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Overview of Peranakan Culture in Singapore

• Who are the Peranakans?
• Peranakan Museum
• Peranakan Mansion Museum
• The Intan – Peranakan House Museum
• Peranakan Cuisine
• Peranakan Architecture

Who are the Peranakans?

“The Peranakans” are not a singular group of people. In the Peranakan museum of Singapore they explain that there is no single Peranakan culture but rather many expressions of it. However, their unifying trait is the combinations of different ancestral cultures: Chinese, Indian, Arabic & European with the indigenous cultures of Malaysia & Indonesia.

In this article I will mostly be talking about the Chinese/Malay Peranakans of Singapore – the Nyonya and Babas – who additionally draw a lot of cultural influences of former colonial powers like England.

Simplified Malay was the lingua franca of Peranakans, but was adapted over centuries into “Baba Malay”, which mixes in Hokkien as well.

Peranakan Museum

The Peranakan Museum is a good starting point to explore Peranakan culture in Singapore. Their exhibits start with the origins, then dive deeper into family and community life, as well as fashion and art.

One of the most fascinating exhibits to me was that of Peranakan Embroidery. Born from traditional Chinese embroidery and the use of beads in Malay embroidery this colourful handcraft could be found in all aspects of life, from accessories, to slippers (kasut manek), bed-curtains to entire tablecloth spanning meters. In some of the older pieces you can also see beads with a cut-glass effect from Germany, but the import stopped after WWII.

In the past the beadwork of a woman was used to judge her patience, skill, and suitability as a wife. That means her craftsmanship influenced the prospects of marriage!

While I was there they had a special exhibit about the Peacock and it’s significance for cultures across the globe, with a focus of the motif in Peranakan Culture. It’s always super interesting to see how the same animal or symbol was used in many different cultures and countries all over the world. It should remind us that at the core there are more things that unite us than divide us.

Peranakan Mansion Museum

The Peranakan Mansion Museum describes their building as a “Crazy Rich Asian’s 1928 home”. This beautifully decorated building was and still is a shophouse today with shops downstairs and the private museum on the upper floors where the living quarters used to be. The ticket includes a complimentary 30 minute guided tour in either English or Mandarin, but you can walk around the house and get a closer look at the exhibits before or after the tour.

The table decorations, many pieces of pottery showing off wealth, but with no other use, and the colourful beaded everyday items are mostly arranged in the house as they would have been when it was still lived in and offer a look into the past.

Inside the museum they also offer many different colourful Sarong Kebaya & Batik Shirts you can rent to take pictures or have your picture taken. If you are more interested in hands on workshops they also offer beading*-workshops (book here on klook*), tile painting*-workshops (book here on klook*) and shophouse sketch-& watercolour*-paint-workshops (book here on klook*). If you are super interested in the clothing rental, the beading and Peranakan sweets you can even go for a four-hour experience* that includes all of those things (book here on klook*). However those are limited to very few days each month and none were happening while I was in Singapore.

The Intan – Peranakan House Museum

The third museum on this list is the smallest, but has an extensive exhibition of items from Peranakan culture. It’s also very special: It’s a house museum. That means it’s a museum inside someone’s house who lives there. That someone is Alvin. He is Peranakan himself and shares his appreciation of his culture with guests from Singapore and all over the world. His house museum is officially recognized by the National Heritage Board of Singapore.

During the tour (and also just in general) Alvins love for his culture is palpable, he speaks passionately about every artefact and freely shares how he came to open his house as a museum in the first place.

You can book your visit, which includes a tour of the house, the gallery upstairs – no pictures allowed, let yourself be surprised by the treasures from this culture Alvin has collected over the years – as well as tea, and home made Peranakan cookies.

You can book the experience online on klook* and get a Peranakan tile sticker with your visit.

Peranakan Cuisine

Peranakan Cuisine, like the rest of Peranakan culture, has influences from many cultures. There are some places in Singapore who explicitly serve Peranakan cuisine, but you won’t get a recommendation to any of them from anyone who actually is Peranakan. Not because they aren’t good, but apparently because any recommendation that isn’t their mothers cooking is an insult to their mother.

Chin Mee Chin Confectionery

This place is one of the oldest coffeshops in Singapore. Opened over 100 years ago this shop serves kaya toast, kopi, teh and much more. They have different options for breakfast, but the original is the best choice. For $6.20 SGD it comes with two half buns with Kaya spread and squares of butter, served with two soft boiled eggs for dipping and a Teh or Kopi of your choice, this is THE Singaporean Breakfast when you’re out exploring the Katong District.

