Walks · 7 of 8

River & Telok Ayer

Temples on the old shoreline of Telok Ayer Street, the shophouse lanes behind them, and the Singapore River from Cavenagh Bridge up to Robertson Quay.

Telok Ayer Street once ran along the shore. The name means bay of water in Malay, and the sea was filled in long ago. Thian Hock Keng, finished in 1842, stood facing the water, and sailors who arrived safely came to give thanks to the goddess of the sea. Visitors are welcome; keep to the edges of the halls while people pray.

Further along the same street are the Nagore Dargah, a small shrine with slender towers from around 1830, and the Al-Abrar Mosque, both built by South Indian Muslim traders. Shoes come off at the door of both.

For lunch, walk one street over to Amoy Street Food Centre, then climb up to Ann Siang Hill and Club Street, where the shophouses follow the slope. Look up on Amoy Street: the upper windows have shutters painted in every colour.

Cross Raffles Place to the river and start at Cavenagh Bridge, an iron bridge from 1869 that is now for walkers only; the old sign at its end still bars cattle and horses. Then walk upstream along Boat Quay. The lighters that once crowded this bank moved out in the 1980s, when the river was cleaned, and the shophouses facing the water are restaurants now. The back lane behind them shows how the houses were built.

Past Elgin Bridge and Clarke Quay the path grows quieter. Robertson Quay keeps a few old warehouses among the flats, and the Alkaff Bridge is painted in bright patterns. Bumboats run up and down the river as taxis and tours if your feet give out.

Start

Telok Ayer MRT

End

Great World MRT, a short walk past the Alkaff Bridge

Distance

About 5 km

Time

3 to 4 hours, with lunch

Best

Weekday mornings on Telok Ayer Street; the river in the late afternoon

Food

Amoy Street Food Centre, best on a weekday

Added Aug 2026 · notes checked Oct 2026