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Chinatown Info · Guest Home Country: countryx

CHINATOWN GENERAL INFORMATION

Singapore's Chinatown is the traditional Chinese quarters of town, and while the entire city is largely Chinese these days the area does retain some of its own charm. The area is also known as Niu Che Shui (牛车水) in Chinese and Kreta Ayer in Malay, both names meaning "bullock cart water".

The area between Pagoda Street and Smith Street has been tarted up considerably for tourists, but workaday Chinatown continues south and east, merging seamlessly into the CBD.

Transportation

Exit A (Pagoda Street) of North-East MRT line's Chinatown station will deposit you right in the heart of the action. Outram Park, Tanjong Pagar and Raffles Place are also all within walking distance, as is Clarke Quay and the Singapore River to the north.

Places to see

Chinatown's primary attraction is the town itself, composed as it is of restored shophouses full of strange little shops selling everything from plastic Buddhas to dried seahorses. Wander at random and see what you can find!

Chinatown Heritage Centre. 48 Pagoda St. An excellent museum chronicling how Chinatown came to be and the privation suffered by early migrants. Admission charges S$8 (adult) S$4.80 (child); the centre is on the left if you walk straight from the Pagoda St MRT exit.
Sri Mariamman Temple. 244 South Bridge Rd. Singapore's oldest and most important Hindu temple and worth a visit for the intricately carved gopuram (statuary above the entrance). Entrance is free, just take off your shoes and don't disturb the worshipers.

Shopping

The central streets of Chinatown are packed with stalls selling all sorts of Chinese trinkets. There is also a cluster of (expensive) antique shops on South Bridge Rd.

Bee Cheng Hiang. Among the Chinese, the obligatory souvenir is some sweet red bak kwa (barbequed pork), available both fresh off the grill and in convenient vacuum packs. There are outlets all over Singapore, but one is located immediately to the right of the Pagoda St MRT exit. Expect massive queues around Chinese New Year in February.
Tea Chapter. 9 Neil Rd. Covered under Drink, this store also retails a wide variety of not only Chinese tea itself, but all the paraphernalia needed to brew it.

Food

In Chinatown there is, needless to say, plenty of Chinese food to go around! Two good hunting grounds for cheap eats are Smith Street, a single row of fancy stalls with the nicest ambiance of the lot and quite decent food too, and Chinatown Complex (junction of Smith and Terengganu Sts), which is one of Singapore's grungiest-looking hawker centres, but its 200+ stalls will satisfy even the most demanding Chinese gourmand. Most dishes in either location are less than $5, although seafood can get considerably more expensive.

stud · Posted: Sun May 29, 2005 9:48 am Post subject:

They have a large Market at Chinatown MRT Where you can *censored* clothes, jewelery, and all sorts of nick nacks. Be wary of those pesty Taylors.
STUD Cool