Situated along the Singapore River and in close proximity to Fort Canning Hill, the economic lifeline and seat of government in colonial Singapore respectively, the early immigrants to Singapore settled in River Valley to pursue economic prosperity and a comfortable life. This inevitably resulted in the establishment of prominent landmarks dotted around the precinct, from old bungalows and shophouses to schools and religious sites.

From national monuments such as Chesed-El Synagogue and Sri Thendayuthapani Temple to religious landmarks including Hong San See and Church of Sacred Heart, we will trace the story of Singapore's early communities and their contribution to the eeconomic and social development of the nation from its time as a British colony to post-independence.

This tour also visits 38 Oxley Road, where founding father Lee Kuan Yew and his team of inspirational leaders meet and huddle at its basement.

Who should attend?

Everyone is welcome to participate in this tour.

Duration & Meeting Point

Approximate Duration: 3.0 hours or so
Language: English
Meeting Point: Fort Canning Station Exit B (Street Level) fifteen minutes before the start of the tour
Ending Point: Mohamed Sultan Road
The tour will proceed rain or shine.

What to bring and wear?

Wear respectfully as we will enter several places of worship

(1) a collared, modest shirt or blouse with sleeves, covered shoulders(2) long pants (e.g. jeans) or skirts that cover your knees(3) covered shoes.

Please do not wear singlets, sleeveless / spaghetti-strap or low-cut tops, shorts or miniskirts, slippers or sandals.
Please do not bring cigarettes, alcohol, meat or any food, or dangerous items with you or in your bag.
We are fortunate enough to enter some restricted sites along the tour which are usually not open to the public. Security at these places are high for everyone's safety, and we need you to bring your NRIC, FIN or passport to enter some of these restricted sites.
Bring along hand sanitiser, insect repellent, EZ-Link card, a bottle of water and an umbrella.
If you have earphones with a standard 3.5mm audio jack, please bring them along (for radio guides during the tour).
Asthmatic individuals are encouraged to bring their inhaler.

Other important information

Please do not sign up for the tour if you are unsure of your schedule. Our volunteers have committed their time to this tour - Your absence is discouraging our volunteers from organising any physical tours.
You must cancel this ticket if you were unwell and could not turn up.
Participants who have signed up for the tour but did not turn up will be banned permanently from My Community's future tours.
Please arrive 15 minutes before the tour for registration.

Disclaimer

By agreeing to participate in the tour, every participant will be responsible for any injury, loss of damage due to careIessness of other actions on his/her part or that of children under his/her charge.
It is compulsory for a parent/guardian to accompany any child of or under the age of 12
Videos and photographs may also be taken during the event. By registering for this event, you give My Community full rights to use the photos for marketing and publicity.

For updates:

Follow us at @mycommunitysg on Instagram and @myqueenstown on Facebook.
Visit mycommunity.org.sg to learn about our initiatives.

My River Valley Heritage Tour [English] (20 Sep 2025)