101410 On your trip here, remember to take a walk along one of the many heritage trails or visit the well-known landmarks for a complete Singapore journey.
101413 Chinatown is an area that’s rich in culture and heritage, most famous for the buzz of activity that surrounds it during the festive season of Chinese New Year.
101414 The Chinatown trail brings you on a journey of interesting and surprising finds, beginning at Pagoda Street.
101415 Here at the Chinatown Heritage Centre, take a look at how life was like for the early Chinatown settlers.
101416 Named after the Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore’s oldest Hindu temple, Pagoda Street is a good location to admire the architecture of restored shophouses which flank the street, all featuring characteristic five-foot ways (covered verandahs so named because of their width).
101417 Across from the Chinatown Heritage Centre, you’ll find the pedestrian mall of Trengganu Street, where some of the shophouses are home to Singapore’s performing arts groups.
101418 In the early days, hawkers used to sell a variety of wares ranging from cheap cooked food to household goods, day and night.
101419 Today, the hustle and bustle is brought back to the streets through the Chinatown Street Market on Pagoda, Trengganu and Sago Streets where one can find traditional wear, accessories, knick knacks and, of course, cheap bargains.
101420 Feast on hawker food ala old Chinatown on Smith Street, also known colloquially as 'Food Street', as the land was owned by Portuguese doctor Jose d’ Almeida, who opened a clinic and a shop here.
101421 Situated on South Bridge Road is the famous Sri Mariamman Temple.
101422 Built originally as a wood and attap structure by Indian pioneer Narayana Pillai (who arrived in Singapore with Raffles), the temple was later replaced by a brick building.
101423 The Sri Mariamman Temple boasts a South Indian architectural design, and is dedicated to the Goddess Mariamman, believed to be a protector and curer of diseases.
101424 A stone’s throw away, you’ll see the Jamae Mosque, an Indian-Muslim mosque that is another well-known landmark in Chinatown.