“From the oldest sanctuary to Thai-styled monastery, these beautifully designed temples in Singapore will impress even the most seasoned travelers.”
Singapore is undisputed one of the most gorgeous places in the world. And it won’t be what it is today without its diversity. Standing as a multicultural hub the country has plenty of religious sites that offer deep insights into different customs. Tourists love the myriad of culture, cuisine and attractions.
Amongst many, what seems to behold the emotions of all kinds of travellers is the place of worship. In the mix of an array of religion and races, the temples are primarily dedicated to three of them! Depicting rich artwork, gold galore, Buddha’s tooth and jaw-dropping architecture, there is no short of elegant monuments here.
The Famous temples in Singapore that must be ticked off in your next vacay are-
1. Sri Mariamman Temple
Dated back to1827, this oldest and biggest Hindu temple in Singapore is nestled in Chinatown. This is dedicated to Goddess Mariamman, the god of rain who has the power of healing illness. As you feast your eye on this shrine, you find Gopuram( pyramid style gate-way) with six layers of statues of gods, animals and other embellishments in bright colours, which depicts stories. This Dravidian art-influenced style continues inside and you can explore amazing traditional designs. The Fire Walking Ceremony makes it even more popular during the Deepavali.
Location: 244 South Bridge Road, Singapore
Timings: 7 AM – 12 PM & 6 PM – 9 PM
2. Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum
Known for housing the tooth relic of Buddha in a stupa, which is made out of 320 kilograms of gold contributed by the devotees, the temple is way too fascinating. Sitting at the heart of Chinatown, this temple is iconic in its looks and artefacts. Apart from the tooth, the temple houses some unique Buddha antiques, including statues, tapestry and more. As it is temple plus museum, don’t be surprised to find a sophisticated library, a rooftop garden, bookstore and vegetarian restaurant. Take a tour of all four floors and you can explore the rich history and culture of Buddhism.
Location: 288 South Bridge Rd, Singapore 058840
Timings: Viewing of Buddha Tooth Relic: 9 am- 6 pm
Buddhist Culture Museum and Relic Chamber: 9 am-6 pm
Eminent Sangha Museum: 7 am-7 pm
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3. Thian Hong Keng Temple
A Hokkien temple that holds the utmost significance in Singapore is the Thian Hong Keng, which literally translates to ‘temple of heavenly happiness’. It is the oldest shrine in the country, dedicated to the Goddess of Sea and is built in traditional Southern Chinese style. The intricate designs and artwork is highly admired and was a must stop for the Chinese immigrants in the past. The finest Asian styled art is composed of stone, wood and tile giving the structure an unusual construction. You will be baffled by the ceiling mosaics and magnificent architecture. It had undergone changes many a time since the day it’s built and the renovations have helped it win numerous awards.
Location: 158 Telok Ayer St, Singapore 068613
Timings: 7:30 am- 5:30 pm
4. Burmese Buddhist Temple
Housing an 11-feet tall and 10-ton heavy Buddha image in white marble, the temple is gigantic. Brought in 1918 to Singapore, the temple is the oldest Theravada holy place here. Popularly called as Maha Sasana Ramsi, the inside hall has Buddha sitting- and the sight is tranquil and divine. In the outside there is a Bodhi tree seeded from the same tree under which Buddha got enlightenment, underlying which is a statue of Him, symbolising his awakening to the world. You can also be a part of several events taking place throughout the year, from Dhamma classes to Chinese New Year celebrations.
Location: 14 Tai Gin Road, Singapore 327873
Timing: 6:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
5. Sri Thendayuthapani Temple
Boasting an extraordinary feature on the roof -the 48 engraved glass panels that catch the bewildering sight of rising and setting of the sun, the Hindu temple embraces peace and love. Detailed on the top by the colourful statues and 75 feet tall blue Gopuram, the visitors are stunned at the entry itself. The main deity is the six-faced Lord Subramanian and on the full moon day in January and February, you can step forward to witness the life-size festival Thaipusam, one of the most awaited Singapore’s festivals and events.
