Visit historic temples and try out the wonderful traditional cuisine at the heart of Singapore’s huge Chinese community.

Any visit to the island state of Singapore is incomplete without a trip to the city’s enormous Chinatown. The ethnic Chinese community make up almost 50% of the population and the history of its people has consequently had a major influence on the entire city state. The zone around Pagoda Street has been the traditional heartland for Chinese immigrants since 1330 and it remains the centre of the city’s Chinatown today.Tourists flock to the area to visit its fascinating cultural and historical attractions as well as some of the city’s best restaurants. Stop by the Chinatown Heritage Centre for a poignant insight into the lives of early Chinese immigrants, including the hardworking Samsui women.The visually stunning Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum is an excellent example of Tang Dynasty architecture. Step inside to admire the extravagant red and gold interior and, if you can, try to time your visit to coincide with one of the beautiful Buddhist ceremonies. Chinatown is defined by its diverse architecture, especially the colourful, old-style shop houses, and another structure worth seeing is the Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore’s largest Hindu place of worship, built in the South Indian style.Like most places in Singapore, wandering around on foot is definitely the best way to get a feel for the area and there are plenty of companies who organise guided tours. Alternatively, you can always follow the Chinatown trail which will take you to many of the most important cultural and historic sites.Another huge draw here is, of course, the food, and where better to sample the fantastic cuisine than along “Food Street” (also called Smith Street)? Here you’ll find a huge selection of fantastic Chinese fare such as Bak kut, a very popular pork rib soup, and the world-famous Singapore noodles – the perfect way to top off a hard day’s sightseeing!Chinatown, located in the centre of Singapore, is open every day and is well served by public transport. There is parking on the surrounding streets but the easiest way to get there is by MRT to Chinatown Station.