Photo spot in Singapore
Chinatown & the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
Singapore
Five streets of restored shophouses around a Tang-style temple completed in 2007, whose top-floor chamber holds a relic said to be a tooth of the Buddha inside a stupa reportedly cast from over three hundred kilograms of gold — and, two minutes away, the oldest Hindu temple in the country and a Chinese temple older than both.
Best time
First thing in the morning, before the coaches, when the red-and-gold façade is lit from the east and the street in front is still being set up — and again after dark, when the temple and the shophouse lanterns are lit
Best angle
From the far corner of the square opposite, wide, so the whole five-storey façade fits with the shophouses beside it for scale — from the pavement below you get a doorway
Entry fee
Free
Opening hours
The temple typically about 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, with the relic chamber closing earlier; the street markets run into the evening
Crowd level
High
Best outfit colors
Overview
Best time to visit Chinatown & the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
The best time to photograph Chinatown & the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is first thing in the morning, before the coaches, when the red-and-gold façade is lit from the east and the street in front is still being set up — and again after dark, when the temple and the shophouse lanterns are lit, when crowds are typically high. Arrive a little early to claim your angle and catch the softest light before the day tips over.
Poses & angles
Photo tips for Chinatown & the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
The strongest shots at Chinatown & the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple come from the far corner of the square opposite, wide, so the whole five-storey façade fits with the shophouses beside it for scale — from the pavement below you get a doorway. Work a few of the pose ideas below, shoot wide for context and tight for detail, and give yourself a couple of extra minutes to get the frame right.
In front of the red-and-gold temple façade from across the square
Under the lantern strings on Pagoda Street
Outfit guide
What to wear at Chinatown & the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
For photos at Chinatown & the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, red, gold, ivory and black work beautifully — they stand out against the setting without fighting it. Pick one hero colour and keep the rest of the look calm so you stay the subject of the frame.
Best outfit colors for photos
Trending wear for this spot
Popular modern looks travellers are wearing across Singapore.
Covered up for four faiths in one afternoon
S$40–150
Dressed for 31 °C and fierce air conditioning
S$60–200
Something with a collar for the bay
S$100–400
Traditional wear for this spot
Timeless, cultural outfits worn across Singapore.
Eat nearby
Food near Chinatown & the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
Round out the visit with something to eat. There are good local spots a short walk away, or settle in at one of the 3 restaurants close by.
Restaurants & food places nearby
Maxwell Food Centre
Chinatown, opposite the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre
Smith Street, Chinatown
The old kopitiams
Across the city, with the oldest names in the CBD and Chinatown
Search food by craving
Good to know
Local tips
Shoulders and knees covered, shoes off at the shrine floors — robes are lent at the entrance, free, so shorts are not a reason to skip it. Photography is restricted in the relic chamber and there is a sign saying so.
The roof garden on the top floor holds a very large prayer wheel and is the quietest part of the building. Almost nobody who comes for the relic goes up.
Sri Mariamman, the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore and founded in 1827, is a three-minute walk down South Bridge Road, and Thian Hock Keng — built by Hokkien seafarers without a single nail — is five more. Three religions inside ten minutes is the actual point of this neighbourhood.
Chinatown Complex, up the road, is the largest hawker centre in the country with over two hundred stalls, and it is where locals eat rather than on the souvenir streets.
Chinatown & the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
As a temple in Singapore, Chinatown & the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple gives you one strong photographic idea - the sections below are how to get it onto the sensor. Entry is free, and the posted hours are the temple typically about 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, with the relic chamber closing earlier; the street markets run into the evening.
📸 The shot
The frames that last from a temple are the lived ones - lamps at a threshold, the quiet side aisles, the rituals at the edge of the main hall.
Start from the recommended angle (from the far corner of the square opposite, wide, so the whole five-storey façade fits with the shophouses beside it for scale — from the pavement below you get a doorway) and work outward; it is the composition the spot rewards.
🕒 When the light is right
Time the visit for the window that suits the shot - first thing in the morning, before the coaches, when the red-and-gold façade is lit from the east and the street in front is still being set up — and again after dark, when the temple and the shophouse lanterns are lit - and let everything else flex.
It runs busy - arrive at the opening or wait out the wave; the shot exists either way, it just takes turns.
🧵 Colour and clothing
The colours that work here do so for a reason - red reads instantly against stone, sand and sky; and gold picks up lamplight and late afternoon sun. Work the suggested poses in order; the first (in front of the red-and-gold temple façade from across the square) is the keeper for most people.
📋 The working plan
Sri Mariamman, the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore and founded in 1827, is a three-minute walk down South Bridge Road, and Thian Hock Keng — built by Hokkien seafarers without a single nail — is five more. Three religions inside ten minutes is the actual point of this neighbourhood.
Questions
Chinatown & the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple — FAQ
What is the best time to visit Chinatown & the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple?
At Chinatown & the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, aim for first thing in the morning, before the coaches, when the red-and-gold façade is lit from the east and the street in front is still being set up — and again after dark, when the temple and the shophouse lanterns are lit. For the best composition, try from the far corner of the square opposite, wide, so the whole five-storey façade fits with the shophouses beside it for scale — from the pavement below you get a doorway.
Is there an entry fee at Chinatown & the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple?
Entry to Chinatown & the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is free.
What are the opening hours of Chinatown & the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple?
Chinatown & the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is open the temple typically about 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, with the relic chamber closing earlier; the street markets run into the evening.
What should I wear at Chinatown & the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple?
Red, gold, ivory and black photograph especially well here. Explore the trending and traditional outfit ideas on this page for full looks.
How crowded does Chinatown & the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple get?
Crowd levels are typically high. Visiting first thing in the morning, before the coaches, when the red-and-gold façade is lit from the east and the street in front is still being set up — and again after dark, when the temple and the shophouse lanterns are lit helps you avoid the busiest window.