Best Period to Visit the Chinatown District in Singapore

All About Festivals, Foods, and Heritages that Attracts Tourists to Stay at Chinatown District

The data collected from different surveys indicate that Chinatown, Singapore is safe to travel. There is a huge flow of travellers and tourists in December, March, and April. You may find the price of flights and hotels a bit expensive in these months compared to the rest of the year. 

Chinatown holds a peculiar feature to other cities in Singapore. The streets and buildings in Chinatown reflect its culture and traditions. The majestic gold and bold red colors, as well as peculiar fragrances, make Chinatown a distinct city in Singapore. 

There are many heritages on display, such as Chinese, Hindu, Buddhist temples, and lots of museums. Some of them are Singapore City Gallery, NUS Baba House, Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Sri Mariamman Temple, Hong Lim Park, Chinatown Heritage Centre, etc. Likewise, Singapore embraces the cultures of both European and Asian countries.  Singapore has four officially spoken languages due to vast cultures. So, there are lots of celebrations, festivals, and events holding their significance.

This article gives you insight into different common festivals celebrated at Chinatown, the famous food that brings you luck and satisfies your soul, and the beauty of Chinatown that attracts travelers and tourists when they stay at Chinatown district in Singapore.

Common Festivals at Chinatown In Singapore And Its Significance

Here are common festivals that people celebrate with zest and zeal at Chinatown, Singapore.

Chinese New Year

Its other name is Spring festivals or lunar year and falls on the day of the new moon. In this festival, people keep their house clean, believing that it welcomes fortune and luck to their home and drives the ill-fortune away. Families and friends come together and exchange gifts. They also give red envelopes (Hong Bao) to kids. It continues for 14 days.

 Mid-Autumn Festival

Traditionally, it’s time to give thanks to God. It’s a lunar appreciation festival. People celebrated after the setting of the sun. Lanterns and mooncakes are the charms of this festival. People shape the lanterns into different characters, such as different cartoon characters, cars, etc., to make them more attractive. Likewise, the mooncake is a seasonal pastry that holds the significance of free Yuan China from Mongol rule by sending secret messages hiding inside of mooncakes. These days it’s available in different flavors, and people usually serve it with Chinese tea.

Pongal

It’s a four-day festival that people celebrate in South India. It falls at the beginning of the month of Thai. People worship the god Surya (Sun) with the belief of receiving fortunes and harvest in life. There is also a tradition to exchange gifts in Singapore during this festival.

Vesak Day

Buddhists celebrate it from all over the world. It falls during the full moon at the Vesak month. The admirers of this festival are involved in charity work. They celebrate it as the day of enlightenment and the death of Buddha.

Hari Raya Puasa

“Hari Raya Puasa” denotes the day for celebration. It’s the end of the month of Muslims fasting, Ramadan. In this festival, people in Singapore visit mosques to worship and graves to meet family and friends who passed away. The public celebrates this by lighting oil lamps, wearing new clothes, visiting families, reciting takbeer in the evening at mosques. It signifies the purity of the individual.

Singapore National Day

People celebrate it on August 9 of each year. It’s the favorite of most of the people in Singapore. The public celebrates it by organizing a parade, dances, and joyful activities. It signifies the pride of the country and harmony between the people.

These are the common festivals that people celebrate different ethnicities, and the government provides Singapore public holidays at Chinatown in Singapore. Now, we look into the beauty of Chinatown that attracts people to visit this place.

Attractions of Chinatown that Lure Tourists

The place itself holds the purity of cultures and heritages that make it the destination of many tourists. Yet, there are places you must visit in Chinatown.

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

It’s a five-storeyed temple founded in 2002, and the public was allowed in 2007. It has rich arts and history.  The Fourth-floor keeps a sacred relic. There is a beautiful ground floor along with a drum tower and bell tower. The temple reflects the Buddhist Mandala style consolidated with the Buddhism of the Tang Dynasty.

Red Dot Design Museum

The different light effects make this place attractive and unique. Each object placed in the museum attracts you with mystery created from innovation. You can spend hours without boredom, and this place keeps you exploring several objects. It’s a small art gallery, but the design makes it look cooler and stunning. You can explore different gadgets, advertising posters, computers, and household appliances.

Hong Lim Park

It’s the central park in Singapore. People also recognize it as the Speakers’ corner. The space is huge, and people in Singapore are free to conduct exhibitions, protests, or any sort of demonstrations. However, you need to register this place online before 30 days of the demonstration, and you can conduct the event anytime between 7 am to 7 pm. 

It’s like the usual park. The green spots fascinate most of the people. Most of the people, teenagers, gather in the park for political activities. Some festivals such as National day are also celebrated in this park by setting up stalls, organizing live music, and choreographed dance throughout the day.

These are a few of the charms of Chinatown for locals, travellers, and tourists. The next thing that attracts the majority of people is peculiar foods. There are lots of food items you must try at Chinatown.

Famous Festive Foods You Must Try at Chinatown

Bak Kwa

Bak Kwa is a famous food in Chinatown. It’s made with marinated chicken, beef, pork, or mutton meat. It’s grilled for several hours before serving. The delicacy is juicy and yummy. Bak Kwa mainly popular during Chinese New Year.

Tangyuan

Tangyuan also known as sweet rice balls. People usually eat it on the 15th and final day of the Lantern Festival. Glutinous rice flour is main ingredient for Tangyuan. The balls are packed with sweet dishes such as peanut, red bean, sesame, or taro. The most favourite among people is sesame.

Mooncake

It’s a bakery product in china. Usually, it’s prepared and eaten during the mid-autumn festival. It’s a sweet dish and is filled with tasty lotus seed paste, sesame, or red bean. It consists of whole duck egg yolk in its inner part to symbolize the full moon. Some patterns are imprinted on the top of it, which symbolizes harmony, fortune, and longevity.  

Braised Shiitake Mushroom

It’s a vegetable dish usually served with bok choy, which is also known as Chinese Cabbage. Traditionally, people serve it in Shanghainese families, during the Chinese New Year, and on special occasions. It’s the perfect dish for people who don’t eat meat. It also has vegetarian Oyster sauce.

Longevity Noodles

People usually prepare it in the south of China. Traditionally, they also prepare it in one single strand and very long. They usually have gravy-like sauce or broth.

These are some of the mouth-watering foods you must try while you stay in the Chinatown district in Singapore.

Conclusion

To sum up the aforementioned details, you can visit Chinatown during festivals and entertain yourself with the cultural attractions of Singapore. You can also treat your tastebuds to delicious foods and enjoy the festive mood. You can visit our website to find the best hotels in Singapore Chinatown.