One of Singapore’s oldest and most charming residential neighbourhoods, Tiong Bahru is an art deco gem. A modern relic frozen in time, it's one of the last few standing areas that have any resemblance of Singapore’s unique heritage. Built by the Singapore Improvement Trust between 1936 and 1941, these low-rise blocks feature iconic rounded corners, sweeping horizontal lines, and nautical elements including porthole windows and stainless steel railings. The historic neighbourhood is a designated conservation area, with 20 pre-war blocks protected for their architectural heritage. Historically nicknamed 'Mei Ren Wo' or 'Den of Beauties' in its early years, the neighbourhood was a prestigious enclave where wealthy merchants housed their mistresses, Tiong Bahru now blends preserved colonial-era charm with modern cafés, street murals, and the popular Tiong Bahru Market, where the neighborhood's authentic character comes alive. This wet market and hawker center combination serves as the daily gathering place for residents, where you'll see the real rhythm of community life.
The market operates on two levels: the wet market on the ground floor features fresh produce, seafood, and meat vendors, while the hawker centre on the upper level offers prepared food at incredibly affordable prices, as the market primarily serves residents, which means prices remain reasonable and quality stays high. A local hub for food and culture which features some of the best hawker food in Singapore, including shui kueh, fiery red Mee Goreng, chicken rice, and famous Michelin Bib Gourmand stalls. Meeting our tour guide Calvin in the Raffles lobby, we made our way to Tiong Bahru for a fascinating afternoon exploring the the Kampung spirit, where a little kindness goes a long way.
Tiong Bahru is home to one of the largest and best-preserved clusters of
Streamline Moderne buildings in the world, a late-1930s evolution of Art Deco
a human-scale design that has profound implications for the neighborhood's character
Tiong Bahru Qi Tian Gong Temple, more commonly known as Monkey God Temple,
was founded in 1920 and began as a small traditional palm and wattle hut
by Yip Yew Chong who grew up in Tiong Baru
where locals know the shady and efficient way to reach Tiong Bahru Market
is a beloved Singaporean hawker staple, which are then boiled, deep-fried, or braised
is a household name when it comes to chwee kueh
Chwee Kueh and Sui Mai, is a Malaysian favourite hawker food of steamed rice cake
topped with a sweet preserved turnip (chai po) and serve with sambal
Michelin starred Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice stall with a long line
to order their signature dish
and where our guide Calvin showed us at the end of our tour
and this was just one small vignette
A small portion of the Singapore Ports which is world's busiest transshipment hub
And we returned to Raffles at the end of our tour exploring Tiong Bahru with Calvin
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