Many of us know that the Katong and Joo Chiat district is one of the best culinary places in Singapore. With its slew of cafes, local coffee shops and charming boutiques, this neighbourhood in the East is a foodie’s dream come true.

But, did you know that Katong and Joo Chiat have a rich history in the past? Their Peranakan culture and legacy are still visible up till today. We took a day trip to explore and learn more about this quaint neighbourhood in Singapore. Read on to find out what we did and learnt on this trip!

Let us begin with a story from the past - Joo Chiat Road is named after a wealthy Chinese landowner, Chew Joo Chiat, who bought big pieces of land in Katong and the East Coast during the early 1900s.

He paved the way for humans to walk on proper roads and he sold parts of his land for commercial and residential purposes, slowly, it became the Joo Chiat that we know today. Many Peranakans and Eurasians moved to the east as they wanted to have a better life and that’s why, Joo Chiat has some Peranakan influences but at the same time, also has elements of Western culture as well. But okay, it's time for us to show you all the fun we had while we were here!

We went on a vintage Vespa sidecar tour with Singapore Sidecars around Katong and Joo Chiat. Our drivers and tour guide first took us to see the preserved terrace houses in Katong where people are still living here today.

As you can see, these houses are elevated and built higher so as to prevent the water from seeping inside as there used to be floods in the past. Also, there used to be plenty of sea turtles that would come up to the shore to hatch their eggs! This was how Katong got its name, after an exotic species of sea turtles. How cute is that?

Next, our drivers and tour guide took us to Koon Seng Road where we could see colourful Peranakan shophouses with grand entrance gates and wooden window shuttles. These houses are decked in Chinese-inspired decor with touches of Western elements such as the Victorian ceramic tiles beside their windows.

Our drivers and tour guide told us that these houses are preserved on the outside but they are modernised inside as the years go by. Here’s a fun fact about these colourful shophouses - If you look closely, you can see a small airway on the roof, door and window shuttles so that air can come in and keep the house cool in the olden days.

There were plenty of photogenic spots along the way, so we stopped and took a few photos as memento. All in all, this historical neighbourhood has a blend of Peranakan culture and heritage, aesthetically-pleasing shopfronts and unique photo spots that show a slice of the past that you can’t find in other parts of Singapore. It is definitely worth a visit!

If you want to spice up your tour, hop on the vintage Vespa sidecar and let the drivers and tour guide take you around the neighbourhood!

Kim Choo Kueh is one of Singapore’s favourite kueh kueh stores and Kim Choo Kueh was founded by Grandma Kim Choo in 1945. She learnt the recipes from her grandmother and from there, she started her own business to feed her family. Now, it has become a family business and in order to keep her family’s history and the Peranakan culture, they’ve converted the second floor of their shophouse into a mini museum and a place where guests could dine with their kuehs.

When you first walk into Kim Choo Kueh, you will be greeted by rows and rows of kuehs on the display shelves. Hop on to the next shop - take a look at the beautiful porcelain and kebayas that they have there which you can own!

Isn’t the porcelain all so beautiful? The designs are all intricately beautiful and the colours were so vibrant and full of life. You could use these porcelains for happy occasions such as weddings or just owning one to beautify and bring life to your home!

Kebayas (traditional nyonya dress) are not something that we would usually shop for or think about when shopping for clothes as Singaporeans who are not Peranakans. As we evolved over the years, so has Peranakan clothes - they do not only have traditional ones but also modern designs where you could pair it as a jacket, a blouse or even a skirt with clothes that we have now.

Afterwards, we headed up to the second floor to take a look at the collection that Grandma Kim Choo’s grandson collected over the years to show guests about the history of Peranakan culture. There were plenty of exhibits and we spent a long time looking at each of them and hearing the story behind each one of them.

If you take a closer look, you can see that many of the exhibits were heavily influenced by the Western culture. We learnt so much about Peranakan History and it is essential for us, as Singaporeans, to know about our own history so that we can tell the stories and keep them alive in years to come!

Of course, we ended our tour by buying some kueh and let me tell you, it was chef’s kiss and it definitely lived up to its hype! All of us bought some home for our families to try! Guess we will be back for more Kim Choo Kueh soon! To all our friends out there, you certainly have to go on this tour and get some kueh to try for yourself!

After the whole day of activities, it is time to rest and unwind at Champion Hotel, a boutique hotel located along Joo Chiat Road. We checked into the Suite Room with windows that were facing the main road - it was so spacious and has a great view!

The room looked so inviting to us, especially the bed which was so comfortable to lie down on! After a long day of exploring, we just crashed on the couch and watched TV for the rest of the night. If you are looking for affordable hotels to stay in Joo Chiat, consider booking a stay at Champion Hotel. It will definitely be worth your money spent!

To sum it up, it was an eye-opening experience for us and it made us appreciate the local history and culture that we have here. It was very fun as well and you definitely have to try it for yourself! Do come with your friends as it is always better when there is company - tickets can be purchased via Traveloka from $12.50, don’t miss out on this great fun!