chinese junk tour singapore

Contact Details

• All Cities, Singapore
• Present e-voucher on-site
• Sail out to sea in a rare Chinese junk boat from the 1970s
• Learn more about the surrounding Southern Islands and their stories through fictional character and passionate storyteller, Coolie Chai
• Engage your kids in some fun hands-on activities onboard
• Experience a unique theatrical boat tour with immersive storytelling

Package Options

Earliest date available:: 2024-06-22

From USD 119.10

• Bangkok Laser Game (1 game 15 mins) Ticket only Tours
• Samphran Elephant Ground & Zoo
• Attraction Ticket
• Important Info
• How To Redeem Your Voucher
• Loction Of Experience

** Marina at Keppel Bay

For cancellations made at least 5 day(s) prior to selected date, a cancellation fee of 0% will apply

For cancellations made 0 to 4 days prior to selected date, a cancellation fee of 100% will apply

• Your cart is empty

A Voyage In Time: Chinese Junk Tour | Singapore

Half Day Tour

About this tour

• Sail out to sea in a rare Chinese junk boat from the 1970s
• Learn more about the surrounding Southern Islands and their stories through fictional character and passionate storyteller, Coolie Chai
• Engage your kids in some fun hands-on activities onboard
• Experience a unique theatrical boat tour with immersive storytelling

Included/Excluded

• 3-hour ride on board a 70s Chinese junk boat
• STB licensed guide as a storyteller in character
• Hotel transfer
• Personal expenses

Marina at Keppel Bay : 2 Keppel Bay Vista, Singapore 098382

View in Google Maps

Product Category Codes

Frequently asked questions.

Valid only on selected date(s) and time slot(s)

How to Use Your Voucher

Present e-voucher on-site

Cancellation Policy - Cancellation Fee Payment Method

Processing fee For cancellations made at least 5 day(s) prior to selected date, a cancellation fee of 0% will apply For cancellations made 0 to 4 days prior to selected date, a cancellation fee of 100% will apply

Tour's Location

Member Since

Enter the e-mail address associated with the account. We'll e-mail a link to reset your password.

• Twitter / X
• Readers' Choice
• Food & Drink
• Arts & Culture
• Travel Guides

Imperial Cheng Ho Cruises

Type: Family Friendly , Great Views , Sightseeing , Tours and Excursions

Last updated on June 29, 2015

10Best Says

31 Marina Coastal Drive Singapore, 018988

EXPERT TIPS BY: Marianne Rogerson Singapore Local Expert

• Sightseeing : "Free pick-up service is available from a range of hotels and Marina Bay MRT, if pre-booked in advance."

things to do

restaurants

Best Sightseeing in Singapore

• 10 Pulau Ubin
• 9 Imperial Cheng Ho Cruises
• 8 Mount Faber Cable Car
• 7 Trishaw Uncle
• 6 Original Singapore Walks
• 5 City Tours
• 4 Singapore Trolley
• 3 Duck & Hippo
• 2 Singapore River Cruise
• 1 Singapore Flyer

Explore Singapore

Chinese junks anchored in Singapore Harbour

• Collections

Right up to the middle of the 19th century, the bulk of Chinese maritime trade with Singapore and Southeast Asia in general was carried out using ocean-going merchant vessels referred to by Europeans as ‘junks’. The etymological roots of the term can be traced back to the Javanese ‘jong’ or the Malay ‘ajong’, both meaning 'a ship or large vessel'. The Chinese junk differs from its Western sail counterparts in many areas, such as the fore-and-aft method of rigging, use of mat sails and bamboo stays, a rounded and keel-less hull, bulkhead construction and distinctively Chinese decorative motifs. Asian traders, especially the Siamese, favoured the use of junks for conducting trade with China as these vessels were accorded favourable levies and access rights in Chinese ports. However, such privileges were also extended to Western vessels from the 1840s onwards through various treaties concluded between the Western powers and the Qing regime. The loss of such preferential treatment, coupled with the technological advantages enjoyed by Western square-rigged sail ships and steamers led to the gradually decline in the use of Chinese junks for the intra-Asian trade. Nevertheless, these versatile vessels continued to operate in Southeast Asian waters well into the 20th century, albeit in limited numbers.

