By air
Changi Airport (SIN), ~18 km
Southeast Asia · Singapore
Kampong Glam, Singapore
The Sultan Mosque and colourful lanes
Getting there
Best time to visit
February to April — drier weather
Don't miss
Masjid Sultan
Haji Lane
The Malay Heritage Centre
Arab Street
Things to do
Haji Lane's boutiques
The Malay Heritage Centre
Arab Street's textile shops
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Robert Sim · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Modest clothing for the mosque
A quieter corner
Haji Lane's murals early in the morning
Questions travellers ask
What should I wear to visit Masjid Sultan in Kampong Glam?
Bring modest clothing for the mosque.
When should I see Haji Lane's murals?
Early in the morning.
What can I browse in Kampong Glam?
Haji Lane's boutiques and Arab Street's textile shops. The Malay Heritage Centre is here too.
Where should I go for murtabak in Kampong Glam?
North Bridge Road, for murtabak and nasi padang.
About Kampong Glam
- Island
Where it is
Kampong Glam is a historic district of central Singapore near Beach Road, close to Little India and the Civic District, centred on the golden-domed Sultan Mosque.
History
After the 1819 treaty that allowed the British to set up a trading post, Kampong Glam was allotted to Sultan Hussein Shah of Johor and his household, and Raffles's town plan set it aside for Malay, Arab and Bugis settlers. The sultan's palace, the Istana Kampong Glam, now houses the Malay Heritage Centre, and the Sultan Mosque was rebuilt in its present form in the early 1930s.
People
Kampong Glam has long been the centre of Singapore's Malay and Muslim communities, including families of Arab, Bugis and Boyanese descent, and Malay is heard alongside English. During Ramadan the streets around the mosque fill with a bazaar, and Hari Raya Aidilfitri is celebrated with lights.
Known for
- Masjid Sultan's golden dome
- Haji Lane's murals and boutiques
- The Malay Heritage Centre
- Arab Street's textile shops
- Nasi padang and Middle Eastern cafés
Did you know?
The name Kampong Glam is thought to come from the gelam, a paperbark tree that once grew in the area.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.