We Spent Almost $100 On 10 Different Kinds Of Food And Drinks At The Geylang Serai Bazaar

A single bazaar snack can cost up to $16

A makeshift marketplace made up of stained cupboard boards and nylon canvases doesn’t necessarily indicate attractive steals and great bargains. In fact, its nitty-gritty, rustic exterior may be but only a pretence to trap unknowing tourists (in this case, locals as well) with aromatic smells and theatrical food. And with a word as charming and inviting like ‘bazaar’ tossed into its official name, this year’s Geylang Serai Bazaar has still successfully amassed swarms of our countrymen, nevermind the heat, humidity and hefty price tags.

The high rental of stalls may be behind the surge of prices for the wares hawked at the bazaar. It is reported that food stalls’ rents can go as high as $17,000, while those for retail are up to $7,000. Someone’s out there, perhaps with a cigar in hand, is certainly riding on the coattails of the Ramadan festivities.

The other night at the Geylang Serai Bazaar, we spent an exact $96.60 on 10 different kinds of food and drinks. Whether you should follow suit and spend almost $100 in this blazing hot, congested, armpit-sweaty glorified pasar malam? We leave it up to you.