• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Want to see the best of Singapore? It’s all waiting in Chinatown & Downtown Core! And as in every Withlocals experience, the real excitement is the hidden gems of this area. Join your favorite local and get a feeling of the city's real vibe on a tour in Chinatown & Downtown Core, so you can say: I experienced the real Singapore!

Destination

Singapore

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

3 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, 中文

Included

• Private Guide
• Local Drink & Snack
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Entrance to Attractions

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 15 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at At the entrance of Chinatown Visitor Centre - Singapore to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Chinatown & Downtown Core Exploring

   This Singapore tour takes you to explore Chinatown & Downtown Core, where you can see another area of the city. Check out its highlights and hidden gems and its many interesting insights that will show you Chinatown & Downtown Core at its best!

4. Area Highlights

   See from Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Raffles Hotel, St. Andrews Cathedral, and other landmarks and must-sees of the city. Your local host will take you to the main spots in town so you can get the perfect overview of what makes Singapore so unique

5. Hidden Gems

   Along the way, your local host will show you treasures hidden in plain sight that only the locals know about. Get to know the city through a different perspective, the local way, and discover places and stories that not many tourists experience

6. Magical Storytelling

   Behind every landmark and every stop, there’s a story, and your local host is ready to tell it all. Get ready to listen to incredible stories, one-of-a-kind insights, and fun facts only a knowledgeable local would know!

7. Special Treat

   Follow your host to one of their favorite eateries for a snack or a drink beloved by the locals. Take a break and catch up with your new local friend and get the answers to all your travel questions

8. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Signe

(About local Stefan)

7 March 2025

My partner and I had a 24 hour layover in Singapore and wanted to make the most of it with a food tour. Stefan was a great guide, showing us around three neighborhoods in the city and tailoring our tour to what we were interested in and had time for. We especially enjoyed seeing multiple hawker markets while learning some history and architecture along the way. If we’re back in Singapore, we’d absolutely take another tour with Stefan!Wonderful morning food tour

Unknown

(About local Arthur)

6 March 2025

We chose the 5 hour walking/10 tastings Tour as we are foodies and had limited time in Singapore. Arthur took us off the tourist trail and immersed us with his knowledge of Singapore history, particularly relating to food and food culture. This included Arab quarter, Little India and finally Chinatown. It was such a fun day. Thank you Arthur, it was fab and we learned a lot! Sensational Arthur!

Teri

(About local Monica)

4 March 2025

10 star tour! Monica was punctual, informative and gave us a wonderful tour of Singapore. I highly recommend her as your guide. I think we really lucked out having her as our guide. Fabulous Monica

Jane

(About local Stefan)

3 March 2025

A bit disappointed with this trip. Stefan was pleasant but only provided information when asked and didn’t try to connect with us. Had 3 dishes at a Hawker centre which were great, only got very limited info when prompted and then a quick dash to Gardens at the Bay for the lightshow. Stefan didn’t appear to notice that we were lagging behind. We were meant to have further snacks at satay at the bay but they had stopped serving (which seemed to surprise Stefan) so could only have a couple of drinks and some spring rolls ( nice but we can get them at home!) that we paid for. This wasn’t the experience that we hoped for. We said we were tired and would like to get a taxi/grab back to our hotel but Stefan wanted us to go to the MRT and get a taxi at Orchard. It didn’t feel like our needs were taken into account. Hmmm

Dominek

(About local Stefan)

3 March 2025

I had a fantastic experience with Stefan as my tour guide in Singapore! He was incredibly friendly and welcoming, making me feel comfortable from the start. His deep knowledge of Singapore's history, culture, and everyday life made the tour both informative and engaging. It was a pleasure to have him guide me through the city's highlights, sharing interesting insights along the way. He also gave great recommendations, including the must-do experience of going up to the Supertrees—an unforgettable view! Highly recommended for anyone looking for a knowledgeable and personable guide in Singapore. Thank you, Stefan! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Stefan – THE Singapore Tour Guide

Donna

(About local Peter)

3 March 2025

Peter was everything we expected and more he was the quintessential guide to Singapore very knowledgeable very friendly and made us feel like he was a friend highly recommendPeter was amazing

Jason🇺🇸 United States

(About local Grayson)

2 March 2025

I had a great time with Grayson! He was highly communicative leading up to the tour, which was fantastic. I was flying solo, so it was just me and Grayson. He was really chill, great to talk to, and funny to boot. He is a wealth of information about the local food and culture. As we walked around the city he discussed the history, culture, and architecture along the way. I highly recommend booking with Grayson! Fantastic Experience

