Geylang Serai and Joo Chiat: Singapore's Living Malay Emporium
Geylang Serai Market Introduction Long before the gleaming malls of Paya Lebar rose beside it, Geylang Serai was already the beating heart of Singapore's Malay community. Though it developed later than the more glamorous Kampong Gelam , this district is one of Singapore's oldest Malay settlements, with roots stretching back to the early 19th century. Once known as the "Malay Emporium of Singapore," Geylang Serai today remains a vibrant cultural hub where tradition and modernity sit side by side. At its centre stands the iconic Geylang Serai Market , affectionately called Pasar Lama (Old Market) by locals. Directly opposite, the Joo Chiat Complex — Pasar Baru (New Market)—has served the community since 1985 on the site of the former Changi Market. ◆ ◆ ◆ What Geylang Serai Was Like Before Before the covered market, the hawker centre, and the air-conditioned complexes, Geylang Serai was a landscape of kampongs (...