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★ Welcome to Kampong Glam & Malay Village!
Monday, December 1



Wondering where to experience the cultural elements of Singapore? Well, think no more! Here, Let me give you two exciting and upbeat places where you can visit and have fun while learning more about Singapore rich and diverse culture. I hope i have whetted your appetite! Let me now introduce two places that I'm sure you will have a blast of a time.

Today, I will be introducing places that possesses the Malay cultural part of Singapore. Let me give you a brief introduction of the culture first. The majority of Malays in Singapore generally share a similar culture with those in Peninsular Malaysia. Linguistically, most Malays in Singapore speak the Johore-Riau variant of Malay similar to that spoken in the west Malaysian peninsular rather than that of Indonesia. Some of the older generation who migrated here or whose parents were immigrants can speak Javanese. However, most of the Malays here do not speak the language of their ancestors from Indonesia. Arabic is also more common among the Muslim religious teachers, and is the preferred language learnt by the more religious Malay Muslims.If you're wondering how to communicate with them do no worry, English is also widely spoken!

So, where can we experience this culture? Places that you can go to are Kampong Glam and the Malay Village! Let me tell you more about Kampong Glam first. If you're wondering the origin of the name, let me tell you. It is named after the Gelam tree which used to grow in the area. Kampong Glam was the historic seat of Malay royalty in Singapore. Today, the former Istana Kampong Glam (Sultan’s palace) has been converted into a heritage museum, the Malay Heritage Centre, to showcase the rich history and culture of Singapore’s Malay community. The building and architecture has been meticulously restored to retain its flavour and authenticity. Visiting the Malay Heritage Centre will prove to be exciting as you will feel like you are being transported to the old living conditions of the Malay community! Sounds exciting isn't it?

Next to the Istana is Tepak Sireh, a restaurant in a restored bungalow which offers halal food and cultural performances in a charming historical district. This would suit me well as i love watching interesting performances while enjoying the scrumptious spread! If you are like me, this place is a must go!

Another key building in Kampong Glam is the Sultan Mosque (or Masjid Sultan) at Bussorah Street. One interesting fact is that this mosque is the largest mosque in Singapore with the capacity to accommodate up to 5,000 Muslims in congregational prayers. Built in 1928, the mosque features a massive golden dome and is one of Singapore’s most imposing religious institutions. This Mosque was also related to Royalty! In the precincts of the Mosque is the graveyard of the grandson of Sultan Hussein, Sultan Ali. Interested in knowing more about this religion? This place is the perfect place to know more!


Fronting the mosque is Bussorah Mall, where there are beautifully restored shophouses that sell traditional clothes, artefacts, handicraft, furniture and jewelry. This is a great place for shopping for vintage stuff! It is perfect for shopping enthusiasts like me who not only get to appreciate the Malay culture but also satisfy my shopping cravings! This place is also great for buying back some soveniurs for your friends and family! After shopping when you are tired and hungry, you can head on down to Kandahar Street to try some traditional Malay cuisine that will be sure to make your mouth water.If you are interesting in visiting this place and is fretting over how to get there, worry no more! you can take the MRT to Bugis STation (EW12) and walk along Victoria Street towards Arab Street and Sultan Gate Street towards the Malay Heritage Centre. You can take a weekly walk every thursday from 9AM to 12 Noon. Prices are SGD 25 for Adults and SGD 15 for children 12 years and below.



Next would be the Malay Village also known as Geylang Serai. It is the cultural heart of the Malay community in Singapore. At the Malay Village, go back in time and discover the traditional 'Kampung Days' lifestyle of Malays in the 1950s and 1960s! If you preder some hands-on experience, you can try traditional Malay arts and crafts like batik painting, kite-making and kampung games such as top spinning. This acitivites will be sure to keep you glued because it did to me!

You can also visit The Cultural Museum. It features a fascinating collection of artifacts like weaving tools, musical instruments and an extensive display of a traditional Malay wedding complete with hand-sewn garments, accessories, and a Bridal Chamber. This would be interesting if you want to know how Malay weddings are carried out! It is a completely different culture from western or chinese so this was an eye-opener for me! The Muslim Showcase, Hall of Fame and Geylang Serai Corner too offer insights into the lives of Malays in Singapore. Occasional cultural performances are held at the Floating Seafood Restaurant. Call 67484700 to find out the performance dates and times. If you are interested in watching and eating traditonal Malay food at the same time like me, this place will be an excellent place to visit!

Getting to the Malay Village is an easy task. Simply take the MRT to Paya Lebar Station (EW8) and walk towards Geylang Road. The Malay Village is open to the public from 10AM to 10 PM. Admission to the entrance to the Malay village is free but extra charges applies to the two attractions, Kampung Days and Cultural Museum: SGD 5 adults and SGD 3 children.

These two places will widen your knowledge of the rich and vibrant Malay Culture! I not only gained more knowledge more the culture, I gained more shopping bags too! If you decide to visit, do have fun exploring!


★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I give kampong Glam and Malay Village FOUR stars out of five!
These two places are great for not opnly learning about the Malay's rich and vibrant culture but also a shopping haven for ethic and cultural pieces! It is worth exploring if you are really interested in cultural places in Singapore. It will interest not only adults but children too! I had lots of fun exploring this side of Singapore, I hope you guys will too!

Posted by Joan!







Photo Credits: http://visitsingapore.com





8:43 PM