hotels and Accommodations
Over many decades, the name of Chinatown has had a reputation for an array of heritage sights and activities to enjoy. There is also a range of Chinatown hotels, be it five-star luxury hotels to Chinatown’s budget rooms and eco-friendly hotels. Hotels in Chinatown are equipped with modern facilities to provide an enjoyable and comfortable stay to both business and leisure travelers. To find you ideal hotel in Chinatown, find your Chinatown discount room with our Chinatown hotels for various budget hotels around the area with extensive range available.

Chinatown Sports and Leisure Activities
The colorful pedestrian walk of Chinatown takes travelers to a trip back in time, with numerous cultural centers, food stalls, markets, temples and mosques that were built during the 18th century.

Chinatown Sightseeing
Meandering through town or riding a bike to explore and appreciate the charm of beautiful China houses is a great cultural experience. Chinatown has many historical and cultural sights for anyone to enjoy. The first landing site for Chinese immigrants, Telok Ayer Street, has now become the backbone of Chinatown, with an abundance of temples and mosques. You can visit the recently opened Buddha Tooth Relic Temple which displays a 27-foot statue of Maitreya Buddha and a sacred relic of Shakyamuni Buddha’s tooth, or learn more about the Chinese community in Singapore at Tak Chi Temple, which is now a town’s museum. As for Muslim and Indian architecture, one of Singapore’s oldest mosques, the Jamae Mosque is open to public for free. Other beautiful Muslim mosques, which are worth a visit, are the Al Abrar and the Nagore Durga Shrine.

Chinatown Culture
Chinatown Heritage Center is a nice start for those who want to learn about the town’s history. You can get there easily by walking straight from Chinatown MRT station, Pagoda Street Exit. Another excellent place to visit is the Red Dot Design Museum, which was formerly utilized as the police headquarters and later became a museum devoted to modern design.
Chinatown is especially colorful and packed during Chinese New Year. The exact date varies according to the Lunar Calendar but normally falls between late January and Mid February. The whole festival is no less than a month. Hotels here tend to get fully booked during those periods, so make sure to reserve your Singapore discount room at a Chinatown hotel in advance before the festival.

Chinatown Shopping
The shops in South Bridge Road provide ample choice for buying real antiques. For an authentic night market shopping experience, take a stroll around the Chinatown Night Market. Delight yourself in the old world’s charm with a collection of stalls and shop houses selling traditional and modern merchandise. Trengganu Street is another Chinatown shopping district famous for its large variety of local finger food hawkers and a theater performing excellent Cantonese opera.

Chinatown Dining
Chinatown Food Street on Smith Street is one of the best food places while visiting Chinatown. Tourists can sample some of the best hawker food in Singapore and enjoy the fun of roadside dining among the uniquely designed shop houses of the district. There are over 20 types of local cooking to try. Some of our recommendations are Char Kway Teow (fried noodle), Carrot Cake and Rojak (a kind of salad with sweet sauce).

Much more to see while in Singapore. We also have an array of Travel Tips for other destinations in this Southeast Asian metropolis, such as our Sentosa Travel Info, Central Travel Info, Changi Travel Info, Marina Travel Info, Chinatown Travel Info and Orchard Travel Info. Do check out our Singapore Travel Tips before starting your Singapore holiday. Chinatown is always worth a stay at a Singapore discount hotel, find your Chinatown discount room here at our Central hotels.