See related items

The WaterTours Chinese Junk, ‘Ann Heng’, on a Southern Islands cruise

You May Also Like

Bishan: Living with the Dead

Bukit Timah: Community Heritage Trail

Masjid Haji Muhammad Salleh & Keramat Habib Noh

Police Logistics Department (Former Hemmant Road Police Store)

Arts and Culture Employment Study 2016

Singapore Cultural Statistics

The Lives of Farrer Park: Capturing Moments and memories from the Golden Age of Singapore Sport

Grave Matters: Spatial-temporal Analyses of Bukit Brown and Seh Ong Cemeteries

Analysis-Chinese Outbound Travel Recovery Lags Due to Costs, Visa Snags

FILE PHOTO: Passengers look at the tarmac as they wait for their flights at the Beijing Capital International Airport, in Beijing, China April 20, 2024. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo

By Sophie Yu, Casey Hall and Lisa Barrington

BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - A recovery in Chinese overseas travel from the COVID-19 pandemic is fading as rising costs and difficulties in securing visas cement a preference for local and short-haul destinations.

The delay in a revival to pre-COVID levels by China's outbound travellers, the world's top spenders on international tourism and airlines, is hitting travel-related companies, hotels and retailers globally.

Eighteen months after China dropped strict zero-COVID policies and reopened its borders, the recovery in overseas travel is lagging behind market expectations and the shape of Chinese travel is changing, with a surge in domestic trips.

Pressured by a prolonged property crisis, high unemployment and a gloomy outlook in the world's second-biggest economy, Chinese consumers have become more frugal since the pandemic, prompting discount wars on everything from travel to cars, coffee and clothes.

Chinese people took 87 million trips abroad last year, down 40% from pre-COVID 2019, and industry observers say the pace has slowed since the Lunar New Year in February. China's travellers spent 24% less last year than in 2019, while U.S. travellers' spending was up 14%, according to U.N. Tourism data. The Chinese lag is bad news for countries like France, Australia and the U.S., which were among the top destinations for Chinese travellers before the pandemic.

Liu Simin, vice president of the tourism branch of the China Society for Futures Studies research institute, forecasts China's international travel might not recover to pre-pandemic levels for another five years.

"The recovery is a lot slower than expected," Liu said. "The devaluation of the Chinese yuan combined with inflation in the U.S. and Europe is a double blow."

The Chinese currency has fallen more than 2% against the dollar since the start of the year, raising costs in yuan terms for Chinese travellers abroad.

Consultancy Oliver Wyman last month pushed its estimates for China's international travel recovery to late 2025, half a year later than it forecast last year.

"I would actually argue that consumers are even more cost-conscious than last year, and you'll also see that feed into travel trends," said Imke Wouters, Hong Kong-based partner at Oliver Wyman.

To be sure, overseas travel is rebounding, with Chinese travellers again the world’s top spenders on international tourism last year after falling behind the United States in 2022, according to U.N. Tourism data.

This summer 8% of flights at Chinese airports have been international, up from just 1% in 2022, according to aviation data provider OAG.

FLIP TO DOMESTIC TRAVEL

That recovery, however, is overshadowed by the surge in domestic trips, which hit a record 295 million during the five-day May Day holiday, up more than 20% from 2019, official data showed.

Domestic airlines seats were up 16% in May from the same month in 2019, while international flights were down 30%, Cirium data shows.

Wouters at Oliver Wyman said 40% of those who travelled abroad in 2023 for the first time since borders reopened had decided not to travel internationally again this year, mainly due to inconvenience and long visa processing times for many European destinations.

Beijing resident Wang Shu, 38, vacationed domestically after cancelling a trip to France because he could not get a visa, despite trying to book a visa appointment months ahead.

"I tried booking the interview in late March, as I planned to attend the French Open tennis in late May, but the earliest date that I could book was June 19," Wang said.

Wang instead vacationed in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, known for its spicy food.

"The food was great, I watched a concert and spent one-tenth of the money I'd have spent in France," he said.

Australia's top source of tourists before COVID, China is now number four, with arrivals down 53% in March from March 2019, said Margy Osmond, chief executive of Tourism & Transport Forum Australia.

Chinese travellers to France, the most visited country in the world, have reached only 28.5% of 2019 levels, according to airport operator ADP.

Capacity on U.S.-China routes remains down more than 80% from 2019 levels, weighed by intensifying bilateral political tensions. The U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office expects Chinese tourism to the U.S. to recover fully only in 2026.

By contrast, countries with visa-free policies have received strong growth in Chinese visitors.

These include Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, where flight capacity has also increased.

Switzerland, growing in popularity with high-end travellers on Trip.com, boasts a seven-day visa process, said Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group.

Japan has also received a surge in Chinese travellers this year, boosted by a plunge in the yen's value.

"We are not just seeing a market re-growing, we are seeing a market re-shaping," Gary Bowerman, director of tourism intelligence firm Check-In Asia, told an OAG webinar last month.