Kerri🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Chingmeng)

2 March 2025

We had a great experience with Chingmeng,plenty of food from the different areas of Singapore. Easy walking tour for all agesFood toir

Louise 🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Peter)

1 March 2025

From our first contact Peter has been a wonderful resource . Pre-travel he answered our questions including the best way to getting our hotel from the airport, to planning our tour with him. He accommodated my wife’s mobility issues (bad knees)by setting a balanced pace , taking escalators and elevators instead of stairs . And all this before we discuss the tour . We have travelled enough to acknowledge that having an experienced , articulate, and understandable guide is important . Peter is all that, and much more His experience and flexibility allowed us to see much more than we would in the limited time we had together. Peter’s information was just right . We wanted to know about the country , history , people and cultures. Peter provided enough to inform and entertain, as he also has a good sense of humour. We altered our tour to make sure we saw the light shows , make a boat ride , and see the essential sites . If you are fortunate enough to tour with Peter , you won’t be disappointed. Louise , Darryl and Jory ( three 60 something Canadians .) See more, stress less with Peter

Lynn

(About local Chingmeng)

27 February 2025

Chingmeng was not very pleasant and was very difficult to understand. He knew we were hard of hearing but he continued to talk as he walked away. We could not find the meeting spot and so we were late. I tried to explain that I thught the description of the spot was incorrect and he responded by saying the description for the meeting spot has worked for 10 years and it was fine for everyone else, so why did we have trouble? He brought up US politics and we had no interest in discussing politics. He acted tired and bored. I would not recommend this guide.Not very excited to be doing his job

Kone’🇺🇸 United States

(About local HJ)

26 February 2025

Thanks HJ for a wonderful tour. My time slot was later in the day and so by the time we visited some of the eateries a few have already closed, but that was fine. HJ was able to locate some great local delicacies. HJ also took me on a wonderful history tour of Chinatown, information I would not otherwise have known on my own. Thanks HJ I appreciate it Walking in Chinatown

Susana

(About local HJ)

25 February 2025

This is the best way to get to know Singapore. To do this tour with HJ is like to be with a friend that lives in the city and it is showing you around. I loved the hidding gems that we visited and all the historical places. And All the stories that only a local can tell you. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!Best way to know Singapore

Neil

(About local Jon)

24 February 2025

Jon was a bag of knowledge and took the extra care to provide headphones linked to a microphone which made it very easy to hear. We visited some great sights and Jon was able to describe everything in great detail.....we almost had no time to breathe. Night tour of Singapore

Len🇺🇸 United States

(About local Chingmeng)

24 February 2025

Appreciated the history of the areas we visited. Would have liked a little input into food options. Only visited 3 places and the guide seemed liked he was to be somewhere else. Looking at his watch all the time. Less than we hoped for.

Srinivasan🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Jon)

23 February 2025

We had a morning and evening trip with Jon. He is informative and amusing and we learned a lot. We had a very relaxed time and were given plenty of opportunities for photos and exploring. We can highly recommend him as a Singapore guide. Ravi and Jeanette Singapore with Jon

Neil

(About local Arthur)

22 February 2025

Arthur was an exceptional guide and we went back to some of the places a number of times for food later on in our trip. He took his time to give us detailed explanations of everything along with the history. The food was amazing and varied. Fantasic tour - must go!Super Foodie tour

George

(About local Monica)

22 February 2025

very helpful to learn about how everyday and ordinary people outside of the usual tourist trap lead their lives. Must be done in addition to the Marina bay sands and other traditional tourist spots. Using buses to get around ordinary neighborhoods and hawker establishments is a much better way of experiencing the average citizen life. Only a local can give you the honest truth. Well worth the money and timeExcellent experience with local

Grazyna🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Monica)

20 February 2025

Monica was a perfect guide she responded to our general requirements. Showed us places that we never new existed. The whole tour was carried out at a pace that was comfortable. Her passion and interest and historical overview gave us an insight into Singapores development. Monica has a wonderful personality which made the tour very enjoyable.Off the beaten track

Hector

(About local HJ)

19 February 2025

It was a fantastic tour. HJ took us to very interesting places including a roof top walk where we could see Indonesia and Malaysia. He has a great knowledge of Singapore’s history and the different cultures here. We also went to places not mentioned in the tour guides we researched before coming here. He was very friendly and helpful.10

