Low Budget Walking Tour of Singapore

A Short Guide to Singapore's Boutique Hotels and Religious Temples

Jan 15, 2009 Melanie Hupert

Any budget traveler can enjoy the complex history of Singapore by embarking on a walking tour of its architecture from Raffles Plaza Hotel to Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

Singapore has a rich and complex history as the gateway to South East Asia, unfortunately it has also earned a reputation for being quite pricey. A self-guided walking tour is a great way for the budget conscious traveler to experience this spectacular city and see some of its most impressive buildings.

Downtown Singapore: Parkview Square

This stunning glass and granite building is a monument built by the late C.S. Hwang, an esteemed Taiwanese business tycoon and developer. This building functions equally as a hotel, place of residence and home to a few foreign embassies. Though visitors are not allowed to wander upstairs they may feel free to walk about the surrounding grounds. This includes a beautiful courtyard with stone statues of several late, great thinkers like Galileo and Albert Einstein. The most exciting feature, however, is the three story wine chiller set in the middle of the lobby bar. Visitors must be advised that this is a private building and therefore many areas will be restricted. Clear signs indicate these areas and security guards frequently patrol the premises.

Admission: Free but watch out for restricted areas or trespassers will be fined.

Downtown Singapore: Raffles Plaza Hotel

The famous Raffles Plaza Hotel is named after Sir Stamford Raffles, founder of the republic of Singapore. Those less historically versed may also recognize it as the birthplace of the sweet cocktail known as the “Singapore Sling”. The colonial style of the hotel extends even to its staff, where handsomely dressed doormen are ready to wave a white-gloved hand at visitors as they enter the premises. For an interactive history lesson, visit the Raffles Hotel Museum located on the second floor. The museum is filled with artifacts from the early days of the hotel and offers a comprehensive view of its atmosphere in the 1800s.

Admission: Free for hotel and hotel museum.

Both Parkview Square and Raffles Hotel are located in the downtown core and are a short walk away from the main MRT station: Bugis Junction.

Chinatown (Singapore) : Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

Singapore’s Chinatown is home to the sacred Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. The sacred Buddha Tooth Relic is kept in a 420kg gold “relic stupa” which was donated by devotees. The temple is peaceful and quiet, and is surrounded by golden effigies of deities with offerings of oranges and bananas laid before them. Making offerings and donations is not restricted to devotees, all visitors are encouraged to participate. The temple was affixed with a museum for those who want to learn more about the faith as well as the meaning of the structures within the temple.

Admission: Free.

Little India (Singapore) : Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple

A true testament to Singapore’s acceptance of different cultures and religions is shown by the proximity of Chinatown and Little India. Though the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple is much smaller than that of the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, this Hindu temple is just as impressive. The high temple walls are adorned with colorful statues of various gods, goddesses and mythological creatures. Many devotees can be seen sweeping the temple and maintaining its cleanliness and order, or even taking time to pray. It’s a beautiful place to see, rich in its silence and humbleness. Visitors must be sure to remove their shoes at the door, as a sign of respect and in adherence with temple rules.

As with most temples in South/East Asia, visitors must ensure that they are dressed conservatively, with shoulders and legs covered.

Admission: Free; small donations if visitors wish to take pictures inside the temple.

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