Top 13 Things To Do In Chinatown Singapore You Can’t Miss
When it comes to Chinese heritage, it’s a no brainer for Singapore to be known for its rich Chinese culture and history.
Chinatown remains the best spot for tourists and locals alike, namely due to the many historical buildings and the one thing that humans can’t survive without – food.
In this list, you’ll find some of the best things to do in Chinatown Singapore.
All prepared for your exciting day in Chinatown?
Check the first thing off this list and get started!
1. Calm Your Soul At Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum
2. Appreciate Nature While Exploring Ann Siang Hill Park
3. Deepen Your Knowledge Of Chinese Culture At Thian Hock Keng Temple
4. Discover Ancient Indian Culture At Sri Mariamman Temple
5. Drop By The Jamae Mosque To Learn More About Islam
6. Eat Like A Local At Chinatown Food Street
7. Shop Away At Chinatown Street Market
8. Visit Chinatown Heritage Centre For More Chinese Culture
9. Experience The Peranakan Culture In NUS Baba House
10. Conquer Your Fears & Ride The G-Max Reverse Bungy Singapore
11. Eat A Hearty Meal At Maxwell Food Centre
12. The Hipster Part Of Chinatown – Keong Saik Road
13. Get A Glimpse Of Chinatown At The Pinnacle @ Duxton Skybridge
13 Best Things To Do In Chinatown Singapore
1. Calm Your Soul At Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum
Known to be a spiritual building, upon entering the 5-storey temple, you’ll feel calm and at peace while listening to songs and mantras being played in the background.
- A theatre and free complimentary vegetarian meals at the basement
- The famous Relic (Buddha Tooth) at the 4th floor
- Many exhibits that showcases information of Buddhist art & history
- A quiet roof garden where a pagoda and Buddha prayer wheel can be found
Opening Hours: Daily: 5:30am to 12:00pm, 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Entrance Fee: Free
2. Appreciate Nature While Exploring Ann Siang Hill Park
Walk through the trees and take a shortcut to visit the next item on the list, which is the Thian Hock Keng Temple.
Though it is more of a short walk instead of an actual park, it’s still worth the visit to experience some greenery after being exposed to concrete buildings.
- It serves as a shortcut to Club Street and Ann Siang Road
- There’s a restaurant called PS. Café for a good meal or a cup of coffee
Opening Hours: Daily 24 hours
Entrance Fee: Free
3. Deepen Your Knowledge Of Chinese Culture At Thian Hock Keng Temple
On to the next known Chinese temple in Chinatown, the Thian Hock Keng Temple.
Deemed as the “Temple of Heavenly Happiness”, this temple has unique architecture that portrays the traditional ancient southern Chinese style.
- Unique sculptures representing dragons and phoenixes
- A guided tour that visitors should take to learn more about the ancestors
Opening Hours: Daily: 7:30am to 5:30pm
Entrance Fee: Free
4. Discover Ancient Indian Culture At Sri Mariamman Temple
After you’re done visiting the two Chinese temples, head over to Sri Mariamman Temple, also known as the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore, located on the same road.
- The entrance of the temple which resembles a pagoda
- Beautiful religious artworks are painted on the ceilings
Opening Hours: Daily: 5:30am to 12:00pm; 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Entrance Fee: Free
5. Drop By The Jamae Mosque To Learn More About Islam
You definitely can’t leave out any religious buildings from your list of things to do in Chinatown Singapore.
A few walks ahead, and you’ll encounter another religious temple, the Jamae Mosque, built with an entrance designed in Indian-Muslim style.
- A guide called Dawah Office is specially appointed to guide tourists and non-Muslims around the Mosque
- A very informative Islamic Information Gallery consisting posters of Islam and many others
Opening Hours:
Saturday to Thursday: 10:00am to 6:00pm
Friday: 10:00am to 12:00pm; 2:30pm to 6:00pm
Entrance Fee: Free
6. Eat Like A Local At Chinatown Food Street
There’s one thing that most of us can’t live without – and that’s food!
I’m pretty sure you’ll be tired from all the walking and need some rest to refuel your body.
Get a hold of all the local hawker dishes such as laksa and chicken rice at the Chinatown Food Street!
