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A trip through Singapore’s multicultural streets
Exploring the many cultures that color Singapore’s streets offers many things to see, eat, and experience.

Singapore’s preservation of the cultural footprint of many countries is due to the lasting vestiges of British colonial rule in the 19th century, during which districts were divided by nationality. The districts are so varied that, after a day of walking, you may feel as if you have visited several different cities. One recommended course is to start with the spices of Little India, see the brilliant patterns of Arab Street, and wrap up with some delicious food in Chinatown.

Little India

Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple, Singapore’s largest Buddhist temple, draws heavily on Thai architectural styles, having been designed by Thai monk Vutthisara. The first thing visitors notice once they enter is the massive Buddha statue, which is 15 meters high and weighs 3,000 tons. Interestingly, a statue of the Hindu elephant deity, Ganesh, stands nearby. It is also called “temple of 1,000 lights” due to the over 1,000 Buddhist lanterns hanging in its inner courtyard that create an especially beautiful sight by night. Serangoon Road, which seems to have been air-lifted to Singapore from India, is inhabited by many people from an Indian background and full of shops that sell traditional Indian clothing, silks, and curry powder.

Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple

The striking sights of Arab Street

Sultan Mosque, a major landmark of Arab Street, is Singapore’s largest and oldest mosque that serves as the center of the local Muslim community. Upon application, guided tours of the mosque are offered in Chinese, English, Malaysian, and even Korean. The Malay Heritage Centre, which is right next to Sultan Mosque, is a museum that is a renovated version of a palace that Singapore’s first sultan lived in approximately 160 years ago. It offers information on the history of the Arab Street neighborhood, which was a small port city until the advent of the modern era, in addition to a sweeping view of the history of the Malay people’s settling in Singapore, as well as their daily customs and culture. The Malay Heritage Centre offers free guided tours, a permanent exhibition, and various special exhibitions throughout the year.

Sultan Mosque

Vibrant Chinatown

Sri Mariamman Temple is Singapore’s oldest Hindu temple. Dedicated to Mariamman, a goddess of protection who cures illnesses and infectious diseases, the temple was built by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, who is known as the founder of modern Singapore, and the South Indian merchants who came to Singapore with him. Chinatown was originally a district for Indians; after it was changed to its current identity, the temple remained and is preserved to this day. In late October, the temple holds its annual Fire Walking Festival (Theemithi), in which thousands of devout Hindus walk barefoot on burning coals. The Chinatown Heritage Centre, which is located on Pagoda Street, is a museum that covers everything about the history of Chinese immigration to Singapore. The beautifully-restored shophouses and displays of early immigrant housing from the 1950s make visitors feel as if they stepped back in time.