There are 4 parts of Singapore with strong cultural heritage, and they are all located in the city center, within 30 minutes walk. Of course, this does not mean that the rest of Singapore is only modern or residential areas and there are in fact many other suberbs with strong heritage feel such as the Gilmard Baracks, the Changi Village area or the Katong & Siglap districts.

However, the objective here is to give the main highlights of the four main heritage locations which would allow visitors to get a good preview! These four areas are:

=> China Town

=> Kampong Glam

=> Little India

=> Bras Basah

CHINA TOWN

Singapore's Chinatown is small but dense with plenty to see, to eat and to do! The authenticity of this historic location has been relatively well preserved with one touristy part with all the shops and restaurants, and a more "local" part with Residential towers and small stalls.

There are many things to do and see in China Town but you can start with a walk on Pagoda Street (Chinatown's main shopping arcade), and check-out the China town Heritage Center which gives good insights about the neigbourhood. To have a fantastic view of the area from the sky, head to the pinnacle residential towers, where you will be able to go to the 57th floor and enjoy a long walk on the 1km long walking track with breath taking views! There are three main worshipping places on South Bridge Road: A Buddhist Temple (Buddha's Tooth Temple), a Mosque (Masjid Jamae) and an Indian Temple (Sri Mariamman). Food-wise, there is alot of choice!! Checkout Old Chengdu for some Sichuan food, and cool-down after the spices at the Mei Heaong Yuen Dessert Shop. For a cheap beer in a truly local environment, head to the Good Beer Company and sip craft beer while eating local satay!

Pagoda Street

Buddha's Tooth Temple

China Town Heritage Center

The Pinnacle Sky Garden

Mei Heong Yuen Dessert Shop

The Good Beer Company

KAMPONG GLAM

This neigbourhood of Singapore use to be home to the Malay aristocracy. Today, Kampong Glam is the 'Muslim Quater' of Singapore where the Main Mosque (Masjid Sultan) is located. Kebab restaurants, mint tea, shisha cafes and carpet, lamps and fabric shops, there is definitly a middle-east feeling when you stay at one of the many terraces!

You should definitly stroll through Haji Lane, Singapore's hipsterest street! You can also visit the Malay Heritage Center to learn abour the origins of this community, and indulge in some local Malay food at the Kampong Glam Cafe! If you are hungry (like.. really hungry!) you should get a murtabak at Singapore ZamZam, where Singapore's most famous crepe-like meal is served! Last but not least, Arab St has a lot of fantastic bars to hangout to, our favorite being the Blue Jazz with good food & live music!

Masjid Sultan

Haji Lane

Malay Heritage Center

Singapore ZamZam

Kampong Glam Cafe

Blue Jazz Music Bar

LITTLE INDIA

If you have been to India and you are feeling nostalgic, this neigbourhood is just second to best! Everything is there; Large Hindu Temples (Sri Veeramakaliamman), vegetable markets, sari-stores and flower, souvenirs & trinckles stall on Buffalo Road all with the typical ensence perfumes & bollywood music. The Indian Heritage Center is very well documented, and you can get live experience of India while shopping at Mustafa Centre's 8 levels! There is a fantastic restaurant on top of Mustafa Center, great food and a nice view on the city from the terrace! Food-wise we recommend Muthu's Curry on Racecourse road with great fish-head curry and chicken Tikka! For drinks, head to Dunlop St where the bars are, and look for the Prince of Wales for a cosy ambiance!.

Make sure that you check-out the following places:

Buffalo Road Little India Arcade

Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple

Mustafa Center

Indian Heritage Center

Muthu's Curry

Prince of Wales

BRAS BASAH

With the Cathedral, the legendary Raffles Hotel and the Chijmes complex, Bras Basah neigbourhood is where you will be able to get a feel of old colonial Singapore! The Raffles Hotel is one of Singapore's iconic places where many heads of state resided over the years. In the hotel, it is possible to have a fantastic indian brunch at Tiffin Room or an evening drink at the long bar, or simply stroll through this historic place! There are alot of little back-streets in the area such as Armenian Street with typical Singaporian shop-houses, food stalls and cafes and you can spend time learning about Singapore history at the National Gallery.

