Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Going Back In Time

An Alternative to Tour Buses When Touring Singapore
Chuckling down the river, these humble bumboats has a rich history behind them. Known either as "Tongkang" or "twakow", these bumboats were used to ferry goods from docked ships to the various godowns that lined Singapore River.1 Each of the bumboat have a pair of eyes painted on the front of the boats. It is said that the eyes will help ensure that the bumboats are kept safe and their passengers will arrive at their destination in one piece.
Now, not only can you see the bumboats, you can also get to experience what our forefathers experienced more than a 100 years ago, but for a fee. We definitely encourage you to go for this boatride of a life time.2

On 15 June 2008, the last of the diesel-powered bumboats left the river for good. But do not fret! The company that runs the ride - Singapore River Cruises & Leisure have replaed the boats with more eco-friendly bumboats that run on electricity.

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