SINGAPORE'S CHINATOWN
- Mark Stevens
- Jun 10, 2022
- 8 min read
Updated: May 11
DISCOVER SINGAPORE'S HIDDEN GEMS
You will discover more of the Lion City if you start-out with a good plan. At Singapore Street Shots our Blogs will help you discover Singapore’s hidden gems. We'll give you Information & tips for creating stunning photos and exploring Singapore's neighborhoods.
CHINATOWN
Kreta Ayer - Telok Ayer - Tanjong Pagar - Bukit Pasoh
The Cultural Center of Chinatown
KRETA AYER
Singapore’s Chinatown is big! So it will likely take you two full days to explore all these areas… Essentially Chinatown consists of four main areas, Telok Ayer, Kreta Ayer, Bukit Pasoh & Tanjong Pagar.
We'll start with Kreta Ayer as it is today’s modern tourist section located in the heart of Chinatown. This lovely area consists of 5-6 main streets, Temple St, Smith St, Terengganu St, Sago lane & Sago St, Pagoda St, and Mosque Street. You’ll want to walk them all so you don't miss a thing.
TRAVELERS TIP- Without a good plan detailing how to discover Chinatowns main tourist section you will likely miss seeing a lot of the Sites. That said, do your research and put together a plan, be flexible and make changes when you feel it needs to be done.
From the first moment you exit the MRT and the escalator pushes you up onto Pagoda Street, you feel like you've been transported into a new world. It can be overwhelming at first so take your time and look around and be sure to take lots of photos, and enjoy the experience.
At first glance beautiful brightly colored historic Shophouses with colorful shutters and ornate tiles, are every where you look.
The streets are busy and lined with souvenir shops selling everything from traditional tea sets, to Chop sticks & fans and more. Chinese Medicine shops, Hawkers & Markets, and small family own businesses seem to be on every corner.
Kreta Ayer Points of Interest
I have provided a few notable locations that are both interesting to visit and make stunning photos.
PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS:
A great way to Start your story is by getting some great photos of all the colorful Shophouses, then zoom in and capture individual sets of windows & shutters, and don't forget some close ups of the ornamental tile work!
Take your time and look around for interesting foreground to put into your photos.
Always explore or look down the alleyway’s, often times a restaurants chefs will be outside taking a break, and most don’t mind if you take a few street portraits… (these are really cool shots).
Don’t forget to photograph the seemingly little things you discover along your way, as they really add to the telling of your story (see posted photos above).
We want to depict Singapore and Asia with our Chinatown photos. So be sure and include cultural things, Buddhas, Statues in front of temples, and the like.
Include Signs in your photos when possible, especially with Mandarin (always include the whole sign, half a sign looks bad in photos).
When photographing Temples or historical architecture be sure and get a photo of its sign and any Commemorative Plaques. This helps later when adding notation to your photos.
If you're using your phone camera, think about how many lenses it has and utilize them. (with wide-angle lens be sure and get in close).
FOUR MUST HAVE SHOTS
Four main shots you’ll need to tell your story. These shots will establish your storyline and it’s direction.
WIDE: Take some wide angle shots of your sene, this gives the viewer a sense of what they’re about to experience.
MEDIAM: Butcher chopping the meat or fish. Shophouse window or archways and doorways.
TIGHT: Close ups, portraits, selfies
DETAILED: Meat clever chopping the meat or fish, trinkets at a souvenir stand or the tile work on a Shophouse…
RESTAURANTS & HAWKERS
Masala Dosa - Chinese dish - Malay and or Arab dish
Follow your nose and let your stomach be your guide
LOCAL CUISINE
Flavor the Moment
Now is your chance to experience a whole new world of flavors, and Singapore is one of the best city's in the world to do it. Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam are well known for their verity of delicious cuisine.
