Top Attractions in Chinatown

Chinatown Essentials

Chinatown serves as a cultural intersection where Singapore's oldest religious sites—including the Hokkien Thian Hock Keng temple, the Hindu Sri Mariamman Temple, and the Masjid Jamae mosque—stand within walking distance. This district is defined by its culinary heritage, anchored by the massive Chinatown Complex and Maxwell Food Center. Architectural highlights range from 19th-century shophouses preserved in the Heritage Centre to the modern, sky-linked towers of The Pinnacle@Duxton.

Terence Ong / CC BY 2.5

Thian Hock Keng

This hidden gem is one of the most beautiful, and most ornate, Hokkien temples in the country.

Jorge.maturana / CC BY-SA 3.0

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

Tang-style Buddhist temple and museum complex housing a sacred tooth relic. The four-story building features architecture inspired by the Tang Dynasty and the Buddhist Mandala.

Steve Jurvetson / CC BY 2.0

Sri Mariamman Temple

Located in the heart of Chinatown, this is the oldest and most important Hindu temple in Singapore.

The Erica Chang / CC BY 3.0

Chinatown Complex

This huge hawkers' center holds a whole floor of various food and drink stalls serving great Singaporean dishes at good prices.

Sengkang / Copyrighted free use

Chinatown Heritage Centre

This museum attempts to preserve the Chinatown as it used to look like during the 1950s.

Michelle / CC-BY-SA

Maxwell Food Center

A historic hawker center housed in a former wet market, featuring over 100 stalls. It is widely recognized for its diverse array of traditional Singaporean dishes and is home to several Michelin-recommended food vendors.

Marcin Konsek / CC BY-SA 4.0

Chinatown Food Street

A pedestrianized stretch of Smith Street lined with traditional shophouses and outdoor dining. The area features a variety of local street food stalls and traditional kiosks operating under a weather-resistant glass canopy.

ProjectManhattan / CC BY-SA 3.0

The Pinnacle@Duxton

If you're in the area, come check out the world's tallest public housing buildings.

Sengkang / Copyrighted free use

Masjid Jamae Mosque

Built at the beginning of the 19th century, this is one of the oldest mosques in Singapore.

(WT-shared) Shoestring at wts wikivoyage / CC BY-SA 1.0

Tian Tian Chicken Rice

Located within Maxwell Food Center, this globally recognized stall is famous for its Hainanese chicken rice. It has received a Michelin Bib Gourmand and is noted for its fragrant rice and tender poached chicken.