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A little piece of China squeezed into tiny Singapore, Chinatown serves as the country's cultural hub, featuring an interesting mix of the old and the new. Conceptualized by the renowned Sir Stamford Raffles as a district for the Chinese immigrants who he foresaw would make up the backbone of the Singaporean community, it is today a hodgepodge of temples, merchants, shops, and high-rise buildings that form a chaotically beautiful atmosphere. No wonder tourists flock to this site in large numbers.

Basically, most tourists will wander around at random, taking in the essence of Chinatown block by block. Since it is practically one big shopping hub, one can't go wrong checking out the stalls lining the streets and is encouraged to haggle with the vendors for a nice buy. It is also a good idea to sample the various street food, or better yet, head to the many excellent restaurants serving plenty of delicious Chinese food items.

Chinatown doesn't lack in heritage, either. The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, as the name suggests, houses one of the teeth of the great Buddha Shakyamuni. For the Hindus, the Sri Mariamman Temple, considered to be the oldest of its kind in Singapore, affirms their faith. It is famed for its exquisitely-carved gopuram (monumental tower) that almost seems to guard the entrance. Muslims can proceed to the Indian-styled Jamae Mosque, which takes pride in being one of the country's oldest mosques.

Those who yearn to find out more about Chinatown's history should not forget to visit the Chinatown Heritage Center, which features displays chronicling the events that have shaped Chinatown into what it is today. Probably the best time to head there is during the festive Chinese New Year in January to February, which is when this already bustling district virtually goes into overdrive. Throngs of people make their way into the streets, accompanied by shows, blaring music, doing lion dances, with plenty of spectacular salvos of firecrackers lighting up the night sky.

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