Update: I have since been informed that Kaya Toast with soft boiled eggs is of Hainanese-Singaporean origin, not Peranakan. So I have corrected & edited that part. It’s still a good place for breakfast though and a Singaporean staple.

Bibik Violet

Located in the Temasek Shophouse this Café / Restaurant serves Peranakan dishes, as well as Malay Cuisine. I went for the Kueh Pie Tee – small crispy cup-like shells, served with shredded turnip, carrot, tofu and bamboo shoots, topped with egg, chilli and sweet sauce. You can fill them yourself – to taste, so I went for less chilli. Afterwards I had one of their Nyonya Kueh for dessert, by just asking which one they’d recommend. It was a rice-pudding cake base with blue butterfly pea, topped with Kaya (young coconut jam) jelly.

Peranakan Architecture

Peranakan Houses are colourful and feature decorative tiles (often with flower motifs), intricate wood or stone carvings and ornate window-frames. Some houses still have swinging doors (pintu pagar) which were a trend at one point for homeowners looking to show off their wealth and that they were going with the times.

Many houses built in the Peranakan Architectural style have been preserved in Singapore, specifically in the Joo Chiat area of the Katong District. Their architecture mixes Chinese, Malay, and European elements. Most of the houses in this style were shophouses with shops on the ground floor and the living quarters on the upper floor(s).

Along Koon Seng Road in the Katong District rows of pre-war terrace houses have survived and are being kept in good condition. They are known simply as as “Peranakan Houses” in Singapore and on Google Maps. Today, even though still inhabited, they are a well-liked photo background.

Der Beitrag Exploring Peranakan Culture in Singapore erschien zuerst auf Kaya Wanderlust.

This post contains affiliate links to things like tours and hotels. These help me earn a small commission at no additional charge to you. Every affiliate link is marked with a *.

Overview of my 24 hours at Changi Airport in Singapore

• Hour 1 – Baggage drop off
• Hour 2 – T5 in the making
• Hour 3 – Changi Experience Studio
• Hour 4 – Snack and drink
• Hour 5-8 – Exploring the Jewel after sunset
• Hour 9 – 11 – Changi Lounge
• Hour 12 – Visit The Wonderfall and go through Security
• Hour 13 + 14 Explore different Gardens
• Hour 15 – Dreamscape
• Hour 16 – 19 – Nap at the relaxation area
• Hour 20 + 21 – Free Movie Theatre
• Hour 22 Cactus Garden
• Hour 23 – Breakfast
• Hour 24 – Head to your gate
• 10 Tips to make your stay better

Hour 1 – Baggage drop off or storage (1 PM)

Depending on the airline you’re flying with you can drop off your bags up to 24 hours before departure at the Jewel Early Check-in Facility (located at Level 1 of Jewel Changi Airport)! I was flying with Scoot, so I had an 18 hour window. That means I had to deal with my luggage for the first 6 hours at the airport. Which in turn meant I had to pay for baggage storage since I didn’t want to carry it with me.

At Smarte Carte you can store your luggage starting at 11 SGD for a small suitcase and 16 SGD for a large suitcase for 24 hours. They have all their locations linked on their website.

Hour 2 – T5 in the making (2 PM)

After dropping off my luggage at the Jewel I made my way via Skytrain to Terminal 3 to see the exhibition of the construction of the new terminal five of the airport. The exhibition sign up is located inside the public area of the Terminal 3 Arrival Hall on Level 1 near McDonald’s, the actual exhibition can be accessed from outside Terminal 3. You can book a ticket for free here on the official website: T5 in the making

The “T5 in the making” exhibition is divided in five zones:

1. Zone: Another Bold Singapore Chapter
2. Zone: Built on Firm Foundations
3. Zone: From Vision to Reality
4. Zone: Cool Tech Warm Touch
5. Zone: Come Imagine with T5

It was very informative and very well designed. Better designed than some museums I have been to and definitely worth a visit when you’re at the airport and have any interest in aviation, technology, ecological economic expansion, inclusive design or advanced robotic technology.

For kids and those collecting mementos from their travels: You get a “boarding pass” as your ticket which you can stamp at every zone.

Hour 3 – Changi Experience Studio (3 PM)

The Changi Experience Studio* is the “older brother” of the T5 in the making exhibition. It is a permanent interactive exhibition where visitors can learn about the airport and the aviation industry, about planes, pilots and the ground staff that make the airport work in a gamified way. You can spend well over an hour in here, especially when you come with children.

Hour 4 – Snack and drinks (4 PM)

First I went to Chow Zan Dessert and got Mua Chee with peanut and black sesame, then paired it with an Osmanthus Oolong Milk Tea from CHA MULAN. With these two things bought I went to the Shiseido Forest Valley and found myself a nice spot amidst the greenery.

