What makes a guided tour with Tribe Tours special? It’s all about the people you’ll meet on your Singapore holidays, and the connections you’ll make. As seasoned travellers themselves, the Tribe team believes experiences are shaped by human interactions—serendipitous encounters that will remain forever steeped in your memories.

Sign up for their popular “About Mr Lee” tour, a tribute to none other than Singapore’s founding father Mr Lee Kuan Yew (also known as “LKY”), who was sorely missed by the entire nation when he passed away in 2015. Hop on the tour to find out where Lee grew up and attended school, and retrace the steps of his enduring love story with his wife, Mdm Kwa Geok Choo.

Notably, the tour takes you to Oxley Road, the Lees’ residence for half a century. Visitors may recognise this as the home thrust into the international spotlight in 2017, when the fate of the home became an issue of national debate. You’ll also get to visit the neighbourhood known as Tanjong Pagar, where Lee served residents as a Member of Parliament.

The tour concludes in the vicinity of Singapore’s oldest colonial building—the former Parliament House, which is used as an arts space today. It was here that Lee held court and displayed his political finesse as the first and longest-serving Prime Minister of Singapore.

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It’s a joyride like no other—Singapore Sidecars offers you the chance to travel in the world’s first vintage Vespa sidecar tour. It’s cooler than a trishaw, and faster too.

Choose from a variety of culturally rich neighbourhoods to explore, or go wild with a ride into the night, where you’ll get to let loose and mingle at some offbeat beer spots while knowing that your designated driver is watching your back. If you’re in the mood to splurge, try the “Crazy Rich Asians” tour to relive the set-in-Singapore hit movie in all its extravagant glory.

To meet someone particularly interesting, ask for Juvena Huang as your guide. Now 31, this intrepid Singaporean biker spent 27 months on the road, getting from Southeast Asia to South Asia, the Balkans, and the Middle East, with all her survival needs strapped to her precious Vespa. Her trip ended in the Czech Republic, bringing her total distance covered to a whopping 44,000 km, with 25 countries visited.

Huang has certainly chalked up massive life experience points from her adventures, and it would be well worth your time to listen to what she has to say. Here’s a tip from her: “We shouldn’t let others impose their own limitations or fears onto ourselves,” she says. “If they can’t do it, it doesn’t mean that you can’t. If I had listened to [the naysayers], I don’t think I would have even [gone] for the trip.”

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If you’re wondering what mum’s cooking tastes like in Singapore, make a date with Mummy Soh to prepare and enjoy a meal at her home, affectionately dubbed “One Kind House.” You’ll learn to use garden-fresh ingredients to prepare a three-course traditional meal. While doing so, you’ll also get to explore Mummy Soh’s double-storey family home. It is a living museum of sorts, where you will find relics from the past, such as an over 100-year-old Singer sewing machine, which is still in working order.

At 75, Mummy Soh is showing the world that one need never stop learning and growing. Some admire the energetic septuagenarian’s entrepreneurial skills, but for her, the classes that she runs are purely a labour of love. “I do it more for fun and the passion,” she says. “It's about meeting people and talking.”

You can also step back in time with local couple Eric and Ivy, who met and fell in love while working as Teochew opera professionals in a bygone era. Learn more about this traditional Chinese art form, which was popular during the 1950s and 60s. Together with Eric and Ivy, visit the Er Woo Traditional Opera Troupe House, listen to stories from the past, and even dress up as an opera performer while getting a few tips on putting up a good show.

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No one loves Geylang, Singapore’s notorious red-light district, the way Cai Yinzhou does. Cai grew up in the neighbourhood, but he only realised when he was older that some of his neighbours led colourful lives in the world of drugs, gambling, and vice.

“Watching all of them, I gradually realised that they were part of a delicate and diverse social equilibrium,” he says.

For Cai, showing this intricate web of community to others has become a pastime and a passion. He advocates for the vulnerable in his beloved neighbourhood, including the migrant worker communities, through his initiative known as Geylang Adventures.

Book a guided tour with him, and he will take you through side streets and back alleys for a peek into the neighbourhood’s different lives and livelihoods. You’ll get to hear stories and notice telltale signs that only an insider would know, pertaining to Singapore’s seedier side—it does have one.

You’ll also get to quell your hunger—in a wholesome fashion—as the tour includes a hearty meal and sanctioned snacking at the best food stops in the neighbourhood.

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Every significant building in Singapore has a backstory, and the man to hear it from is Jerome Lim, a 53-year-old history buff, blogger, and occasional tour guide. His blog, titled The Long and Winding Road, is the go-to resource for locals seeking a link to the past. It’s also the reason why the country’s National Library Board and Land Transport Authority have approached him to collaborate on heritage tours.

His inspiration to blog, ironically, came when he was based in Penang, Malaysia, for work. Penang reminded him of the Singapore that he had grown up in. “It brought back a flood of memories, and my idea was to try to put it down so I don’t forget,” he says.

To keep tabs on Lim’s “Discovering Singapore’s Best-Kept Secrets” tour series, bookmark this page and check in regularly for new tours. 

To enhance your Singapore visit, sign up with Pan Pacific DISCOVERY, a guest recognition programme with member benefits and local experiences to make each stay more comfortable and memorable. Gain access to activities that are exclusive to members, from luxurious massages to gourmet picnics, cultural activities, and many more. For a taste of what’s in store, view the unique Singapore experiences available for PARKROYAL on Beach Road, PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road, and PARKROYAL on Pickering.