A Long Weekend in Kampong Gelam
Whether you’re visiting our neighbourhood for the first time or hoping to (re)discover this hip, historical holdout against the city’s skyscraping modernity, The Sultan is the perfect base to deep dive into Kampong Gelam and our wider neighbourhood.
This 3D2N itinerary keeps to a 30 min walking/ 15 min car ride radius.
DAY 1: NOON
Eat your way through Kampong Gelam, the way the locals do
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Long lines form daily at ultra-popular lunch spots Blanco Court Prawn Mee and Blanco Court Fish Noodles. For less than $10 a person, get a piping hot bowl of savoury soup noodles to fuel up for the day ahead. To note: Both shops carry the Blanco Court name (FYI a now-gone shopping centre) but are not located together.
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Check in to your home away from home at The Sultan. With complimentary Global Data eSIM*, wireless connection and local calls, staying in touch with your loved ones is both easy and free. Grab a complimentary beverage and snack from your minibar, and you’re ready to take on the neighbourhood!
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Fortify yourself for a big day out! Check out 2050 coffee, a futuristic coffee spot from Kyoto with single-origins, house blends and matcha on tap; or fellow Japanese import %Arabica known for their high-quality, minimalist aesthetic and craft coffee experience. For a different perk-me-up, check out local brand Broti for their milk teas and flavoured sodas.
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We’ve got some absolutely fab bakeries in the neighbourhood and they’re perfect for packing a tasty snack to accompany you on your day out. 2 of our favourites are Mother Dough and Konditori, both offering a diverse smorgasbord of savoury and sweet pastries, breads and desserts.
DAY 1: AFTERNOON
Check out Bras Basah.Bugis (BBB) precinct, Singapore’s arts and heritage district
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One of the most stunning architectural sights downtown, Parkview Square is a beautiful Art Deco-inspired building commonly referred to as the Batman Building. ATLAS, their soaring, gleaming, absolutely jaw-dropping gilded lobby-bar serves lunch, tea, dinner and drinks Mon - Sat. Bruce Wayne would approve.
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The only permanent street market in Singapore, Bugis Street is a sprawling, buzzing shopping bazaar with over 600 retailers! Perfect for wallet-friendly last-minute souvenir shopping, get ready to get lost in these alleys that used thump to the beat of Singapore nightlife in the 50’s.
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Art schools, museums, and galleries form the beating heart of the BBB precinct. We recommend you check out some smaller establishments like Basheer Graphic Books at Bras Basah Complex, a specialist in books, magazines and other printed matter; and Objectifs, a cozy showroom featuring works by emerging Asian photographers & filmmakers, for a more intimate and grassroots experience of art and design in Singapore.
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Bras Basah was one of the most ethnically-diverse precincts throughout the 19th century with Jews, Europeans, Eurasian, Malays, Indians, Armenians, and Chinese living alongside one another. This eclecticism carries on today with churches, temples, mosques and synagogues housed here. Some of the busiest (and most revered) of them include Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple, Cathedral of the Good Shepherd and Maghain Aboth Synagogue.
DAY 1: EVENING
From hidden local gems, to Michelin meals and award-winning cocktails, our neighbourhood’s got you covered
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Thanks to a slew of hot, new indie F&B openings in the past few years, Fortune Centre, previously an ageing nondescript mall, is now home to buzzy izakayas, exciting genre-pushing restaurants, cute cafes and even a Umeshu bar. We recommend Paraphrase or Piu M for surpsingly delicate dining in an ultra-cozy setting, or Hikari and Sakedokoro Eizaburo for no-frills izakaya dining, and end things off on a sweet note with Yat Ka Yan, a family-owned chain specializing in traditional desserts.
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The historic, ultra-luxe Raffles Hotel Singapore is a destination in its own right, having hosted royalty, celebrities, writers and artists since its opening in 1899. The grand, whitewashed, neo-Renaissance building houses a number of iconic Raffles dining experiences including casual alfresco bites and drinks in the Courtyard, Afternoon Tea in the Grand Lobby, authentic North Indian delicacies in the Tiffin Room, and a Singapore Sling right where it was created in the Long Bar.