Location: 15 Tank Rd, Singapore 238065
Timing: 8 am-noon, 5:30 pm-8:30 pm
6. Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple
The 14-handed goddess Kali, the fierce incarnation of Shiva’s Wife is the main avatar that is bowed and prayed here, who is strong in nature, protects from evil and removes ego. Built by the Indian pioneers- the Tamil settlers, the temple is a distinctive landmark in the heart of Little India. It is known for palatial designs and has fascinating stories to tell from past. With its bewildering architecture, colourful statues and entangled detailing, the visit to the temple turns out to be a spectacular experience.
Location: 141 Serangoon Rd, Singapore 218042
Timing: 8:00 am- 12:30 pm, 4:00 pm – 8:30 pm
7. Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple
Going back for about 164 years, the temple was built with statues of Perumal (Lord Vishnu), Goddesses Lakshmi and Andal and Lord Vishnu’s bird mount Garuda. The temple has been renovated several times. Designed in the traditional Indian style, it has the tall Gopuram (which was added in recent years of the 1970s) and different incarnations of Lord Vishnu.
Location: 397 Serangoon Rd, Singapore 218123
Timing: 6:15 am- 9:00 pm
8. Yueh Hai Ching Temple
Acclaimed as the Temple of Love, you can pay a visit to this historic Chinese temple in Singapore. Inspired by the Teochew traditional Chinese architectural style, it has got decorated roofs, dragon and 3D walls, and other interesting sights to gaze at. Since you are at the temple, take out the time to commend its intricate ornamentation which underwent an extravagant restoration of $7.5 million and received a UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage award. There are puppet shows still performed at the temple in honour of the deities on festivals.
Location: 30B Philip Street, Singapore 048696
Timing: 7:30 am-5:30 pm
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9. Seng Wong Beo Temple
The tales about this temple are unusual but before going on, it is better to know some facts about it. It is a temple established for the city God in Tanjong Pagar. This building at first was just a small structure of wood. But in 1905, it was transformed into a beautiful temple with crystal green roofs and red beams supporting the building’s weight. The interesting fact is that it also conducts strange ghost marriages. This is a Chinese tradition. Ghost marriage as the name means, is marrying two people who have died, or union between a dead and an alive person.
Location:113 Peck Seah St Singapore Singapore 079332
Timing-Mon-Wed & Fri-Sun 8 am-4.30 pm
10. Wat Ananda Metyarama Thai Buddhist Temple
Thai Buddhist temples are plenty in Thailand. But, you can also visit once in Singapore. Wat Ananda Metyrama is the oldest Thai Buddha temple. This temple has been renovated multiple times. The final renovation was in 2014. Many other things have been added like new monks’ quarters, meditation halls, classrooms, and a museum. The renovated building has been built uniquely. You will see conventional and modern elements too. It was selected for the World Architecture Festival in 2014.
Location- 50B Jalan Bukit Merah Singapore 169545
Timing- Daily 8.30 am-7 pm
11. Lian Shaan Shuang Lin Monastery
This Buddhist monastery was first established in 1908. Also called Siong Lim Temple, it is the oldest in Singapore. To restore the beauty of the monastery, a project worth 40 million dollars was completed in 2002. The carpenters and artisans who built this structure were hired from China itself. The architecture shows a glimpse of the Chinese form of building. It is specially built as a replica of the Xi Chang Shi Temple in Fuzhou, South China. The architecture is very unique and includes two magnificent wooden entrance gates that are 9.1 meters long. The Dragon Light Pagoda is 29 meters in dimension. The material used is granite. It has a spiral structure painted with gold color on the top of the structure. The path that leads to the monastery is also elegantly decorated. The Mahavira Hall and the Hall of Celestia Kings are major viewpoints inside the monastery.
Location-184 Jln Toa Payoh Singapore 319944
Timing-Daily 8 am-5 pm
12. Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple
This temple is underrated so you should visit it if you want a peaceful place to go. The best part is this temple is quite colorful. There is an influence of Chinese, Thai, and Indian architecture. The visual appeal of the building is quite beautiful. Even on the inside, the Buddha statue is quite prominent. Can you imagine that It weighs 3000 tonnes and is 15 feet high? In the lower part of the statue, there is a mural that pictures the life values of Buddha. There are other relevant items on display in the building. The temple is named the Temple Of Thousand Lights. The temple inside is quite lighted. Lights are wrapped around the statue and the entire inside is decorated with it.
