Editor: Cheng Huang Leng has written a guide for foreigners (whom he met during his travels) who are planning to visit Singapore. Perhaps we could repurpose his article to help us see our city through the lens of a foreigner. Being a tourist in our hometown seems a little weird. However, adopting a different mindset allows us to look at our hometown with fresh eyes, as though we are stepping into a new place for the first time.
Be amazed by our Tropical Flora and Fauna.
There are more types of plants in one square kilometre of tropical rainforest than in Europe. The 165-year-old Singapore Botanic Gardens, the only tropical garden honoured as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an excellent place to look for the proof. Take the 10-minute Rainforest Trail. I recommend a night walk (it is not lit and closes at midnight) to enjoy the night’s music in a tropical rainforest older than the gardens.
While at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, visit the National Orchid Garden to be mesmerised by the collection of orchids. It’s good value at $15 per foreigner, even if you see the Cool House (it’s air-conditioned) to escape the heat and humidity. While you cool down, have a close look at more orchids. I challenge you to spot the pitcher plants among the orchids.
Realise how tiny Singapore is and see what’s left of Chinatown. The Raffles Place MRT Station is 150m from CapitaSpring. Take the lift to the CapitaSpring Sky Garden. It’s on the top floor (51st floor, free entry and open to the public on weekdays only). From this aerial platform, you can see nearly all of tiny Singapore. Any land mass you see on the horizon is another country, Indonesia, in the South, and all else that surrounds our little island is Malaysia.
Next, we enter Chinatown via Telok Ayer Street. Within 10 minutes, you will realise that almost nothing is left of the old Chinatown. This was where our forefathers began their lives anew after escaping starvation in Southern China in the early 1800s and surviving the hellish conditions of a sea voyage. Head for the Thian Hock Keng Temple to understand how thankful they were. It is dedicated to Mazu (Goddess of the Seas). Tales of how they survived the voyage and their initial living conditions are preserved at the Chinese Heritage Centre ($18 to enter) at Pagoda Street.
The Sri Mariamman Temple is Singapore’s oldest Hindu temple along this street. This is where the Tamils thank their saviours for reaching our shores safely. Finally, you might like to peep at one of Buddha’s teeth at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. It is free, and unlike most other temples (e.g. in Sri Lanka and Myanmar) where similar relics are kept, you need not elbow your way through crowds of pilgrims to see the display.
See what’s left of Little India and feel the vibes of Malay culture. You can dive into Indian culture by eating at Tekka Centre (Tekka MRT Station). Try eating with your fingers like an Indian if you wish. If not, it’s OK to ask for a fork and spoon. After breakfast, cross Serangoon Road into Campbell Lane to visit the Indian Heritage Centre to trace the history of the South Indian immigrants. While the majority of our Indian brothers are Tamils, you will quickly learn that there are at least ten other “South Indians” whose mother tongue is not Tamil. This well-curated museum reflects the diversity of Indian culture that even surprises Indian tourists. Then, wander about the streets and alleys as you head for the Malay Heritage Centre.
The Malay Heritage Centre is at 85 Sultan Gate, 1.2 km from the Indian Heritage Centre.
It is worth the walk along Upper Weld Street and Arab Street. It is also worth enjoying a “teh tarik” at any cafe. As you turn from Arab Street into North Bridge Road, you will see the focal point of our Muslims, the Sultan Mosque. The mosque was built in 1824 by Sultan Hussein Shah, the first sultan of Singapore. After a hundred years, it was dilapidated and had to be rebuilt. That was in 1932, and it was maintained well and should survive the next hundred years. Behind the mosque is the Malay Heritage Centre, formerly the Istana Kampong Gelam, a wooden palace on stilts. The artefacts give an insight into life in Kampong Gelam, a thriving seaport long before the “discovery of Singapore by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819”. You will discover that the Bugis, Baweanese, Javanese and others from the Indonesian archipelago used to trade here. Many stayed, and their way of life influenced Malay culture.
Eurasian and Peranakan culture.
These are mixed cultures through interracial marriages. The Eurasians in Singapore are mostly the product of Portuguese, Dutch, and British settlers and Indian, Malay, and Chinese immigrants. The best place to get a compact dose of Eurasian culture is the Eurasian Heritage Centre at 139 Ceylon Road. The Peranakans are descendants of the first wave of Southern Chinese who settled in colonial Singapore and Malaya. The Peranakan Museum at Armenian Street is an excellent place to discover what Chinese culture is retained and what Malay and Indonesian culture is adopted. While you are in the area, taking a break on the grounds of the Armenian Apostolic Church is good. It was built in the early 1830s and is Singapore’s oldest Christian church.
So, there you have it. Come to our tiny island and be amazed by how Singaporeans get along despite the limited elbow room, heat and humidity and total lack of natural resources.
Cheng Huang Leng
Cheng Huang Leng is a marine engineer by training. For many years, he taught marine automation to Singapore Polytechnic students and personal effectiveness, leadership, and quality management to Singapore Technologies employees until his retirement.
