7 Best Things to Do in Little India Singapore

Sri Veeramakaliamman is one of the prettiest and busiest temples in Little India. Located on Serangoon Road, this 19th-century Hindu temple dates all the way back to the 19th century, with facilities such as a wedding and multipurpose hall. 

With hundreds of tiny colourful statues blanketing the exterior temple structure, Sri Veeramakaliamman is quite a popular photography spot. Inside is just as impressive – expect a large crowds paying their respects on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Entrance is free, but dress respectfully and take your shoes off before stepping inside the temple. 

The House of Tan Teng Niah is a colourful 2-storey villa dating back to 1900. Located on Kerbau Road, It’s one of few remaining Chinese structures in Little India that were built during the colonialization of Singapore.  

The local community is responsible for the rainbow of colours that the House of Tan Teng Niah is so famous for, as well as its renovation and upkeep. After snapping some photos of the villa, grab yourself a biryani meal in the nearby courtyard for a particularly picturesque al fresco dining.

To the untrained eye, Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple might look similar to Sri Veeramakaliamman, just down the road. The exterior features all those intricately designed Hindu relics which cling to the main structure – or Gopuram – and the whole building is just as colourful. 

The temple is dedicated to Krishna, one of the incarnations of Vishnu. You’ll also see statues of other Hindu deities, including Mahalakshmi, Murugan, and Anjaneyar. Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple serves the local community with daily Pooja (worship sessions) in the mornings and evenings. 

Mustafa Centre is a 24-hour shopping mall that offers designer products at low prices. Shopping at this mall is akin to shopping at an indoor market – narrow aisles jam-packed with all manner of products. 

Sure, it’s messy, a little disorganised, and packed every day, but if you come in search of a specific item you can’t find anywhere else in town, you might just find an entire aisle dedicated to it at Mustafa Centre. 

The Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple was built in the 1927 by a Thai monk, and the Siamese influences are clear to be seen throughout The main feature of this Buddhist temple is a 15-metre-tall Buddha statue that weighs about 300 tonnes. 

It’s often called the Temple of 1,000 Lights, thanks to the chain of lamps surrounding the statue. Located between the Little India and Farrar Park MRT stations, entrance to Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple is free but do dress modestly out of respect for the worshippers.

The original Abdul Gafoor Mosque dates back to 1859 – it was built to serve South Indian Muslim merchants and those who worked at the old race course at Farrer Park. After years of renovations, the mosque has a unique architectural style of Southern Indian, Moorish, and Victorian influences. 

A must-see at Abdul Gafoor Mosque is the Arabic-style glass cupola, which is supported by Roman pillars inspired by Roman architecture. Like many religious sites around the world, do dress modestly if you’re planning to visit the mosque. 

Leong San See Temple was built to honour Guan Yin (or as Guanyim), the Chinese Goddess of Mercy. It’s often packed with families praying for filial piety and academic success. The ancestral hall offers free vegetarian dishes during important days in the lunar calendar. 

Leong San See Temple’s main structure resembles a Chinese palace, with bright red and gold accents throughout the building. There are also plenty of intricate carvings of mythical beings on its beams and pillars.