My day at Kampong Glam

Kampong Glam, which represents Malay-Muslim heritage, had been designated as a historic district along with Chinatown and Little India in 1989.Kampong Glam is a treasure in the context of Singapore’s strong history and culture. It is well known for fascinating tourists because of its cultural precinct. An interesting fact on how Kampong Glam got its name would be from the famously and abundantly grown ‘Gelam’ trees (which means Paperbark trees in Malay) that were used for building ships back in the past. At the early stages, Kampong Glam was a fishing village located at the mouth of Rochor River. This area was allocated to the Malay Sultan Hussain Mohammed Shan and the Muslim community by Sir Stamford Raffles back in 1822.  

 An interesting fun fact that some may agree to; some say Kampong Glam really is glam (a local term meaning ‘glamorous’). 

  Photo Courtesy of travelpenchant.wordpress.com

The district is located in Central Singapore, a stone’s throw away from the popular shopping hubs, Bugis Junction and Bugis Street. All you have to do is hop on the MRT to Bugis Mrt Station and then walk towards Kampong Glam!

During my visit, some of the places that I have explored were the Malay Heritage Centre, Sultan Mosque, Arab Street, Bussorah Street, Mamanda, Jamal Kazura Aromatics Perfumes & Essential Oil, and The Children Little Museum. There are seven key attractions in Kampong Glam, each of which possess its own unique characteristics offering a range of products and services to its patrons. They include Arab Street, Haji Lane, Bussorah Street, Kandahar Street, Muscat Street, Malay Heritage center and the area’s landmark, the Sultan Mosque.

A picture outside the iconic Sultan Mosque

Right outside Sultan Mosque

Honestly speaking, before my visit, I had an understanding that Kampong Glam was all about the Malay enclave, with the presence of strong heritage and culture. However, to my surprise, when I was walking along the Kampong Glam district, I was captivated by the architecture of the buildings, the eclectic blend of vibrant colors, trendy designs and even art galleries that gave me a whole new perspective. One could tell from the building and landmarks that there is a strong Malay and Islamic influence in terms of architecture and design. Kampong Glam is a place that offers modernity yet preserving its rich traditions. That to me is something I find really interesting as it’s a mix and mash of something old and new.

I started off my journey from Bussorah Street. Located just in front of the Sultan Mosque, it is one of the more scenic streets in Singapore with tiled walkways, heritage architecture, and palm trees that is extremely pleasing to your eyes, giving off a calming effect to its patrons. I personally am a fan of such sights. Bussorah Street offers a fascinating mix of both old and new shops selling local wares, Malay-designed clothing, accessories, and even books relating to the Muslim religion. Here, you can find a fascinating mix of both old and new shops selling local wares, Malay-styled clothing, accessories, and books relating to the Arabic and Muslim religion. As l took a walk down the street, I noticed shops ranging from Turkish, Middle Eastern cuisine, a handful of trinkets and knick-knacks selling vintage items from $2, a backpacker's hostel, an old-school looking bookshop, a Malay Art Gallery and a few boutique spas.

There were two outlets along this street that particularly caught my attention because of their mesmerizing look and unique products offered and they are Jamal Kazura Aromatics and Children Little Museum. I individually felt that they were the highlights of Bussorah Street. 

If you take a walk down any of the streets along Kampong Glam, the pathways of this cultural precinct in general is generally filled with the smells, sights and sounds of spices, locals, tourists, that are here for cultural awareness, handicraft and furniture shops, and oil-based perfumes which you could most definitely sniff out a unique aromatic fragrance. One could tell that it has a strong scent of flowers.

When walking down Bussorah Street, I found out that a brand of fragrances that specializes in alcohol-free Arabic perfumes, message oils, scented body soaps and shower creams is Jamal Kazura Aromatics. The rows of colorful bottles caught my attention and lured me in. The friendly owner also shared that you can customize your own scent. All you have to do is describe the scent or occasion you want it for. For an affordable price between $30-$80 and waiting time of 30 minutes, you can take home your very own perfume!

The outside of Jamal Kazura Aromatics

Cute bottles your perfume is stored in

As I continued my journey down along the district, a life-size robot mascot along the walkway of Bussorah Street immediately hit my curiosity thus making me discover the two-story Children Little Museum. The first thing I noticed even before entering the outlet was the colorful collection of handmade toys and traditional games, some of which I played during my childhood. They include five stones, kuti-kuti, Chapteh and so on. I could not resist and decided that I had to buy something which reminded me very much of my childhood ( as seen below). 

On the first story, you can find many collector’s item and antique treasure such as gramophones, telephones, vintage watches, clothes, jewelry, toys, radios and even a bright red 1950s art-deco fridge and many other delightful finds. Here are some pictures I took at the ground floor. Over at the second floor, is a small showcase where a blast-to-the-past is. Unfortunately, I was unable to view it myself as it was closed for refurbishment. For more information on this cute little museum, do visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Children-Little-Museum/163848846980465

The outside of Children Little Museum

Old school record player

A collection of old school toys and item that could be purchased.

Bubble balloon bought 

The Malay Heritage Centre (MHC) is a must-visit if you’re keen on learning about Singapore’s Malay community. Located at Sultan Gate of Kampong Glam, it is a cultural centre in Singapore that showcases the history, heritage and culture of Malay Singaporeans. Inside the centre, permanent galleries focus on the history of Kampong Glam and showcases an interesting collection of artifacts from the Malay community that date long back. Admission is free to all Singaporeans and Permanent Residences. Free guided tours are also provided along their galleries. However, tourists would have to pay a fee ranging from $12 to $2 depending on their age group. An interesting fact relating to MHC is that it was previously the Sultan’s Palace, known as Istana Kampong Glam in Malay. To find out more about MHC’s upcoming programs, please check our website at www.malayheritage.org.sg or visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/malayheritage.

Outside the Malay Heritage Centre

Their calender of events from April 2015 to June 2015

Artifacts seen in the centre

I ended my day with a trip down Arab Street. Packed with various fabric, textiles and carpet shops, not forgetting the fashion-forward boutiques and delightful cafes. Arab street is one street I assure you will not miss out. Here, along his street, one can also find delightful cafes, where you can sit down to enjoy a true Arab coffee and their very popular Shish’a (a traditional oriental tobacco smoking pipe that came from Arabic origins). Check out the densely-stocked basketry and handicraft shops, hip bars and bistros and savor the sights and sounds of this exotic and intriguing neighbourhood. The smell of spices attracted me to dine in Sufi’s Corner. It offers Turkish cuisine and I knew I had to try it. The food was delicious and the ambiance was very laid back and relaxed.

My table at Sufi's Corner

Just outside Sufi's Corner

Carpets sold

Beautiful lamps sold along stores in Arab Street

Brochures collected from my journey at Kampong Glam

 As I spent my entire day exploring, it soon hit night time. What I did not like about the district at night is that certain alleys and lanes were not well lit. I felt that they could be better lit as a dark alley seem very unwelcoming. As I made my way back home from  Kampong Glam, I also came to realize that certain roads along districts had no traffic lights or pedestrian crossings, making it a challenge to get to the other side of the road. A zebra crossing would indeed be very beneficial to visitors.

Kampong glam is defiantly a worth visit not to be missed! Especially for those who are in search of picturesque views and would like to immerse themselves in the rich culture and experiences offered. So do head down to Kampong Glam! Thank you for reading my post, hope you've enjoyed learning a little more about the amazing precinct!