Sago Street (Street Of The Dead)
Sago Street (Street Of The Dead)
3.5
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Sago Street (Street Of The Dead) and nearby attractions
The area
Neighbourhood: Outram
How to get there
- Telok Ayer • 6 min walk
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
6,939 within 5 kms
Attractions
829 within 10 kms
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
3.5
80 reviews
Excellent
9
Very good
39
Average
27
Poor
4
Terrible
1
Dan L
Bunbury, Australia8,751 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
Last visit here we enjoyed a walking tour with the guide explaining the history of the street and the derivation of its name from the many sago shops and storehouses that were established here. The Chinese also knew it by another name, Sei Yan Kai, street of the dead, as a result of the overcrowding and the receiving houses were the terminally ill were accommodated. I guess the name included Sago Lane where the funeral parlors were located. Pleasant walking street today with shops offering a variety of merchandise.
Written 1 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
a60
Brisbane, Australia733 contributions
I wouldn't have realised that this was the Street of the Dead if it wasn't for the sign stating this fact. It is just a typical street in Chinatown and, as with all the streets in this area, I found it fascinating. The attached photo describes what Sago Street used to be up until 1961 when death houses were outlawed.
Written 18 February 2007
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SOH KIEN PENG
Singapore, Singapore9,571 contributions
Aug 2015 • Solo
I just can't imagine this place was once the Street of the Dead, where bodies were dumped here. Now, I could not find a single funeral parlor in any of the shops around. Most shops along this lane are engaged in food or retail businesses and the whole street on one side is totally blocked from vehicular traffic with tables neatly arranged to serve food and drinks to customers..
Interestingly, in the late 19th century, there were almost 20 brothels operating in this street but now I could not find any of the shops openly or daringly operating the vice business. As I walked along the shop alleys, I saw a Home Team NS karaoke entertainment outlet among the many shops and it would be sheer stupidity to operate prostitution dens here as the duty manager would surely tip-off the relevant department and clamp down these vice activities immediately.
It was thus a brilliant idea to plant these home team clubs in certain jurisdiction to show the presence of the Home Team agencies (the Police, the Central Narcotics Bureau, the Immigration and Checkpoint department, etc) and to deter any illegitimate vice or gambling activities from `flourishing' in these tourist areas. In the olden days where Chinatown existed, gambling dens, prostitute dens and opium dens operated in the `good' hands of loan sharks and run by the underworld gangsters and secret society members.
Time changes and food and entertainment appear to be the attracting factors in this street. There is the famous old Da Chung Kuo moon-cake shop, the Old Nanyang Coffee Shop, the well-known Holland Village XO fish head, the Chinese delicacies restaurant. There are also dozens of push carts selling refreshment and food and one of them was a stall selling Hainanese chicken rice moved over here from Bugis Street. It must be amazing good.
Above the shop houses, the architecturally unique design of the old Chinatown houses with their refurbished and brightly painted wooden doors and windows raked up nostalgic memory of the past. Even with the booming heavy traffic along the main road, it was endearing and relaxing to have a cup of beer and engaged in casual chit chat with your friends over a bowl of noodles or wanton at dinner times.
The Buddhist relic Temple beside the Sago Street added another `Wow' factor into the dynamism of this Chinatown attraction. I particularly like the roof garden above the 4th floor of the temple where you find tranquility and serenity among the flowers and trees and when you proceed down to the 4th floor and observed the grand display of the Buddha tooth relic in the golden colored museum, you are impressed by the grandeur and lustrous Buddhist display.
It is a pleasure strolling along Sago Street and visiting the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.
Interestingly, in the late 19th century, there were almost 20 brothels operating in this street but now I could not find any of the shops openly or daringly operating the vice business. As I walked along the shop alleys, I saw a Home Team NS karaoke entertainment outlet among the many shops and it would be sheer stupidity to operate prostitution dens here as the duty manager would surely tip-off the relevant department and clamp down these vice activities immediately.
It was thus a brilliant idea to plant these home team clubs in certain jurisdiction to show the presence of the Home Team agencies (the Police, the Central Narcotics Bureau, the Immigration and Checkpoint department, etc) and to deter any illegitimate vice or gambling activities from `flourishing' in these tourist areas. In the olden days where Chinatown existed, gambling dens, prostitute dens and opium dens operated in the `good' hands of loan sharks and run by the underworld gangsters and secret society members.
Time changes and food and entertainment appear to be the attracting factors in this street. There is the famous old Da Chung Kuo moon-cake shop, the Old Nanyang Coffee Shop, the well-known Holland Village XO fish head, the Chinese delicacies restaurant. There are also dozens of push carts selling refreshment and food and one of them was a stall selling Hainanese chicken rice moved over here from Bugis Street. It must be amazing good.