Henry

(About local Jon)

17 February 2025

Jon was the perfect choice for our group of 4 elderly travelers! His large van had room for all our luggage and comfortable seating for us. He offered to meet us at our cruise ship and deposit us at our hotel after the tour. His presentations were perfect, full of interesting and informative information about Singapore, its culture, population and history. He tailored the tour to fit our needs. We all recommend him very highly!Outstanding Guide! Smart, Kind & Flexible

Steve

(About local Arthur)

17 February 2025

We went on the "10 Tastings of Singapore" food tour with Arthur in February 2025. From the moment we booked it, we were impressed with Arthur. Within minutes we received messages from him with details about the tour and explaining that to get the best out of the experience, it might take longer than the stated 3 hours. We also received information about places to go, ways to get around Singapore and other really useful information. The tour included Arab Street, Little India and Chinatown and not only included lots of very lovely food, but also lessons on using the buses and the MRT and loads and loads of history. Arthur picked us up from our hotel lobby and left us at the end of the tour about 5 hours later, tired, much more knowledgable about this wonderful city, and very full! To be thoroughly recommendedAn amazing experience in Singapore

Philippe🇫🇷 France

(About local Peter)

15 February 2025

A few days before the appointment, Peter contacted us to give us all the information we needed to meet in the best possible conditions. And on the D day, we had a great time with him, discovering Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay. He's inexhaustible about the park's history, fauna, flora and anecdotes. If you have the chance, choose Peter as your guide - you won't be disappointed!With Peter to discover Gardens by the Bay

Ruth

(About local HJ)

14 February 2025

We met with HJ and he was so cool! He took such good care of us. Making sure to walk in the shade and in and out of the AC’s when possible. He is the ultimate local guide that took us through alleys and local spots that only a local would be able to show us. HJ provided a fantastic overview of Singapore's diverse culture and iconic landmarks. He led us through a well-paced itinerary, including the National Gallery, The Merlion, Chinatown, The Haji Lane and Arab Quarter, stunning views of the city and fantastic architecture. The included food tastings showcased authentic local flavors – yummy chicken rice from the oldest Chinatown Hawker center. The transportation was the bus and the metro - so cool! We highly recommend this tour with HJ for anyone seeking a comprehensive introduction to Singapore. Thank you HJ!!! HJ the Ultimate Local Guide

Viana

(About local Chingmeng)

12 February 2025

We had a great time with Chingmeng - he was super engaging and knew so much about Singapore. He shared lots of history and culture during our tour, and introduced us to a few distinct parts of the city. Really tasty food and a good mix so we got to try a bit of everything. Highly recommend, especially as a first timer in Singapore as a way to help you navigate the many food choices you’ll have! Really great experience

gotfredsonnn

(About local Jack Zhao)

11 February 2025

Jack is funny, engaging and an expert on the city’s history. He seems to know everyone and shows you a side of the city that is not bustling with only tourists. Cannot recommend him enough as a guide. Excellent experience

Lynn🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Monica)

10 February 2025

What an exceptional day we had touring Singapore with Monica! The route she set out for us was perfect, informative and interesting and of course those clean washrooms!!! Monica has a wealth of knowledge regarding this beautiful city but it is her quick with and easygoing personality that made this tour so special. Thank you Monica!! Extraordinary!

Peggy🇺🇸 United States

(About local HJ)

9 February 2025

What a great day we had with HJ! He treated us to numerous, yummy treats of Chinese cuisine. We were able to get familiar with several different hawker food centers and local eateries. The food was great, the portions generous, and we enjoyed tasting new dishes we probably would not have ordered on our own. We were also lucky enough to visit with the oldest Loin Dance group in Singapore, tour the Chinese Opera museum, and get a magnificent city view from a nearby roof top building. HJ went above and beyond for us!! Great tour! Great guide! We highly recommend!Fun say in Chinatown!!

Lynn🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Peter)

8 February 2025

Wow! What an enjoyable and informative tour, Gardens by the Bay with Peter. Peter is everything you want in a tour guide, humorous, informative and very personable. Thank you so much!!! Lynn and Andrew PenneyWow!!

