City: Joo Chiat
Top Things to do in Joo Chiat
What to do and see in Joo Chiat, Singapore: The Best Sights & Landmarks
The Singapore cityscape looks like it was ripped from the pages of a science fiction comic book. If you’re hungry for a true Singapore experience, sample the myriad street foods or take a cultural cooking class. The Botanic Gardens and the Gardens By the Bay offer a slice of horticultural heaven, and the observation deck of the Sands SkyPark makes you feel like you’re high above the clouds. The banks and walkways along the Singapore River bustle with local activity.
Restaurants in Singapore
1. Peranakan Houses
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 17 reviews
Reviewed By JeffLeong - Singapore, Singapore
After our lunch at Hjh Maimunah Restaurant in Joo Chiat Road, we walked to Kim Choo Kueh Chang in Joo Chiat Place to buy Nyonya dumplings and desserts. From there, we headed back to Joo Chiat Road and continued our walk to the area around Koon Seng Road to see the picturesque Peranakan houses. A few of the offices and shops along Joo Chiat Road have been restored to their lovely Peranakan heritage. But it is the buildings in the vicinity of Koon Seng Road that showcase the Peranakan houses with their lively, lovely and colourful facades and accent wall tiles. The efforts to detail the architectural facades and windows are worth a visit. The palette of complementary colours and shades is Instagramable. A visit in the cool early morning or late afternoon will provide nice facade lighting. We went after lunch and it was hot. Fortunately, clouds helped scatter the harsh sunlight. There are a few other nearby lanes that we did not explore and will do so in another visit.
2. Katong Antique House
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 34 reviews
Reviewed By Bolomenino
The house is situated in Katong, a Straits Chinese enclave, right next to Holy Family Church. A great place to experience how Straits Chinese used to live. Many thanks to Eric who described every part of the house in detail so passionately. This 'museum' was started by Mr. Peter Wee, a well-respected doyen of Peranakan culture, who spared no effort in collecting Peranakan antiques handed down by his ancestors and other Straits Chinese. Do call to make an appoinment to visit.
3. Katong District
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 252 reviews
Reviewed By efratadenny - Bandung, Indonesia
A residential suburb rooted in wealth and traditionally associated with the Peranakan (indigenous Straits Chinese population of Southeast Asia and Singapore) and Eurasian communities, Katong is a charming picture of old and new, with hip cafes, shopping malls, cool bars and modern eateries situated alongside heritage establishments.
4. Geylang Serai
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 126 reviews
Located in the eastern part of the island, Geylang is today a thriving residential, commercial and cultural district that is full of life and vitality with great food, great bargains and great sights.
Reviewed By ManngaDua - Singapore, Singapore
The area is known for Malay culture and food. I like visiting this area. They have old small shops selling products that cannot be found in malls in the city center. I like buying some products from Indonesia. It is pretty interesting to explore the area ans grab some nice Malay food.
5. Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 46 reviews
At this temple, a pair of nine-feet tall Dwarapalakas (demigod gatekeepers) flank the Rajagopuram entrance tower, which features the Chola style of architecture.
6. Joo Chiat/Katong
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 103 reviews
Immerse yourself in Peranakan culture on your visit to Katong and Joo Chiat, and also enjoy its wealth of good food and cultural heritage.
Reviewed By Kim025Singapore - Singapore, Singapore
Joo Chiat Road is named after Chew Joo Chiat, a famous Chinese businessman of Peranakan descent, who was the owner of most of the land in the area around Joo Chiat Road. In 1993, the area around Joo Chiat Road was gazetted as a conservation district. As a result, many straits eclectic style shophouses have been preserved. In 2011, the vicinity surrounding Joo Chiat Road was declared Singapore's first Heritage Town with its rich Peranakan culture and food. Nowadays, Joo Chiat is known as a multicultural food enclave. On the pedestrian walkway along Joo Chiat Road, there are specially crafted Joo Chiat Heritage tiles with metal plaques, indicating the significance of this area. A good place to meet friends to start a walk here would be the taxi stand at Joo Chiat Complex facing the Joo Chiat Road. The following highlights some buildings and murals to take note of: 1) 95 Joo Chiat Road is Kway Guan Huat popiah skin and Kueh Pie Tee maker since 1938. Here is also the first mural reflecting the popiah skin maker and the ingredients used for making popiah. 2) Along Joo Chiat Terrace, late shophouse-style residential terrace nos. 49 and 59 are striking for its paintwork, pilaster with flower motifs, floral dentils, ornate second storey front façade, colourful floor tiles along the five-foot way. No 69 is the Intan, home to a Peranakan collector and private tours can be booked. 3) At the junction of Joo Chiat Terrace and Everitt Road is a large mural by Ernest Zacharevic showing two children having an imaginary battle on painted steeds and battling with a paint roller and mop. Two of the shophouses next to the mural have rather unique tiles below its windows. These tiles were from England depicting a bird-of-paradise and a peacock. 4) No 89-123 Joo Chiat Place is the architectural award winning, 18 late shophouse-style terrace units known as the Lotus. They were built in the 1930s and the pintu pagar allows privacy and better ventilation. The Chinese symbolism in the wooden carvings of the pintu pagar: a crane and a lotus. The crane represents longevity and the lotus symbolised purity of heart and mind. 5) No. 125 Joo Chiat Place is a 1920s Transitional-Style shophouse, formerly was The Lucky Book Store. The fading Lucky Book Store signage along the five-foot way tell of its past life. 6) No 143 Joo Chiat Place is a Rococo style corner shophouse with gorgeous festoons, baskets of flowers, egg and dart mouldings etc painted in white against a grey building which makes it outstanding. 7) No 26 Mangis Road is the only Anglo-Malay house in the vicinity. The pediment has the date in which it was built. It is a delightful house. 8) At junction of Tembling Road and Koon Seng Road, another Rococo style shophouses with the cartouche on the pediment depicting the date of building and several panels below the windows showing mouding of Eight Immortals symbols. 9) Koon Seng Road with its two rows of very instagrammable, colourful Peranakan houses. The third mural is along the alley just before Joo Chiat Road. It is titled High Tide. 10} Joo Chiat Road has its share of gorgeous shophouses but most of it are used for businesses such as restaurants, boutique hotels etc. No 227 is "A Vintage Tale" which sells vintage dresses sourced from all over the world. Nearby is Petit Pain Bakery well known for its yummy croissants and there is a shop selling all kinds of cane furniture. 11) The 4th Mural is titled “A History of healing” painted on the side wall of Scanteak. This building used to house the Joo Chiat Maternal and Child Health Clinic. After the World War II, the clinic served the public and this mural pays homage to the importance of this building in the past.
7. Koon Seng Road
8. KJC Art Circuit
This trail is about revitalising Katong Joo Chiat, Singapore’s first and only heritage town. It hopes to bring both tourists and more locals to the area to discover the stories this area has to offer. Besides just showcasing Peranakan culture, it will show how Katong Joo Chiat is a ‘Little Singapore’.
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