Closest to the river mouth, this was once Singapore’s centre of commerce, and it remained an important economic area into the 1960s. By the mid-1980s, many of the shophouses were in ruins, businesses having shifted to high-tech cargo centres elsewhere on the island. Declared a conservation zone by the government, the area is now crammed with pubs, touristy eateries and persistent restaurant touts. One bar worth stopping at is rooftop Southbridge , its skyline and river views are simply jaw-dropping.
