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 Arab
Street and Kampong Glam, Singapore's
famous Muslim area, is located on North Bridge
Road and it is the place to find whatever
you need such as embroidered materials, semi-precious
stones, basket ware, accessories for a
pilgrimage, natural oils and perfumes and you
will
find it here in abundance.
Back in the days
when Gelam trees grew here (hence the name),
medicinal oil was extracted from the trees and
the bark used by Buginese and Malays to caulk
their boats. This place is known as Singapore's
Muslim centre whereby Indonesian and Malaysian
Photo: Sultan Mosque goods are easily available.
There are many
famous tourists attractions and places of
interest at Arab Street in Singapore. A visit to the
golden-domed Sultan Mosque, the most prominent
and biggest mosque in the
city, is a must. Built in 1928, the mosque is
one of the best examples of Muslim architecture
on the island. It was built with the
contributions of many in the Muslim
community. If you look carefully, you will
notice an interesting detail which is a rim of donated
glass bottle bases that form the edge of the
dome. Another attraction here is the Istana
Kampong Glam which has now become a Malay
heritage park. Should you feel hungry, then tuck into murtabak
or roti canai, Singapore's version of pizza, at
one of the restaurants facing the mosque, along
North Bridge Road. Middle-eastern fare is also
available along Arab Street. Tourists will enjoy
a stroll along this busy road and admire its many tourists
attractions and places of interest or stop by at
one of its many excellent Malay restaurants and
experience its authentic Malay cuisine.
Or if you fancy
something a little spicier, try nasi padang, a
type of rice dish with an assortment of Malay dishes like rendang (spicy mutton or beef), sayor lodeh (an
assortment of vegetables cooked in a light
coconut gravy) or ikan bakar (barbequed fish
served with a dark soya sauce gravy, diced
onions and green chilli) at Kandahar Street or
at Jalan Pisang and your trip will not be
complete without trying this local delicacies.
Always put a Singapore city tourist map in your
bag so that you not miss out on all the
attractions at Kampong Glam.
Best time to visit:
10.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday. Most shops
are close on Sunday. On Friday at midday, some shops
and restaurants close as Muslims worship at the
nearby mosque during their weekly Friday prayers.
Buses: SBS 2, 7, 12,
32, 33, 51, 61, 62, 63, 80, 130, 133, 145, 197.
Tibs 851, 961
Nearest MRT Station:
Bugis
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