Singapore · Culture

Private History & Culture Tour with River Cruise, Hawker Dinner & Tea Tasting

5 Hours Round trip from Singapore Moderate pace

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Private guided journey through Singapore’s Civic District
  • 02 Visit St. Andrew’s Cathedral and the National Gallery’s historic buildings
  • 03 Walk along the Singapore River through Boat Quay and Clarke Quay
  • 04 Traditional bumboat cruise beneath Singapore’s historic bridges
  • 05 Views of Merlion Park, Marina Bay, and Marina Bay Sands
  • 06 Panoramic city views from The Pinnacle@Duxton
  • 07 Explore Chinatown and learn about clan associations
  • 08 Chicken rice dinner and traditional Chinese tea tasting

Discover how Singapore grew from a colonial trading port into a modern global city on this private history and culture tour. Walk through the Civic District with your guide, explore landmark buildings such as St. Andrew’s Cathedral and the National Gallery, and follow the Singapore River through Boat Quay and Clarke Quay as stories of trade, politics, and urban change unfold.

Then see the city from a different perspective on a traditional bumboat cruise to Marina Bay, passing historic bridges and waterfront icons including the Merlion and Marina Bay Sands. Continue into Chinatown for a deeper look at community life and heritage, with panoramic views from The Pinnacle@Duxton along the way.

Round off the experience with a local hawker dinner of chicken rice and a traditional Chinese tea-tasting session, combining Singapore’s architecture, history, and everyday culture in one thoughtful evening journey.

Discover how Singapore grew from a colonial trading port into a modern global city on this private history and culture tour.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 5 Hours
Tour type Private
Activity level Moderate
Accommodation Not included
Transport Not included
Wheelchair access No
City Singapore
Languages Danish, English, German

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

Explore Singapore’s Civic District

Begin your private exploration in Singapore’s Civic District, where your guide introduces the grand colonial buildings that set the stage for the city’s modern story.

Visit St. Andrew’s Cathedral and Learn the Jackson Plan

Visit Singapore’s oldest Anglican cathedral with your guide and learn how the 19th-century “Jackson Plan” shaped the city’s first urban grid.

Explore the National Gallery’s Historic Buildings

Walk through the elegant halls of the former City Hall and Supreme Court as your guide reveals their transformation from colonial power to cultural hub.

See the Historic Singapore Cricket Club

Pause at the historic Cricket Club while your guide shares stories of colonial leisure and the role of sport in the British Empire.

Walk Past the Old Parliament House

Walk past the Old Parliament with your guide and hear  about some of the unusual laws that govern the island.

See the Statue of Sir Stamford Raffles

Stand where Sir Stamford Raffles first landed and listen as your guide recounts his life, ambitions, and enduring influence on Singapore.

Follow the Singapore River from Past to Present

Journey with your private guide along the Singapore River, discovering how its banks evolved from merchant wharves to gleaming skyscrapers.

Learn About Historic Boat Quay

Explore Boat Quay with your guide and imagine the bustling port life that made it the island’s commercial heart.

See the Historic Whampoa Ice House

Stroll past the Whampoa Ice House as your guide shares stories of the visionary merchant who brought innovation to 19th-century Singapore.

Learn About The Cannery’s Industrial Past

Walk through the Cannery area while your guide explains how Singapore’s first industries grew along these busy riverbanks.

Walk Along Colourful Clarke Quay

Enjoy a relaxed stroll through Clarke Quay as your guide points out its vibrant mix of history, trade, and entertainment.

Cruise the Singapore River by Bumboat

Relax aboard a traditional bumboat with your guide, gliding past landmarks as day turns to night across the Singapore River.

Pass Beneath Singapore’s Historic Bridges

Cruise quietly under Cavenagh Bridge and several more of the river’s historic crossings, taking in Singapore’s skyline from a relaxing vantage point. t’s a peaceful moment to rest, take photos, and watch the city drift by.

Arrive at Merlion Park and Marina Bay

Disembark at Merlion Park and enjoy the view as your guide explains how this waterfront symbolises Singapore’s rise to a global city.

