Thursday, December 23, 2010

Nightlife @ Chinatown

NIGHTLIFE DURING FESTIVE SEASON!


WELCOME TO NIGHTLIFE @ CHINATOWN!


This is a special 3-part series where we are going to cover on Singapore's celebrated festivals on Christmas, Chinese New Year and Deepavali and this would be the second post after the previous post on Nightlife at Orchard during Christmas.


For this post, we are going to touch on Chinatown which is one of the most popular places where many people, especially the Chinese, would visit before or during Chinese New Year.


Origin
A famous legend commonly told would be that: A long time ago in China, there is a deadly beast that went around villages destroying villagers' lives, making lives miserable for everyone. Soon, people found out that by putting up red paper and firing fire crackers, they can scare away the beast and hence, the Chinese does the same routine every year and this progressed into a celebration every year. Hence, Chinese New Year is considered as an important occasion for the Chinese to celebrate the riddance of the beast "Nian".


What do people do at Chinatown?
As Chinese New Year is approaching soon, Chinese will head down to Chinatown to do their last minute shoppings for new clothes, gifts for relatives and friends, goodies, decorations, mandarin oranges and etc.



Before Chinese New Year, Chinatown will be decorated with the different unique ornaments of zodiac figures most families would especially take a trip down to Chinatown to snap pictures of them in the night where vibrant lights are lit up. Besides, countdown parties and performances such as Lion dance, Chinese dance and Wushu performances by overseas performers will be held every year. To get the atmosphere of the exciting and joyous experience, you will need to head down to Chinatown but do keep a lookout for pickpockets though!


Chinese New Year lantern - Tiger.


Take a walk in Chinatown


On normal occasions, Chinatown will still be a heavenly place for those food-lovers and historic-sites lovers. Sauntering along the streets of Chinatown Food Street, one will be able to spot all the cheap yet "finger-licking good" delicacies found in Singapore. As the night sets in, historic-site lovers would be captivated by the well-preserved old pre-war shophouses that will intrigued them of the nostalgic past of these historic buildings.


Hawkers at Smith Street


In addition, there is also the famous Chinatown Trishaw Night Tours for you to gain more understanding of Singapore's Chinese culture and history.  It will be conducted in the evening, starting off with a dinner at a Chinatown restaurant and the exciting adventure will follow after which. During this 4 hour evening tour, you will be enchanted by the diverse Chinese heritage sites and along the narrow yet busy streets of Chinatown, you can get some cheap bargains with street vendors for souvenirs for your loved ones. Furthermore, you will be given rare opportunities to visit the Yong Gallery, the fine art of calligraphy whereby free gift will also be given by the Master Calligrapher. Doesn't it sounds exciting?
Hurry down to Chinatown now and more details regarding the tours can be found on:
http://www.toursinsingapore.com/singapore-sightseeing/chinatown-trishaw-tour.html


Chinatown Tour Singapore


What can one buy at Chinatown?


  • Merchandise- Can be bought at OG's People's Park it is one of the largest departmental store here in Chinatown selling a wide range of famous products like Adidas, Giordano and Billabong. Besides, Korean food products can also be found there.
  • Handicrafts/ Souvenirs-  If you're looking out for some souvenirs to be brought back home, Chinatown Point will be the right place for you as the whole mall is filled with shops that sell mainly antique yet unique handicrafts.


Where can one stay at Chinatown?


  • Berajaya Hotel- A 4 stars hotel that is something between budget and luxury with standard rooms service available at a price as low as $118. Located at 83 Duxton Road, Singapore.
  • Chinatown Hotel Singapore- A 3 stars hotel that provides comfort and yet it is affordable at a low price of $87 for a room will be suitable for travelers seeking comfort and is on a budget. Located at 12-16 Teck Lim Road, Singapore.
  • Hotel 81- A 1-2 stars hotel is suitable for keen visitors who are looking for budget-class hotel rooms. Located at 181 New Bridge Road, Singapore.


When are the best occasions to take a trip to Chinatown?
  • Before or During Chinese New Year
  • Before or During Mid-autumn Festival
Who can go to Chinatown?
Basically we would say it is  EVERYONE of course! Be it you're young, old, Singaporeans, non-Singaporeans, just come on down to Chinatown to get a brand new experience of Singapore's oldest streets this holiday! 


How to get there?
  • By train- Chinatown MRT Station (NE4/DT19) is a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the North East Line and upcoming Downtown Line in Singapore. On the North East Line, it lies between the Outram Park and Clarke Quay MRT stations and between Telok Ayer and River Valley on the Downtown Line. It is directly below and serves the district of Chinatown.
  • By bus- 2, 12, 33, 54, 143, 147, 190, CT8, CT18

















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1 comment:

  1. UnknownMarch 8, 2017 at 8:27 PM

    Great blog, keep sharing!!! Also check Singapore Nightlife for an unforgettable experience.

    ReplyDelete

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