Location -366 Race Course Road, Singapore 218638
Timing- 8:00 AM – 4:45 PM
13. Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple-
The temple has a very cultural atmosphere. During festivals, you will find beautiful stalls that sell flowers and aromatic incense. These are needed for worship. The place where the temple is built is easy to get to. So, it is popular among tourists. The statue of the Goddess of Mercy, Guan Yin is established here. Whenever the 1st and 15th of the month come around, Chinese worshippers come to pray here and ask for mercy. 1884 was the year it was built. Predictions made by Buddhist experts here have come true as most people say.
Location-178 Waterloo Street, Singapore 187964
Timing- 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM
14. Hong San See Temple
This temple is at a height above the ground. Before the city around it was developed, you could view the beautiful sea from there. To reach the main temple you need to walk up some stairs. Now, there are popular restaurants, bars, and luxurious apartments nearby, due to which many people visit it. The outside of this temple shows how fine the Chinese art of architecture is. The iconic dragons and peony statues adorn the walls. Also, for building the structure, strong granite is used.
Location-31 Mohamed Sultan Road, Singapore 238975
Timing- 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
15. Sri Krishnan Temples
This is another Indian temple that you will find here. As the name suggests, the temple is for worshippers of Lord Krishna. It was built for him and his partner who used to accompany him at all times. From the main entry to the building, you will learn about the various forms of God through the various statues that are present along the walls. A similar approach is seen in the main building. There are various statues of Lord Vishu, each decorated with gemstones. You will find that the gopuram, a large pyramid structure is present at the top which is quite elegant. There is a worship area. There is also an extension of the building that expands over 4 floors.
Location-152 Waterloo Street, Singapore 187961
Timing- 6:30 AM – 12:30 PM and 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM
16. Sri Sivan Temple
The other Hindu place of worship that you should pay some attention to is the Sri Sivan Temple. Despite its color of white and beige, this temple is easily identified on Geylang East Avenue 2. However, before its permanent establishment, the Sri Sivan Temple was moved several times to places like Dhoby Ghaut MRT station, Potong Pasir, and McDonald House. This magnificent building was constructed in the 18th century as a tribute to Shiva, the lord of gods. After so many years, it continues to be an amazing place for the people who want to spend a holy time. You can also participate in the morning and evening prayers that are convened every single day.
Location-24 Geylang East Avenue 2, Singapore 389752
Timing- 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM and 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
17. Sri Layan Sithi Vinayagar
In 1925 Hindu Chettiars from South India constructed the Sri Layan Sithi Vinayagar Temple. They immigrated to Singapore primarily as money lenders. This temple was built as Vinayagar, also known as Ganesha the Elephant God’s shrine. It was a favorite with the employees from the nearby hospital (which is still there) and also the prison (which doesn’t exist now). Visit on the weekends and you will most likely find hundreds of pairs abandoned near the temple’s entrance by those who frequent it regularly as proof of its popularity.
Location- 73 Keong Saik Road Singapore 089167
Timing- 7.30am-noon, 5.30 pm-8.30 pm daily
18. Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple
This Hindu temple in Katong is hard not to see with a five-tiered, 68 feet tall golden entrance tower. The Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple was established in the 1850s when the Lord Vinayagar statue was found lying by a pond near Chempaka tree – known as Senpaga in Tamil, on its bank. This humble shrine under the tree has grown to include a large worship hall centered on four granite pillars each of which eight carvings illustrate Lord Vinayagar, among others, true.
Location-19 Ceylon Road, Singapore 429613
Timing-6:30 AM – 12:00 PM and 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
FAQs
Q1. Are there vegetarian restaurants or food stalls near Buddhist temples?
Ans- Yes, as many Buddhists follow a vegetarian diet, you can find vegetarian food options close to Buddhist temples.
Q2. Name the festivals celebrated in Hindu temples.
Ans- Hindu temples in Singapore celebrate major festivals like Deepavali, Thaipusam, and Navaratri. These celebrations include cultural events and rituals.
Q3. Can non-Hindus visit and participate in temple activities?
Ans- Yes, Hindu temples in Singapore are generally open to visitors of all religions. Visitors are expected to dress modestly and follow temple rules.