Singapore's Stories and Histories: A Self-Guided Audio Tour

one hour Free cancellation Private tour

St. Joseph's Church Singapore — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Singapore's Stories and Histories: A Self-Guided Audio Tour, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

On this self-guided GPS walking tour, modern buildings shine alongside heritage sites as new and old Singapore come together. We'll cover lots of ground, venturing where the younger generations eat, play and study.

Beyond the monuments in front of your eyes are histories hidden in plain sight. You’ll dive into the lives of former communities, but also learn about the unique cultural context of Singapore today.

Together, we're going to uncover the incredible stories simmering beneath the surface of this island-city.

This is a one-of-a-kind tour for the curious traveller, especially because we're exploring areas in which tourists don't usually find themselves. Prepare for ghosts, naked buttocks, and convent schools to reveal themselves to you.

The tour is ready whenever you are and the audio plays automatically at exactly the right time and place using your smartphone's GPS and the VoiceMap mobile app, which also works offline.

Private and Luxury Private Sightseeing Tours Audio Guides Historical Tours Walking Tours City Tours Short term availability Weather Dependent - Moderate

At a glance

Duration: one hour
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–15
Audio guide: English
Operated by: VoiceMap Audio Tours

Ages: Adults (6–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: VoiceMap Application
Included: Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
Included: Flexibility to explore at your own pace with a self-guided GPS tour
Included: Directions to the starting point so that when you’re in the right place, the tour will start
Included: Lifetime access to Singapore: Stories and histories beneath the surface tour in English

Not included

Not included: Smartphone and headphones
Not included: Transportation
Not included: Food/Drink
Not included: Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour

Itinerary

National Museum of Singapore

Passing by

The National Museum of Singapore began as a proposal by Sir Stamford Raffles. Unlike many of the repurposed buildings in Singapore, the National Museum is a piece of heritage that stands in its original skin.
Clarke Quay

Passing by

Clarke Quay is a historical riverside quay in Singapore, located within the Singapore River Planning Area. The quay is situated upstream from the mouth of the Singapore River and Boat Quay. Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarke_Quay)
Fort Canning Park

Passing by

Before Fort Canning Hill got this name, it was Government Hill, and before that, it was Bukit Larangan. That's the Malay name for Forbidden Hill.
Chijmes

Passing by

The CHIJMES chapel was built by the nuns who ran the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus from 1854. At the beginning, the convent was a single wooden bungalow.
Singapore Art Museum

Passing by

After 1996, the St. Joseph’s Institution school relocated and the building was converted to become the Singapore Art Museum. Today, it houses the world’s largest public collection of contemporary Southeast Asian art.
National Library of Singapore

Passing by

The National Library of Singapore is curved, tall and white with lots of glass. While this 16-story building was only opened in 2005, the National Library has a longer history. It reaches back to 1823, as Singapore’s first public library.
Bras Basah Complex

Passing by

Bras Basah gets its name from the Malay term for ‘wet rice’, which was once laid out to dry on the banks of a nearby river. Back then, the Bras Basah neighbourhood was designated as a European area by the British colonial planners.
Stop 8

Passing by

Singapore Management University, founded in 2000, is Singapore’s third public university with 7,500 undergraduates. When the school day is over, SMU students take advantage of their proximity to Singapore’s downtown and nightlife district in Clarke Quay.
Stop 9

Passing by

Old Hill Street Police Station may look new with its shiny glass ceiling and polished floors, but it’s history is long and supposedly haunted. Its official address is 140 Old Hill Street Police Station.
St Joseph's Church

Passing by

In 1825, there was only one Catholic priest in the British colony of Singapore, who served a small group of European settlers. Under his care, the Catholic community in Singapore grew and in 1906, the original St. Joseph’s Church was demolished and a Gothic-style one was built in its place.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

Begins at the fountain on the left side of McDonald’s. Before arrival, install the VoiceMap app and use the code provided on your ticket. This is a self-guided audio tour that you can start, pause, or restart any time and complete at your own pace. Directions to the starting point are in the app.

End point

Using your ticket

VOICEMAP CODE

───

Please check your email at the address you provided when you made this booking. VoiceMap has sent you an eight character code you'll need to redeem your tour.

This code can be used by every member of your party. If you've booked for three people, for example, three people can download this tour using the same code.

DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS

───

Once you've received your code, please follow these steps:

1. Install the VoiceMap Audio Tours mobile app

2. Create an account

3. Select Tour Codes from the menu, then select Enter Codes

4. Enter your code then select Download Now

PLEASE NOTE

───

You can download the tour at any time, before or after your booking date. It’s best to download the tour before you set off for the starting point.
This tour follows a set route and includes turn-by-turn directions. It works best if you start it in the right place and follow the directions from one location to the next.
When the download completes, you’ll see a screen with a photo of the starting point and directions to it. The red start button will become active when you are at the starting point.
Remember to bring your own headphones, unless you have booked a driving tour.

SUPPORT

───

For technical support and other queries, please email [email protected]