Singapore Group History & Culture Tour:River Cruise, Hawker Dinner & Tea Tasting
Overview
You start your journey with the founding of Modern Singapore by Sir Stamford Raffles, visiting historic colonial buildings to learn about the early pioneers who came to Singapore.
You will board a bumboat and cruise down the river through to the present day. Visit Merlion Park and soak in the sunset view of Marina Bay whilst learning about the mega construction project behind it.
Discuss the political reform by Mr Lee Kuan Yew and discover how Singapore went from third-world to first-world in one generation.
Feast on Singapore’s most iconic dish; Chicken Rice at a Hawker Centre in Chinatown. Your guide will teach you Hawker Centre etiquette and point out all of the must-try foods in Singapore.
After dinner, retreat to a beautiful teahouse for a traditional tea tasting experience. Try the Imperial tea that Queen Elizabeth II was served in the very same teahouse.
Inclusions
- Dinner (Chicken Rice)
- Traditional tea tasting experience with take home souvenir
- Professional guide
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Sugar cane juice
- Entry/Admission - Clarke Quay
- Entry/Admission - River Cruise
- Entry/Admission - Former City Hall
- Entry/Admission - Maxwell Food Centre
- Entry/Admission - Tea Chapter
What to expect
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Hello Singapore, Singapore Singapore
Tours start at 3.30 pm in the Civic District and finish at 8 pm in Chinatown.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: St Andrew's Cathedral, 11 St. Andrew's Road St Andrew’s Cathedral, Singapore 178959 Singapore
Visit the oldest Western religious building, St Andrews Cathedral. It is the largest in Singapore and has existed on the site since 1836
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Former City Hall, 3 St Andrew's Rd, Singapore 178958
Now a national monument, this impressive historical building was built in 1926, it bears witness to Singapore's Colonial past and the Japanese occupation, leading up to its independence.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: National Gallery Singapore, 1 St. Andrew_s Road, Singapore 178957 Singapore
National Gallery is an art museum, overseeing the world’s largest public collection of Singaporean and Southeast Asian art, consisting of over 8, 000 artworks.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: 3 River Valley Road Clarke Quay Nearest Train Station: NE5 Clarke Quay MRT and DT20 Fort Canning Station, Singapore 179019 Singapore
Walk along the Singapore River to the bustling entertainment district of Singapore and learn more about early traders that built their businesses along the river
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: River Cruise, 57 Boat Quay, Singapore 049846
Board a relaxing ride on a bumboat for an enjoyable cruise along the river. The cost of the Boat Quay River Cruise is included in your tour
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: 1 Fullerton Road One Fullerton Merlion Park, Singapore 049213 Singapore
Visit Merlion Park and soak in the sunset view of Marina Bay whilst learning about the mega construction project behind it
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Esplanade Park, Connaught Drive, Singapore Singapore
Visit Esplanade Park, one of Singapore's oldest parks, and reflect on the contributions made to Singapore by many great men at its various memorials.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Marina Bay, Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018980 Singapore
Soak in the sight of Singapore's bustling bay as you stroll along the waterfront. It is home to some of the city's most distinctive architectural icons
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: The Fullerton Waterboat House, 3 Fullerton Road, Singapore, Singapore 049215 Singapore
Check out the Fullerton Waterboat House, located at the mouth of Singapore River, adjacent to the Merlion Park. It is part of the Fullerton Bay Hotel, built in the 1940s.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: 1 Cantonment Road The Pinnacle @ Duxton, Singapore 080001 Singapore
The Pinnacle@Duxton is a 50-story residential development in Singapore's city center. It features the world's two longest sky gardens of 500 meters (1, 600 ft) each, on both the 26th and 50th floors
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Maxwell Food Centre, 1 Kadayanallur Street, Singapore 069184 Singapore
Come and enjoy the famous Maxwell Hawker Centre or other popular food centres in the Chinatown area and taste Singapore's most iconic dish: Chicken rice! and wash it down with a freshly squeezed Sugar Cane juice; a real hit on our tours!
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Tea Chapter, 9 Neil Road, Singapore 088808 Singapore
Visit a beautiful tea house and learn the art of the tea ceremony and try the Imperial tea that Queen Elizabeth II was served in the very same tea house!
Duration: 30 minutes
Additional information
- Not wheelchair accessible
- You must be fit and be able to walk 9km to join this tour. We do walk at a slow casual pace but if you tire easily a group tour will not be suitable for you. Instead book a private version of the tour so that we can cut down walking by taking the occasional taxi ride.
- 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)
- Service animals allowed
- If the rooftop of The Pinnacle is closed due to bad weather we will take you to a different HDB building.