(Reporting by Sophie Yu in Beijing, Casey Hall in Shanghai and Lisa Barrington in Seoul; Additional reporting by Diana Mandia in Gdansk; Editing by Miyoung Kim and William Mallard)

Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

Photos You Should See - June 2024

Join the Conversation

Tags: Switzerland , France , United States , Thailand , Europe , Japan , Singapore , Australia

America 2024

Healthiest Communities

Your trusted source for in-depth analysis on the issues impacting your community’s well-being delivered right to your inbox.

Sign in to manage your newsletters »

Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy .

You May Also Like

The 10 worst presidents.

U.S. News Staff Feb. 23, 2024

The Best Cartoons on Donald Trump

June 14, 2024, at 4:08 p.m.

Joe Biden Behind The Scenes

June 7, 2024

SCOTUS Nixes Bump Stock Ban

Laura Mannweiler June 14, 2024

Key Takeaways: Pope's Visit to the G7

Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder June 14, 2024

High Prices Weaken Consumer Sentiment

Tim Smart June 14, 2024

What Americans Actually Think of IVF

Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder June 13, 2024

How Biden Made Putin Buy Ukraine Weapons

Aneeta Mathur-Ashton June 13, 2024

Key Supreme Court Rulings to Watch For

Laura Mannweiler June 13, 2024

GOP Embraces Trump on Capitol Hill

Tim Smart June 13, 2024

Next i Light Singapore Guided Tour is on 15 June!

• Historical Singapore Bicycle Tour
• Marina Bay Night Tour
• Bike And Bites Tour
• Trails Of Tan Ah Huat
• Tales of Four Quays
• East Coast Bicycle Tour
• Beyond Michelin Chinatown Food Tour
• Hawker Fare: Little India Street Food Tour
• Market To Table Culinary Experience
• Flavours of Singapore
• Discover Hainan
• Discover Hokkien
• Discover Thailand
• Island Boat Tour & Kelong Visit

• A Voyage Of Time: Chinese Junk Tour
• City Highlights: Singapore River & Marina Bay
• City Highlights: Chinatown, Little India, Kampong Gelam
• Singapore For Dummies Tour: Beginner’s Guide to SG
• Chek Jawa Boardwalk
• Pulau Ubin Tour: The Wild Side
• Kampong Experience
• Story of Stamford Raffles
• Fish Farming & Sustainability
• Race & Religion Tour
• Singapore Spice Story
• Singapore Water Story
• SG: Building of A Nation
• Aminah in Kampong Glam
• Ah Huat in Chinatown
• The Red Oil Lamp: Chinatown Stories Alive!
• Team Building Activities
• Private Tour

• Echoes of 1959 Singapore River
• SG HeritageFest 2024: Boat Tour & Kelong
• Singapore Art Week 2023 Tours
• Singapore Travel Blog

Take Adventures Create Memories!

Let’s Go Tour Singapore is an award-winning tour operator offering a wide range of unique tours led by experienced local tour guides. Choose from Bike Tours , Food Tours , Boat Tours , Walking Tours , Cooking Classes , Private Car Tours and more.

Make the most of each travel moment and create some wonderful memories with us now!

Ready to experience the real Singapore?

Popular Singapore Tours

Explore Singapore on carefully-designed routes with friendly local guides. With the wind in your hair, get behind the handlebar to learn a little history and soak in the city’s breathtaking sights!

Go beyond just the Singapore River Cruise and discover Singapore from a different perspective. Sail out to explore the Southern Islands, reconnect with nature and get up close to Kelongs & Fish Farms!

Cooking Classes

Discover Singapore’s delicious food culture and learn how to cook popular local dishes with our friendly, experienced chefs through a variety of immersive Culinary Experiences!

Singapore Food Tours

Discover amazing local street food with our Singapore walking food tour options, complete with a side of historical insights by your tour guide for an memorable tour experience!

Learning Journeys

Learning should be fun and engaging! Our series of educational tours are specially created to enhance knowledge through fun and meaningful experiences outside of the classroom.

Walking Tours

Our guided walking tours are created to be the perfect introduction for those visiting Singapore for the first time, covering the Must-Sees, Best Things To Do and Hidden Gems.

Theatrical Tours

This is not your ordinary walking tour! History comes alive with our innovative Theatrical Tours: immersive storytelling journeys that combine role-play theatrics, visual props and heartfelt emotions.

Nature Tours

Head into the wilderness with our seasoned nature tour guides and explore an abundance of nature found off the beaten tourist track at Pulau Ubin.

Private Tours

Prefer the intimacy of your own group? From food adventures to vibrant street art and to quaint heartland communities, create a trip to remember when you opt for a fully-customisable private tour!

Customised Team Building & Learning Journeys

Whether corporate or school-based, our original team building events leverage on our tour expertise to create experiences that are both fun and meaningful!

