Visiting Singapore is just like visiting 3 Asian destinations. You get to experience Chinese, Malay and Indian cultures in one spot.
If you plan on holidaying in an Asian city, you might want to consider Singapore.
- There may be many good reasons to make Singapore your first ever destination in Asia. First of all, the city is clean, orderly and safe for visitors to move around on their own. Then, if you are traveling to multiple Asian destinations, there is a bewildering range of full-service and budget airlines from Singapore Airport. Also, English is widely spoken here.
- But above all, Singapore offers the cultures of three ethnic groups: the Chinese, the Malays and the Indians. What can be more rewarding than seeing three Asian communities in one destination?
- Indeed, the descendants of Asian immigrants have made Singapore a melting pot of cultures, where age-old traditions still hold sway.
- Discover these unique traditions in Singapore by visiting the so-called ‘ethnic enclaves’: Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little India. Each of these lovely spots may be enjoyed on a leisurely walking tour.
- Chinatown:
- When Singapore’s founder Stamford Raffles set aside land for Chinatown, he dictated that the buildings should be made of permanent material. Thanks to Raffles and some conservation effort, Chinatown today remains a place to admire early-Singapore shophouse architecture
- Many of the original trades here, however, have been replaced by more upmarket activities like Chinese restaurants and tea houses. And as well. Opium dens, brothels and death houses (where the dying were condemned to) used to take up many of the shophouses here. Today, you’ll only see pictures and mock-ups of these trades in the Chinatown Heritage Center. Nevertheless, Chinatown retains a strong sense of ‘Chinese-ness’.
- Chinatown’s restaurants used to serve only local and southern Chinese food. Today, however, you’ll find many restaurants offering cuisines from other parts of China. These are run by first-generation immigrants who have come from various provinces in China. Singapore’s oldest Chinese temple - the very elaborate Thian Hock Keng Temple - is also found here. Worth the visitor’s time also are the quaint shops specializing in Chinese calligraphy, antiques and traditional costumes.
- Kampong Glam:
- Kampong Glam is so called because the gelam tree - a relative of the eucalyptus - used to proliferate this area.
- Today, Singapore’s Malays continue to converge at , you will find a Malay-frequented mosque standing gloriously in Little India and a major Indian temple smack in the heart of Chinatown. All these make for an enchanting visit.
About the author
Gabriel Tan is the editor of eTour Singapore. If you are planning on visiting Singapore, make use of his tips, photos and videos to create an enjoyable Singapore tour.
Tags: asian destinations, asian immigrants, budget airlines, early singapore, ethnic enclaves, heritage center, indian cultures, kampong glam, little india, many good reasons, material thanks, mock ups, opium dens, shophouse, shophouses, singapore airport, stamford raffles, tea houses, traditions in singapore, visiting singapore
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