Highlights & Hidden Gems of Singapore: Chinatown & Downtown Core
1318 reviews
3 hours | city highlight tours | Singapore
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!
As the sun sets, Singapore lights up, the heat of the day fades, and the tourist crowds start to thin out. This is the time to enjoy the city at its atmospheric best on a private tour with a local! Take in glittering highlights and the local ambiance that only the evening brings out in Singapore.
You’ve probably heard that Singapore is well-known for its Gardens by the Bay, but do you know the stories and origin behind it? Or how much influence it has on the locals daily life? On this private city tour, you are in for a cultural treat!
Want to get a real local taste of the Singapore? Give it a taste and find out on this undefined private tour in Singapore! Join a local host expert in food and culture on a tour that will satisfy your cultural cravings for a Hawker Center tour with tastings, history, and highlights.
Did you know that the Singapore tour of your dreams exists? Yes, and it’s 100% personalized and created by your local host around your interests. Customize and see only the places that spark your interest. From classic landmarks to neighborhood walks - your wishes are our command!
Experience Singapore’s global cultural at your own pace! A walking tour of Singapore is the perfect way to explore the contrasting neighborhoods of this diverse city! With your local host by your side you'll learn about the multicultural history, food and art that make Singapore so unique! Step into Chinatown on the Local Markets & Temples Tour. You'll be learning about Chinese immigration as you stroll through the Hawker Centre and the Chinatown Complex this private walking tour of Singapore. Taste your way through the food markets, then make your way to Sri Mariamman Temple, Thian Hock Kheng Temple and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple to discover the various religious influences of Hinduism, Taoism and Buddhism! With your local host you will uncover the stories of Singapore’s diverse history on your walking city tour! Discover a lesser-known side of Singapore on the Singapore’s Famous Sights & Secrets Tour. You'll be exploring key tourist attractions such as the Colonial District, Lions City and the Temple of the Monkey Gods. Enjoy a traditional Chinese snack in the Tiong Bahru Market, then discover a hidden side of Singapore. Head to the secret tunnel of the previous General Post Office, explore a hidden orchard and take a stroll through the Gardens by the Bay. Let your local host share their best recommendations and hidden gems on your walking tour in Singapore! All walking tours in Singapore are 100% private and fully customizable. Whether you wish to walk the entire city or simply take it easy in a smaller area, your local host will be able to tailor your tour to suit your you on the day.
What other travelers love about our local experts
Michelle
About local
7 June 2025
Fabulous tour of Singapore sights & tastes
From the moment we met HJ, we knew we were in for an adventure! He led us on a path to one of the Hawker Center’s detailing the history and culture of the area. At our first stop, he opened up his backpack to pull out water bottles and tissues before hurrying off to get our first tastes. He came back with plates of food to sample. Before we took a bite, he took a group pic (at the end of the day, he sent us all the photos he took with the dishes labeled). Next we went upstairs where he showed us around the “wellness” stalls and then the local garment stalls. Our next stop was the lower level for the fresh food stalls. He pointed out the various fresh fish, the buckets of live eels and giant prawns! We stopped at a fruit stand where he described the Asian fruits. When we told him we had never tried a mangosteen, he purchased a few and showed us how to get to the edible fruit center. We were skeptical but his enthusiasm encouraged us to try it. HJ was correct - we all loved it! As we walked to another market, he pointed out the public art and the historical buildings. The next food stop included MANY more dishes to sample and then dessert! After we couldn’t eat any more, HJ led us through the streets pointing out even more local history and art. We ended up on the rooftop of an apartment complex with views of Singapore and Malaysia & Indonesia in the distance. We thought our tour would simply be a sampling of tastes from the Hawker Center, but it was so much more!! Tour with HJ and you will have a great taste of Singapore.
A Taste of Singapore: Hawker Center Tour
Nathan
About local
6 June 2025
Great Guide
Monica was really knowledgeable and really patient with the children!
Treasures of Singapore: Gardens by the Bay Tour
Susan
About local
3 June 2025
Amazng day with Leo!
Where do I begin? It was excellent! Being a solo traveler I like having tour guides and Leo is one of my top 5 memorable guides of all time. He met me at my hotel (very kind of him and convenient for me) and had a loaded metro card ready for me to use. We used the clean and air conditioned underground train and walked for our tour. He knows the Downtown Core like the back of his hand and shared all the past, present and future facts of Singapore with me. He is extremely knowledgeable and enjoys questions. He taught me about their judicial government, Chinese history, educational system, food, religion and even Formula 1 (I’m a big fan). His way of sharing all this information was interesting, personal and timed to perfection so that when we discussed a topic, we were literally standing in that spot. I don’t think there are many places in the world where a tour like this one can exist. Leo and I had a fabulous day together and I was sad for it to end. He gave me valuable information to continue my day and evening. I highly recommend this tour and definitely with Leo. By the way, my metro card still had money left on it so I gave it to a worker at my hotel. It’s good to pay it forward.
Highlights & Hidden Gems of Singapore: Chinatown & Downtown Core
Susan
About local
3 June 2025
Great Hawker Chinatown Experience
HJ was very good at introducing us to lots of Hawker Stalls and food shops in various parts of Chinatown. He also showed us murals and signage that helped explain the history of the Hawker stalls as well as the experience of the Chinese people coming to Singapore and how they lived. Lots of food! Come hungry!