Our team is also experienced in Virtual Tours, both livestreamed and recorded segments.

Let us help you transform your event objectives into unparalleled experiences!

Your Peace of Mind is Our Priority

Approved by the singapore tourism board.

The STB has a rigorous approval process for travel and tour agencies, which means that only those who meet the highest standards for quality and service get endorsed.

We pride ourselves on being one of the best Singapore tour agencies for a wide variety of unique and enriching experiences.

Moreover, we are committed to providing quality customer service to ensure that you get a positive experience from booking tours to the end of your chosen tour.

As Featured In

Award-winning Tour Operator

Rated top ten tours on tripadvisor since 2015.

Curated Tours

Read real traveller reviews

Best Prices Guaranteed

Book direct for the best deal

Special Experiences

Participate in unique tours

Block 462 Crawford Lane #01-57 Singapore 190462

T: +65 90044332 E: [email protected]

CONNECT WITH US

• Yekaterinburg
• Novosibirsk
• Vladivostok

• Tours to Russia
• Practicalities
• Russia in Lists

Rusmania • Deep into Russia

Out of the Centre

Savvino-storozhevsky monastery and museum.

Zvenigorod's most famous sight is the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, which was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva from the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, at the invitation and with the support of Prince Yury Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod. Savva was later canonised as St Sabbas (Savva) of Storozhev. The monastery late flourished under the reign of Tsar Alexis, who chose the monastery as his family church and often went on pilgrimage there and made lots of donations to it. Most of the monastery’s buildings date from this time. The monastery is heavily fortified with thick walls and six towers, the most impressive of which is the Krasny Tower which also serves as the eastern entrance. The monastery was closed in 1918 and only reopened in 1995. In 1998 Patriarch Alexius II took part in a service to return the relics of St Sabbas to the monastery. Today the monastery has the status of a stauropegic monastery, which is second in status to a lavra. In addition to being a working monastery, it also holds the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.

Belfry and Neighbouring Churches

Located near the main entrance is the monastery's belfry which is perhaps the calling card of the monastery due to its uniqueness. It was built in the 1650s and the St Sergius of Radonezh’s Church was opened on the middle tier in the mid-17th century, although it was originally dedicated to the Trinity. The belfry's 35-tonne Great Bladgovestny Bell fell in 1941 and was only restored and returned in 2003. Attached to the belfry is a large refectory and the Transfiguration Church, both of which were built on the orders of Tsar Alexis in the 1650s.  

To the left of the belfry is another, smaller, refectory which is attached to the Trinity Gate-Church, which was also constructed in the 1650s on the orders of Tsar Alexis who made it his own family church. The church is elaborately decorated with colourful trims and underneath the archway is a beautiful 19th century fresco.

Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is the oldest building in the monastery and among the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region. It was built between 1404 and 1405 during the lifetime of St Sabbas and using the funds of Prince Yury of Zvenigorod. The white-stone cathedral is a standard four-pillar design with a single golden dome. After the death of St Sabbas he was interred in the cathedral and a new altar dedicated to him was added.

Under the reign of Tsar Alexis the cathedral was decorated with frescoes by Stepan Ryazanets, some of which remain today. Tsar Alexis also presented the cathedral with a five-tier iconostasis, the top row of icons have been preserved.

Tsaritsa's Chambers

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is located between the Tsaritsa's Chambers of the left and the Palace of Tsar Alexis on the right. The Tsaritsa's Chambers were built in the mid-17th century for the wife of Tsar Alexey - Tsaritsa Maria Ilinichna Miloskavskaya. The design of the building is influenced by the ancient Russian architectural style. Is prettier than the Tsar's chambers opposite, being red in colour with elaborately decorated window frames and entrance.

At present the Tsaritsa's Chambers houses the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum. Among its displays is an accurate recreation of the interior of a noble lady's chambers including furniture, decorations and a decorated tiled oven, and an exhibition on the history of Zvenigorod and the monastery.

Palace of Tsar Alexis

The Palace of Tsar Alexis was built in the 1650s and is now one of the best surviving examples of non-religious architecture of that era. It was built especially for Tsar Alexis who often visited the monastery on religious pilgrimages. Its most striking feature is its pretty row of nine chimney spouts which resemble towers.

Plan your next trip to Russia

Ready-to-book tours.

Your holiday in Russia starts here. Choose and book your tour to Russia.

REQUEST A CUSTOMISED TRIP

Looking for something unique? Create the trip of your dreams with the help of our experts.

We've detected unusual activity from your computer network

To continue, please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot.

Why did this happen?

Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy .

For inquiries related to this message please contact our support team and provide the reference ID below.