Hour 5-8 – Exploring the Jewel after sunset (5 – 9 PM)

While exploring the Jewel at the airport during the day is also very nice, there are only so many hours and I chose to spend most of the daylight time inside the city itself. So after the exhibitions it was time to explore the illuminated building and all it has to offer.

There are many attractions to experience, but if you want to see all of them it’ll get expensive fast. After weighting the options I opted to buy a ticket for the Walking Net. When you buy a ticket for any of the bigger attractions you get a ticket to the Canopy Park for free. That includes the Discovery Slides, the Foggy Bowls, the Petal Garden and the Topiary Walk.

You can buy a combo ticket on klook here* to save on the ticket admission. Most attractions close at 9 PM and the last admission is 30 minutes earlier.

Of course you can explore other parts of the airport for free! Places like the Shiseido Forest Valley around the Jewel Rain Vortex (which has light and sound shows every day, every hour between 8 PM and 10 PM, as well as 1 PM on Fridays and weekends).

Hour 9 – 11 – Changi Lounge (9 – 11 PM)

When I was there it was still the conjunction period with the Lunar New Year, which meant that the “Lite Package” was not available. Normally the light package costs 28 SGD ≈ 29 € and includes 3 hours lounge access with a free flow snack bar.

The “Classic Package” to access the lounge – at a price point of 39 SGD ≈ 25 € includes:

• 3h lounge access
• Free flow snack bar
• One hot meal
• One beer

If you are planning on using the shower facilities, go for the “Premium Package” instead. It includes all of the above and costs 50 SGD ≈ 33,50 €. Buying a classic package (39 SGD) and a separate shower pass (20 SGD) would be ≈ 39,50 €.

The shower slot comes with towels and toiletries. You get a 20-minute shower slot (the last shower slot is at 9:25 PM), which you have to buy over the counter directly at the lounge. You can book your ticket directly online here on klook*.

Hour 12 – Visit The Wonderfall and go through Security (Midnight)

Going through the main security at Changi Airport is quick. They check your passport and your visa and that’s it. That’s because the security check we all know from the airport where you and your luggage get scanned happens in front of the gate before you fly.

Which is why you have more than enough time to visit The Wonderfall (Terminal 2) before you go. The Wonderfall is a mutli-storey LED panel covered wall (there’s several hundred of them, all aligned perfectly to make it seem like a giant screen) that displays a giant waterfall rushing down over the security gate. It is surrounded by live greenery and accompanied by an original composed music and natural sounds of rushing water.

Hour 13 + 14 Explore different Gardens (1 – 2 AM)

Inside the Changi Airport Terminals are many different gardens, from a Butterfly Garden (Terminal 3) to a Sunflower Garden (Terminal 2) , a Water Lily Garden (Terminal 1) , a Cactus Garden (I went to that one later). Of course these gardens are much nicer to see during the day, but at night you have them to yourself

Did you know that you can “visit” these gardens virtually from your own home? On the official blog NowBoarding by Changi Airport you can see three of the airport gardens:
www.nowboarding.changiairport.com/discover-changi/changi-airport-gardens-virtual-tours

Hour 15 – Dreamscape (3 AM)

The Dreamspace at Changi Airport Terminal 2 is a a mix between live fish in ponds, curated plants from all over the country, a giant screen on the ceiling that displays the current weather of Singapore (accurate to a 30 minute window), or a magical underwater landscape – accompanied by soft music and nature sounds.

Hour 16 – 19 – Nap at the relaxation area (4 – 7 AM)

There are free so called “Snooze Lounges” at every Terminal of Changi Airport. Those are designated areas with lounge chairs where you can nap (and charge your electronic devices). Since my next stop was in Terminal 3 I went there first, but at this hour all the chairs were taken. So I took the skytrain and napped at one of the lounges at Terminal 2 instead. There’s a list on the official Changi Website where you can find all the lounge locations.

Hour 20 + 21 – Free Movie Theatre (8 – 9 AM)

Like I said previously, my next stop was the free movie theatre located in Terminal 3, next to the Ambassador Transit Hotel.

I shows movies almost 24/7, only being closed for a few hours for maintenance every Thursday. During the time I was there they were showing the third Frozen movie.

Hour 22 Cactus Garden (9 AM)

The Cactus Garden is inside the transit area of Terminal 1. Since it was getting closer to my boarding time I had left this garden for last. It was honestly my favourite out of the gardens, despite the number of people smoking. It is nicely curated and as soon as you leave the main area you have the garden to yourself (or at least it feels like it). It was a great breath of fresh air after all the time inside.