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Right smack between Bugis and City Hall, Purvis Street is a popular dining locale filled with swanky European restaurants amidst humble old school eateries serving regional and local cuisines. We recommend Garibaldi and Gunther’s for refined European dining, Jai Thai for solid Pad Thai and Green Curry, and Chin Chin Eating House for traditional Hainanese favourites like Chicken Rice and Pork Chop.
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You’re absolutely spoilt for choice when it comes to your holiday bevvies! Asia’s #24 Best Bar, Nutmeg & Clove, reinterprets classic dishes and cocktails with a Singaporean inflection. Right on the same street, you’ve also got Japanese bar Last Word, Taiwanese cocktail bar Draft Land and Hong Kong-inspired DIMPLE as absolutely solid choices to keep the evening going.
DAY 2: MORNING
Get ready for a morning feast of your senses as we head out to Little India
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Tekka Centre is a colourful hawker market housing the biggest 'wet' market in Singapore with 284 stalls. We recommend you first head to the Food Centre to fortify yourself with some Teh Tarik or Kopi alongside fresh and crispy Roti Prata before diving into the bustling and sprawling wet market to get a sense of how many older locals still jostle about their mornings.
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Little India is a vibrant cultural enclave with temples and mosques, street art and brightly painted shophouses. Along the main drag, Serangoon Road, unfussy canteens and hip eateries sit next to shops selling gold jewelry, colourful silks and fresh flower garlands. Visit the Indian Heritage Centre to learn about the history and culture of the Indian community in Singapore; Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, a vibrant Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Kali, will wow you with its colour and multitude of mesmerizing statues; and House of Tan Teng Niah, a brightly-colored shophouse, is the last surviving Chinese villa in Little India.
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It’s inevitable that any mention of Singapore’s Little India recalls the sprawling 24-hour mega mall, Mustafa Centre. At almost 400,000 sqft, it draws an estimated 15,000 customers daily. The sheer diversity of items for sale—electronics to jewelry, fresh groceries to toys, bed linens to luggage, even furniture and tour tickets—makes Mustafa Centre an inadvertent destination for anyone looking to get everything under one roof. For a more down-home shopping experience, make your way to Little India Arcade, a cluster of conserved neoclassical shophouses built in 1913, housing an array of eateries and boutique shops offering sweets, curios, and other knick-knacks.
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After a big morning out, you’ve earned yourself a scrumptious and hearty lunch of South Indian-style banana leaf rice. Instead of a plate, white rice or biryani is spooned onto a banana leaf together with sides like vegetables, pappadam, pickles, curries, and stews called sambar for your dining pleasure. The Banana Leaf Apolo is an institution in Little India, having been around since 1974. Other good bets are Muthu’s Curry and Gayathri Restaurant.
DAY 2: AFTERNOON
Wind your way back to Kampong Gelam by way of the Jalan Besar Conservation Area; where old and new, day and night collide
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The main roads of Jalan Besar are largely lined with two-storey shophouses. The architecture of the shophouses reflect the wide variety of architectural styles that were prevalent in Singapore in the early 1900’s such as Late, Transitional and Art Deco-styles. Some particularly beautiful examples include 10 to 44 Petain Road where the row of Late-style shophouses feature façades decorated with imported European and Japanese tiles and plaster reliefs of birds, flowers and other motifs. 11 beautifully tiled and plastered Art Deco-style shophouses at 161 Lavender Streetwas were originally the premises of the Lee Rubber Company. And a row of 16 Art Deco style shophouses at 82 Jellicoe Road, built by Swiss civil engineer, Heinrich Rudolf Arbenz, in the 1920’s now serve as a quaint condominium.
