Tiong Bahru
One of Singapore's earliest public housing estates, where 1930s Art Deco flats hide independent bookshops, cafés and old-school eateries.
Tiong Bahru is one of Singapore's earliest public housing estates. Built by the Singapore Improvement Trust in the 1930s, its Art Deco flats, with streamlined corners, spiral staircases and white façades, are remarkably well preserved, and today it is a favourite neighbourhood for creative types. Along the lanes you'll find independent bookshops, specialty coffee shops, bakeries and design boutiques, while murals depicting old Singapore life dot the walls. On the second floor of Tiong Bahru Market, the hawker centre has several long-established stalls. Shui kueh, chee cheong fun and braised duck rice are popular, and it's best to go in the morning. Qi Tian Da Sheng Temple is also worth a visit. Tiong Bahru MRT station is about a 10-minute walk away.
Opening hours
Open all day (hawker centre approx. 06:00–22:00)
Nearby sights
- Chinatown
- Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
- Clarke Quay
- Southern Ridges & Henderson Waves
- Mount Faber & Singapore Cable Car
- Orchard Road
- Fort Canning Park
- Lau Pa Sat