Step back in time this Christmas season and experience the nostalgic charm of Singapore’s colonial past on an evening walk through Sembawang’s Black and White estate.

We’ll meet at Sembawang MRT Station, near the control station, at 7pm on Friday, 12 Dec 2025. From there, we’ll take a leisurely 1.2 km stroll along Canberra Road, turning into Bermuda Road, St John’s Road, Canada Road and finally Durban Road. Along the way, you’ll see, feel and almost “touch” the festive spirit of a bygone era – one filled with the elegance and quiet grandeur of the early colonial days.

These stately Black and White Mansions, built in the 1920s and 1930s, once housed British officers and their families. During the festive season, they come alive once again with Christmas lights, lush gardens and echoes of an old-world Christmas – all just steps away from the modern Sembawang HDB estate. It’s a surreal blend of history and the present day, where colonial architecture meets the heartland.

As we walk, you’ll hear stories of life within these houses – from their wartime bunkers and social gatherings to their transformation over the years. Though renting one of these mansions has never been cheap, most remain tenanted, standing proudly as a link between Singapore’s past and present.

Canberra Road itself has changed much over time. Once a narrow two-way street, most of it has been widened for modern traffic, yet a short stretch still retains its original width and quiet charm. But once we turn onto Bermuda Road, it feels as though time has stood still. The atmosphere, the layout, even the stillness – all seem to belong to another century.

We’ll end our evening at “The Strip”, once notorious in the 1960s for its rowdy nightlife, sailors’ brawls and colourful characters. From there, you can catch a bus back to Sembawang MRT or stay on for a drink at one of the nearby spots – the perfect way to round off a walk through history.

Come and join me for this short yet memorable journey into the 1920s and 1930s – where the charm of colonial Christmas still lingers in the air.

For reservations, contact:
UNCLE CHRIS WALKING TOURS
Chris WK Ng
T: 65 91814298
E: [email protected]
W: www.unclechrisdrivingholidays.com

Note:
• We do the worldwide practice of tipping at the end of the tour.
• We also reserve the right to accept or reject habitual late cancellations and No Shows.
• Do not sign up for this tour if you are not sure of your schedule. Sign up only when you are sure of your schedule.