World City Guide

Tours of the City

The Singapore Tourism Board in Tourism Court (website: www.visitsingapore.com) can provide information on an enormous number of city tours with private companies, whether walking, on buses, cruises, or by night. Hotels can also book most of these. Their leaflet Your Essential Singapore Guide has a chapter on assorted tours.

Walking Tours
The Original Singapore Walks (tel: 6325 1631; fax: 6224 0136; e-mail: fun@singaporewalks.com; website: www.singaporewalks.com; adults S$18-30) organises eight guided walking tours with different themes including a Chinatown night walk, the Colonial district and Little India. No pre-booking necessary, but call or check the website to find out the meeting point and start time.

Bus Tours
There are many bus tours run by different private operators – Singapore Tourism Board can provide details or they can be booked via hotels. One of the most popular is the Singapore Trolley (tel: 6339 6833; fax: 6336 1830; website: www.singaporeexplorer.com.sg), a replica of the red trams of the 1920s. The one-hour tour takes in 17 spots between Orchard Road, the colonial district and Clarke Quay, with running commentary. The fare (S$14.90) includes a free riverboat tour. There are six tours a day, departing from the taxi stand at Clarke Quay at 0930, 1040, 1230, 1340, 1450 and 1600.

Boat Tours
Boat tours are run by Singapore River Cruises & Leisure (tel: 6336 6111; fax: 6336 6112; e-mail: srcruise@singnet.com.sg; website: www.rivercruise.com.sg) along the Singapore River. Cruises on bumboats begin at Raffles Landing Site and take in grand colonial buildings, century-old godowns, shophouses, grand bridges of diverse designs, and the chic quayside life along the way. Choose from the 30-minute Singapore River Experience (S$12, children S$6) or the 45-minute New River Experience (S$15, children S$8). Boats operate 0900-2200 and leave regularly.

Taxi Tours
Visitors can now take a more personal tour with a taxi driver who is also a qualified tour guide. Several three-hour tours take in interesting sights and areas, with extra time paid for on an hourly basis. They can all be booked through the taxi company’s hotline: CityCab (tel: 6542 5831), Comfort Taxi (tel: 9783 6033) and SMRT Taxi (tel: 6555 8888), or through your hotel, with an option of four- and six-seater vehicles. A three-hour trip costs about S$30 per hour for up to 6 passengers.