Singapore Boy: The Civic District with Hossan Leong

(37 reviews)

Singapore audio tour: Singapore Boy: The Civic District with Hossan Leong

This is a 1.7mi walking tour.

It takes an average of 60 mins to complete.

Singapore

$6.99

Access all 30 locations offline with the VoiceMap app

Buy for a Group

Reviews

About the Tour

Singapore's Civic District holds the country's grandest colonial buildings, but comedian Hossan Leong turns its formal history into personal, laugh-out-loud stories. On this walking tour, you'll follow the self-proclaimed “Singapore Boy” through the theatres, museums, and civic landmarks where his own career took shape, hearing backstage confessions, Singlish banter, and personal history alongside the civic kind.

You'll start beside the Singapore River, once lined with makeshift lunch stalls Hossan remembers from childhood, before crossing into the Civic District. You'll pass the Asian Civilisations Museum's Empress Place Building and the Dalhousie Obelisk, raised for a colonial governor-general, then reach Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, where Hossan performed his first sold-out one-man show and forgot his own opening line.

Beyond the Arts House, Singapore's oldest public building and former parliament, you'll cross the Padang, where a schoolboy rivalry once erupted into a riot, and pass the National Gallery, formed from the merged Supreme Court and City Hall. You'll walk beside the spiky Esplanade Theatre and over the DNA-patterned Helix Bridge as Marina Bay's skyline unfolds. The tour ends at Marina Bay Sands, where Hossan reflects on his hometown's transformation.

On this 60-minute tour, you'll have a chance to:

Learn how the National Day Parade grew from a modest 1966 march into today's fireworks spectacle
Hear how Hossan calmed thousands at The Float as Shirley Ng became the first female Red Lion parachutist to jump
Discover the story behind the Merlion, Singapore's fish-lion hybrid symbol of creative contradiction
Picture the vanished Satay Club, a beloved outdoor hawker market whose skewered specialty traces back to Indian and Indonesian traders
Meet the future Hollywood star and two outspoken bloggers who were Hossan's classmates during his rebellious school days
Hear how Hossan's all-male Asian cast surprised Australian audiences by reclaiming Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest

Equal parts civic history lesson and stand-up set, this walk lets Singapore's funniest son show you his hometown exactly as he sees it – no filter, no complaints, just heart.

Tour Producer

Hossan Leong

1 tour

Hossan Leong's impressive career spans across various entertainment fields, showcasing his talents as a versatile performer, director, and cultural ambassador. His achievements and contributions to the arts have earned him recognition both locally and internationally.
As a multi-talented entertainer, Hossan Leong has excelled in directing, singing, dancing,
acting, piano playing, and stand-up comedy. His notable appearances in major stage
productions and television sitcoms have solidified his status as one of Singapore's most
beloved entertainers. His comedic prowess and hosting skills have endeared him to
audiences, particularly through shows like "We Are Singaporeans."
Beyond his local success, Hossan Leong's fluency in French has opened doors to
international opportunities, allowing him to showcase his talents on a global stage. His work on shows like "A Singaporean in Paris" and "No Regrets: A Tribute to Edith Piaf" has helped foster cultural relations between Singapore and France.
In recognition of his efforts in promoting artistic cross-cultural ties between France and
Singapore, Hossan Leong was honored with the prestigious title of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication in 2011.
Hossan Leong's impact extends beyond the entertainment industry, as he also provides
creative direction for corporate and government projects. His directorial credits include a diverse range of productions, from musicals like "Beauty & the Beast" to interactive digital experiences like "The Curious Case of the Missing Peranakan Treasure."
With a global reach that includes performances in various countries and collaborations with international clients, Hossan Leong continues to strengthen ties between Singapore and other nations through his corporate and entertainment ventures. His passion for the arts, coupled with his dedication to promoting cultural exchange, underscores his role as a respected figure in the entertainment industry

doubleconfirm.sg
doubleconfirm.my

Save with Singapore audio tour passes

How do passes work?

Buy credits that give you discounted access to your choice of tours

3 Tours

Valid for 7 days

$24.99

Buy Pass

5 Tours

Valid for 30 days

$34.99

Buy Pass

8 Tours

Valid for 30 days

$39.99

Buy Pass

View all passes

Preview Location

Location 6

The Dalhousie Obelisk

This is the Dalhousie Obelisk. You could tell so much of Singapore's story through it alone, but I want to move along soon. But, okay, let's stop for moment, to consider this phallic object.

Maybe it's enough to say that it was, well, erected for the same reason as so many...

View locations and route

How VoiceMap Works

Focus on your surroundings, not the screen

The VoiceMap app uses GPS to play audio automatically, at the right time and place, so you can focus on your surroundings, not the screen.

Follow a route with turn-by-turn-directions

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a fixed starting point. That lets us give turn-by-turn directions and use context to tell a better story.

Resume playback to go at your own pace

If you'd like to stop for a drink or go into a museum, end your tour then use the Resume feature to pick up exactly where you left off.

Listen as many times as you like

You can listen to your tours as often as you like using both the VoiceMap app and website.

Take virtual tours anywhere, like a podcast

Select Virtual mode in the VoiceMap app to listen to tours like a podcast - at home or in transit.

Buy for less on voicemap.me and sync

Once you've purchased a tour, it's added to your VoiceMap library. To access it in the app, just sign in using the same account.

Do tours without paying for data

Tours work offline, so you don't have to pay roaming fees. Just download them over WiFi before you get started.

Major Landmarks

National Gallery Singapore
Asian Civilisations Museum
Dalhousie Obelisk
Victoria Concert Hall
The Arts House at the Old Parliament
Padang, Singapore
Esplanade
The Helix Bridge

View all

Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
1 Raffles Pl, L61-62, Singapore 048616
Total distance

3km
Final location
10 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018956
Distance back to start location

1km

Directions to Starting Point

26-27 Boat Quay, Bonham St, 049782

The starting point is on the riverbank between The Penny Black pub and the Raffles Place towerblock.

To get there, head to the end of North Canal Road, and then towards the river.

Show Directions

Gift vouchers

Buy tours for friends and family who delight in discovery

Buy Now

Buy for a group

Get 15% to 50% off when you buy for a group

Buy Now

License this tour

Adapt this tour to use your brand and suit your guests

Find out more

Tips

Places to stop along the way

Asian Civilisations Museum, The Dalhousie Obelisk, Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, Timbre, National Gallery, Padang, Esplanade, The Float @Marina Bay Grandstand, Helix Bridge

Best time of day

Any time is fine, but we recommend doing the walk after drinks at Boat Quay or before a show at one of the many performing arts venues in the Civic District.

Precautions

Make sure you always double-confirm when crossing roads. If you're doing the walk during the day, bring some water along.

Get The App

Download tours to use them offline

Listen hands-free with GPS playback

Get turn-by-turn directions

“This app has become my go-to app for audio tours. I pretty much use it for every trip and it works wonderfully. I highly recommend VoiceMap for travelers to truly experience cities.”

App Store Review

“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”