Singapore's last village proves nostalgic tourism hit in pandemic

Local tourists play a traditional game of jumping rope, called 'zero point', while touring Kampong Lorong Buangkok, the last remaining village in Singapore, with the city skyline in the background. Hidden between the skyscrapers of Singapore's urban jungle sits Kampong Lorong Buangkok - the only surviving traditional village in this modern city-state of 5.7 million people.

Made up of 26 single-story wooden houses, which were once ubiquitous across Singapore, the "kampong", the Malay word for village, has seen a boom in local visitors after borders shut due to the coronavirus pandemic. Above, local tourists tour Kampong Lorong Buangkok, the last remaining village in Singapore.

Most kampongs disappeared during Singapore's rush to urbanise, but being stuck at home has left locals like 48-year old Jenn Lee, a day trader, craving for a bit of nostalgia to share with her son. "I think it's good that he does know that (there) is something like that here, it's not just overseas like Malaysia, or Thailand, or the Philippines," Lee said. Above, a participant of a local tourism group tour takes a selfie with landlady Sng Mui Hong of Kampong Lorong Buangkok.

Tour guide Kyanta Yap leads a group of local tourists through Kampong Lorong Buangkok. Singapore authorities have been trying to support local tourism through campaigns and have given citizens cash vouchers for staycations.

Local tour guide Kyanta Yap shows a traditional clothes iron in Kampong Lorong Buangkok. Kyanta Yap, said their weekend visits to the kampong that cost S$200 ($147) for a group of up to three people, or S$250 for four-five, have been nearly fully booked since September.

Tourists get a chance to wander around the kampong, learn how to use a traditional coal-fired clothing iron and chat with residents about what they are growing in their gardens.

Tour guide Kyanta Yap invites local tourists to enjoy traditional ice pops called "Sng Bao" in Kampong Lorong Buangkok.

Participants of a local tourism group tour group enjoy traditional ice pops called "Sng Bao".

Newly built public housing apartments are seen through the window of a traditional wooden house in Kampong Lorong Buangkok.

Tour guide Kyanta Yap teaches local tourists how to make a jumping rope with rubber bands, that is used for a traditional game called "zero point", in Kampong Lorong Buangkok, the last remaining village in Singapore October 3, 2020. Picture taken October 3, 2020. REUTERS/Edgar Su

A participant of a local tourism group tour takes photos of flowers in Kampong Lorong Buangkok.

Local tourists play a traditional game of five stones while touring Kampong Lorong Buangkok.

The village also boasts some of the lowest rents in usually pricey Singapore. A landlord said some individual kampong rooms cost as little as S$6.50 per month.