Hour 23 – Breakfast (10 AM)

For breakfast I went to Heavenly Wang, also inside the transit area of Terminal 1. There I had the Kaya Peanut Toast Set with two boiled eggs and a Teh (Teh with no additional letter is dark tea with condensed milk).

Hour 24 – Head to your gate (11 AM)

As I said, the security check happens at the gate, so it’s best to head there early. I went 30 minutes before boarding and they were already done with most of the security check, so I hurried to pour out my water (there was a drinking water fountain after security where you can fill up the bottles again) and get through the check.

Tips to make your stay at Changi Airport better

These tips are a mix between official tips from the Changi Airport Group that also found helpful and some things I wish I had known before my time there, which I will happily share with you here:

1. Make a plan

It sounds easy and almost negligible to say, but you’d be surprised how much walking you’ll do if you don’t plan ahead. Even with a plan I walked over 3km inside the airport! Save the things you want to see in a maps app of your choice and know from which terminal you’ll be flying out. Especially if it’s Terminal 4, since it is a ways away from Terminals 1-3.

2. Changi App

It can be a pain sometimes to find the places you’re looking for at the airport. To make things easier you can download the Changi App. I did once I was sufficiently fed up while looking for a specific food stall. You can read more about the app on their official website here: Changi App

3. Early check-in and luggage drop off

While you can use the Jewel Early Check-in Facility, you can also just go for an early check-in at the terminal as long as your airline allows it. There’s a list of which airlines allow early check-in and baggage drop-off a while before departure on the official airport website.

4. Luggage Storage

If you want to explore the airport and more specifically the Jewel after you land you can store your luggage at one of the storage points. The Baggage Storage by Smarte Carte have many locations throughout the airport.

5. Buy combo tickets online for the best offers

You can book many tickets to attractions at the Jewel online on klook*. These tickets come as combo-packages and can save you money compared to buying single tickets everywhere.

6. Showers outside of the Changi Lounge

If you want to shower, but don’t want to pay for full lounge access you can also shower at Hub & Spoke Lounge in the public area at Singapore Changi Airport. A ticket for a shower slot can also be booked on klook* here. You can choose between a ticket with a towel and one without. Since I always carry my travel towel I would opt for the option without one.

However, there are few things you need to know:

1. Lockers are too small for anything other than a carry-on
2. Bring flip flops or waterproof slippers, the floors are not clean
3. Some of the lockers don’t have numbers anymore. DO NOT pick one of those or remember which one is yours. I didn’t pay enough attention to that and when I panicked when the locker didn’t open (it had my phone, my wallet and my passport) and the cleaning staff got a staff member from the cafe they berated me AND the cleaning lady since they are only allowed to open one locker. And if that’s not the correct locker they have to call the airport security on you. Exactly what you want while you’re standing there in your underwear. After a lot of discussion (and the other women in the showers with me at the time vouching for me) they did help me. Turns out the lock was so jammed that even with the key they had trouble opening it. No wonder my code did not work. :/ Being awake for over 40 hours at that point it was just a lot of unnecessary panic.

7. A longer lounge stay AFTER going through security

If you want to shower after going through security skip the Changi Lounge and go for the Singapore Changi Airport Lounge Service by Plaza Premium Lounge instead. They also have showers, food, free wifi and comfortable seating. You can book a ticket online on klook* to save money on the admission.

8. Sleep in a proper bed, with a private bathroom

Book a room at the YOTELAIR* inside the Jewel at the Airport. A premium queen bed cabin with an en-suite bathroom is around 112€ when you book it online on klook*. They have rooms with a capacity for up to four people.

9. Free Singapore Bus Tour

If you don’t have this much time, or don’t want to spend your stopover at an airport and rather see the city, check if you’re eligible for a free bus tour of Singapore! You are eligible if you have a layover of at least 5,5 hours and up to 24 hours. At Terminal 2, near Gate F50 is the information kiosk where you can pick which type of tour you’d like to take – like the Sentosa Tour, the City Sights Tour, the Cultural Heritage Tour (my recommendation) or the Singapore River and Marina Bay Sands Tour.

Since you have to pass immigration to do the tour make sure your country doesn’t need a visa or you have a visa.

Afterwards you can even get 20% off Canopy Park attractions in the Jewel

10. More things to do at the airport

There are even more things to do at the airport that I haven’t had the time to do, but you can read up on them on the official airport blog here: www.nowboarding.changiairport.com/discover-changi/things-to-do-at-singapore-changi-airport

Der Beitrag 24 hours at Changi Airport Singapore erschien zuerst auf Kaya Wanderlust.