Local Tours

• Complete detailed tour descriptions are found at www.awasingapore.org.

• You must register to participate in an AWA Local Tour. Registration begins on the first of the month at www. awasingapore.org.

• If a tour is full, please complete the Waitlist Form. There is no charge to be on the waitlist; you will be charged only if you are added to the tour. (This often happens!)

• Unless otherwise stated you may cancel your attendance on a tour by emailing office@awasingapore.org no less than seven days prior to the event. We regret that cancellations received after that time cannot be refunded.

• All AWA tours include a $5 nonrefundable cancellation charge.

• You may transfer your registration to another AWA member, no less than seven days prior to an event for no fee by emailing office@ awasingapore.org.

• Only adults over 18 years of age may attend AWA tours unless otherwise designated in the description.

• Tour attire: If your tour includes a visit to a place of worship, please be certain to cover your knees and shoulders. Comfortable shoes and an umbrella are always a good idea.

• All tour end times are approximate.

Tour Menu:

ART/CULTURE NIGHT FOOD NATURE SHOPPING

MAR 5 Thu

TIME: 9:30 am – 1:00 pm PLACE: Farrer Park MRT Exit I COST: $60 Member $75 Guest LIMIT: 14

Go off the beaten track to check out this vibrant and eclectic neighborhood and visit the hidden gems. Join us on a voyage of discovery around the up and coming hipster 'hood of Jalan Besar. Explore the site of the former New World Amusement Park where in the heady days entertainment offerings included the Queen of Striptease. Admire and visit Petain Road shophouses in all their architectural glory. Find spiritual solace in a colorful 24- hour Tibetan-Buddhist temple that never sleeps. Feel the new hipster vibe brought by popular coffee roasters and dessert joints. Hear the cheers of fans at the Jalan Besar Stadium, the birthplace of Singapore football. End with a mini art tour at the stylish Vagabond Club with its Parisian salon decor. Waterloo Street is a microcosm of Singapore’s street life where the locals come to shop, play, eat and worship. Witness the multiracial and multireligious character of Singapore where different places of worship are situated along this colourful street: Buddhist and Hindu Temples, Churches, and a Jewish Synagogue. The day of the tour is the Birthday of the Goddess of Mercy, when you can witness the devotees in their veneration of one of the most popular goddesses in Buddhism and how they seek the advice of the divine. Hear about the shenanigans of the infamous Bugis Street of the bygone era; muse on the things sold at the "Mall of Feng Shui" and the shop-temples. TIME: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm PLACE: Bus Stop in front Fu Lu Shou Complex COST: $45 Member $56 Guest LIMIT: 14 MAR 12 Thu CANCELED

We will also visit the oldest surviving synagogue in Singapore and Southeast Asia. As the tour falls on a Thursday, we will have a chance to purchase the fresh and yummy challah bread that is baked at the synagogue for Sabbath.

Do you know Singapore is actually an archipelago with more than sixty smaller islands in addition to the main one? Amazingly, over 40 islands lie to the south of the main island. Most people don’t venture beyond the mainland and Sentosa. MAR 14 Sat TIME: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm PLACE: Marina South Pier COST: $95 Member $118 Guest LIMIT: 40 CANCELED

There are other islands that are worth exploring, and a cruise around them is one of the more interesting ways to spend a morning in Singapore if you’d like to get out of the city. Some of the islands can only be accessed by chartering a boat, which can be extremely troublesome and expensive, so take this opportunity to come onboard and join us on a cruise of the Southern islands of Singapore.

We will be going ashore to visit some of the islands during the cruise. Our stops will include Saint John’s Island, Lazarus Island and Kusu Island. The Southern Islands offer peace and tranquillity away from the bustle of Singapore. This is a non-refundable tour.

MAR 19 Thu

TIME: 9:00 am – 12:30 pm PLACE: Tanjong Pagar MRT Exit A, street level COST: $51 Member $63 Guest LIMIT: 14

Although shiny office towers dominate the Tanjong Pagar area now, it is still considered by local heritage experts as "one of the most important places in the history of early 19th-century Singapore." It is home to a few historically important places of worship, some of which may be in danger of going under the wrecking ball. On this tour, learn about the heritage of the area, visit places of worship and at the same time, marvel at the awardwinning architecture of some of the new buildings. And amidst all the modernity that characterized the vicinity, hear about the macabre practice of ‘ghost marriages’ that used to be conducted at the City God temple.

