
Doesn’t matter if you’re a local, expat or tourist. Put on your walking shoes and wander the city with heritage trails.
Singapore might be a mere dot on the map, but we’ve got plenty to see and do on this little island. For history and heritage junkies, ‘hoods worth wandering into include Kampong Glam, Tiong Bahru and Kampong Lorong Buangkok. While we can hop on a Vespa or cruise on a kayak for a fun tour, we’re equally loco for these local heritage trails that teach us a thing or two about culture, art, architecture, nature, history and more.
Best heritage trails in Singapore
1. Discover our maritime heritage

What do you know about our island’s maritime history? If your answer’s along the lines of “not much”, you gotta join Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore‘s maritime heritage trail. The free walking tour takes you from Fort Canning Park all the way to Clifford Pier as you learn how seafarers and traders shaped our maritime destiny. We also recommend signing up for the Raffles Lighthouse tour, which takes you to Pulau Satumu. Climb the steps up this iconic lighthouse and visit the heritage gallery.
2. Hello, Singapore
So you grew up in Singapore? You may not know the island as well as you think. Take a deep dive into the not-so-well-known side of town with tours by Hello Singapore. Epicureans must join the food tour, which spotlights Singapore’s culinary scene and the stories behind them. If you love your history, set aside half a day for the tour that covers the city’s past and present.
3. Care for some culture?

With a great TripAdvisor track record, Indie Singapore’s free walking tours are worth a shot when you’ve got a weekend empty of plans. Pick from these four precincts: Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Bugis, Little India or the Singapore River via the Civic District. Other curated experiences include a 2.5-hour walk through Everton Park, Spottiswoode Park, and Kampong Bahru Road, where you’ll discover old-school eats, mural art, and IG-worthy spots.
4. Help yourself to a trail

The National Heritage Board’s self-guided tours let you pick from countless trails put together by various organisations and volunteers in Singapore. Best of all, they’re free. There’s a trail for pretty much everything – chase stained glass windows and hopscotch at heritage schools or stroll through Jewish and Armenian quarters and discover maritime-themed HDB flats at Pasir Ris. The options are endless!
5. Sign up for a graveyard shift
If you’re dead tired of cultural precincts and need a change of scenery, a free self-guided walk at the Bukit Brown Cemetery might liven things up. As one of Singapore’s largest and last-remaining graveyards, it sure has plenty of (ghost) stories to tell. Just download a PDF from the site to uncover the resting places of significant individuals in Singapore’s history, find intricate tomb designs, read up on World War II tales and more.
6. Get a ticket to kooky town

Haw Par Villa is legit our favourite oddball spot in Singapore. So we’re betting an after-dark stroll headed by Journey Tours into the Ten Courts of Hell will kill it – in a good way! Learn about the legends and myths of Buddhism, Taoism, Chinese history and mythology. Who needs Halloween when we have this all year round? Other cool options include a look back in time at WWII in Changi and a jaunt through Fort Canning Hill.
7. Get your Chinatown on

Sure, signing up for a Friends of the Museums membership opens up a whole bunch of culturally centric events for you. But you can also attend some of the free heritage walks in Singapore as a non-member. Like the URA/FOM Heritage Trail, which starts off from the Urban Redevelopment Authority building and takes you around four areas in Chinatown. Also, check out the guided tour of the Asian Civilisations Museum, which runs every Monday like clockwork.
8. Calling all architecture addicts

The folks at Jane’s Tours sure know how to construct a cool architectural trail. Learn about Singapore’s colonial history and visit some of the island’s most picturesque black and white bungalows. If you aren’t colonially hungover, check out the other trails covering mid-century and modern architecture, Emerald Hill and Tiong Bahru, aka Singapore’s coolest neighbourhood.
9. Prance around a precinct
If you’ve landed on our shores without much of a plan, Monster Day Tours offers customised itineraries for you to explore the best of Singapore. Its free walking tours take you around places like Chinatown, Little India, Kampong Glam, Marina Bay Sands and the Civic District for a closer, behind-the-scenes look at these hotspots. If you prefer something private, join the three-hour guided tour around Changi Airport and Jewel.
10. Visit the president’s home

Better hustle if you wanna visit the Istana! This gorgeous 18th century, neo-Palladian style presidential palace only hosts open houses during public holidays and special occasions. That’s when you can explore the main building on your own or embark on a guided walk (for a nominal fee), which departs every 30 minutes. Otherwise, bask in the palace’s flora and fauna via a nature tour.
11. Park it like it’s hot

Vegetating in Singapore’s many gardens and national parks is fun. But if you’re looking for more to do in nature, you’d best follow the National Parks Board’s events page to find the occasional free heritage walk across the island’s lovely green spots. We’re totally on board with discovering Pulau Ubin‘s kampong history – that’s our kind of walk in the park!
Note: Although many of these tours are free, we highly encourage you to tip your guide at the end of the tour.
And… that’s a wrap! Go ahead and show some love to Singapore with one of these history and heritage trails.
[This article was originally published in 2018 and updated in 2024 by Sufyan Saad.]