In this blog I'll direct you to some famous Hawkers and Restaurants, along with some hidden Gems for some of Singapores best known dishes. However there are far too many fantastic eateries and dishes for me to list in this blog, so my best advise is to follow your nose and let your stomach be your guide...lol
Kreta Ayer has dozens of fantastic restaurants... Far too many to list in one blog. However here are a few dishes & restaurants that will give you a really nice Singapore and Asian experience.
Dine like a local on traditional food at the Maxwell Food Center, or enjoy a relaxing dinner of Dim Sum at the Yum Cha restaurant . After you've had your fill of Dim Sum just walk a few meters down the street and treat yourself to some Traditional Chinese desserts like Yam past, Cantonese dumplings or a Sweet Mango roll. You can view the menu below. (These restaurants are only about 30 meters apart).
Yum Cha Chinatown- Famed for its large variety of dim sum....
Traditional Desserts- Awesome place for Snow Ice and traditional Chinese desserts... A nice place to cool off and satisfy your sweet-tooth. 65B Temple St, Singapore 058604
Maxwell Food Centre- Chinatown hawker center with stands selling street food.
TIPS- If you're with a group of friends its best to order multiple dishes and share. That way everyone will gets a chance to sample more dishes.
Like some help exploring Kreta Ayer
Book a Singapore Street Shots Photo walk and let us help you create stunning photos for your Singapore story.
TELOK AYER
A PERFECT MIX OF MODERN & OLD WORLD CHARM
At the turn of the 19th century Telok Ayer was the entry point for Chinese immigrants arriving in Singapore, thus Telok Ayer Street became the center point for the daily lives of the Chinese in Singapore.
Whoever said you cannot mix Business with pleasure has never been to Singapore. The city elders wisely and skillfully managed to retain the rich historic architecture while modernizing and reconstructing this area. Todays modern Telok Ayer is a mix of Singapores beautiful historic shophouses against the background of modern Skyscrapers known as the Central Business District (The CBD).
The result is today from every corner of Chinatown you can view the stark contrast of modern multi-storied buildings towering in the background above colorful Historic Shophouses. Singapore's perfect mix of Modern & Old World Charm... (It's Stunning in Photos)
From the Scarlet Hotel its only a short walk up Ann Siang road to Ann Siang Hill, then cross over and you find yourself in Telok Ayer
PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS:
You can make good use of a wide-angle lens 20mm or less in this area as it will help in capturing the many beautiful Skyscrapers.
Checkout our list of Chinatown Hawkers-Restaurants & Tourist attractions below
We can help you discover Telok Ayer
Book a Singapore Street Shots Photo walk and let us help you create stunning photos for your Singapore story.
TANJONG PAGAR & BUKIT PASOH
WHERE SINGAPORE'S PAST
MEETS THE PRESENT
If there is one district in Chinatown you won't want to miss its Tanjong Pagar, it's absolutely gorgeous. After spending the day exploring Tanjong Pagar its hard to imagine this place was once a tiny fishing village. Today the entire area is a maze of streets lined with beautifully restored historical Shophouse, trendy restaurants, cafes and open air Bistros & Pubs.
Also don't miss out on the night-life in this lovely area, its a great place to have dinner and then cruse around hitting all the Pubs & bistros, along with the Rooftop bars for drinks. I've listed below some popular restaurants and hawkers, along with a few streets with some beautiful Shophouses. You can easily create stunning photos at these locations to post online and impress your family & friends.
We can help you explore Tanjong Pagar
Book a Singapore Street Shots Photo walk and let us help you create stunning photos for your Singapore story.
BEAUTIFUL SHOPHOUSE LOCATIONS
Tras Street
1 Keong Saik Road. - Look for the The Working Capitol building.
Cantonment Road Blair Rd. (Little Part 1 Cafe) & Everton Rd.- Beautiful Shophouses
Bukit Pasoh Rd.
Neil Rd.
Keong Saik Rd. (The Potato head restaurant) (Sri Layan Sithi Vinayagar Temple)
Kreta Ayer Rd.
Duxton Hill & Dixon Hill Rd.
Craig Rd.
