Issue 17

It might be a young nation, but Singapore is crawling with history. Michael Franco follows four very different tourist trails through town and jungle, river and sea

So you think you know Singapore? Can you name the site where the first aeroplane landed here? Know which local tree is called the ‘blind-your-eye’ tree? Have you seen the ‘cursed’ island off our coast where, legend has it, so much blood was shed in pirate battles that the soil turned crimson?
Didn’t think so. But after taking these tours, you’ll know a lot more about our little red dot…

Desire Paths
You’ll hear seductive whispers, a galloping horse and clanking cowbells as you wander the streets of Little India on this tour, thanks to this professionally produced audio programme that leads you down alleyways and past Peranakan shophouses you might never have noticed before.

Desire Paths, created by the spell#7 Theatre Company, creates an unforgettable afternoon in Little India by melding the sights around you with the sounds on a specially produced CD. According to company director Paul Rae, you need to be careful as you wander around: ‘Sometimes you won’t know if what you’re hearing is in your head or about to run into you.’

In addition to learning interesting trivia about the area, you’ll also enjoy a story about an infatuated young couple who always seem to just miss each other in doorways and around bends. This narrative weaves itself through your walk like golden threads in a silken sari. Rich voices and moody music bring out even more of this enclave’s allure. While we won’t ruin the experience by telling you exactly what you’ll hear, this comment from the tour’s guestbook should be endorsement enough: ‘I live in Singapore and am Indian, so this is eye-opening… definitely not a dull, usual tour!’
Start at: 65 Kerbau Rd (www.spell7.net/desirepaths). MRT: Little India.
Tour information: Self-guided walks (approximately 40 minutes) on Wednesdays & Saturdays between 10am-1pm, and other times on request. Pre-booking is essential; email desirepaths@spell7.net. $10.


The Tipple Exchange
As this somewhat academic tour begins you might wonder when you get to drink. Don’t worry: at the end, when you’re belting out the Irish folk song ‘Molly Malone’ with your new friends from around the world, you’ll have no more queries about tipple time.

Along the way, you’ll learn such things as how to smoke an opium pipe, why there were no pockets in the pants worn by coolie workers on the Singapore River, and why you should shout ‘yam-seng!’ as long and loud as you can before tipping back a pint. The tour begins by taking in the People of the River exhibit at the Asian Civilisations Museum (where the opium pipe is stored safely behind glass) before heading outside and winding its way through Boat Quay.

To quench the thirst that will build up from listening so intently to your tour guide (well, you need some excuse, don’t you?), you can indulge at such fine establishments as The Penny Black, Archipelago Brewery and Molly Malone’s – the three pubs visited on the walk. Drink coupons sold before the tour for $6 each are a smart investment and increase the chance that you won’t remember much of the interesting info doled out by your guide. But at least you’ll be in perfect form for singing about those cockles and mussels at Malone’s, Singapore’s first official Irish pub.
Start at: Entrance to Asian Civilisations Museum, 1 Empress Pl (www.singaporewalks.com). MRT: Raffles Pl.
Tour information: Walks (approx three hours) run regardless of attendance or weather on Thursdays at 5.30pm. No pre-booking needed. $25.

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
This city can be a real jungle – especially when you’re at Sungei Buloh surrounded by wetlands and staring into the cold, black eyes of a Malayan water monitor lizard.

You can take a stroll through this sanctuary any day of the week. But if you head up on Saturdays, and are one of the first 15 people to request it, you’ll be treated to a guided walk through the mangroves. As you stroll along the boardwalks, your volunteer guide will help you see things your computer-screen-fixated eyes can’t. You’ll discover which roots act as a natural laxative, which branches were used by ethnic Malaysians to ward off evil spirits, and which trees produce a substance fishermen used to stun their prey in rivers. You’ll learn about mud lobsters that are pounded into an aphrodisiacal powder, and observe mudskipper fish that can breathe air as they flipper-walk across land.

After a morning or afternoon marvelling at brackish water, beasts and blooms, you’re sure to work up an appetite, so take advantage of the pond-side cafeteria that serves decent grub – the fish and chips are surprisingly good. Just don’t dangle your hands too far over the dining deck – those monitor lizards look hungry.
Start at: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Visitor Centre, 301 Neo Tiew Crescent (www.sbwr.org.sg). MRT: Kranji, then Kranji Express or bus 925.
Tour information: Guided tours (approximately one hour) on Saturdays, 9.30am & 3.30pm. The best tours are during low tide, so check app.nea.gov.sg first. FREE.

Imperial Cheng Ho Harbour Cruise
After getting to hear about a different side of Singapore on the first three tours, it’s time to actually see a different side of our island by taking to the waters that surround it. And there’s only one tour that lets you do so on a reproduction Ming-era ship.


Departing from Marina South Pier, the Cheng Ho III – named after a famed Chinese imperial fleet commander – takes you on a 2½-hour cruise past Sentosa and south to Kusu Island. During the morning and afternoon high-tea tours, a half-hour stopover at Kusu gives you just enough time to see the Chinese temple and climb the 152 steps to the Malay shrine. On your way up, if you are a young couple hoping to have a baby, tie a rock to a tree branch if you’d like a boy, or a paper fan for a girl.

This tour is truly more for relaxation than stimulation, so if you’re feeling a bit underwhelmed, just take a look around the ship – it’s the true star of the journey, with ornate carvings of lions (the symbol of the emperor), phoenixes (the symbol of the empress) and plenty of golden dragons.
Start at: Marina South Pier (www.watertours.com.sg). MRT: Marina Bay, then taxi.
Tour information: 10.30am Morning Glory cruise ($27 adult/$14 child), includes coffee and tea. 3pm High Tea cruise ($32/$16), includes high-tea sweets and savouries. 6.30pm Imperial dinner cruise ($55/$29), includes international buffet dinner. Duration: approximately 2½ hours.