Buzz

(About local Joisse)

7 February 2025

Joisse was a delight. Not only was she knowledgeable, but her personality was infectious. Four of us took her tour of the Peranakan Culture tour and found it to be of great interest. Her family ‘s history added to our understanding and it was good to get out of the Singapore downtown area and into a more suburban community. Join Joisse. You will not regret it. We rate Josse a 12 on a scale of 10

Steve🇺🇸 United States

(About local Leo)

7 February 2025

Had a great day with Leo. We were a group of six and everyone thoroughly enjoyed Leo’s knowledge, his local expertise and his sense of humor. We learned so much about the history and the culture of Singapore. We visited sights not to be found on a routine tour that enhanced our appreciation for the history and the future of Singapore. Highly recommend. Great Day with Leo

Colin

(About local HJ)

7 February 2025

We had a great few hours with HJ. We were late meeting him, no fault of his, due to being dropped off at the wrong place by our tact driver. HJ was patient and when we met up greeted us with a big smile. We started off in Chinatown and he explained the history of the place and pointed out things we found very interesting. On then to a Hawker Market where he presented us with many dishes, some we liked more than others but the idea is to at least try everything, which we did. We had time to visit a Buddhist temple and ended up at a Museum exhibition showing how Singapore has and continues to evolve. Throughout our time with HJ he was very patient and attentive to us ensuring we were ok. Finally, he sent us photos he had taken during our tour, a very nice touch. Thank yo HJ for a great afternoon.HJ - A real gentleman

Andrea

(About local Grayson)

5 February 2025

Grayson gave us a great introduction to Singapore. Explaining the history and transition to modern day times. Very knowledgeable Informative and Insightful

Janet🇨🇳 China

(About local Stefan)

4 February 2025

We had a great time with Stefan in the Singapore zoo. Stefan gave us good advice to enter the Zoo in the morning. The schedule and route were very well-organized (we entered the park early and got to see the most spectacular feeding scene in the morning, we also watched the 10:30AM performance). Stefan also provided us with audio guides and headphones, allowing us to listen to the commentary at any time. I can also feel Stefan’s great passion for animals, the good understanding of the animals in the zoo and the fun facts of the animal was really good. I highly recommend Stefan if it is your first time to visit Singapore.Great tour and highly recommend

Susan🇺🇸 United States

(About local Grayson)

3 February 2025

Four of us, with little knowledge of Singapore, spent a full day exploring and learning with Grayson. We had visited Marina Bay the previous evening so Grayson immersed us in the history and diverse cultures. Whether it was orchids in the garden, the legal system, or Buddhist temples, Grayson was a wealth of information. We ask a lot of questions and Grayson was so good natured and entertaining and flexibly altered our tour to accommodate us. We highly recommend Grayson for everyone!!Delightful day with Grayson!

Peter

(About local Jack Zhao)

1 February 2025

Leider war die Tour das Geld nicht wert. Jack's Englisch war für uns (obwohl wir gut Englisch sprechen) kaum oder nur sehr schwer zu verstehen. War aber nicht schlimm, weil Jack uns im Grunde nichts erzählte. Wir marschierte vorweg, wir versuchten ihm mühsam im Gedränge von Chinatown zu folgen. Neue Information erhielten wir kaum, auf Fragen ging er kaum ein. Außerdem bot er uns nach kurzer Zeit an, die Tour zu beenden, weil am Vortag des chinesischen Neujahrsfestes in ChinaTown ohnehin alles geschlossen wäre (und - wo unsere Vermutung - er selbst lieber zurück nach Hause wollte). Warum bestätigt er diese Tour an diesem Abend, wenn das ein ungeeignetes Datum ist? Statt dessen überreichte uns zwei (ohnehin kostenlose) Tickets für eine öffentliche Veranstaltung in den Gardens by the Bay. Zu der Veranstaltung konnte er uns wenig sagen. Wegen seiner schlechten Zeitplanung konnten wir dorthin nur noch mit dem Taxi fahren. In Summe die schlechteste Tour ever mit einem unseres Erachtens ungeeigneten Guide - trotz seines offiziellen Tour Guide Zertifikats.Mega-Flop

nxx92q8xt7

(About local Jack Zhao)

1 February 2025

Although Jack had some very good local knowledge and we were able to prize the information out of him, it was very hard work. He was quite clear that we had chosen the wrong time to do the tour, which made us wonder why he accepted the commission in the first place. Overall, we were able to gain insight into the Hawker centres and some of the local dynamics, so it wasn’t a complete waste of time. Jack let us eat a full lunch for the first of five courses, which meant every single next course was a struggle to eat and was very uncomfortable. Finally, his English was questionable, and I found it very hard to understand what he said, so consequently missed a loss of the information. Not worth the money.Could do better…

