Royal Malay District of Kampong Glam Food Walk

Summary

In the 1820s, this district was identified in the Singapore Town Plan as a Malay and Muslim enclave; as part of the estate of the Sultan of Singapore. Kampong Glam boasts to have the oldest and one of the largest mosque structure as well as a palace. With association as a Muslim neighbourhood, Muslims from across Southeast Asia would gather here and depart together for the Hajj pilgrimage on boats anchored by the bay adjacent to the district.

Join me as we learn and eat your way through the Royal Malay district of Kampong Glam. We will explore Arab Street and Haji Lane, where wholesale fabric and carpet shops that have operated for generations now have to coexist with trendy cafes and “blogshops”. Yet, despite these changes, we can still find centuries old Muslim cemeteries in the district and learn about the challenges of conservation while allowing for modernisation.

Highlights

Sample over 10 dishes of popular Singaporean Malay and Muslim foods. History of the district & of the “Sultanate of Singapore”. The Malays & Muslims of Singapore. Halal cuisines and haram activities. Trades and crafts of the Malay and Muslim communities. Shophouse conservation. Sultan Mosque & the former palace of the Sultan Istana Kampong Glam. Balancing conservation concerns & national development. Antique & Collectibles shop. Muslim cemetery and funeral process. 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

Sultan Mosque • Bussorah Mall • Haji Lane • Istana Kampong Glam • Jalan Sultan • Jalan Kubor

Our Reviews

"I've never encountered an tour guide who is so much fun, so updated on local politics and urban planning, so educated in the various cultural aspects of his country, and knowledgeable about food! Wow."

Madelyne, USA

"I enjoyed the tour for all sorts of reasons, but the food of course was paramount. We had ample opportunity to try all sorts of delicacies, starting with dates from the local market and continuing through coconut milk to delicious curry and more substantial dishes. Do go with an empty stomach and don't plan to eat much supper afterwards! Our guide Leong Woon was very knowledgeable about the local area and the rest of Singapore and it's cultures. There was slightly too much history for me, but the addition of photos of how the area looked in earlier times brought the talk alive."

Kim Wells, Australia

"Our guide Leong Woon was very knowledgeable, answering all of our questions, providing great insight into how Singapore has developed over time. Food was plentiful and delicious and very relevant to Kampong Glam. My only comment is that I would have preferred more stops with smaller portions or just one thing at a time, rather than combined to a meal-size quantity at once, but overall was a really great tour and only wish we were in Singapore longer to do another!"

Debbie von Bergen, UK

"When in Singapore, this is a must-do. There is so much to learn about the culture and food that you just can't experience on your own. Our guide, Leong Woon, was extremely knowledgeable but most of all personalized the tour for our group. This was one of the best days in Singapore had time to do all the food tours. Thank you Leong Woon!"

Ann Marie, UK

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