At the heart of the historic Malay-Muslim quarter known as Kampong Glam, Arab Street is a vibrant thoroughfare whose shophouses, textile merchants and the great golden dome of a nearby mosque conjure the atmosphere of a Middle Eastern bazaar in the middle of Singapore. The street takes its name from the Arab traders who settled in the area in the early nineteenth century, when this district was set aside for the Malay community and for Muslim merchants from across the region and beyond, and it grew into a centre of commerce and faith that retains its distinctive character to this day. For generations Arab Street has been famous above all for fabric, and its shops still overflow with bolts of silk, batik, lace and richly patterned cloth, alongside carpets, leather goods, perfumes and the trappings of traditional dress, drawing shoppers in search of materials and finery. Towering over the quarter is the Sultan Mosque, with its golden dome and prayer halls, the spiritual heart of the community and one of the most important mosques in the country, its presence lending the streets around it a sense of devotion and history. In recent years the surrounding lanes, above all the narrow and colourful Haji Lane nearby, have blossomed into a hub of independent boutiques, cafes, bars and street art, so that the old trading quarter now mixes heritage with hip, and the call to prayer mingles with the buzz of fashionable nightlife. Visitors come to browse the textile shops, to admire the mosque, to dine on Malay, Arab and Turkish cuisine in the many restaurants, and to soak up the heady blend of cultures that defines the area. Easily explored on foot and rich in colour, scent and history, Arab Street offers one of the most atmospheric and characterful corners of Singapore, a living reminder of the trading and migrant roots from which the modern city grew. The lanes here have long been tied to the textile trade, and bolts of silk, lace and batik still spill from shopfronts alongside sellers of carpets, perfumes and rattan goods. The wider Kampong Glam quarter takes its character from the gold-domed Sultan Mosque a short walk away, and in the evenings the cafes and shisha bars fill with a relaxed crowd, giving the area a rhythm quite different from the polished malls elsewhere in the city.

Type: Street

Address: Arab Street, Singapore, Singapore