Chinatown, Singapore

Chinatown, Singapore (8 July 2011)


Chinatown (GPS: 1.28389, 103.84346) is the earliest Chinese settlement in Singapore. This came about because the British parcelled the population according to ethnic lines. It may seem strange today that a nation that is predominantly Chinese should also have a Chinatown. Today, Chinatown is a neighbourhood (or "subzone" in the local nomenclature) of Outram district (or "planning area". Chinatown covers an area that includes Postal Districts 01 and 02.

When you visit Singapore's Chinatown, you will realise that it is not entirely Chinese. In between the Chinese shophouses, you will come across mosques and Hindu temples, along with the occasional church.

The area designated as Chinatown is located south of the Singapore River, next to the Financial District. In present-day administrative nomenclature, it is a subzone or neighbourhood within the Outram planning area. As it happens to be within the downtown area of Singapore, Chinatown has also evolved to embrace urbanization. The skyscrapers of the Financial District are all within sight of the temples of Chinatown.

Map of Chinatown, Singapore

MRT stations in Chinatown, Singapore

Sights in Chinatown, Singapore

Streets in Chinatown, Singapore

Getting there

The easiest way to reach Chinatown is by MRT. The MRT stations serving the Chinatown district are the Chinatown MRT Station (NE4) on the North East Line; the Tanjong Pagar MRT Station (EW15) on the East-West Line, the Outram Park MRT Station (EW16/NE3) on the East-West Line and North East Line; and the Raffles Place MRT Station (EW14/NS26) within the Financial District, on the East West and North-South Line.

Chinatown in Google Street View

View of Smith Street in Chinatown (Oct 2021)

List of Places in Singapore; Discover Singapore

 Sights in Singapore

 Latest updates on Penang Travel Tips

Streets of Singapore and Map of Singapore Streets

Singapore MRT and Map of Singapore MRT

Postal Districts of Singapore and Map of Singapore Postal Districts

Planning Areas of Singapore and Map of Singapore Planning Areas

About this website

Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.