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Time for a little pit stop and Jalan Besar is the perfect mid-way point for a cuppa or two. Chye Seng Huat Hardware is an industrial-chic spot in a former hardware store for gourmet coffee, eclectic eats, gadgets & gifts. Just opposite, Sweet Cheeks is perfect sweet, icy solution to beat the hot afternoon slump. Other fab options include Asylum Coffeehouse, Moonchild and Average Service.
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Thrifting in Jalan Besar makes for a great sustainable-shopping option. Loop Garms is known for its carefully curated selection of vintage tees, and Stake Out for everything else; from floral shirts and oversized jackets to fancy overalls, both stores showcase handpicked thrifts from the United States and Japan. The Fashion Pulpit on the other hand is a retail swapping brand where customers swap pre-loved clothes for points, aiming to reduce fashion waste while updating their closets.
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Stroll down Arab Street, dotted with multi-generational carpet and textile shops, and get up close with Kampong Gelam’s colonial history as a 19th century commercial hub. Then cross over to bustling Haji Lane for fab cafes, boutiques, quick bites, photobooths, bakeries, and what else is hot with the youth of today.
DAY 2: EVENING
Kampong Gelam nights and twinkling lights
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Haji & Bali Lane are where it’s at for fab Happy Hour deals and thrills in Kampong Gelam. Whether you’re looking for locally brewed beer on tap, international labels or just a casual wind down to your day, there’s lots to choose from! Some of our favourite watering holes include Good Luck Beerhouse, Black Sheep & Co., Blu Jaz and Piedra Negra.
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Dine on Middle Eastern, Turkish and local cuisine under the stars and coconut trees on Bussorah Street. With the gleaming Masjid Sultan as a backdrop, this breezy, lively dining experience positions you right in the beating heart of Kampong Gelam for an unforgettable night out.
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It doesn’t get more local than this. Especially favoured by Singaporean families on rainy evenings, Nan Hwa Chongis a neighbourhood institution, having served their charcoal fish head steamboat since 1927! Perfect for larger groups, the fish head steamboat is the star but we recommend getting lots of sides to share as well.
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For a more intimate drinking experience, check out Bar Stories for original, bespoke cocktails crafted in a relaxed, minimalist setting. And for something livelier, Middle Child Wine Bar focuses on natural wines, cocktails, and music for a fun night out in Bugis.
DAY 3: MORNING
A big local send-off for your last morning with us
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A local hawker feast awaits you on the final morning of this itinerary! Spread across 2 floors and with over 100 hawker stalls, Golden Mile Food Centre offers everything from Peranakan food to Claypot Rice, Ah Balling Peanut Soup to Oyster Cake, Hainanese Chicken Rice to Sup Tulang, the possibilities are endless and delicious!
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Work off the calories at Kallang Riverside Park. Once a vital transportation waterway, this riverine part now offers a stretch of tranquility right in downtown Singapore. Great for a breezy stroll, casual picnic, and if you’re lucky, some nature-spotting (smooth coated otters and migratory birds have been known to visit the park).
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There’s no better local introduction to the diverse and absolutely delicious world of Nasi Padang than the Michelin-awarded Hjh Maimunah. Expect big, bold flavours and hearty portions; and do not let yourself miss out on Beef Rendang, Ayam Kalio, Sambal Goreng and, if you’re feeling adventurous, their signature Lemak Siput Sedut. Other noteworthy Nasi Padang institutions in the neighbourhood include Rumah Makan Minang and Sabar Menanti.
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Enjoy classics with a Malayan and French twist at The White Label, The Sultan’s on-site restaurant serving lunch, tea and dinner daily. We recommend their Set Lunches featuring pasta, steaks and more at an incredible value, or if you’re with us across the weekend, you must check out their signature trolley buffet.
All locations mentioned in this itinerary are marked out on this handy Google map. Plan your very own itinerary with our recommendations and check out unique local experiences offered by select Experience Partners to create the perfect The Sultan getaway.