At first blush it may seem odd that Singapore, with nearly 80% of its population being ethnic Chinese, would have its own separate "Chinatown" area but bear in mind that the ethnic Chinese were not always the absolute majority that they are today. The history of Chinatown has its beginnings around 1821 when the first Chinese Junk sailed into Singapore's harbour. These new immigrants, mainly from China's Canton and Fujian provinces, quickly settled the area by building the original Thian Hock Keng Temple - thanking the Goddess of the Sea for a safe voyage and asking other deities for continued good fortune.
With Sir Stamford Raffles setting Singapore up as a tax free trading post there was plenty of work to be done and more than ample business opportunities for those willing to work hard. However that said, Chinatown as it is seen today has not always been. After awhile the area fell into disrepute and eventually became Singapore's 'red-light' district. Around 1970 the Singaporean Government embarked on a gentrification program aimed at bringing the area up to a level more in step with Singapore's modern image. Unfortunately, quite a few buildings were razed before the government realised that they were destroying part of their cultural heritage and began restoring what remained to its former glory, making the area a wonderful place to wander about, explore, shop and eat.
Easy to get to, endlessly fascinating and fun to explore, every visitor should make it a point to see Chinatown. The hotels in Chinatown are, for the most part, boutique hotels built into old traditional shophouses. As such each is unique and worth a look - especially for those who prefer bed and breakfast establishments. FYI, in order to remain objective, hotels are listed in alphabetical order, we don't favor any hotel for any reason.
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