One of the first things you will notice when you are walking the streets of Singapore are their people. Singapore is made up of  a diverse group of people.  The country as of 2012  has 5.312 million people. 62% percent of these people are citizens while 38%  of the people are permanent residents,foreign workers or students.

Chinese make up for 75% of the people, Malay 14% and Indians 9%.With such a diverse group of people, ethnic quarters have formed in Singapore with Chinatown, Little India, Arab street and Kampong Glam, the Malay town. Each quarter is worth visiting to see how these people live, their culture and what they sell in their shops.

Chinatown

Chinatown, nearly every major city in the world has one. With their flashes of red signs and buildings to shrines and dragons to the kitche markets selling trinkets and other typical chinese souvenirs. Freshly cooked aromas of chinese food sizzle in woks, and dim sum sits in bamboo containers waiting for customers to order. Most Chinatowns are similar so why visit one especially in a country that is primarily Chinese like Singapore.

Simple just like I mentioned above Chinatown’s in the world are so vibrant, they lure tourists and Singapore’s Chinatown is no exception. The area also known as Niu Che Shui in Chinese means “Bullock Cart water”. The first thing I recommend would be to soak in the festive ambience by having a meal at one of the brightly coloured shophouses that flank the streets of Chinatown.

Other things that maybe of interest but we  did not visit is the Buddha tooth temple, host to the Matreya Buddha and reputedly one of Buddha Shakyumuni’s tooth. To get a better understanding of Chinatown, it may also be worth visiting Chinatown’s heritage museum that brings Chinatown to life.

Chinatown Market

Sri Mariaman temple

Little India

Little India, bursts in a riot of colours from the jasmine garlands hanging in the stalls, shop fronts and buildings are painted in shades of yellow, green, light blue and reds. Indians stand in their little shop fronts selling insents, jasmine, spice and brightly coloured saris , traditional dress of India, Bollywood music plays. It feel like being in India itself, but of course much cleaner, with only a few Singaporeans traipsing the streets.

Little India is filled with restaurants serving authentic  Indian food. Apollo Banana leaf restaurant is famous for its fish head curry.  Indians sit in small groups eating with their hands. Not only is the cutlery missing so too are the plates, who needs them when your food is served on a huge, green banana leaf.