Despite its unimpressive size (with a mere length of 9 kilometres), the Singapore River has always been the heart of the settlement established by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles in 1819 because of its vital role in trade, the country's lifeblood. The river flows into a wide natural harbour where its calm waters still allow undisturbed anchorage for small vessels.

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The Singapore River, 1870	The Singapore River, 1950s	The Singapore River, 1990

For decades, small trading boats known as 'tongkangs' would cram the harbour to unload their cargoes of rice, rubber and spices into the warehouses. Products made in Singapore, such as car tyres, foodstuffs and metal parts would be transferred by the tongkangs from shore to the big ships riding at anchor in the harbour. This hive of activity kept the trading port alive and contributed towards its prosperity.

Today, the Singapore River has been cleaned and cleared of traffic. The quay has also been livened up by landscaping and pleasure cruises upriver have been introduced. The river provides visitors with a fascinating peek at the island's historical development. Although the tongkangs are no longer there and the warehouses have been renovated and restored to house new activities (e.g. restaurants), visitors with an interest in colonial or Southest Asian history can still see splendid examples of nineteenth-century architecture.

The fact that today's thriving business and commercial centre is so near to the Singapore River is testimony to its pivotal role in Singapore's development for almost two centuries.

Click to explore the map of the Singapore River!