Sterile. Soulless. If that’s what you’ve heard about Singapore or what you think about this country – you clearly haven’t seen enough. Tourists tend to view Singapore as a mere transit point for Southeast Asia, with a majority visiting for under 3 days. And while Marina Bay and Orchard Road might dazzle at first, they’re just commercial areas. Of course you won’t find much “soul” there (whatever that means.)
If you want to truly understand Singaporean culture, get out of the tourist spots and go where most of us spend our lives: our residential estates. These local neighbourhoods in Singapore will reveal a very different side of the city. Not the Crazy Rich Asians Singapore the media loves to portray, but the everyday Singapore with cool architecture, cheap tasty food, and quirky ways of life. Let’s go.
THE LIST: NEIGHBOURHOODS TO EXPLORE IN SINGAPORE
1. Tiong Bahru
If you enjoy architecture, you should visit Tiong Bahru Estate. This is the first and oldest public housing estate in Singapore, with flats (apartment buildings) built between the 1930s and 1950s. The design of these walk-up flats are unique: the pre-war flats, designed by Alfred G. Church, feature elements of Streamline Moderne style like rounded corners and racing stripes, while post-war flats were built in International style with portholes, winding staircases, and courtyards.
The flats in Tiong Bahru were also designed to house shops on the ground floor, and you’ll find a bevy of independent stores here: cafés, boutiques, and design miscellanies that sit among decades-old establishments. Make sure to stop by Tiong Bahru Market for a meal – many of the hawker stalls here are local favourites.
2. Geylang
Walking along Geylang Road with its colorful shophouses, you’ll realize that the area is famous for two things: durians and prostitutes. However, the red light district is restricted only to certain “lorongs” or lanes in Geylang and many locals frequent the neighborhood for its good food such as beef noodles and frog porridge (and durians, of course). Bird sellers, antique stores, and Chinese clan associations cater to the older wartime generation of Singaporeans.
3. Queenstown
Named after Queen Elizabeth II to mark her coronation in 1952, Queenstown was developed from swampy kampongs and rubber plantations into Singapore’s very first satellite town. Today, this old residential area known for its unique architectural landmarks, including one-of-a-kind public housing apartment blocks.
Queenstown was also home to the Queenstown Remand Prison, which has since been demolished.
Explore Queenstown and other Singapore neighbourhoods with these free walking tours.
4. Holland Village
Named after architect Hugh Holland, this enclave of shophouses is often crowded with expats living in the surrounding private condominiums, as well as locals looking for a place to chill out. The village is filled with pubs offering live music and live football telecasts, and restaurants serving a world of cuisine – Chinese, Indian, Italian. Japanese, Korean, Lebanese, Mexican, Mediterranean, Thai, Vietnamese…you get the drift. The quirky old Holland Village Shopping Centre also houses a bevy of nail salons and Southeast Asian art/craft stores.
5. Bukit Timah
Malay for “tin hill”, the Bukit Timah district is named after the highest point in Singapore and is one of the most expensive neighborhoods to live in. With much of the island covered in concrete, many enjoy visiting the hill and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve for some fresh air and a change of scenery. Bukit Timah was also Singapore’s last stand against the Japanese during World War II and worth visiting is the Old Ford Factory along Upper Bukit Timah.
6. Everton Park
7. Serangoon Gardens
Built in the 1950s by British developer Steven Charles Macey, Serangoon Gardens is one of the oldest private housing estates in Singapore. In its early days before undergoing development, the area was home to rubber plantations and flower farms, which gave the estate the “Gardens” moniker. As for “Serangoon”, it’s said to be derived from burung ranggoon, the Malay name for a species of stork found along Sungei Serangoon (Serangoon river).
This estate’s claim to fame is Chomp Chomp Food Centre, a popular hawker centre, as well as several restaurants, wine bars, and delis that reflect the thriving international community here. While the estate was originally built to house British military officers and white-collar workers, it’s now a popular place to live among Australian and French expats, alongside Singaporeans who have called Serangoon Gardens home for decades. Take a stroll along the quiet streets and you’ll find that they’re all named after different places in the UK!
PLAN YOUR TRIP
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