Bugis, Singapore

"Bugis Street" redirects here. For the 1995 film, see Bugis Street (film).

Bugis
Subzone of Downtown Core Planning Area
Name transcription(s)
 • Chinese武吉士
 • PinyinWǔjíshì
 • MalayKampong Bugis
كامڤوڠ بوڬيس
 • Tamilபூகிஸ்
Bugis is located in Singapore
Bugis
Bugis
Location of Bugis within Singapore
Coordinates: 1°17′57″N 103°51′22″E / 1.29921°N 103.85618°E / 1.29921; 103.85618
CountrySingapore
Planning regionCentral Region
Planning areaDowntown Core
Original Bugis Street, presently located within Bugis Junction.
The present Bugis Street, developed from New Bugis Street.

Bugis (Kampong Bugis in Malay) is an area in Singapore that covers Bugis Street, now located within the Bugis Junction shopping mall.[1][2] Bugis Street was renowned internationally from the 1950s to the 1980s for its nightly gathering of transvestites and transsexuals, a phenomenon which made it one of Singapore's most notable attractions for foreign visitors at the time.[3][4]

In the mid-1980s, Bugis Street underwent major urban redevelopment into a retail complex of modern shopping malls, restaurants and nightspots mixed with regulated back-alley roadside vendors. Underground digging to construct the Bugis MRT station prior to that also caused the upheaval and termination of the nightly transgender sex bazaar culture, marking the end of a colourful and unique era in Singapore's history.

Today, the original Bugis Street is now a cobblestoned, relatively wide avenue sandwiched between the buildings of the Bugis Junction shopping complex. On the other hand, the lane presently touted as "Bugis Street" by the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board is actually developed from New Bugis Street, formerly Albert Street, and is billed as "the largest street-shopping location in Singapore". An attempt by the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board to bring back the former exotic atmosphere was unsuccessful.[citation needed] Although the street is now not a well-known tourist destination, it is frequented by many Singaporeans.

  1. ^ "National Heritage Board criticised for 'whitewashing' history of Bugis Street". The Independent. 19 June 2016.
  2. ^ Kenneth Chan (2016). Yonfan's Bugis Street. Hong Kong University Press. ISBN 978-9888208753.
  3. ^ Lee, Joshua (20 October 2017). "Bugis Street was once the place to catch 'The Dance of the Flaming Arseholes'". Mothership.
  4. ^ Colin Simpson (1973). Off to Asia: Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau. Angus & Robertson. p. 42. ISBN 9780207129803.