Saris, Sultans & Shophouses
Little India Kampong Glam & Chinatown
Dynamic Little India, Kampong Glam and Chinatown are Singapore’s original trio of ethnic neighbourhoods with enduring traditions showcasing a vibrant past, but also thriving on reinvention.
We passionately believe a walking tour through these ethnic enclaves is essential in the discovery of the island’s history, culture, art and architecture.
For information and to book a tour, please click on the walking tour you are interested in below.
Saris, Sultans & Shophouses: Little India & Kampong Glam Walk
The tour has 2 options to choose from:
- 3 hour morning stroll, ending in time for lunch
- 2 hour evening walk, ending at a venue suitable for pre-dinner drinks
Included is your knowledgable personal guide and small audio listening sets for social distancing.
Singapore’s dynamic ethnic neighbourhoods with enduring traditions showcase a vibrant past, but also thrive on reinvention. Discover history, heritage, art and architecture as your guide walks you through narrow lanes, awakening your senses.
This tour takes you to two very different old quarters of Singapore—Little India and Kampong Glam. These two neighbourhoods were conceived in Sir Stamford Raffles’ 1822 Master Town Plan created to help the immigrants from different communities settle and thrive in a new land.
Little India – Be mesmerised by the vibrant colours of the silks and gold, the wafting smells from the incense and curries, and hypnotic clangs of the temple bells. You’ll discover that this was actually the second place Indian immigrants settled after abandoning their first allotment next to Chinatown. Why? Join us and find out!
Kampong Glam – It was envisioned as a Malay enclave divided into three sections in Raffles’ Town Plan: one for the Sultan, one for the Arab traders, and one for the Bugis settlers. Today, Kampong Glam retains much of its traditional flavour. But, the area has also grown to become one of Singapore’s most bohemian and hippest areas bursting at the seams with cafes, bars, and clubs sitting alongside the golden Sultan mosque and adjacent heritage centre.
Highlights
- Join your guide 15 mins before the tour starts
- Meet at Little India MRT
- Race Course Road & Buffalo Lane
- Former House of Tan Teng Niah
- Veeramakaliaman Temple
- Veerasamy Road conservation shophouses
- Sultan Mosque
- Malay Heritage Centre (from the outside)
- Bussorah Street
- Haji Lane murals
- End at Haji Lane
Drop Pin
Meet your guide at Little India MRT, Exit E (intersection between Race Course and Buffalo Roads
Our customers say
Ethnic Enclaves was great value and jam packed
Totally satisfied with both the organisation beforehand and the delivery on the day.
Our tour guide Lim was great!
Best value for money tour in all of Singapore!
Would highly recommend Jane’s Tours!
The Explore Ethnic Enclaves Tour was well organised, professional, interesting and fun!!
Our guides, Lim and Rachel were knowledgeable, enthusiastic, friendly and so willing to share!
Can’t recommend highly enough, would book another tour with Jane 👌🏽
Little India walking tour
Really enjoyed the walking tour of Little India run by Jane’s SG Tours. Our tour guide was Bibi- a lovely warm friendly lady who has lived in Singapore for over 30 years. Very interesting walk around the area. We all had earpieces to hear her commentary which worked really well. Would recommend this type of tour to any solo travellers as you meet the loveliest people on them as well as learning lots of facts you would never find out on your own.
Saris, Sultans & Shophouses: Chinatown and Kampong Glam Tour
The tour has 2 options to choose from:
- 3 hour morning stroll, ending in time for lunch
- 2 hour evening walk, ending at a venue suitable for pre-dinner drinks
Included is your knowledgable personal guide and small audio listening sets for social distancing.
Singapore’s dynamic ethnic neighbourhoods with enduring traditions showcase a vibrant past but also thrive on reinvention. Discover history, heritage, art and architecture as your guide walks you through narrow lanes where your senses of sight, sound and smell will be awakened.
This tour takes you to two very different old quarters of Singapore: Chinatown and Kampong Glam. These two neighbourhoods were conceived in Raffles’ 1822 Master Town Plan, created to help the immigrants from different communities to settle and thrive in a new land.
Chinatown. The Chinese were allocated the area south of the Singapore River on Raffles’ Town Plan, settling and building shophouses and godowns. We will traverse three of Chinatown’s four districts, including the landing site of the first immigrants, who gave thanks for safely arriving by building what is now Singapore’s oldest Chinese Temple.
Kampong Glam. It was envisioned as a Malay enclave divided into three sections in Raffles’ Town Plan: one for the Sultan, one for the Arab traders, and one for the Bugis settlers. Today, Kampong Glam retains much of its traditional flavour. But, the area has also grown to become one of Singapore’s most bohemian and hippest areas bursting at the seams with cafes, bars, and clubs sitting alongside the golden Sultan mosque and adjacent heritage centre.
Highlights
- Join your guide 15 mins before the tour starts
- Meet at Nagore Dargah Heritage Centre, 140 Telok Ayer Street
- Yew Chong mural
- Thian Hock Kheng Temple
- Ann Siang Hill
- Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
- MRT ride from Chinatown to Bugis
- Haji Lane murals
- Bussorah Street
- Sultan Mosque
- Morning tour ends at end Malay Heritage Centre
- Evening tour ends at Haji Lane for drinks
Drop Pin
Meet your guide in front of Nagore Dargah Heritage Centre, 140 Telok Ayer St
Our customers say
Chinatown & Kampong Glam - fabulous experience
Once again, I had a fabulous experience with Jane’s Tours! Our guide Elaine was very knowledgable about the areas we visited and even helped us take the best possible photos. The tour was a great mixture of the different cultures that make up Singapore, including the Chinese, Indian and Malay people and the Arab influence. Beautiful sights, tastes and smells- I highly recommend this tour!
Best value for money tour in all of Singapore!
Would highly recommend Jane’s Tours!
The Explore Ethnic Enclaves Tour was well organised, professional, interesting and fun!!
Our guides, Lim and Rachel were knowledgeable, enthusiastic, friendly and so willing to share!
Can’t recommend highly enough, would book another tour with Jane 👌🏽
Authentic Singapore!
As a resident of Singapore, I feel lucky to have been able to take advantage of more tours with Jane’s Tours than I can count. I particularly love the Tuesday walks exploring the different distinct areas of Singapore…including Tiong Bahru, Kampong Glam, Geylang and The Botanic Gardens to name a few. Jane and her team are knowledgeable without being over -facing; interesting in the telling of local stories and fun to be with… Every tour is a winner!







