Summary
As the settlement along the Singapore River grew in the 1800s, communities started to move to areas outside the city centre. One of the favourite localities is that of the East Coast which contains sub-neighbourhoods such as Geylang Serai, Joo Chiat and Katong. The Geylang Serai neighbourhood is known as the heart of the Malay community here in Singapore. The Malays are the natives of this region in Southeast Asia. Within the Malay communities, they can be defined by ancestral origins and even their lifestyles. Some Malay families here are descendants of the “Orang Laut” or sea gypsies who were displaced by the port development at Singapore River.
Join me on this tour where I will bring you through the past, present and perhaps the future of the district. This neighbourhood is earmarked in the State’s Master Plan to be one of the 4 new secondary cities outside the Central Business District and it’s a district in transition as it tries to make sense of the current and new developments. As we traipse through the backlanes, shortcuts and hidden gardens we will snack on popular traditional and street foods.
Highlights
Sample over 10 dishes of popular Malay & Muslim traditional/ street foods and Eurasian traditional dishes. Culture, trades and crafts of the Malay diaspora of Singapore. The Malay Emporium- Geylang Serai. Islam and its practice in Singapore. Halal cuisine & Muslim foods. Raw produce in a Muslim “Wet Market”. High-rise mass housing in HDB estates. The Paya Lebar Regional Centre. Singaporeana trivia.
Tour Details
Please see sidebar for full overview.
Meals Included in price on sharing and sampling basis. Beverages excluded. Please make known your dietary requirements & allergies.
Not Included Transfers to / from airport / hotel, porterage, tips, entrance fees to places of entertainment unless specified.
Advisory Light tropical clothing is recommended with comfortable walking shoes. Weather is not always sunny, please bring along an umbrella in case it rains. Please ensure sufficient personal insurance cover during tour.
Accessibility & Fitness Minimum medium fitness level recommended due to brisk walking pace. Total walking distance is about 3km on flat grounds (with lots of breaks in between) but there may be some staircases during journey.
Itinerary
Geylang River • City Plaza • Haig Road Estate • Eurasian Community House • Joo Chiat Road • Koon Seng Road Shophouse • Joo Chiat Complex • Geylang Serai Market
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