Above the shop houses, the architecturally unique design of the old Chinatown houses with their refurbished and brightly painted wooden doors and windows raked up nostalgic memory of the past. Even with the booming heavy traffic along the main road, it was endearing and relaxing to have a cup of beer and engaged in casual chit chat with your friends over a bowl of noodles or wanton at dinner times.
The Buddhist relic Temple beside the Sago Street added another `Wow' factor into the dynamism of this Chinatown attraction. I particularly like the roof garden above the 4th floor of the temple where you find tranquility and serenity among the flowers and trees and when you proceed down to the 4th floor and observed the grand display of the Buddha tooth relic in the golden colored museum, you are impressed by the grandeur and lustrous Buddhist display.
It is a pleasure strolling along Sago Street and visiting the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.
Written 31 August 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ZenYi
Singapore, Singapore1 contribution
Oct 2021
The street by itself looks busy and unremarkable, but with an experienced guide, you will be able to hear stories from the past and you will see a new side of "Street of the dead" and its horrible tales.
All in all, I had very interesting session. highly recommend going with a guide.
All in all, I had very interesting session. highly recommend going with a guide.
Written 25 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Magellano81
Tortona, Italy40,206 contributions
Mar 2013
Sago street located in the heart of Chinatown, very close to a Buddhist temple, one of the most beautiful and fascinating in the whole city.
Is one of the many access points to Chinatown, very picturesque and choreographic, at first impression I was impressed by the many colours which accompany this road, with its terraced houses, to the countless stalls, fruit shops in short terms a really nice place and I highly recommend to visit once in Chinatown.
This road is long more or less 200 metres before bending and end up slowly in the heart of Chinatown, where at any time of the day you can walk between the stalls and do bargains at really low prices. In this way I had the pleasure to sit down and eat tropical fruit or drink the fantastic natural juices in one of the many shops along the way to significantly lower prices.
Is one of the many access points to Chinatown, very picturesque and choreographic, at first impression I was impressed by the many colours which accompany this road, with its terraced houses, to the countless stalls, fruit shops in short terms a really nice place and I highly recommend to visit once in Chinatown.
This road is long more or less 200 metres before bending and end up slowly in the heart of Chinatown, where at any time of the day you can walk between the stalls and do bargains at really low prices. In this way I had the pleasure to sit down and eat tropical fruit or drink the fantastic natural juices in one of the many shops along the way to significantly lower prices.
Written 11 April 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chrisinkingwood2
Houston, TX5,630 contributions
Sept 2019
This was once an old warehouse district where flour and sago starch were made, sago is a type of palm that grows in swampy areas. Over time these old building had other uses and now are shops, bars and small restaurants. The street is now only for foot traffic and no cars allowed.
Written 27 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RatingDuo
Merak, India518 contributions
Aug 2019 • Couples
You can get the full story of the street from the heritage center museum, which is so important to visit if you want a full view on the history of Chinatown/Singapore!
Written 8 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Oldjack
Greater Melbourne, Australia29,214 contributions
Mar 2019 • Couples
Sago Street is now essentially a pedesstrian mall and lined with interesting old houses that operate as restaurants and bars. In the 1840's it housed many factories that made sago and flour.In the early 1900's it was famous for brothels. Athough there are no funeral parlor's in Sago Street there are some in nearby Sago Lane. Now it is an interesting short street with some classical old houses one floor up from the road but at toad level they are fairly tacky.ood that the old houses have been retained but a pity how they look at street level.
Written 18 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David B
Rayong, Thailand9,482 contributions
Sept 2016 • Friends
Sago Street , in Singapore's Chinatown, has a long and fascinating history.
It was called Sago Street because in the 1840s there were some 40 sago factories, making sago flour from the pith of the Rumbia Palm
Later it became one of Singapore's main red light districts, with 14 brothels active by 1901.
Sago Street is called Yang Gai in Cantonese, which means Street of the Dead, because of the presence of several funeral parlours in nearby Sago Lane.
Today Sago Street is a respectable place with restaurants and street traders, and since 2003 has been a pedestrian mall.
It was called Sago Street because in the 1840s there were some 40 sago factories, making sago flour from the pith of the Rumbia Palm
Later it became one of Singapore's main red light districts, with 14 brothels active by 1901.
Sago Street is called Yang Gai in Cantonese, which means Street of the Dead, because of the presence of several funeral parlours in nearby Sago Lane.
Today Sago Street is a respectable place with restaurants and street traders, and since 2003 has been a pedestrian mall.
Written 10 September 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shaun D
Newcastle, Australia303 contributions
Feb 2011 • Family
Just like Chinatown, it's a must see place to grab tasty food, refreshing drinks and there's plenty of shops to grab your interest.
Written 21 October 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
No questions have been asked about this experience
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing