• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Go to Expat Living Hong Kong
Get our Newsletter

Lifestyle Guide To Moving To & Living in Singapore - Expat Living HomepageLifestyle Guide To Moving To & Living in Singapore - Expat Living

Moving to Singapore and not sure where to start? Expat Living is the essential lifestyle guide to living in Singapore.

Menu
  • Living in Singapore
      • Living here
      • Neighbourhood Guides
      • Schools
      • Property
      • Work And Business
      • Finance
      • For Guys
      • Environment
        • sports schools in singapore students jumping sack sports activitiesDiscover the sports programme at this international school
        • home internet singaporeGet your IT sorted – especially if you’re renovating
        • employee benefits mental healthEmployee benefits: What’s trending now
        • John HoggerSingapore authors – new books from sci-fi to self-help!
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things to do
      • EL Events
      • Calendar
      • Competitions
      • Noticeboard
        • The National Stadium - Sports Hub Best venues for concertsTheatres in Singapore plus venues for events & concerts!
        • Matilde G Cover picWe meet 17-year-old singing star Matilde G
        • sports schools in singapore students jumping sack sports activitiesDiscover the sports programme at this international school
        • ChivasWhat’s on this week and beyond
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Enrichment
      • Kids Things To Do
      • Mums & Babies
      • Schools
      • Tots & Toddlers
      • Tweens & Teens
        • enlarged adenoids ENT surgeonENT specialists discuss hearing loss & enlarged adenoids!
        • Oasia Resort Sentosa Far East Hospitality leadFeel like having a family staycation in Singapore or have friends visiting?
        • LoveAmme MadeToTravel breast pump with custom breast shieldPain-free & Efficient Breastfeeding Starts Here
        • Camp Asia school summer holiday campsSummer holiday camps the kids will love!
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Home Decor
      • Readers’ Homes
      • Furniture
        • European bedding best mattressBest mattresses for the best sleep!
        • interior décor tips styling a colonial house in SingaporeInterior design styles for a colonial house in Singapore
        • Where to buy lamps in SingaporeWhere to buy lamps in Singapore – lights galore!
        • singapore furniture shoppingSideboards, benches and consoles!
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Asia
      • Australia & New Zealand
      • Rest Of World
      • News
      • Travel Offers
        • New ZealandYour mini guide to New Zealand
        • international health insuranceProtecting your health overseas in 2022
        • COMO Point Yamu One Bedroom Pool Villa sundeckWhy you should stay at this Phuket resort
        • BangkokWhere to go in Bangkok
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Asian Cuisine
      • Western Cuisine
      • Bars & Clubs
      • Groceries & Speciality Services
      • Recipes & Classes
        • Farmers market - butcher - meat shopTop butchers for good-quality meat
        • Sugarhall DaquriLatest bars in Singapore: New drinking spots!
        • M&S Meat Free NuggetsPlant-based nuggets – here’s what we think!
        • champagne deliveryOnline alcohol delivery – wine, champagne, beer & spirits!
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
      • Beauty Offers
        • Spray tan singaporeGet a golden glow quickly with a spray tan!
        • affordable massages singapore spasMassages in Singapore that’ll help you unwind
        • clifford clinic aesthetic clinic singapore best acne treatmentHow to prevent pimples and get rid of acne scars!
        • skinscapeScared of the pain? There’s always numbing cream!
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Dental
      • Fitness
      • Medical
      • Wellness
        • PainWhat is pain and how do you treat it?
        • Pilates fitnutFancy doing a fitness & Pilates instructor course in Singapore?
        • enlarged adenoids ENT surgeonENT specialists discuss hearing loss & enlarged adenoids!
        • frequent urge to pee overactive bladderHow to treat that frequent urge to pee
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
    • PRINT MAGAZINE
    • DIGITAL MAGAZINE
    • BOOKS
    • Close

Haji Lane: Hidden shops, indie boutiques and trendy bars

12th February 2020 by Expat Living 2 Min Read

https://expatliving.sg/haji-lane-singapore-hidden-shops-indie-boutiques-and-trendy-bars/

Haji Lane’s emergence as a cool shopping destination began in 2005, as independent boutiques began to pop up along it. Even the New York Times noticed the phenomenon; it described the Haji Lane district in 2009 as “a meeting place for the city’s anti-mall crowd” – a place where Singaporeans come at night to window-shop and smoke shisha in Middle Eastern joints. The smoking might have stopped (shisha was banned in 2014), but there’s still plenty to do, see, shop, eat and drink. Here’s a little history about the quirky thoroughfare, and some highlights.

The shops along Haji Lane
The famous Blu Jaz bar, excellent for live music
Colourful Mexican bar Piedra Negra on Haji Lane
Haji Lane is a pocket of quirky and eccentric shops in Kampong Glam
Heading up Haji Lane by night

Tucked away in the Arab Street district, or Kampong Glam, the atmospheric little lane is lined with pre-war shophouses. The narrowness of their facades is deceptive; the interiors stretch way, way back. Building in this style made sense at a time when the government taxed property owners on the number of windows they had.

Old to new

In the sixties and seventies, we’re told, Haji Lane provided accommodation for poor Malay families. Devout pilgrims doing the annual “haj”, or pilgrimage to Mecca, would also lodge here – hence the name of the lane. In intriguing contrast to that history is its position as an artistic and creative hub for Singapore’s hipster teens and 20-somethings – not to mention bars such as Bar Stories where you pay as much as $25 for a cocktail.

Interestingly, a recent furore over street art in Haji Lane saw the URA (Urban Redevelopment Authority) back down on its instructions that a vibrantly colourful new mural next to the perennially popular Blu Jaz Café be painted over to restore the traditional pastel tones of period shophouses.

Don’t bother visiting in the morning. The lane only starts to come alive in late afternoon, and dusk – from 5pm to 7pm – is a good time to do some shopping. Browse eclectic clothes and furniture in the quirky indie stores, have drinks or dinner, even get a little tattoo if you’re so inclined; it’s like nowhere else in Singapore.

Some of our favourites along Haji Lane:

For women’s clothes and shoes, try Modparade (68 Haji Lane), which is a haven for all things minimalist and chic. SSFW (75 Haji Lane) has cool accessories, including new items made especially for masks. Meanwhile, Fickle Store (62 Haji Lane) sells funky flip-flops, and Bella Kini (69 Haji Lane) is the spot for beautiful new swimwear.

Find trendy menswear at SUP Clothing (34 Haji Lane), which is incredibly popular with teens and young people the island over. Other options include Goodluck Bunch (26 Bali Lane) and Grammah (66 Haji Lane), which contains amazing vintage pieces for both men and women.

For homeware, Hygge (37 Haji Lane) contains all sorts of adorable knickknacks in a cosy setting. Craft Assembly (61 Haji Lane) is all about handmade Singaporean goods. A Thousand Tales (55-57 Haji Lane) also has a bar and café upstairs; and the vibrant Drunken Balloon (84 Haji Lane) is full of quirky novelty items.

As for food and drink, if you’re peckish or thirsty, Haji has you covered. It’s chock-full of great spots! Piedra Negra (241 Beach Road) is a classic for all things Mexican; and Bergs (10 Haji Lane) serves up some of the best gourmet burgers on the island. For something lighter, try The Singapura Club (26 Haji Lane) for drinks inspired by the Little Red Dot. Or pop into Meomi Cat Café (668 North Bridge Road) for snacks surrounded by furry friends.


Read on for more helpful tips on where to go in Singapore and where to eat.

Expat Living

Expat Living has everything to help you make the most of living in Singapore! We've got information on neighbourhoods, things to do and see, dining, entertainment, schools, travel, fashion, furniture, finance, health and beauty. And more!

Get the latest events, stories and special offers
sent to your inbox.

By signing up, you'll receive our weekly newsletters and offers, which you can unsubscribe to anytime.

Categories: Living here Living in Singapore Tags: Haji Lane

You May Also Like

sports schools in singapore students jumping sack sports activities

Discover the sports programme at this international school

home internet singapore

Get your IT sorted – especially if you’re renovating

employee benefits mental health

Employee benefits: What’s trending now

Primary Sidebar

  • Competitions
  • Noticeboard
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy

© 2022 Expat Living Singapore, All Rights Reserved.