Singapore River, Clarke Quay and Riverside, Singapore Singapore

The Singapore River, which cuts through the heart of the city, was for many decades the main artery of trade and commerce for the British. Today, the stately Victorian and neo-classical Roman structures still stand proudly along the river banks, but they jostle for space with the many concrete-and-glass skyscrapers that have shot up in more modern times.

The best way to view many of the buildings, statues, monuments and museums that Singapore has inherited from its colonial past is to take a walk along the Singapore River, or a river-boat tour that starts at Clarke Quay. You will be brought along the Singapore River on an old bum-boat, the kind that used to navigate up and down the river in colonial times.