Tongkangs, Clarke Quay, Singapore

From the earliest years of the 19th century godowns were built along the Singapore River to store goods passing through the "Greatest Emporium in the East". Rice, spices coffee, copra, and later, tin and rubber, were ferried back and forth along the river by tongkangs, or bumboats, the level of activity a benchmark of Singapore's economy. Today, bumboats docked at Clarke Quay offer visitors a nostalgic river experience. Clarke Quay is an exciting Festival Village of restaurants, shops and entertainment, all in a charming historic setting by the Singapore River.