- Near public transportation
- This tour is not suitable for under 6’s due to the walking requirement. If you have young children please book a private tour.
- Cancelation policy applies
- 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.
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Small group tour - minimum numbers apply.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 9 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
Cancellation
If you cancel between 3 and 6 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is a 50 percent cancellation fee.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.
A really good tour. Bibi was so knowledgeable about the history and culture of Singapore. Loved the fact that we went to some unusual places and learnt some quirky things about Singapore. Loved the food at Hawker Market, went back each night after that 😋
A really good tour. Bibi was so knowledgeable about the history and culture of Singapore. Loved the fact that we went to some unusual places and learnt some quirky things about Singapore. Loved the food at Hawker Market, went back each night after that 😋It was very informative but also fun fact filled . Gee Soo very quickly and skillfully ascertained the interests of various group members and then took the opportunity to highlight several topics that would seem personalised to each group member. As we were only two family groups it felt like a ...
It was very informative but also fun fact filled . Gee Soo very quickly and skillfully ascertained the interests of various group members and then took the opportunity to highlight several topics that would seem personalised to each group member. As we were only two family groups it felt like a private personalised tour - Gee Soo -our tour guide was able to keep us informed on the early days in Singapore rtight down to current times and what life is like for the Singaporean citizens and how supportive and forward planning the Singapore Government is. Additionally, our guide took photos at various tourist spots and sent them to us. Taking us to an unscheduled quick visit to a specialist Durian Shop was a highglight and also an example of how Gee Soo went beyond being a Tour guide to being an ambassador for Singapore and its history, culture and friendliness !My last night of Singapore I had the pleasure of spending the late afternoon and evening with Gene and three wonderful ladies. I don’t want to spoil the tour by giving granular details about the tour, but Gene took us to a number of spots throughout the Singapore and every spot was unique and ha...
My last night of Singapore I had the pleasure of spending the late afternoon and evening with Gene and three wonderful ladies. I don’t want to spoil the tour by giving granular details about the tour, but Gene took us to a number of spots throughout the Singapore and every spot was unique and has so much deep rooted history. I thought Gene was articulate and did to rush us. He was extremely accommodating to my shrimp allergy and went the extra mile to keep me from having reactions when purchasing food in the hawker center. It was a night that I remember forever and hope to come back soon to book another tour from Gene and Hello tours!My daughter Ricci and I had a great time with Bibi our guide for the Singapore History and Culture Tour! We started off at the St. Andrew’s Cathedral which is under renovation, then proceeded to the National Gallery of Singapore. We took nice photos at the rooftop of National Gallery. In the Su...
My daughter Ricci and I had a great time with Bibi our guide for the Singapore History and Culture Tour! We started off at the St. Andrew’s Cathedral which is under renovation, then proceeded to the National Gallery of Singapore. We took nice photos at the rooftop of National Gallery. In the Supreme Court old holding cells we had a good laugh about the squatting toilets and the “Alcatraz feels”. We passed by the old Parliament House and walked down to the Raffles landing place and statue. The enjoyable Bumboat River Ride Tour was next. The cool breeze refreshed us. We then took a bus to Chinatown and the HDB housing called The Pinnacle where we once again took nice photos on the 50th floor. We had snacks in a pastry shop with Durian as the main ingredient for everything. The “Stinky” Roll and Bomb were so yummy! We moved by foot again to the Maxwell Food Centre where we tried the local Chicken Rice and drank Sugar Cane Juice with Lemon. Perfect Dinner! Our last stop was the Tea Chapter where a “tea master” taught us the tea ceremony or tea appreciation. The Oolong tea tasted great paired with the tea-infused cookies! We really had a wonderful time! Thank you Bibi!This was a great tour mainly because Gee Soo Boo is a fantastic tour guide. His knowledge of Singapore along with a passion to provide a great tour was second to none. There is a lot of walking on this tour but it was all worth it. You will see things that most people don’t get to experience. It ...
This was a great tour mainly because Gee Soo Boo is a fantastic tour guide. His knowledge of Singapore along with a passion to provide a great tour was second to none. There is a lot of walking on this tour but it was all worth it. You will see things that most people don’t get to experience. It was a great day!Gee Soo Boo was an outstanding tour guide! He went above and beyond our expectations! We visited many historical places and Gee offered informative and interesting information for every place we visited. Having been a Singaporean visitor for almost 30 years with my work, I never had taken a to...
Gee Soo Boo was an outstanding tour guide! He went above and beyond our expectations! We visited many historical places and Gee offered informative and interesting information for every place we visited. Having been a Singaporean visitor for almost 30 years with my work, I never had taken a tour to learn more about the culture, food, history and people of this small but beautiful country. We loved every minute of the tour!