Kampong Glam is the most atmospheric neighbourhood in Singapore. Once home to Malay royalty and the city's Arab merchant community, this historic quarter along the northern fringe of the city centre is today a dynamic mix of old and new: the golden-domed Sultan Mosque dominates one end of Bussorah Street, traditional textile and carpet merchants line Arab Street, indie boutiques and street art cover every available surface of Haji Lane, and some of the city's finest halal restaurants — from nasi padang to Turkish kebabs to modern Singaporean fusion — operate from beautifully restored shophouses throughout the precinct. Kampong Glam rewards wandering without a plan almost as much as it rewards careful preparation.

Book your flights to Singapore and plan your Kampong Glam visit. Find a hotel in the area — the neighbourhood is a short walk from Bugis MRT (EW12/DT14), with the core attractions concentrated within a compact, easily walkable radius.

The most important mosque in Singapore and one of the most beautiful buildings in Southeast Asia. The Sultan Mosque (Masjid Sultan) was commissioned by the first Sultan of Singapore in the early 19th century and rebuilt in its current form in 1924 by architect Denis Santry, who designed the building in a hybrid Indo-Saracenic style. The distinctive feature is the pair of golden onion domes — actually constructed from the bottoms of recycled glass bottles collected from poor members of the community — that catch the sunlight and dominate the Kampong Glam skyline. The mosque is a National Monument and accommodates 5,000 worshippers; it is one of Singapore's most significant places of active religious practice. Open to respectful visitors of all faiths outside prayer times; a robe is available at the entrance for those who need it.

Housed in the former Istana Kampong Gelam — the royal palace of the Malay sultans, built in the 1840s — the Malay Heritage Centre is the most important museum for understanding the Malay community's role in Singapore's history. Permanent galleries cover the history of Kampong Glam from its founding through British colonial rule and into the modern era, with exhibits on Malay performing arts, traditional crafts, and the community's contributions to Singapore's development. The building itself is architecturally significant: a graceful yellow palace in a mix of European and Malay styles, set within a small garden.

Haji Lane is the visual centrepiece of Kampong Glam — an impossibly narrow lane, barely wide enough for two people to pass comfortably, packed end to end with colourful murals, independent fashion boutiques, vintage shops, specialty cafés, and bars. The murals here change regularly; notable works by internationally acclaimed artists appear alongside pieces by local talents. The boutiques specialise in independent and local designers, vintage finds from Japan and the US, and one-of-a-kind accessories. This is not chain retail — every shop has a distinct character.

Arab Street, adjacent to Haji Lane, is a complete contrast in character: wider, more traditionally mercantile, and lined with shops specialising in textiles, Persian and Turkish carpets, batik fabric, traditional craftwork, and Middle Eastern goods including ceramics, mosaics, and perfumes. Family-run carpet merchants Samad & Sons and Amir & Sons have operated on Arab Street for generations. Bussorah Street, which leads directly to the Sultan Mosque, is the most picturesque in the precinct — the mosque's golden dome frames the far end of the street perfectly for photographs, and the street is lined with restaurants and cafés with outdoor seating.

Kampong Glam has a long tradition of perfumery rooted in the Arab merchant community that settled here. Several perfume businesses in the area offer both ready-made and custom-blended fragrances — oud, jasmine, rose, and more exotic combinations. Sifr Aromatics on Arab Street is one of the most celebrated, operating from a beautiful laboratory-like space where custom blends are created and bottled while you wait. Jamal Kazura Aromatics and Aljunied Brothers are other longstanding institutions worth visiting.

The entire Kampong Glam precinct functions as an evolving outdoor gallery. Muscat Street's Gelam Gallery fills two sides of a narrow back-alley with a technicolor explosion of works from local and international artists. Works by internationally acclaimed artist Ernest Zacharevic appear along Victoria Street toward North Bridge Road. Every visit reveals something different — new murals appear regularly, and the combination of traditional Islamic architecture and contemporary street art is one of the most visually distinctive environments in Singapore.

Discover more of what Singapore has to offer with the best things to do across the city. Arrange an airport transfer from Changi. Check the latest Traveloka promos for deals, and plan your complete Singapore experience at Traveloka.