A melting pot of old and new, Singapore is a popular tourist destination for its vibrant, multi-ethnic and bustling city.
The architecture is another major draw for tourists, as streets are filled with beautifully preserved colonial-era shophouses, murals, temples and historic buildings.
If you fancy setting aside a day for a photowalk, here are the six spots I highly recommend! (And itās free to do!)
1. Mohamed Ali Lane. Muralist Yip Yew Chong has about 12 murals sprawling across Chinatown, which are all inspired from his childhood memories of the district.
The Singapore Tourism Board said Yipās murals depicts forgotten trades like the making of lion-dance heads. The intricate details of his wall art give the perfect photo op because we can blend right in.
2. Dong Ya or Potato Head Building. Sitting in the intersection between Keong Saik Road and Teck Lim Road, the historic Dong Ya building was restored to Potato Head building, a place for both locals and tourists to eat, enjoy music and art.
3. Shophouses on Keong Saik Road. With the Potato Head building just close by, I walked to Keong Saik Road, the hub for art, culture food! Known to come alive at night, this street is worth visiting in the day with these historical shophouses and its colourful architecture. And it did not disappoint!
4. Bukit Pasoh Rd. As a major Crazy Rich Asians fan, it felt right to visit one of their filming locations. If these shophouses look familiar, this was the scene when Peik Lin told Rachel she was a ābanana, yellow on the outside but white on the insideā. But when I visited, there was so much scaffolding in the street that I had to pivot and took these shots instead.
And luckily for me, the shophouses right next to it were free from renovations, so I still got some shots for the gram
5. Haji Lane. Another alley filled with shophouses built in the 19th century, Haji Lane is now home to indie boutiques with artistic graffiti walls. I know I said all of this you can do for free, but I ended up buying a gorgeous beige tiered dress in one of the shops, so just have some spare cash handy as the stores are quite enticing!
6. Former House of Tan Teng Niah. Located in Little India, this iconic two-storey building attracts tourists and photographers for its unique design. The exteriors show a riot of colours, with intricate and decorative motifs and ornate plasterwork. It continues to be historically significant because itās one of the few remaining examples of traditional Chinese architecture in the area. In the late 19th century, the house was owned by prominent Chinese business owner, Tan Teng Niah. But it has been repurposed as a commercial space for businesses in the modern era.
These are just the top six spots I had the chance to visit, but there are more Instagrammable streets in Singapore worth finding. Let me know in the comments if youāve been to other spots I havenāt mentioned!