If you would like to read more about Singapores beautiful Shophouses see our Blog SINGAPORE SHOPHOUSES-Telling your Singapore story with photos
For a list of stunning Singapore Shophouse locations see our Blog Great Singapore Shophouse locations
TANJONG PAGAR RESTAURANTS
INTERNATIONAL DINNING
Tanjong Pagar is a fantastic neighborhood in Chinatown to experience international dinning. Here you will discover small eateries featuring food from all over the globe. French, Italian, Korean & Chinese restaurants are on every street.
Kko Kko Na Ra: Google Maps- 68 Tg Pagar Rd, Singapore 088489
Tanjong Pagar Plaza Market & Food Centre: Hawker Style food... Google Map-
6 Tanjong Pagar Plaza, Singapore 081006
Shake Shack 89 Neil Road: Western Food/Burgers Google Map-
89 Neil Rd, #01-01, Singapore 088849
Potato Head Singapore: Western Style food with a Rooftop Bar- Google Maps-
36 Keong Saik Rd., Singapore 089143
Little Part 1 Cafe: A great place for a break & cool drink- Google Maps
54 Blair Rd, #01-01, Singapore 089954
Roji Monster Ice Cream Singapore 路地氷の怪物: 52 Tg Pagar Rd, Singapore 088473 Google Maps
TEMPLES-CHURCHES-MOSQUES
Checkout our list of fantastic Temples-Churches & Mosques below
For more Information on photographing Temples-Churches-Mosques throughout Singapore, see our blog Temples-Mosques-Churches Singapores Places of Worship.
Book a Singapore Street Shots Photo walk and let us help you create stunning photos for your Singapore story.
Closing Remarks
Don't forget to LIKE & FOLLOW our Facebook page and post some of your stunning Singapore photos along with a short story about your experience on our Singapore Street Shots Facebook Page
Cheers,
Mark Stevens & Ilonka Guenther
Business Owners, Photographers & Travelers
SEE ALL OUR BLOGS
At Singapore Street Shots our Blogs are meant to give you tips & advice for exploring Singapore and creating stunning photos. You will discover and photograph more if you do some research and create a good plan.
Singapore in Pictures - Telling your Singapore story with photos.
(A Seven blog series)
SINGAPORE SHOPHOUSES - Telling your Singapore story with photos.
Singapore Skyline Panorama's - Photograph Singapore's world class Skyline
Singapore's Chinatown - Kreta Ayer - Telok Ayer - Tanjong Pagar - Bukit Pasoh
Singapore's Little India - Culture & Colour
Kampong Glam - Singapore's Arab Quarter
Hawkers & Markets - Flavor the Moment
Singapore - Off the Beaten Path - Discover the Singapore most tourist never see
DRESSING FOR SECCESS -Look good and Feel good on your day-trip
Tips for Travelers: Capture your Memories with Pictures
Singapore's MRT & BUS System-Saving you Time and Money using : Utilizing Goggle Maps with the MRT
A Rainy Day Holiday in Singapore - Things to do in Singapore when it's rainy weather
MASTER YOUR CAMERA - Use your camera like a pro
EASY EDITING - Make all your photos pop
Great Singapore Shophouse locations - The best locations for photographing Singapore Shophouses
FUTURE BLOGS
(Coming soon)
A Five Blog series
"Discovering Singapores Parks"
Parks:
1st Series: East and West coast parks:
2nd Series: Singapore Botanical Gardens:
3rd Series: Kent Ridge & Hort parks:
4th Series: Fort Canning park:
5th Series: Lakeside Gardens
A Three Blog series
"Photographing Singapores Natural Beauty"
Nature Reserves:
1st Series: Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
2nd Series: MacRitchie Nature Reserve
3rd Series: Singapore Zoo and Singapore Bird Park
A Six Blog series
"Photographing Singapores Islands"
Singapore’s islands:
1st Series: Pulau Ubin
2nd Series: Coney Island
3rd Series: Sentosa Island
4th Series: St. John Island
5th Series: Kusu Island
6th Series: Lazarus Island.
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