How much do you know about Singapore? Are you familiar with its rich history and culture? Are you familiar with its amazing people and beautiful buildings? If your answer is no, then this guide is for you! We have handpicked top 6 educational yet exhilarating activities for you and your squad to enjoy while learning all the hidden crooks and crannies in our backyard.
Wait! There’s more! You can now enjoy these amazing activities at a discounted rate with your $100 SingapoRediscovers vouchers from 1 December 2020 onwards. To find out if you are eligible for the voucher, you can check the Singapore Tourism Board website for more information.
Note: The attractions and activities mentioned below have been approved by the Singapore Tourism Board as of 24th November. More information on specific activities that are covered under the voucher will be made available in December 2020.
Immerse in The Peranakan Culture with The Intan
Do you know that the Peranakans in Singapore can be traced back to the 15th Century? The Peranakan culture is one of the oldest heritage that is slowly disappearing in Singapore. Feeling sad? Well, you can start preserving this unique culture of ours by learning and exploring it with The Intan.
Located in Joo Chiat, one of the districts where the Peranakans lived in the olden days, The Intan is a private museum owned by Alvin Yapp. Built since the 1950s, this traditional post-war house museum has a collection of more than 1500 artefacts, ranging from the Peranakan European made enamel tiffin carriers to the iconic beaded shoes. Moreover, it also provides its guests with a close-up glimpse of Peranakan food and lifestyle with its tea experience tour package and the Shop, Eat and Play extension tour package.
Address: 69 Joo Chiat Terrace, 427231, Singapore
Operating Hour: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Contact: +65 6440 1148
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Travel Back Time with X-trekkers Adventure
Are you keen to explore your neighbourhood and learn the historical meaning behind those beautiful buildings? The “Queenstown & Beyond” walking tour by X-trekkers Adventure might just be the perfect activity for you.
With the mission to introduce all the hidden gems in our neighbourhood, this local walking tour has specially curated several less crowded and off-the-beaten walking trails that allow you and your squad to explore the inner beauty of the areas surrounding One-north, Tanglin Halt and Hort Park.
Meeting Point: Queenstown & Beyond (Meeting point of the tours differs from one another)
Operating Hour: Timing of the tours differs from one another
Contact: +65 94876198
Visit the Last Standing Kampong with Lets Go Tour
Among all the skyscrapers and high-rise housing in Singapore, there is one last standing village, Kampong Lorong Buangkok. Existed since 1956, this tranquillity pocket of untouched scenic is the witness to Singapore’s rapid development in the past decades.
With exposed electrical lines, brightly-painted wooden houses and domestic chickens scrambling around, Kampong Lorong Buangkok is definitely a place to find simple pleasures and relive the good old days. So step into this village now with Lets Go Tour and discover the stories and sacrifices made in the process of developing Singapore into what it is today. With the guided tour, you can also visit the village towkay’s house and interact with the villagers to have a more authentic experience of living in a kampong.
Address: 7 Lorong Buangkok, 547557, Singapore
Operating Hour: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. (Timing of the tour)
Contact: +65 9004 4332
Play Tourist with Trishaw Uncle
Missing the excitement of being a tourist in new countries? We have the next best thing for you: Play tourist in our own backyard with our local trishaw tour. Once a popular mode of transportation back in the 1940s, trishaw is now one of the pleasant ways to sightsee around Singapore.
Featuring its friendly rider who doubles as a local guide, Trishaw Uncle brings you to embark on a nostalgic trip through the streets that are filled with rich heritage charm. Lasting approximately 45 minutes, you get to hear personal stories of the trishaw riders who lived in Chinatown back in 1950, immerse yourself in the colourful sights of Little India while savouring delicious Indian traditional snacks and rediscover the hidden gems along Clarke Quay and City Hall.
Address: 63, Queen Street, 188542, Singapore
Operating Hour: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Contact: +65 6336 1188 / +65 6337 7111
Battlebox
As the saying goes, “It is better to see once than to hear a hundred times”. As a Singapore history buff, you would not want to miss the chance to visit Battlebox, a significant building during the colonial time.
Located inside the lush nature spot of Fort Canning Hill, Battlebox was once the WWII British underground command centre that is dated back to 1936. It was in this very place that the British made the decision to surrender Singapore to the invading Japanese on 15 February 1942.
Relaunched in 2016, this bunker turned museum is now filled with wartime artefacts and recreations that depicts the final days of the Battle of Singapore. Its maze of rooms and corridors unveils the truth behind the largest capitulation in British history. How’s that for a real-life history lesson!
Address: 2 Cox Terrace, Fort Canning Park, 179622, Singapore
Operating Hour: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Closed on Mon & Tues
Contact: +65 6338 6133
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Have a Traditional Taste with Indie Singapore
Love to eat? Me too! But do you know how our national favourite dishes, like Hainanese Chicken Rice, Laksa and many more, come about? Rediscover Singapore’s rich food heritage that propels us into being the world-renowned food paradise now with Indie Singapore.
Strolling through the streets of Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar, you and your squad not only get to taste local delights that are specially curated for Singapore Food Festival 2020, but also indulge in the hidden stories and interesting factoids of Singapore food heritage since the 1930s. A Vegetarian or vegan? No worries, Indie Singapore also offers Vegetarian-Friendly Tour that is just as good as the normal ones for you.
Meeting Point: OUTSIDE Telok Ayer MRT Station Exit A
Operating Hour: Saturday (Timing of the tour)
