The clan jetties are wooden stilt villages built out over the water on the southern edge of the old town. Hokkien Chinese immigrants in the 19th century, denied land on shore, built houses on stilts above the harbour and clustered by family name — each surname grouped on its own jetty. Six remain, still inhabited, still living as small village communities directly over the tidal water.
The Chew Jetty is the longest and most visited — a single wooden walkway about 200 metres long flanked by traditional shophouse-style homes, a small Chinese temple, family altars, fishing boats moored alongside, and the smell of saltwater and incense in every direction. Souvenir shops and small cafés have crept in alongside the original residents but the place is still a working village rather than a museum exhibit. The neighbouring Lim, Lee, Tan and Yeoh Jetties are quieter and feel less self-conscious; if you want to see clan jetty life with fewer tourists, walk past Chew and explore the others.
Visit early morning for the fishing returns or late afternoon for the light. Respect that people live here.