Colonial District 
From Singapore Hotels & Singapore Lifestyle
|
Colonial District - nearly two centuries after Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles first set foot in Singapore, the island is still governed from the colonial nucleus he established on the east bank of the Singapore River. A walk in this Colonial District, which is the heart of colonial Singapore, is essentially a stroll down memory lane, featuring sights and monuments that reflect the city-state's rich historical past.
Contents |
Colonial District is an urban treasure-trove of pristine colonial buildings, galleries, Museums, massive Shopping Malls, Parks and three riverside entertainment strips awaits you. Nowhere else do you get as vivid a picture of Singapore as an organic city, where old courthouses and churches now welcome boozers and gluttons, men on Trishaws offer you rides outside glassy megamalls and everywhere you look there is the loud echo of British rule.
The mark of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles remains indelibly stamped on this historic Colonial District. This is where it all began - at the Raffles Landing Site on the left bank of the Singapore River, the commercial lifeline of Singapore for more than a century. His statue now watches over the Singapore River and his house is still perched on a hill in the lush green oasis of Fort Canning Park. The view of the downtown skyline on the opposite side of the river from the landing site is stunning: an arc of beautifully restored shophouses above the steps of Boat Quay set against the dramatic backdrop of soaring office towers in Raffles Place and the rest of the Central Business District (CBD) - a wonderful contrast of the old and the new.
The edifices of colonialism still surround the Padang, where British high society once converged to play cricket and exchange gossip. It's here you'll find the famous Raffles Hotel, a string of old churches, the Old Parliament House and New Parliament House, the art and history museums and, dragging the Colonial District into the present, the dazzling contemporary "Durians", otherwise known as the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay.
The Three Quays - Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay
It's not all culture and history at the Colonial District of course. A short walk from the columns and the statues are the three revitalised quays - Clarke Quay, Boat Quay and Robertson Quay - where sweating labourers once loaded and unloaded goods from the riverside warehouses. These days they are buzzing nightspots, with endless Restaurants, Bars and Clubs lining the newly clean river, and the traditional belching bumboats now ferry Tourists rather than sacks of rice. The entire riverfront strip from Marina Bay right up to Kim Seng Road is earmarked for a massive makeover in an attempt to turn the Singapore River into Asia's biggest waterfront playground. Watch this space.
Aside from Orchard Road, the Colonial District is the Singapore everybody knows, the city's showpiece, where despite decades of often unsentimental demolitions, upgrades and makeovers, a uniquely Singaporean character remains.
Orientation
The grid layout of the Colonial District makes it easy to navigate. From City Hall MRT Station underneath the towering Raffles City mall/hotel complex, the area to the south has most of the colonial treasures, including the Padang, St Andrew's Cathedral, Central Business District (CBD), the Old Parliament House and New Parliament House and the Asian Civilisations Museum (which is actually closer to Raffles Place MRT Station. From there you can cross the elegant Cavenagh Bridge to Boat Quay, then along to Robertson Quay or north to climb the steep steps up to Fort Canning Park.
One block north of City Hall MRT Station you'll find Raffles Hotel and its famous old bars. Another short walk east will land you at the CHIJMES entertainment compound. The area is also walking distance from Waterloo Street.
Top 8 Things-To-Do
- Take in a free performance at the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay
- Sip a cocktail at the bar in the Raffles Hotel
- Visit the Hindu-Buddhist gallery at the Asian Civilisations Museum
- Enjoy the peace and quiet in Fort Canning Park
- Catch a bumboat ride down the Singapore River
- Watch the Crazy Horse Paris Cabaret show at Clarke Quay
- Ride on the G-Max Reverse Bungy at Clarke Quay
- Shop at Suntec City, Marina Square and Millenia Walk
Notable Streets
Dhoby Ghaut, Prinsep Street, Purvis Street, Waterloo Street
Shopping
Colonial District is not quite the consumerist blitzkrieg you'll find on Orchard Road, but it has more than its fair share of fancy Shopping Malls. Among the best known are Suntec City, CityLink Mall, PARCO Bugis Junction and Marina Square, which are all a match for their Orchard Road rivals. For computers and IT products, Funan The IT Mall is heaven, while for down-and-dirty flea market shopping, head to Bugis Village or, at weekends, to Clarke Quay.
Shopping Malls
Central Mall, CityLink Mall, Clarke Quay Flea Market, Golden Mile Complex, PARCO Bugis Junction, Esplanade Mall, Marina Square, Peninsula Plaza, Peninsula Shopping Centre, Raffles City Shopping Centre, Raffles Shopping Arcade, Riverside Point, Shaw Leisure Gallery, Suntec City, The Central, The Concourse Shopping Mall
Popular Searches
- Tourist Attractions at Colonial District
- Nightlife at Colonial District
- Eating at Colonial District
- Accommodation at Colonial District
