A trip to Singapore without visiting Little India is almost as sinful as not taking a trip down ritzy Orchard Road – both are an absolute must do! Singapore’s most colourful neighbourhood offers a riot of sights, sounds and smells hard to find anywhere else on the island.

Before hitting the beautiful temples that this area is so renowned for, visit the temple of retail therapy on Syed Alwi Road – Mustafa Centre. Open 24-hours a day, this gargantuan store has been around for over 43 years and stocks everything you will ever need for the rest of your life! Gold, shoes, electronics, toys, clothes, medical supplies, foodstuff to travel services (and so much more) are yours for the taking. Just a word of caution – weekends can get crazy so plan wisely.

 

The Tekka Wet Market on Buffalo Road is another stop on your Little India discovery trip that we would highly recommend. Built in 1982, this is where you go if you want to see how the locals shop for their food. With a whopping 284 stalls, be ready to see almost every kind of fruit, vegetable, herb, meat, poultry, seafood and spice that makes its way to the homes of the people who call Singapore home. That too, at prices, your eyes will love.

 

Those in pursuit of fantastic Indian fare should know that in Little India, all roads lead to Belilios Road, home to the famous Kailash Parbat . This restaurant has a cult following and just one meal here is enough to realize why.

 

Kailash Parbat is most renowned for its Pani Puri – a hollow crisp filled with potato, mashed chickpeas and a mixture of spicy water and chutney – and Chaat, deep fried flour crackers topped with yogurt, coriander and tamarind chutney. These would be two of the most famous street foods in India. Popular Indian comfort foods like Bhaturas (deep fried North Indian bread) and Pav Bhaji (spicy blend of vegetables served with bread) are best tried only at Kailash Parbat – so head down as soon as you can.

 

This restaurant is also the only one in Singapore to serve Sindhi cuisine from Pakistan, delicacies such as Bhugal Bhee Aloo which are potatoes in a tomato based curry are to smack our lips over.

 

A meal here (in fact any Indian meal, anywhere) would not be complete without a glass of Lassi, fruit infused buttermilk, India’s answer to smoothies, to wash it all down, followed by a bowl of Indian ice cream known as Kulfi, to hit that sweet spot.

 

This restaurant is vegetarian and vegetarian at its best – meat lovers will be left astounded at the flavor and just how full you can get.

 

A visit to the Singapore’s oldest Indian temple, the stunning Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple that was built in 1881 and adjoins the restaurant, would be the cherry on top of this multi sensory trip to Little India.

 

With Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, just around the corner, head down to the Little India Arcade to embellish your hands with henna. Take in the dazzling display of lights adorning Serangoon Road and make sure to invest in a traditional Indian outfit from one of the many stalls peppering Campbell Lane – an absolute must when visiting.

Written by Mandira Rai