Discover the birthplace of Singapore and see a former World War II command center on a 2.5-hour walking tour of the city’s historic battle sites. Learn some of the history of the island nation, and visit graves, a colonial fort, and much more.

About this activity

Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
Covid-19 precautions: Special health and safety measures apply. Learn more
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Duration 2.5 hours: Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide: English
Private group

Highlights

Visit the former World War II command center of Singapore
Trace the history of ancient Singapura and its 5 kings
Learn more about the early settlers of Singapore
Re-create the battle that signaled the start of the end of the British Empire

Full description

Learn more about the history of Singapore through a walking tour of its graves and battle sites, and see an old colonial fort, a former World War II command center, and more. Meet your guide at the Battlebox Visitor Center and tour the former command center of the Second World War built on the site where both the 14th-century “Singapora” and the modern-day city were born. Tread lightly, looking for treasures that lie beneath the historic hill in the heart of the city. Trace the rise and fall of great empires, and hear stories of rulers who commanded the city from the hill. Follow in the footsteps of the empire-builders who were buried on its slopes. Discover the world-changing story of a humble spice. Visit graves and a colonial fort to re-live one of the most important battles in the history of Singapore. Venture deep underground for an up-close look at the Battlebox command center, and hear how it was here that the decision to surrender Singapore was made, signaling the start of the end of the British Empire.

Includes

English-speaking guide
Private tour
Entrance fees

Food and drinks
Tips
Optional activity costs

Covid-19 precautions

Traveler requirements

You are required to bring and wear a mask
You must fill out a travel information form
You will receive a mandatory temperature check

Meeting point

Battlebox Visitor Centre, 2 Cox Terrace, Fort Canning Hill

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Important information

Know before you go

This is a walking tour. Please wear comfortable shoes, and bring an umbrella or poncho, and a bottle of water
Private tours are available at different rates. Please inquire for more details
Children below 7 years old are free of charge

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.9 /5

based on 26 reviews

Review summary

Guide
4.9/5
Value for money
4.8/5
Service
5/5
Organization
5/5

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A fantastic tour well paced and delivered by a very well informed and enthusiastic tour guide. I have done part of the tour previously and learnt things I had forgotten previously, to be standing in rooms where important historical decisions were made during world war 2 was amazing, a great mix of verbal interaction from our guide Joanne and the short films shown made for a great experience. We will look at more of these experiences next time we are in Singapore.

September 2, 2019

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Take the 2.5 hour tour of the Battlebox and the Fort Canning Hill, it’s worth it! Our guide Sharuh was excellent. Impressed he remembered everyone’s names and came ready with mosquito repellent and water :) He was able to effectively modify the tour so we would be comfortable and safer. There was a thunderstorm and construction work in some parts of the hill at that time. The tour was well paced with rest stops and some relief from the heat. The Visitor Centre and Battlebox are equipped with AC. We learned so much about our shared history with Singapore pre colonial, colonial, and WW2.

May 7, 2019

This is a superb tour. Our guide was extremely well informed and engaging. We learnt a lot, laughed quite a bit and some moments were quite solemn. This is a must-do your for anyone remotely interested in the history of Singapore and in particular, the events of WW2. Totally worth the ticket price ... and then some.

October 25, 2018

Singapore 2.5-Hour Walking Tour: Graves, Guns & Battles

Singapore 2.5-Hour Walking Tour: Graves, Guns & Battles

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