Red Dot Trails - Heritage & Cultural Footprints

Drawn to the allure of better prospects, the centuries have seen migrants and merchants from all over Asia coming to Singapore, bringing with them their culture, language, traditions, festivals, architecture and stories.

Kampong Glam, Little India and Chinatown are testimony to Singapore's rich ethnic, cultural and historical heritage. The districts are home to some of the oldest and the most important temples in the country, as well as quaint shophouses selling ethnic goods and cuisine.

Kampong Glam was the historic seat of Malay royalty in Singapore. Visit the grounds of the former Istana Kampong Glam and explore the garden growing spices that are used as traditional medicine and in cooking. Not to be missed is the Masjid Sultan, the largest mosque in Singapore.
The area was not only for the ethnic Malays. In 1822, Raffles allocated the settlement area for Bugis and Arabs too.
Many of the shophouses built in the late 1800s are still well preserved, selling hand woven items, beautiful textiles, wide range of authentic Arab goods, and Middle East cuisines.

Little India was shaped by migrants from India, China and Britain. Uncover the stories woven together behind the street names, back alleys, traditional trades, architectures and temples. You will be easily distracted by the sounds, colours and scents while exploring the precinct. The key attraction is Tekka Centre, a multi-use complex; hawker stalls, wet market and shops in one building!

Chinatown is the largest Historic District in Singapore. Your first stop is a visit to Chinatown Heritage Centre; this newly restored museum showcase the untold stories of early Singaporeans life in a shophouse back in the period of 1950s.

Situated in Chinatown are some of the oldest and most important temples in the country;
- Thian Hock Kieng, the oldest and most important Hokkien temple in Singapore.
- Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore’s oldest and largest Hindu temple.
- Nagore Durghar Shrine architecture is a unique blend of classical and Indian-Muslim motifs, built by the Muslims from Southern India in 1830s.

In 2007 a remarkable four-story temple was built in the area once known as "Street of the Dead". Learn about the dark stories before entering into the grand Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.

• Duration: 4 hours (with rest stops included)

• Meeting point: Bugis MRT station @ Blue Line exit F

• End point: Telok Ayer MRT

• Travel mode: public transport - MRT & walking

• Group size: up to 10 pax

• Group fee: S$260

• Included: admission to Chinatown Heritage Centre

• Not included: MRT ticket.