Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple
A Guanyin temple on Waterloo Street, one of the busiest in Singapore, with a Hindu temple next door that shares its worshippers.
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Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho was founded in 1884 and is probably the most heavily used temple in Singapore, with a constant stream of worshippers to Guanyin, the bodhisattva of compassion, and a particular reputation for the accuracy of its fortune sticks. What makes the street unusual is the Sri Krishnan temple directly next door: Chinese worshippers routinely offer at the Hindu temple as well, and the two communities have coexisted on this pavement for over a century.
What you actually see
- The Guanyin hall - the main shrine, in near-constant use.
- The fortune sticks - the kau chim divination the temple is known for.
- Sri Krishnan next door - the Hindu temple whose deities Chinese devotees also honour.
- The street - flower and joss sellers along the pedestrian stretch of Waterloo.
When to go
Year round; the temple opens early and is busy from dawn. Chinese New Year and Guanyin's birthdays bring enormous crowds. Weekday mornings are the calmest, relatively.
Honest expectations
It is extremely crowded and thick with incense smoke, which some find overwhelming. Photography inside is discouraged. This is a place of worship, not a sight.
Nearby
Bugis is south, and the Mint Museum of Toys is nearby.
What to pack for Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.