Published on : 08 July 20204 min reading time

This is perhaps the most colourful district in Singapore. Little India with its colourful shophouses, rainbow facades, garlands, stacked jewellery junk and spicy cuisine is a small piece of India in the alleys of Singapore. Since 1822 and the division of the city according to ethnic groups, the south of the city, and more precisely the east of the Singapore River, has smelled like incense. Located in the district of Chulia Kampong, Little India is a kind of aparté in a Singapore where order reigns, no other district in Asia resembles it.

The best time to get lost is Sunday evening, with music and street entertainment guaranteed. But if you prefer a quieter atmosphere, go there in the late morning or early afternoon.

What to do in Little India?

Visit the temples

Due to the strong Indian community that resides in Singapore there are a large number of prayer and meditation temples and most of them are in Little India, or Chinatown. To name only the most important ones:

Sri Veeramakaliamman

Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple is a Hindu temple located in the middle of Little India. It is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali, the wife of the god Shiva, Parvati. This deity is very popular in Bengal, the cradle region of the workers who built this temple in 1881. The temple is built in the style of the temples of South Tamil India, as opposed to the style of the temples of the north. Idols adorn the facade and interior.

Go shopping

Mustafa Centre

Rarely seen without a lively crowd of customers, the Mustafa Centre is a cult scene in the neighbourhood it is the best place to get a good deal, or just to enjoy the night. Good deals go hand in hand with chic, this shopping centre has nothing to envy to those on Orchard road (shopping avenue). You can find everything and do business on just about everything. You will find a wide range of items, clothing, perfumes, electronics, make-up, confectionery and food, not to mention items imported straight from India.

Strolling through the streets and letting you be immersed without restraint is still the best way to pass in front of the Tan teng Niah residence, a fragment of history. It is one of the remnants of Little India’s past, still present. You can eat in the restaurant that is located there, at the foot of a house with a thousand colours. Don’t miss a walk in this area, after a few alleys you will find yourself in Arab Street or Chinatown. This shows that the best way to discover it was still to get lost.

Eating in Little India

Little India is also a culinary paradise featuring the best of the cuisine of each Indian region. You will find there many small Indian restaurants. But if you want to combine an immersion experience with the pleasure of your taste buds, try these establishments, which will give you a change of scenery.

The Banana Leaf Apolo

No plate in this restaurant but a banana leaf to taste the culinary specialities of South India. Discover and try to eat in the traditional way, i.e. with your hands. But don’t worry, you don’t have to.

Lagnaa Barefoot

Do you like spicy food? Don’t be afraid to try it, spice up the taste with spices like you’ve never had before. There is even a contest that is organized there, at each full moon and which rewards the most daring, having eaten the spiciest. Another special feature is that you have the choice of eating on a chair on the ground floor, or taking off your shoes to go to the first floor. You can enjoy Indian flavours while sitting on large cushions, sitting at a table at a traditional Indian coffee table.