We also will learn about the family that Singapore's National Flower is named for. Visit the first shophouse to be conserved in the late 1980s, which in turn spurred the conservation efforts for the rest of the shophouses in Singapore. We will end the tour at the famous Maxwell hawker centre.

APR 15 Wed

TIME: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm PLACE: Telok Ayer MRT Exit A, street level COST: $36 Member $45 Guest LIMIT: 14

Telok Ayer or ‘Bay of Water,’ marked the original coastline in the city center. Now it’s six blocks inland! This is where different races of people arrived with the monsoon winds, stepped ashore and visited their respective places of worship to give thanks for a safe arrival. That is why Telok Ayer Street is also known as the "Street of Harmony," showcasing Singapore’s wonderful religious diversity.

Join us on a very special walking tour that celebrates Ma Zu’s birthday. She is the Goddess of the Sea and believed to protect fishermen and sailors. Our guide will share some of Ma Zu’s legends as we witness the colorful birthday celebrations. We also will visit the Indian Muslim Heritage Centre and hear stories about this little known Indian community. As we pass by various clan associations, you will learn why they were known as "one of the pillars of the Chinese society." There will be a refreshment stop at a popular Hawker Centre.

APR 30 Thu

TIME: 10:30 am – 1:30 pm PLACE: Telok Ayer MRT, exit B, street level COST: $33 Member, $43 Guest LIMIT: 14

This tour is a follow up to the popular Local Designers Tour 1. For this outing, we will meet three of Singapore’s most promising textile and jewelery designers. They will share with you their design journey and philosophy. Of course, you can take the opportunity to do some shopping at the same time.

Young, passionate and with lots of enthusiasm for Singapore’s heritage, places and cultures, these designers are mostly self-taught with no business background. Thanks to their talent, grit and determination, they overcame initial obstacles to become successful in their own right and their products are loved by Singaporeans and tourists alike. Inspired by Singapore’s diversity, two of the designers have incorporated our rich multi-racial culture and history into their gorgeous product offerings. The third is a charismatic young designer who upcycles old vinyl records to make jewelry!

While this is a walking tour, please bring your EZ Link card for a transfer.

MAY 5 Tue

TIME: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm PLACE: Newton Food Centre COST: $45 Member, $56 Guest LIMIT: 21

Vesak is considered the most holy day observed traditionally by Buddhists in this part of the world. Informally known as "Buddha's Birthday." it actually encompasses the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha.

The first temple, Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, popularly known as Bright Hill Temple, is the largest monastery in Singapore and South East Asia, and is comprised of 11 sections.

The next stop is the Burmese Buddhist Temple, the only one built in the traditional Myanmar style. It houses the largest pure white marble statue of the Buddha outside of Myanmar. Hear the story of how one man’s determination led to the building of this temple.

Our final stop is the Tibetan Buddhist Temple, the first Tibetan temple, built in Singapore in 2001. The small but colorful temple is very involved in charity work including providing free traditional Chinese medicine.

MAY 14 Thu

TIME: 9:00 am – 12:30 pm PLACE: Newton Food Centre COST: $68 Member, $85 Guest LIMIT: 19

Ever wonder where most Singapore citizens live? Join us on this tour to find out more about HDB Flats.

Our guide will tell you all there is to know about the Housing Development Board (HDB) apartments! You will learn how HDB won the United Nations’ World Habitat award. Additionally, you will discover how 85% of the local population acquires their HDB apartment and we will visit the HDB Heritage gallery. The gallery showcases the different sizes and types of flats. The tour will also take us to various HDB neighborhoods and precincts to see how local HDB towns are planned and built. And there's more… the tour includes a visit to the iconic development, the Pinnacle at Duxton, in Chinatown. Here we will get to experience panoramic views of Singapore from the 50th story Skybridge.

Be sure to bring your EZ-link card in order to gain access to the Skybridge.