Chinatown

Overview

Singapore's Chinatown is a historic district of colorful shophouses, ornate Buddhist and Hindu temples, traditional medicine shops, and bustling hawker centers serving some of the city's best food.

Highlights

• Buddha Tooth Relic Temple: A massive Buddhist temple housing a relic said to be Buddha's tooth.
• Sri Mariamman Temple: Singapore's oldest Hindu temple (1827) with an ornate gopuram entrance tower.
• Chinatown Heritage Centre: Interactive museum re-creating the cramped living conditions of early immigrants.

History

Designated as the Chinese settlement by Raffles's 1822 town plan, Chinatown was where waves of Chinese immigrants settled. The shophouses were painstakingly restored in the 1980s.

Visitor Tips

• Evening Market: Chinatown Street Market operates from early evening with souvenirs and snacks.
• Hawker Food: Smith Street and Maxwell Food Centre offer exceptional hawker meals.
• Duration: 2 hours.