The purple yam is particularly tasty. All are available on wafer cookies or bread. Why bread? When ice cream first arrived in Southeast Asia and started gaining in popularity as street food, there were no cups or cones to served it in, so it was scooped onto a slice of white bread. This remains the case to this day, though the bread now has pastel rainbow stripes.

A street performer charms the crowd playing the erhu on Temple Street.

The lanes, popular with residents and tourists, are made up of narrow walking streets lined with shops, medicine halls, tea shops and hawker stalls.

Year of the dog mementos are all the rage this year in Chinatown.

Tourist can find souvenirs at the lowest prices in town. T-shirts, coffee mugs, and faux silk robes can be found very reasonably from the vendors here. There are also several jewelers offering fair prices for jade and black pearls, though it is always wise to do your research to be sure of price and authenticity.

Chinese sausage.

Culinary enthusiasts come from far and near to try the local cuisine and delicacies of Singapore, known for its obsession with food and eating. Chinese sausages found along Trengganu Street are a new flavor for some. Do note that though dried, these must still be cooked for at least 7-minutes. A popular method is to lay them on top of a pot of hot rice. This way the rice is seasoned as they cook.

The popular and slight scary durian fruit is consumed mainly in Singapore and Malaysia.

Other than chili crab, durian fruit is probably the food most often associated with Singapore. Smelling of what most describe as garbage dumpster on a hot city street and gasoline, or burning garbage. The smell of the fruit is so potent; it is banned from public transit in Singapore. Those familiar with the fruit swear by its sweet taste and custard-like taste. Typically, only more daring eaters from outside the region will give it a try, but I will say after being surrounded by it for nearly 3-years, it just smells like pineapple now - and a little bit of burning garbage.

Hawker stall.

Among the many exceptional hawkers, Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice Noodle at 78 Smith Street, is the most well-known due to its Michelin star status. However, the hundreds of other dining options in this tight space should not be sold short either.

Chicken rice is a must try while in Singapore.

The beloved chicken rice is found along with numerous other meal options in Singapore hawker centers. This humble meal is delicious even without a Michelin star. A variety of dumplings, steamed or fried, can be found and bought fresh and hot. Everyone has their favorite, but for the most part, if it looks and smells appetizing, you will not be disappointed.

Dumpling stall.

For dine-in service, you need only roam along the busy lanes for options or take a short stroll to bordering South Bridge Road to find restaurants packed in side-by-side serving spicy Szechuan cuisine that many queue up for Thursday-Saturday. If you are looking for something milder or enjoy Korean BBQ, you may find what you are looking for just one street over from Pagoda Street on Mosque Street. Like Pagoda, Mosque Street runs only the short distance between North Bridge and South Bridge Roads. Entering the street from South Bridge will give you an opportunity to pass by and admire the lovely Masjid Jamae or Jamae Mosque built by the Chulia Muslims from the Coromandel Coast in India in the 1800s.

Gong Xi Fa Cai.

Here are some helpful resources to learn more about the New Year celebration, or what’s on during your time in Singapore.

Chinatown Heritage Centre

48 Pagoda Street

https://chinatownheritagecentre.com.sg

Chinatown Visitor Centre

2 Banda Street

http://www.chinatown.sg/



Singapore Footprints leads a free 2-hour guided walking tours leave from the Visitor Center every Saturday at 9:15 am.