Tiong Bahru is a residential area with old-world charm that’s been transformed into a hip and cool neighbourhood. As Singapore’s first public housing estate built in the 1920s, its houses and buildings are no more than a few storeys tall. Today they still retain their Art Deco elegance, making the architectural style central to the character of the area.

As a traveller, Tiong Bahru is one of the most charming and delightful areas in Singapore to wander around, with its unique heritage trail, a ‘monkey god temple’ as well as plenty of quirky shops and cool eateries. It’s almost hard to believe that this place was once dotted with graves. The name Tiong Bahru reflects this history – the word Tiong means ‘tombs’ in the Hokkien dialect and Bahru means ‘new’ in Malay.

Although Tiong Bahru has recently been gentrified and now boasts an expansive cafe and pub culture, the enclave still retains an exquisite sense of history, with many spots of nostalgia hiding in street corners or in housing blocks. A visit here is an absolute must when in Singapore