Looking to venture off the beaten path to discover more authentic parts of Singapore? Walking tours led by experienced local tour operators are some of the best ways to discover the island on foot. Whether you’re an intrepid explorer keen to tackle the path less travelled or simply a food lover curious about the hawker scene, these seven tours are bound to satisfy.
1. Explore Singapore’s most distinctive destinations for free
If you’re a first-time visitor to Singapore and want an informative overview on some of the city’s most distinctive neighbourhoods, Monster Day Tours is right up your alley. The group offers five free walking tours. Explore Singapore’s rich cultural heritage by touring the Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam neighbourhoods, or get a glimpse of the artsy Civic District. For the tour of picturesque Marina Bay, you’ll even get to see parts of the glitzy Marina Bay Sands mall that are not usually accessible to the general public.
While walk-ins are welcome, those with bookings are prioritised. Explore a customised paid private group tour if you prefer not to mingle.
2. Eat your way through three heritage neighbourhoods
It’s easy to be flummoxed by the endless offerings in the culinary paradise that is the Lion City. Cue Singapore Foodsters: a street food-focused group that organises tours to some of the city’s most popular dining destinations – and a few local secret spots for good measure.
For S$176 (USD128), the tour’s licensed guides will take you on a five-hour extravaganza where you’ll eat your way through the local food of Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam – and wash it down with a Tiger beer or two. The price includes pick-up and drop-off at your hotel. Be sure to come hungry!
3. Dine at dusk at Katong’s best food spots
Katong in eastern Singapore is one of island’s best-known foodie enclaves, so those after a memorable culinary experience should check out SingaBites’ Sunset Street Eats food tour of the area. Embark on an atmospheric, golden-hour gander through the colourful heritage neighbourhood as you sample delicacies from 10 different vendors.
Potential highlights of the three-hour tour include slurping on a piquant bowl of the famous Katong laksa; sampling different varieties of kueh (chewy cakes typically made from rice flour); and dining on a Hainanese chicken rice feast. You’ll also get to meet various hawkers and vendors and hear their unique stories about how they’ve moulded their businesses over the years.
4. Go shopping at a local wet market and cook up a storm
If you’re the sort who would rather take the reins in the kitchen, check out the Market-to-Table Culinary Tour Experience by Let’s Go Tour. It starts bright and early in a bustling wet market, where you’ll rub shoulders with locals doing their daily grocery shopping. Learn to bargain as they do, and procure the ingredients you’ll need to make authentic local dishes such as Hokkien prawn noodles, ngoh hiang (fried meat rolls) and kueh dadar (pandan crepe with coconut filling).
Then, adjourn to a cosy kitchen studio at nearby Crawford Lane. It’s all hands on deck as everyone slices and dices their way to a hearty lunch. The seasonal menu is subject to change, so do enquire about the confirmed menu when you book. If you’re jonesing to learn how to make the quintessentially Singaporean chilli crab or any specific dish, let the organisers know.
5. Spot crocodiles and migratory birds at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
If you are a nature lover, make a beeline for the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Tour, organised and run by the National Parks (NParks) Board. Deep in the northeastern part of Singapore, this wetland reserve – which is also Singapore’s first ASEAN Heritage Park – teems with flora and fauna. Mudskippers, otters, water snakes, monitor lizards and herons abound at every turn, but watch out for the estuarine crocodiles hiding among the mangroves.
The free guided walk is conducted in English and suitable for all ages. It takes place every Saturday morning between 9.30am to 11am. There are also tours conducted in Malay, Mandarin and Japanese – check out the NParks events calendar for more details.
6. Tour an abandoned WWII bunker hidden in the jungle
If you’re looking to (quite literally) go beyond the beaten path, this adventure tour by Beyond Expeditions is for you. The expedition begins in urban Marsiling in the northern reaches of Singapore. Here you’ll venture into the nearby jungle and make a short trek to the Marsiling Bunkers. This series of tunnels were originally built in 1942 as part of the Royal Air Force fuel reserve depot. Taken over by Japanese military forces during World War Two, they were thereafter reclaimed by time and nature.
Make like Indiana Jones and venture through the muddy underground for a slice of Singapore’s military history. Equipped with powerful headlamps provided by your guide, you’ll explore the bunker’s maze-like tunnels and fortifications over the course of 2.5 hours. Be warned – this is no walk in the park! But at least your adventure will be well documented by your guide, and sent to you as a souvenir.
7. Uncover Sentosa’s rich military past
While better known for its beach clubs and attractions such as Universal Studios Singapore and the S.E.A. Aquarium, Sentosa island at Singapore’s southern tip also has a fascinating military history. My Community’s My Sentosa Heritage Tour will take you through military encampments, tunnel complexes and secret reservoirs that were erected by the British to defend their naval base during the Second World War.
This 3.5-hour walking tour includes trekking over hilly terrain, so be sure to wear appropriate footwear and comfortable clothing and bring a bottle of water. This free tour occurs every second weekend. For more information on the tour schedule, check out My Community’s Eventbrite page.
8. Discover the former life of Singapore’s biggest art museum
Most people visit the National Gallery Singapore to discover the world’s largest public display of modern Southeast Asian art, but did you know that this elegant building once served as two national monuments? Explore the Gallery’s past life as Singapore’s Supreme Court and City Hall in a 90-minute tour that takes you through hidden areas usually off-limits to the general public.
In this back-of-house guided tour titled “Former Supreme Court: Unseen, Unheard”, you’ll get exclusive access to places such as the Chief Justice’s private lift and courtroom seat. Climb through a trapdoor into the prisoner’s dock, and wander along the labyrinthine passageways connecting jail cells that once held the nation state’s most infamous criminals. Tours run on Saturdays at 2.30pm and Sundays at 4.30pm, and tickets start at S$25.
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This story was first published in Nov 2023 and updated by Dinesh Ajith in Jul 2023. It was further updated by Michelle JN Lim in Jan 2025.
