UNESCO Hawker Culture: Chinatown Food Walk & Heritage Stories

Overview

People usually walk through Chinatown to see the colours. Our guides walk you through it and tell you what happened here, from the Cantonese merchants on Pagoda Street to the death houses on Sago Lane. Along the way, uncover the community that built Singapore's food culture from nothing and got it listed on UNESCO.

This walk takes you through backstreets filled with hidden stories: from the alleys painted by Yip Yew Chong to the Ann Siang Hill conservation area, past filming locations from Crazy Rich Asians that locals actually recognise. You'll stop inside the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, one of the most significant Mahayana Buddhist temples in Southeast Asia, and feast on 9-10 of your guide's handpicked dishes at Maxwell Food Centre and beyond, from chicken rice to Fuzhou oyster pancakes.

Chinatown is not a theme park of Chinese culture. It's a living neighbourhood with a complicated, fascinating history. Come on an empty stomach and leave knowing why Singapore's hawker culture is worth a UNESCO listing.

Important Information

What's included?

3 hours with a licensed local guide
9-10 handpicked must-try local dishes and beverages at famous hawker centres
1 bottle of mineral water
Rest stop at Nanyang Old Coffee
Small group experience (max 10 pax)
Private and personalised experience (private tours only)

Exclusions

Tips and gratuities (always appreciated, never expected)
Other personal expenses

Please Note

The tour requires at least 2 full paying participants to proceed. The operator reserves the right to cancel or reschedule at their discretion.
If a tour cannot go ahead, you will be notified by email at least 2 days before departure.
The tour takes place at Singapore hawker centres, table booking and food pre-ordering are not possible. There may be waiting times; we appreciate your patience.
Special dietary requirements may not be catered to on join-in tours. Please contact us before booking if you have specific needs, private tours offer more flexibility.
Comfortable footwear is strongly recommended. Bring an umbrella or poncho in case of rain.
Children aged 0-2 join free. 1 adult may purchase a maximum of 1 child ticket; 2 adults may purchase a maximum of 2 child tickets. Additional children will be charged the full adult price.
Please ensure your contact details are accurate at the time of booking. The operator cannot be held liable for losses resulting from inaccurate information.
Not wheelchair accessible. Not suitable for strollers or pets.
Infants must not sit on laps; infant seats are unavailable.

What do I need to bring?

Wear something light and comfortable in Singapore's sweltering heat! We recommend you to bring a hat, sunnies and sunscreen — anything to combat the heat and humidity of our weather :)