This trail traces Singapore's Living History through the development of a village to modern living Potong Pasir town over the past 50 years. It delves into Rural to Urban, Waterways, Public housing, Harmony in Diversity & Political development themes.
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
Potong Pasir MRT
- Potong Pasir meants "Cut Sand" in Malay and this alludes to its origin as a sand quarry before it became a farming and cottage industry village.
Hindu temple
This Hindu temple links to the cattle and dairy industry of Indian settlers of the past. The temple's majestic gopuram (tower) has evolved over generations of rebuilt and enhancement.
Vantage view point
We will ascend the iconic slanted roof public flat to see the campus of a boys' school with close to 100 yrs of presence here. We will share stories of the Romeo & Juliet tower, flood relief operations, principal turned minster & more.
Community Gardens
This cluster of charming residents' gardens through grassroots efforts (pun intended!) is rather unique in Singapore as most greenery is maintained by the municipal authorities.
Singapore's longest river
Though Singapore river gets most of the limelight, Kallang river is the longest with a larger catchment basin. It has evolved from a major flooding problem to today's scenic waterway park.
Legacy of Singapore's longest serving opposition parliamentarian
As a bespectacled school teacher who coaches the badminton team, Mr Chiam championed the voice of the common people and was well loved by the residents over 2 decades.
Elevated Gardens & award-winning public housing designs
We will cross the roads to saunter through a 5 yrs old award-winning public housing development with verdant elevated gardens that could be mistaken as a 5 start hotel lobby.
104 years old mosque
This most was gazetted a national monument for its unique architecture style. We will learn how the mosque evolved with changes over a century.
Refreshments
At the end of the trail, we will proceed to a traditional style coffeeshop & sample some delectable local cuisine like ngor hiang (assorted fritters), duck rice, minced pork noodles.
Ending Point
Potong Pasir MRT
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Hawker food & drinks
Conversations
Fresh air & exercise
Transportation to & from hotel
This tour traverse a 2.5km route (with plenty of rest stops), so make sure to wear comfortable shoes. Please let me know in advance if you have any food allergies or other dietary restrictions.
I am happy to make changes to the itinerary (where possible) to cater to your needs. I have 3 teenagers and would love to engage young people on my tours. I am also willing to explore how the tour can be catered to wheelchair users and any other needs.
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new sights, but in looking with new eyes" by Marcel Proust has increasingly shaped my travel approach in recent years.
When I recall my most memorable overseas trip experiences, the highlight is often not a mainstream tourist attraction, but a serendipitous encounter off the beaten path. I hope to guide you to your serendipitous encounter.
I love to travel ... my style is to spend more time with authentic local neighbourhoods visiting local markets, and shops, speaking to locals (language permitting), blending in (try!) and engaging in the daily activities of the locals. This also shaped my guiding approach; I seek to unearth local stories, unwritten practices, nuances of community dynamics, unique botanical features etc. (not regurgitate info from Google search results).
I am equally comfortable discussing policy & governance comparisons, explaining municipal matters, sharing cultural nuances, tracing historical developments or pointing out minutiae like a tile design, a leaf's drip tip, an orchid's sepal. In my free time, I enjoy exploring, learning and sharing insights about this little island of Singapore.
I attended UIUC in Illinois, USA for 3 years, worked for a German MNC for 5 years helped coordinate a 100 pax orphanage project in Indonesia for 12 years, so I am passionate with learning and sharing about different cultures. I am an adult educator at a polytechnic in the evening and enjoy guiding during my free time in the mornings.
I have been a heritage guide since 2016 and have developed over 15 unique walking tours and clocked over 100 tours for schools, churches, seniors and other social groups. I am also a tourist guide licensed by STB (Singapore Tourism Board).
Pearlyn P.
“Familiar yet new”
Caleb made the trail interesting and enriching as he shares from his knowledge and experience. He enhanced the whole experience by using old archival shots of places visited and shared many interesting facts and stories about places that are familiar but filled with rich history that I was not aware of. It was an enlightening journey and I enjoyed it.
Caleb L.
Pearlyn, Thanks for your encouraging feedback! Caleb
Shelley B.
“Take this tour to learn about how Singaporeans live!”
We asked Caleb to show us what everyday life is like in Singapore - and he gave us the perfect tour. He gave us a thoughtful and insightful look at the city’s culture and community which we would highly recommend to anyone who wants to see more than the touristy spots of Singapore. Caleb walked us around a local public housing neighborhood (more than 80% of Singaporeans live in public housing) so we could see all aspects of HDB life, including services for seniors, schools and day care for kids, fitness centers, how neighborhood elections work, and more! We also went into a few galleries that gave more details about how neighborhoods are designed and how urban planning has evolved. Along the way, we stopped to try some local foods he recommended. It was a highly informative and engaging tour that helped us understand and appreciate Singapore from the inside out.
Caleb L.
Shelley, Thanks for your encouraging words! I enjoyed the conversations we had during the tour.
Rebecca L.
“An Enjoyable and Informative Bike Tour of Waterfront"”
A leisurely and enjoyable way to see the waterfront scenic view of Singapore without tiring your legs with too much walking. Caleb knows his bike route well as he cycles the route regularly. He also gives concise commentary of the attractions during the stops and has a wealth of knowledge, shown by his comprehensive answers to all our questions.
Caleb L.
Good weather, beautiful scenery, good company = Great cycling experience Thanks for your review!
$130/ per group