Singapore Little Black Book

Bukit Timah Rd
Area guide
Kampong Glam
Go here for... Malay/Arab culture and restaurants, carpet shops,
hip clothing stores, and the Malay Heritage Centre
Southeast of Little India is an enclave of streets and landmarks between Rochor
Canal Road and Beach Road that is the Malay/Arab area of Singapore. It is still
referred to by its original name, Kampong Glam (pronounced “Kampong Glum”), named
after the gelam trees that grew in the area, or the Gelam tribe, or both. It was designated
by Raffles as the site for Sultan Husain Shah’s palace after the Sultan had relinquished
the island to the Brits, and soon became a gathering point for Malays, Indonesians
from Java and merchants from the Middle East. The street names reflect this: you’ll find
yourself wandering down Arab Street, Kandahar Street and Baghdad Street.
Malay Heritage Centre 1 (85 Sultan Gate, +65 6391 0450, www.malayheritage.
org.sg) tells the story of Singapore’s place in the Malay world. It has a fair number
of historical objects and, a couple of dubious murals aside, the ground-floor
displays successfully evoke the complex political, cultural and religious issues that
shaped the Malay experience until the end of the 19th century. Upstairs is patchier,
perhaps because the 20th-century story is more sanitised and politically selective.
Nevertheless, there’s enough to give the visitor a valuable perspective on Singapore’s
most significant ‘minority’ ethnic group. Ask about cultural performances on
Wednesday and Sundays.
26
Hampshire Rd
Northu
5
Race Course Rd
Buffalo Rd
Haji Lane
Prinsep St
Bras Basah R
4
1
3
Chander Rd
Serangoon Rd
Sungei Rd
3
Clive St
Middle Rd
Sultan Mosque
Jin Besar
Rochor Rd
Piedra Negra
Bencoolen Link
Bencoolen St
Waterloo St
Queen St
Ln
Cuff Rd
Dickson Rd
Dunlop St
7
8
2
6
7
Perak Rd
L
Rowell Rd
Baboo Ln
Hindoo Rd
Chitty Rd
Upper Weld Rd
Fitting well with the assortment of
carpet sellers, Arab-influenced lounges
also fill these streets. Stop by places
like Alaturka 2 (16 Bussorah St, +65
6294 0304, alaturka.com.sg) for kebabs
and; Café Le Caire 3 (#01-01, 39 Arab
St, +65 6292 0979, www.cafelecaire.
com) an exotic tea-drinking hangout that
serves a decent lamb shawarma roll;
or Going Om 4 (63 Haji Ln, +65 6396
3592, www.going-om.com), one of the
few local establishments serving booze
and something of a spiritual haven for the
city’s minuscule hippy community set up
along Haji Lane.
6
Victoria St
Veerasamy Rd
Kampong Kapor Rd
8
1
North Bridge St
Jin Besar
ch Rd
27
Jin Pinang
Haji Lane
Bati Ln
Ophir Rd
Stop by BluJaz Cafe 9 (11 Bali Ln,
+65 6292 3800, www.blujaz.net) for
some live tunes: the three floors are full
of the warm, rootsy, experimental flavour.
Around the corner, the same owners have
branched out into Mexican flavours with
Piedra Negra 10 (241 Beach Rd, +65
6291 1297), also attracting bustling
crowds and often offering live Latin beats.
y
Victoria St
Kampong Glam
Arab St
4 6 7
4
6
Don’t miss...
Haji Lane
Haji Lane 5 is a rich
hunting ground for offbeat
designer labels, vintage
clothing stores and a
handful of vibrant bars
and cafés. WanderWonder
6 (65A Haji Ln, +65 6396
8621, www.facebook.com/
wanderwondersg) is a hip
local menswear label aimed
at the modern gentleman;
Threadbare & Squirrel 7
(43 Haji Ln, +65 6396 6738,
www.threadbareandsquirrel.
com) has a cleverly curated
selection of clothing and
accessories; and Pluck 8
(31-33 Haji Ln, +65 6396
4048, pluck.com.sg) has
home accessories and unique
jewellery.
9
9
7
North Bridge Rd
Muscat St
10
Kandahar St
3
1
Sultan Gate
2
Beach Rd
Aliwal St
Jin Sultan
Baghdad St Pahang St
48
1
2
Ophir Rd
5
Blvd