Make sure that you check-out the following places:

Raffles Hotel

Armenian Street

St Andrew's Cathedral

Chijmes Bar & Restaurants

National Gallery

Singapore is a very modern city, with cutting edge technology, transports and very often, revolutionary architecture. Three areas in Singapore have a particularily high number of impressive sights, they are:

=> Marina Bay

=> Raffles Place

=> Orchard Road

MARINA BAY

Like it or not, the first image that comes to mind to many people when thinking about Singapore is the image of the Marina Bay, and in particular its new hotel complex hopened in 2010; Marina Bay Sands. This very modern hotel has a viewing deck from which the entire Singapore skyline can be admired, a bar/club with the same view (Ce-La-Vi) and even an infinity pool, accessible only to hotel residents... It is possible to walk all around Marina Bay and even all the way to the Marina Barrage where the view on the sea is just fantastic! During your walk, make sure you get a shot next to Singapore's Merlion, visit the Durian-shaped Esplanade theatre, have a local-style dinner of Satay and seafood at the Makansutra food stall, and walk to the Level 33 Bar to enjoy locally crafted beer from a high terrace with a direct view on the Marina!

Merlion & Fullerton

Esplanade

Marina Bay Sands Viewing Deck

Level33 Bar

Makan Sutra Food Stalls

Marina Barrage

RAFFLES PLACE

'Raffles Place' is the center of Singapore's Financial institution, and as such, defines the Central Business District. The CBD itself is small but very dense, with many modern skyscrapers. It is located right next to the Marina & Collyer Quay and is divided by Shenton Road, a large boulevard running through the tall towers and extending to Tanjong Pagar, where skyscrapers, shop-houses, temples (such as the Thian Hock Keng Temple) and food stalls coexist. On the way to Tanjong Pagar, you can stop at Lau Pa Sat "Old-Market" for a lunch the Singaporean way with madening choice of food!

For a nice evening dinner, head to Boat Quay and get a table right next to the river! and for one of the best views of Singapore, head for a drink on the roof-top of the tallest skyscraper of Singapore; One-Altitude!

Collyer Quay

Boat Quay

Shenton Road

Thian Hock Keng Temple

One Altitude Bar

Laupasat Food market

ORCHARD ROAD

Orchard Road is the main shopping arcade of Singapore. A long one-way boulevard lined with shopping malls ranging from luxury malls (Such as Takashimaya) to huge & modern malls (Such as Ion Orchard and Plaza Singapura) For a view from the sky on this central point of Singapore, head to the last floor of the Ion! While walking down the boulevard, you will pass by Istana, the residence of Singapore's president. For a bit of green-space, head to Fort Cunning, an old park where the old British Baraks and Bunkers use to be.

The best place to get a drink is on Cuppage Road, a nice road going through typical shop-houses, and with a large selection of bars & restaurants!

Ion Orchard

Cuppage Road

Plaza Singapura

Fort Cunning

Takashimaya

Singapore has many fantastic museums where you will be able to learn about the region's fascinating past, Singapore's History as well as Singapore's future plans! This list is not exhaustive and there are many exibitions and smaller museums such as the Peranakan Museum, the Red-Dot Design museum, the Singapore Art museum, the Peranakan Museum, the Philatelic Museum or the Art-Science Museum.

This page focuses on three main Museums:

=> Asian Civilization Museum

=> Singapore National Museum

=> City Gallery

Asian Civilization Museum

The Asian Civilization Museum is located opposite Boat Quay, between Raffles Place and Esplanade MRT Stations. It is open every day from 10AM to 7PM.

This Museum exposes all the diversity and rich history of all Asian Countries from China, Indonesia, Thailand to India and the middle east. It shows differences, similarities and interactions between all these countries / civilizations, with great insights on how it affected & contributed to the building of Singapore.

Singapore National Museum

The National Museum of SIngapore is located in Bras Basah, and is the oldest Museum of Singapore. It is open everyday from 10AM to 7PM. This Museum is the main place to learn all about Singapore's History and Culture. It exposes the main events of Singapore's history, and facts about the city-state are presented in an interactive way.

City Gallery

Singapore City Gallery is a small but fantastic & interactive gallery with a lot of models, maps, projects, simulations and videos about Singapore's future plans on Urbanisation. It is located in the Tankong Pagar Area, and open every day from 9AM to 5PM except Sundays.

Because of its young nature, Singapore city can afford to be planned using the most advanced, 'smart' and ecological considerations. The foresight and advance - planning of Singapore's leaders have allowed the creation of one of the most modern & optimised city in the world, and having a look at how Singaporeans are designing their future city is simply fascinating!