Take Photos and Learn the Story of the Merlion

Capture the city’s famous mascot as your guide shares the mythical story of the Merlion and what it represents today.

Learn About Marina Bay’s Transformation

Stand by the bay as your guide describes the colossal engineering project that created Singapore’s modern heart.

View Marina Barrage from Afar

View the Marina Barrage and hear from your guide how innovation keeps Singapore self-sustaining and flood-resilient.

See the Landmark Marina Bay Sands

Admire the Marina Bay Sands complex as your guide recounts the challenges of building Singapore’s most ambitious landmark.

Admire the View from The Pinnacle

Enjoy sweeping city views from the Pinnacle rooftop while your guide explains Singapore’s visionary housing policies.

Visit Gan Clan Association and Learn About Clans

Visit the Gan Clan Association with your guide and learn how clan networks shaped the lives of arriving settlers.

Walk Through Colourful Chinatown

Explore Chinatown’s atmospheric lanes at your own pace as your guide reveals its hidden corners and cultural stories.

Eat Chicken Rice at Maxwell Hawker Centre

Sit down for Singapore’s iconic Chicken Rice as your guide helps you navigate hawker etiquette and local dining customs.

Experience a Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony

Finish your private tour in a serene teahouse as your guide leads a personal tea-tasting and brewing experience.

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Round trip from Singapore 1 city · 5 Hours

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

  • Dinner (Chicken Rice)
  • Traditional tea tasting experience with take home souvenir
  • Professional guide
  • Private tour
  • All taxes, fees and handling charges
  • Sugar cane juice

What's Not Included

  • Prices do not include the costs of transport to get to the start and from end points of the tour.
  • The extra half an hour for hotel pick-up to take you to the start point of the Singapore tour.

Know before you go

  • STROLLER OR PRAM ACCESSIBLE
  • ANIMALS OR PETS ALLOWED
  • PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NEARBY
  • INFANT SEATS AVAILABLE
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • You must be able to walk 5km to join this tour. We do walk at a slow casual pace but if you tire easily we will suggest to make use of the occasional taxi ride to cut down the walking. In this case taxi costs would be payable by yourself.
  • If you are a vegetarian we promise to get you something to eat at the Hawker Centre but we can not guarantee what will be available, it might be quite basic (like rice and veg)
  • If the tea house is closed for any reason we will include a larger dinner section.
  • If the rooftop of The Pinnacle is closed due to bad weather we will take you to a different HDB building.
  • Cancellation Policy: If you cancel more than one week (more than 168 hours) in advance we will give you a full refund (excluding the booking service fee). If you cancel between 7 days and 2 days (between 167 and 48 hours before) we will give you a 50% refund (excluding any service charge). No refund under 48 hours cancellation.
  • Infants must not sit on laps
  • Cancellation Policy: If for whatever reason you want to cancel your booked tour then please note the following. Please email us your notice to cancel and we will confirm a cancellation by email. • 100% refunds are given if you cancel 7 or more days before your tour. • 50% of the fee is payable if you cancel your tour 5 or 6 days before your tour. • There are no refunds if you cancel your tour less than 5 days (119 hours) before the start of your tour. • There are no refunds if you do not turn up for the tour.
  • Rescheduling Policy: If you find that your travel plans change or you become ill whilst travelling and wish to reschedule your booked tour we will always do our best to accommodate your request. If we still have availability on the date that you wish to reschedule to the following rules apply: • We can reschedule a tour at no additional cost if you tell us more than 7 days before your tour is due to take place. • There will be a 50% rescheduling charge for tours that are rescheduled with 7 of fewer days notice. • Tours can not be rescheduled with less than 14 hours notice. • Rescheduling charges can be paid by credit card via invoice.
  • We pick up from ALL hotels in Singapore. Please select the 5 hours pick-up version of the tour when booking. There is a surcharge for the airport and airport hotels of SG$25.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point
Singapore, SG
Tour start
Singapore, SG
Tour ends at the same location as the start point.
End of the journey

Your 5 hours finish where they began, in Singapore.

Watch the tourHQ film Watch the film

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