Bugis Street is named one of the top 10 night markets in the world – hear us out on this one

Local street eats, affordable clothes, and little trinkets that tempt you to spend with every turn– that’s the core of Asia’s charming night markets. Despite the bustle, noise, and grittiness of it all, we’re often in search of such street bazaars when we cross borders for cheap travel destinations around the region. 

It might be ironic, then, that Singapore’s very own Bugis Street scraped through to the 10th spot in Travelbag’s list of top destinations for night markets – right alongside many hop-on-a-plane-worthy ones including Chatuchak Weekend Market (#1), Jodd Fairs (#3), and Shihlin Night Market (#5).

But hear us out on this one – we actually think they’re on to something. While it’s important to acknowledge our Singaporean pasar malam culture, those traditional night markets in the heartlands are occasional and temporary, often arriving as a surprise and disappearing within a week or two. This makes it hard for them to mark their spot on the world map – a local open secret, if you will. Bugis Street, however, is a permanent hangout that many of us grew up with – and it’s still standing strong today for a new generation of youth, as well as grown-ups seeking a nostalgia trip and cool new finds rolled into one.

If you haven’t visited that haunt in a while, here’s what’s new. For one, Bugis Street has developed a creative streak, with its own outdoor Art Lane where trend-seeking folk gather for live music and handmade goods by local crafters. Within Bugis Street Market itself – conveniently shielded from sun and rain – there are trendy themed photo booths, Y2K fashion stores, and claw machines.

Of course, the usual tourist shops on Level 1 bearing Merlion keychains and “I [heart] SG” tees remain, but we mostly breeze past them for the food stalls with yummy street delights. 

10 best street markets in the world, according to Travelbag:

1. Chatuchak Weekend Market – Bangkok, Thailand
2. Pub Street – Siem Reap, Cambodia
3. Jodd Fairs Night Market – Bangkok, Thailand
4. Petaling Street Market – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
5. Shilin Night Market – Taipei, Taiwan
6. Ningxia Night Market – Taipei, Taiwan
7. Queens Night Market – New York City, USA
8. Chiang Rai Night Market – Chiang Rai, Thailand
9. 626 Night Market – Los Angeles Area, USA
10. Bugis Street Market – Singapore

Find out about the ranking methodology here, with some judging factors including safety at night, monthly search volume, and TikTok post volume.

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