Kampong Glam, Singapore
Colorful art, people, and culture beamed through the crowded streets, showing off Singapore’s diversity in one frame. The combination of vibrant murals and exotic scents exuded a hint of excitement even before reaching the main street.
Transportation
Finding my way to Haji Lane wasnโt so difficult with Singaporeโs budget friendly transportation system. I started off from Raffles station where I said bye to my friend who dropped me off, then got off at Bugis station to meet up with another friend who came to pick me up. I guess my journey was smooth thanks to my lovely friends but even if you donโt have anyone traveling with you, it won’t be a hassle as all the metro signs are in English and the locals are super friendly and helpful if you end up getting lost. From Bugis station we walked around 10 minutes to get to Haji Lane, where all the fun began.
Metro is obviously the most convenient option but if you are not near a metro station somehow-which is impossible in Singapore but letโs say you are-taking a bus or Grab is an option. Buses are as inexpensive as the metro but one thing I find confusing about the buses in Singapore is that they do not announce which station they are at. During my entire trip I only took the bus twice-once alone and once with my friend-and I had to ask the bus driver when to get off if I wanted to reach my destination. But if you are taking a bus, you can get off on Ophir Rd or Beach Rd and walk about 1-3 minutes to Haji Lane. If you prefer Grab, the price depends on your starting point but in general Grabs are relatively cheap in Singapore. I donโt think Iโve paid more than 10 SGD (7 USD) for a trip, even to the airport. Traffic wasnโt so bad compared to Hong Kong, Seoul, Cebu or other Asian cities Iโve been to.
EZ-link cards are Singapore’s public transporation add-value cards which you can purchase at any metro stations or 7-elevens. Single day pass is only 10 SGD and single trip costs 1-2 SGD depending on your travel distance. Super affordable!
Things to do
I would say there are two major parts of Haji Lane: colorful buildings with restaurants and clothing vendors, and an Arabic street with a big mosque and more restaurants. These two are seamlessly connected through countless local stores that sell beautifully designed clothes, shoes, lanterns, carpets, whatever you name it they have it. I was amazed by their unique fabric patterns, clothing designs and glass decorations. They seemed to be influenced by the huge Arabic/Indian culture around the area, especially those quirky shoes like Aladdin’s!
The Arabian culture hit its peak at the Masjid Sultan, a mosque at the end of an entire street filled with restaurants and palm trees. Dubai vibes! We took permission at a nearby lantern shop if we could take some pictures as the attractive lights were drawing us closer and closer with their exotic decors. Such a fun place to hang out!
Although there were lots of restaurant choices on that street, we went over to the other side of the mosque for dinner, where my friend introduced me to a martabak place on the second floor of a very local looking building. They had menus hanging on the wall, servers running around, tables filled with locals indulging in authentic Indian/Arabic/Malaysian/Singaporean/Indonesian food (probably more but that’s all I can think of haha). Do order some refreshing drinks if you are having spicy dishes, they had quite a kick (still very tasty)! I remember the meal being very cheap, around 7 SGD per person (only 5 USD) for two mains and two drinks to share.
Summary
Haji Lane was no doubt the most colorful place in Singapore. I had so much fun window shopping in all the local stores and having our own photo session on such eye-catching alleys. I’d say give it a go if you are into cute shops, lively cultures, and maybe a happy hour on the most hipstery street in the area ๐
-Transportation
MRT: Near Bugis station, 10 SGD for a day pass, 1-2 SGD for a single trip
Bus: Near Ophir Rd & Beach Rd, 10 SGD for a day pass, 1-2 SGD for a single trip
EZ-link card works on both MRT & Bus (can purchase from MRT staitons & 7-elevens)
Grab: relatively cheap w/o much traffic
-Things to do
Arabic/Indian shops for lanterns, carpets, shoes, clothings, etc.
Authentic & cheap Arabic/Indian/Malaysian/Indonesian dining
Photo session with colorful buildings
Masjid Sultan (mosque)
*coversion rate: 1 SGD to 0.7 USD approximately
Travel with Mon 