The best cities in Asia to see gorgeous street art

The rise of street art in Southeast Asia can be traced to the 2012 Georgetown Festival, when Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic created artworks like Boy on a Bike and Little Boy with a Pet Dinosaur, which put Penang’s Georgetown on the global street art map. It was followed by the 101 Lost Kittens project, with murals like Love Me Like Your Fortune Cat and The Window Cat, which created awareness about caring for strays. Also notable are 52 wire sculptures by local cartoonists, including one that honours Penang-born designer Jimmy Choo. 

If you only see one thing: The recently restored Children on a Bicycle portrays the carefree joys of childhood.

Time Out tip: Cycling around the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town gives a good view of the street art, mostly located on Armenian Street and Chulia Street.

In 2014, the St+Art foundation invited 50 street artists to paint murals in what would become India’s first public art district at Lodhi Colony, an area of government housing quarters. From Letters to Lodhi by artist duo Yok and Sheryo inspired by Indian matchboxes, to Belgian artist Adele Renault’s ode to the city’s ubiquitous pigeons, the murals pay tribute to the city’s nuances. Elsewhere, Mahatma Gandhi is the face of India’s tallest mural on the wall of New Delhi’s Police Headquarters.

If you only see one thing: Instante by Paola Delfin in Lodhi Art District captures the faces of ordinary citizens, from schoolgirls to daily wage workers.

Time Out tip: Hiring an autorickshaw is the best way to see the art district. When hungry, refuel with fluffy dosas and refreshing majjige (spiced buttermilk) at Carnatic Cafe.

The 2016 Bukruk Urban Arts Festival splashed colour on the sleepy Charoenkrung Soi 32, through murals like Alex Face’s three-eyed kid and Kult’s creepy portraits. Many of the original murals have been replaced, but the alley is still a pop art hub. Nearby Chinatown is a street artists’ paradise. On Song Wat Road, Elephants by ROA has two tumbling elephants opposite Kitsune Jolene’s Friendly Visitors celebrating Belgian-Thai relations, while popular restaurants like Urai Braised Goose and Gu Long Bao have cute food-themed murals beside them. The San Chao Rong Kueak alley in Talad Noi is filled with colourful paintings depicting its Chinese history, including the cats who are honorary residents.

If you only see one thing: Scratching the Surface by Vhils, where concrete peeled off in layers unveils a picture that offers different views from multiple angles.

Time Out tip: Beat Bangkok’s heat at Talad Noi’s cafes, with local coffee brews at Mother Roasters or the smoothies at Blacksmith Cafe.

Over the last decade, Singapore’s National Arts Council has collaborated with local artists on projects reflecting the island nation’s diversity. Yip Yew Chong filled the streets of Chinatown with murals reflecting its heritage, including letter writers, paper mask sellers and Cantonese opera performers. In Little India, Working Class Hero by ZERO has Indian movie star Rajnikanth grinning down at you, while JABA’s Daily Delivery honours the area’s food traditions. The hip Haji Lane is known for Colombian artist Didier Mathieu’s Aztec-inspired murals, while Gelam Gallery in nearby Muscat Street hosts Singapore’s first outdoor art gallery. 

If you only see one thing: Thian Hock Keng, a 44m-long mural by Yip Yew Chong depicting Singapore’s yesteryear.

Time Out tip: Head to hawker centres like Maxwell, Chinatown Complex, and Tekka to refuel on Michelin-recommended street food.

The oldest and largest pedestrian zone in Taipei is also a street art hub. In Ximending, art literally starts from the street, in the form of Rainbow Six outside Ximen MRT station. This rainbow-coloured zebra crossing marks  Taiwan becoming the first Asian country to legalise same-sex marriage. The narrow alleys around Kunming Street, including America Street and Wuchang Street, are filled with pop art murals and graffiti by local artists like Fleks and Vastar. At the nearby Taipei Cinema Park, look for the edgy Suicide Squad mural by collective Citymarx, as well as Girenhao’s haunting bespectacled eyes.

If you only see one thing: Taipei-based Dutch artist Fleks’ psychedelic cyberpunk wall inspired by Gundam, a Transformers-type Japanese robot.

Time Out tip: Check out the quirky side of Ximending, from themed 7-Elevens (e.g. Hello Kitty, Lays chips) to maid cafes and a toilet-themed restaurant.

Once a 19th-century British military camp, Sai Ying Pun is now home to Art Lane, one of Hong Kong’s foremost street art spots. Murals like Neil Wang’s vibrant Urban Jungle and Ceet Fouad’s colourful mosaic of Hong Kong icon Bruce Lee brighten the residential district. The city also hosts an annual street art festival whose outputs can be seen across Hong Kong. See Belgian artist Jaune’s miniature of Hong Kong’s urban landscape at the Lan Kwai Fong Hotel,French artist Hopare’s indigo-tinged tribute to Staunton Street’s residents, and the colourful stretch that is Hollywood Road.

If you only see one thing: Yaumati by Alex Croft is inspired by the tenement buildings of the former Kowloon Walled City.

Time Out tip: Check out Hollywood Road – named the world’s second coolest street in 2024 by Time Out –  to explore bars like Penicillin and Quinary, and restaurants like Michelin-starred Tate Dining Room and trendy Man Mo Dim Sum. 

A project by the culture ministry to revive a hillside suburb originally marked for demolition, Ihwa Mural Village’s paintings depict daily Korean life. – Look out for those of the seamstress, the paper collector, as well as Son Heung-min, captain of Tottenham Hotspur and the South Korean football team. The indie art neighbourhood of Hongdae has a mural alley, often known as Picasso Street, where cartoon characters and abstract art line the walls between bars, nightclubs and cafes. Artists who have moved to Mullae-Dong, once a hub for metalworks factories, have livened up shop shutters and disused buildings with art, along with sculptures like a scarecrow and a giant hammer, which are made of metal scrap in a nod to the history of the area.

If you only see one thing: Angel Wings in Ihwa Mural Village has been featured in a few Korean shows.

Time Out tip: Hike the Naksan Mountain Trail, which passes through Ihwa Mural Village and Naksan Park, and follows the 14th-century Seoul City Wall.