Singapore's Ethnic Neighbourhoods
A stopover at Changi Airport? Explore the City's Ethnic Diversity.
There are four ethnic enclaves in Singapore and each one can be explored in an hour or two which is perfect during a short stopover in the Lion City.
Arab Street (Muslim Singapore)
There are three or four ethnic enclaves in Singapore which should not be missed, the smallest of which is Arab Street once the heart of Muslim Singapore. Sizable numbers of Indonesians and Arabs still live here, harking back to its beginning as a Malay village which it still resembles in many ways, with its 19th-century mosques, restaurants and shops selling prayer rugs, perfumes and silk.
Arab Street is where everyone congregates. It is full of shops selling synthetic carpets, jewellery, fabric, leather and bamboo baskets – even tombstones (with a real stonemason in charge). The Sultan Mosque (open daily, 9am-1pm) is a huge, golden-domed structure, built in the 1920s, and it sits where Arab Street meets North Bridge Road.
You can eat quite well here too, especially at Singapore's oldest restaurant, Sabar Menanti, which means “Wait patiently”: a good indicator of its popularity.
This is an Islamic area, so one must dress modestly when wandering through this area. That means no shorts or sleeveless tops, and always ask permission before entering a mosque – especially if you are a woman..
Many people shy away from Geylang because this is where Singapore’s red-light district is situated, but this need not concern the visitor unless he/she wants to wander among the many (legal) brothels along Lorongs 14, 16 and 18. Prostitutes are permitted to ply their trade as long as they follow strict health guidelines.
Geylang, situated east of the central business district, is one of the best places to get a glimpse of traditional Singapore. Geylang has been an enclave for the Malaysian community since the 1840s, when the Malays were forced to abandon their floating villages near the mouth of the river.
Nowadays the Malays have been joined by Indonesians and Arabs who have also settled in this neighbourhood.
There is a tourist centre called The Malay Village which is quite interesting, but if you have the time, head for Geylang Serai, with its brightly painted shophouses and lively fresh produce market, the “living heart” of the neighbourhood.
Stay near the market for Malay and Indonesian delicacies, or venture into the various lorongs (alleys) for some of Singapore's best Chinese food. If you really want to “eat local” then stop off for some claypot rice at the Sin Huay Guan Eating House in Lorong 33, or fried beef hor fun and flat rice noodles at Beef Kway Teow in Lorong 9.
See also Little India and Little China.
