“Crazy Rich Asians”: 11 Must-visit Singaporean locations in the bestselling novel

Kanako Sugawara 08 Jun 2018

1/11
Colonial Club
The Colonial Club is where Michael often has his dreaded dinner with Astrid’s wealthy extended family. The Colonial Club is a fictional location made up by the ingenious Kevin Kwan, but it is most likely that the ultra-exclusive club was inspired by The Tanglin Club and The British Club, both of which are prestigious country clubs for the rich and famous living in Singapore. It should be noted however, that both are nearly an hours’ drive away from St. Andrew's Junior College, so there is no way Michael and his friends would have been able to play football right outside these respective country clubs!

Where:

The Tanglin Club, 5 Stevens Road, Singapore 257814; The British Club, 73 Bukit Tinggi Road, 289761

Photo: The Tanglin Club (Facebook)
2/11
Villa D’Oro (Peik Lin’s House)
It is difficult to pinpoint the location of the fictional Villa D’Oro, or Rachel’s college friend Peik Lin’s house. However, it is described in the novel that the two “zipped around Newton Circus”, so it can be safely assumed that Peik Lin’s family probably lives in a bungalow within the wealthy neighborhood of Bukit Timah.

Where: Upper Bukit Timah

Photo: Good Class Bungalows
3/11
SkyBar at Marina Bay Sands
Probably the most famous location mentioned in the novel, the SkyBar at Marina Bay Sands is where Nick and Rachel rekindle their love while drinking Singapore Slings with Peik Lin and Rachel’s mother, Kerry. Non-guests are able to enjoy the bar with a $20 fee, while guests of the Marina Bay Sands hotel have complimentary access.

Where: 10 Bayfront Avenue, 018956

Photo: Marina Bay Sands
4/11
Sentosa Cove (Colin’s house)
Colin’s home and Nick’s safe haven after Rachel temporarily breaks up with him, Sentosa Cove is located on the tip Sentosa Island. Known as a “playground” for the rich and famous, some celebrities that call it home include Addy Lee, celebrity hair stylist and CEO of Monsoon Hair Group, and controversial City Harvest Church pastor Kong Hee.

Where: 1 Cove Avenue, #02-05 Singapore 098537

Photo: Sentosa Cove
5/11
Tyersall Park
The fictional Tyersall Park mansion, owned by Nick’s wealthy grandmother, is where most of the drama in Crazy Rich Asians unfolds. In reality, Tyersall Park is a historical park near the Singapore Botanic Gardens, and it is currently fenced up along the Tyersall avenue and restricted to the public. The Tyersall Park estate mentioned in the book is most likely inspired by the now-demolished Istana Tyersall, a historical palace that used to be located on the grounds of Tyersall Park.

Photo: Istana Tyersall (Wikipedia)
6/11
Lau Pa Sat Hawker Center
Araminta, Colin, Rachel, and Nick go to this hawker center when Rachel suggests that they eat satay when she first arrives in Singapore. Lau Pa Sat Hawker Centre is not only known for their quality food, but also their beautiful sweeping colonial architecture, which were conceived by British architect George Coleman. At night, a satay street with more than ten satay stalls is set up at the outdoor area of the food market, and this is probably where Rachel, Nick, and their friends enjoyed their late-night meal.

Where: 18 Raffles Quay, 048582

Photo: Trip Savvy
7/11
Clemenceau Avenue (Michael and Astrid’s house)
Despite Astrid’s wealthy social circle being disdainful of Astrid and Michael’s “modest” three-bedroom condo on Clemenceau Avenue, for the average Singaporean, a private condo on Clemenceau Avenue is nothing to sniff at. Clemenceau Avenue is located near Dhoby Ghaut MRT station, and is very close to Orchard Road and Fort Canning Park (both are significant locations within the novel!).

Where: Clemenceau Ave Singapore 239917

Photo: Booking.com
8/11
First Methodist Church (Wesley Methodist Church)
In the novel, Colin and Araminta get married in The First Methodist Church next to Fort Canning Park. The First Methodist Church is most likely modeled after the Wesley Methodist Church, which is located near Fort Canning Park, as was mentioned in the novel. Just as described in the novel, the inside of the inside of the Wesley Methodist Church looks modern and chic with silver-leaf latticework and stonework ceilings.

Where: 5 Fort Canning Road Singapore 179493

Photo: Sto South East Asia
9/11
Fort Canning Park
Fort Canning Park is the backdrop of the reception of Colin And Araminta’s wedding, and where drama surrounding Nick’s old flame Amanda takes place. And yes, Fort Canning Park is a real location in Singapore, and is even bookable for weddings and wedding receptions!

Where: River Valley Road, 179037

Photo: Visit Singapore
10/11
Paragon Shopping Centre
Located in the heart of Orchard, Paragon Shopping Centre (and more specifically, Stephen Chia Jewels) is where Astrid covertly does her most ostentatious jewelry shopping. Although Stephen Chia Jewels is sadly fictional, you can still shop for beautiful jewelry at one of the nine jewelry stores that Paragon has to offer.

Where: 290 Orchard Road, Singapore 238859

Photo: Singapore Travel Guide
11/11
Keppel Shipyard
In the novel, the wedding guests gather at Keppel Shipyard before they board a ferry leading them to one of the private islands offshore for the dinner reception. In real life, Keppel Shipyard is far less glamorous than described in the novel, and is simply a docking place for ferries carrying cargo in and out of Singapore.

Where: 51 Pioneer Sector 1, Singapore 628437

Photo: Offshore Energy Today

Visit and experience yourself the places mentioned in the award-winning novel “Crazy Rich Asians”!

Are you an international fan absolutely mesmerized by the sheer opulence that Singaporeans seem to enjoy? Or are you a local (slightly) appalled at the depictions of “crazy” frivolity in Singapore?

Either way, you can’t deny that Kevin Kwan’s Crazy Rich Asians has cast a huge spotlight on Singapore and Singaporean culture, as well as the many locations mentioned within the novel. For example, if you Google ‘Tyersall Park’, the suggested search which says “Is Tyersall Park real?” will immediately pop up in the results. (Spoiler: it is not!)

From The Colonial Club, where Astrid’s extended family meets regularly for their family dinners, to the iconic Marina Bay Sands SkyBar where Nick and Rachel rekindle their love over Singapore Slings, here are 11 must-see locations in Singapore mentioned in the novel Crazy Rich Asians. Catch the movie adaptation in theaters on August 15th!

Kanako Sugawara

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