- Seafood lovers will enjoy the stingray at Boon Tat Street BBQ Seafood (Stall #1 & #3)
- Enjoy some good satay at Old Airport Road Satay Bee Hoon & BBQ Steamboat (Stall #2)
- A plate of fried kway teow at Food Street Fried Kway Teow Mee (Stall #8)
Opening Hours: Daily: 11:0am to 11:00pm
7. Shop Away At Chinatown Street Market
Now that your energy has been recharged, walk around Chinatown Street Market where there are numerous stalls available for you to see and shop!
- The market is big enough to cover 4 streets; Pagoda Street, Trengganu Street, Sago Street & Smith Street
- Several food carts throughout the street
- Unique souvenirs such as silk robes and lucky cats
Opening Hours: Daily: 9:30am to 8:00pm
8. Visit Chinatown Heritage Centre For More Chinese Culture
When you’re looking for things to do in Chinatown Singapore, this is one of the best museums to experience the culture and history of the Chinese back in the 1950s.
Highlights:
- Visit the gift shop for one-of-a-kind souvenirs that are limited edition
- Every level represents the different periods of time throughout the years
- Each of the exhibits portrays the early life of the residents, including bedrooms and streets
Opening Hours: Daily: 9:30am to 6:30pm
Entrance Fee: SGD18 (Adult), SGD14 (Child)
9. Experience The Peranakan Culture In NUS Baba House
Visiting many heritage buildings should be in your itinerary of things to do in Chinatown Singapore. This is slightly different than the previous one!
You’ll learn about Peranakan culture, which is of Chinese and Malay/Indonesian heritage.
- Over 2,000 Peranakan antiques and decorative items
- Exhibits of Peranakan themes at the gallery
Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Friday: 10:00am (Heritage Tours in English)
First Monday of the month: 10:00am (Heritage Tour in Mandarin)
Saturdays: 1:30pm, 2:15pm, 3:15pm and 4:00pm (Self-guided Visit)
Closed On:Sunday & public holidays
Entrance Fee:
Singaporeans: Free
Non-Singaporeans: SGD10
10. Conquer Your Fears & Ride The G-Max Reverse Bungy Singapore
Putting all the sight-seeing aside, this is probably one of the most fun things to do in Chinatown Singapore!
You sit in a capsule that accommodates 5 people that gets catapult through the air up to 60 metres high! How cool and fun is that?! You won’t want to miss it!
- Another alternative that involves more swinging located in the same area called GX-5 Extreme Swing
- A trampoline bungee where you can perform multiple stunts and flips
Opening Hours: Daily: 2:00pm until late
Ticket Price:
G-Max Reverse Bungy & GX-5 Extreme Swing: SGD45 (Adult), SGD35 (Students)
Max-Combo (Both Rides): SGD65
11. Eat A Hearty Meal At Maxwell Food Centre
Yes, you got that right – more food!
From Chinese, Indian and Malay cuisines, you’ll have plenty of food choices to fill up your stomach after a long day exploring Chinatown!
- Chicken Rice that was rated a Michelin Star at Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice (Stall #10 & #11)
- Get a plate of rojak, another popular dish, at Rojak, Popiah & Cockle
Opening Hours: Daily: 8:00am to 2:00am
12. The Hipster Part Of Chinatown – Keong Saik Road
Moving on to the classier side of Chinatown, at Keong Saik Road, you’ll find plenty of bars and eateries stretched across the street.
Highlights:
- Eat some burgers at Three Buns @ Potato Head Singapore (Club, Bar & Restaurant)
- Try the famous grilled unagi at Man Man Japanese Unagi Restaurant
13. Get A Glimpse Of Chinatown At The Pinnacle @ Duxton Skybridge
Last but not least, unwind your day by overseeing the entire Chinatown from the Skybridge located on the 50th floor.
You could literally see the whole of Singapore!
- Rocky (A mini wall climbing wall)
- Hillock & Fiesta (Unique statues to sit on)
- The Beach (Simply a walkway that symbolises a beach)
- Cottage (A mini wooden hut)
Opening Hours:
Sunday to Friday: 8:00am to 5:00pm
Saturday: 8:00am to 1:00pm
Entrance Fee: SGD6
When you’re looking for things to do in Chinatown Singapore, ensure you’ve covered all of the things on this list to get the best experience possible so you’ll have something to talk about with your family and friends!