Ailinh🇺🇸 United States

(About local Monica)

31 January 2025

Mónica was amazing guide. She knows Singapore very well. She catered our tour to the kids with frequent “kid stops” with things for them to explore/do and did a great job finding routes in shade/air conditioning. Amazing tour personalized to our family

Pam

(About local Kenny)

31 January 2025

Kenny is very knowledgeable and conveys his knowledge in a really interesting and engaging manner. My husband has mobility issues due to a stroke. Kenny tailored the tour to suite our particular needs. He created an itinerary that fit my husband’s pace yet still kept up the chat about “all-things Singaporean” to keep things interesting. We highly recommend Kenny.Excellent guide!

Unknown

(About local Kenny)

31 January 2025

Kenny was a great guy to lead the tour. We have absolutely no complaints. Knowledgable, patient, and kind - a great time!Fabulous!

cabrams2607🇺🇸 United States

(About local Kenny)

30 January 2025

Thank you Kenny for your tour around Chinatown. We loved the cultural and historical prospectives you shared throughout our tour. It was exactly what we were hoping for!Great tour!

Janet

(About local Grayson)

28 January 2025

Grayson was a very engaging host with a quiet sense of humour. He took us to 3 different hawkers markets each with a different type of Singapore eats - Malay, Indian and Chinese. Our family tasted food we would not have otherwise tried. served as the Singaporeans would. Our favourites were the Teh Tanik and the Kueh Dadar. He also gave us quite a bit of history and took us to an apartment complex to explain the housing in Singapore. The whole tour was highly entertaining and we would recommend both the tour and Grayson.Loved this tour

Marta🇩🇰 Denmark

(About local Jack Zhao)

27 January 2025

We were very happy after this tour as we saw a big part of the city and learned the history and facts as well. Jack is super nice, good english and perfect photographer! Thank you Jack! We really do recommendExcellent Tour

Keeley

(About local Jack Zhao)

26 January 2025

Jack was wonderful! His passion for the history of Singapore was super informative. It was such a fun experience and all of the food was adventurous and delicious. Fantastic tour with Jack!

tarryn🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Grayson)

24 January 2025

We had a great time on our tastings tour with Grayson. Grayson had a wealth of knowledge in relation to both the food we tried and Singapore generally. The tour was a great way to see a number of neighbourhoods and taste a range of Singaporean food that we would not normally select. Highly recommend.Knowledgeable guide, wonderful food

Chris🇺🇸 United States

(About local Peter)

22 January 2025

Peter was a great guide for our tour of Gardens By the Bay. He listened to us and adjusted the tour to our walking speed and interests. He blended information with funny asides that made the experience lively and enjoyable. Flexiblle and Fun

Yigal🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Jack Zhao)

20 January 2025

We have had a wonderful day with Jack. From picking up at the airport, visited some of the main attractions at ease. Jack is very knowledgeable and friendly and loves to share his stories and experiences.The best guide to Singapore

Brooke🇺🇸 United States

(About local Grayson)

20 January 2025

Our group of 4 enjoyed the experience with Grayson. He combined historical context to the foods we ate, provided history of the quarters we visited, and gave us plenty of good eats. He was professional and such a gracious guide. Food, Fun, Facts

Lin

(About local HJ)

19 January 2025

We had a fantastic morning with HJ who took us through Chinatown while telling us about it’s history and showing us hidden gems. HJ was both fun, knowledgeable, and a great guide. We would definitely recommend this for tourists or first time visitor to Chinatown or Singapore.Great cultural tour of Chinatown!

Larry🇺🇸 United States

(About local HJ)

18 January 2025

My wife and I recently took a Hawkers food tour with HJ. He was on time and knowledgeable. He shared his knowledge and love of Hawker Center foods, Singapore, and Chinatown. He took photos of the dishes we enjoyed and sent them to us after the tour. He even took us to the top of the building he lives in, which provided great views of Singapore.

Sebastian🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Joisse)

18 January 2025

Joisse gave is a wonderful tailored tour. We wanted to see real life in Singapore, no sights, and Joisse took us to a village and public housing where tourist normally don’t go. Communication before and during the tour was great. All expectations were fulfilled. We learned a lot, all questions were honestly answered and we loved the little stories. Joisse is a caring, wonderful person with humor and it was a pleasure to get known to her. Thank you very much. We can absolutely recommend her as a tour guide. Excellent tailored tour