Singapore Early Migrants – Stories and Snacks (Traveller's Private Tour)

Singapore has little enclaves where each of its diverse races take stronghold of, and near the City Hall / Bugis area is where you’ll find the Hainanese – best known for their culinary skills and being the creators of the Singapore Chicken Rice!

The Hainanese people originated from Hainan island in China and first immigrated to Singapore in the 1850s. Since they were one of the latest group of immigrants to arrive in Singapore, they were relegated to what was then considered the edge of “European Town” and the “Arab Campong”, this area being bounded by North Bridge Road, Beach Road, Seah Street and Middle Road, with Purvis Street running through the centre. They were also kept out of choice professions and many became cooks in restaurants ran by the British or Peranakan.

Tour Detail

Thanks to their ingenuity, they created a plethora of dishes which still stand the test of time – the Singapore Chicken Rice, Hainanese Curry Rice, our local version of Laksa and they popularised the Singapore Coffee Shop (or locally known as Kopitiam) culture!

On this two-hour walking journey, you’ll learn about their journey and start in Singapore, their rise to culinary fame, experience the streets they plied their trades on and get to savour some of the dishes they’ve perfected over time!