China Town
Singapore's Chinatown is composed of several sub-districts. Kreta Ayer is but one section within the larger Chinatown area.  Other sections include Bukit Pasoh , (known also as the "Street of Clans") in which can be found several China cultural and clan associations, and Tanjong Pagar , with many preserved pre-World War II shophouses. Finally, Telok Ayer was the original focal point of settlement in Chinatown, and is home to many China temples as well as Muslim mosques.

History of Roads
In China, Chinatown is known as Niu che shui (???; pinyin: Niúcheshui), literally, "ox-cart water," as a result of the fact that, because of its location, Chinatown's water supply was principally transported by animal-driven carts in the 19th century. The name is also echoed in the Malay name, Kreta Ayer, with the same meaning.

Architecture
The street architecture of Chinatown's buildings, the shophouses especially, combine different elements of baroque architecture and Victorian architecture and do not have a single classification. Many of them were built in the style of painted ladies, and have been restored in that fashion. 

These styles result in a variety of different colours of which pastel is most dominant. Trengganu Street, Pagoda Street and Temple Street are such examples of this architecture, as well as development in Upper Cross Street and the houses in Club Street. Boat Quay was once a slave market along the Singapore River, Boat Quay has the most mixed-style shophouses on the island.

Primary Attractions

Sri Mariamman Temple
Rounding out the Chinatown experience is Singapore's grandest Hindu temple, the Sri Mariamman, located on South Bridge Road. The entrance to the temple, shown here, is an elaborate display of ceramic Hindu figures. Other figures line the rooftop all the way around the building. Singapore's oldest and most important Hindu temple and worth a visit for the intricately carved gopuram (statuary above the entrance). Entrance is free, just take off your shoes and don't disturb the worshippers.

Heritage Centre
The Chinatown Heritage Centre at Pagoda Street occupies three shophouses in Chinatown, newly restored to house memories and untold stories of Singapore's early forefathers.Chinatown Heritage Centre, 48 Pagoda St, [1]. 

Jamae Mosque
Jamae Mosque, 18 South Bridge Rd. One of Singapore's oldest mosques, built in the 1830s by Tamil Muslims in an Indian style. Note the stepped 
minarets outside. Free admission.

Trishaw Tours
The trishaw was a common means of transport back in the olden days in Singapore. The three-wheeled vehicle existed in its earlier form as the "Jinricksha" in Shanghai in 1880 and was manually pulled by a rider in front of a seat attached to two big wheels. The trishaw made its debut in Singapore in the 1940s, and although we do not see many trishaws on the roads now, it remains a strong icon of our rich cultural history.

Shoppings 
Trengganu Street, described as "the Piccadilly of China Singapore" in the past, now forms the heart of the tourist belt in Chinatown. In China, it 
is called gu chia chui wah koi, or "the cross street of Kreta Ayer". The crossing of streets refers to Smith Street and Sago streets. Trengganu Street has been converted to a pedestrian mall with shops lining both sides of the street, which transforms into a night market after dark.

Eateries
Singapore's cultural diversity is very much reflected in the variety of local food it has to offer - China, Malay, Indian, Peranakan and much, much more.

In Chinatown there is, needless to say, plenty of China food to go around! But if you hanker for something different, Tanjong Pagar is also 
Singapore's unofficial Korean district and there are a large number of very good Korean restaurants too.