As wet markets decline, more S’poreans are rediscovering them through local tours

December 3, 2025• byStaff Writer

Let’s Go Tour Singapore and Pasarfish provide unique tours of Singapore’s wet markets

The sharp tang of fresh fish, the earthy aroma of leafy greens, and the rhythmic clatter of knives on chopping boards greet anyone who steps into a wet market. Vendors call out their daily specials, shoppers haggle over the freshest produce, and the banter of regulars merges into the market’s lively rhythm—yet, for all its energy, the crowd is thinning.

Supermarkets and online deliveries have quietly siphoned away foot traffic, leaving these markets at risk of fading. And the statistics prove it: a 2018 survey by the National Environment Agency (NEA) found that 39% of Singaporeans had not visited a wet market in the past year—a figure that had steadily increased from 23% in 2014.

While more recent numbers are scarce, parliamentary statements and media reports indicate that footfall continues to skew older, suggesting that younger generations are turning to more convenient alternatives. In fact, there are now only 83 wet markets managed by NEA or NEA-appointed operators, compared with nearly 700 supermarkets islandwide.

But just as the clatter of the markets begins to grow quieter, a small revival is beginning to take shape. Not through sweeping reforms or digital reinventions, but through something far more human: curiosity. Wet market tours are now drawing in younger Singaporeans eager to rediscover the markets their parents once frequented.

We spoke to two tour operators—both of whom have seen a steady rise in local interest in recent years—about how they are working to revive Singapore’s wet markets.

Combining tours with culinary experiences to rejuvenate interest

Founded in 2013, Let’s Go Tour Singapore specialises in unique experiences, from bicycle and walking tours to food-focused journeys. Its Market to Table Culinary Experience combines a wet market visit with a hands-on cooking class, offering participants a holistic introduction to Singapore’s food culture, from market stalls to the kitchen.

“We started this during the gradual end of the COVID-19 period for locals to participate in a more meaningful activity while learning new skills,” said a company spokesperson. Tours are held daily, provided there are at least two participants.

Participants of the Market to Table Culinary Experience pause outside a market stall before exploring ingredients and learning about local produce./ Image Credit: Let’s Go Tour Singapore

The experience takes visitors to North Bridge Road Market & Food Centre, where they get to explore stalls and learn about local ingredients. After selecting items such as shredded coconut and ginger, participants return to the cooking studio to prepare three classic local dishes—Hainanese Chicken Rice, Kueh Dadar, and Ngoh Hiang—though the menu changes seasonally.

The response has been overwhelmingly positive. “We had multi-generational families who came, and also younger locals who had never been to a wet market before,” the spokesperson said.

Engaging locals through speciality market tours

Some guided tours cater to more specific interests, such as those offered by Pasarfish, a research and outreach initiative that promotes conscious consumption and celebrates the heritage of local seafood.

Founded by Kenny Lek and Elliott Ong in Feb this year, the group’s flagship “Know Your Fish” market tours take participants through bustling wet market stalls, teaching them to identify dozens of fish species, understand their culinary uses, and learn tips for selecting fresh, sustainable seafood.

(Left): Pasarfish founders Kenny Lek and Elliott Ong; (Right): Participants at one of Pasarfish’s market tours./ Image Credit: Pasarfish

Certain tours even extend to Jurong Fishery Port, where participants gain a behind-the-scenes look at the seafood supply chain—from unloading and storage to market distribution. Pasarfish also runs workshops on fish identification, cooking techniques, and sustainability practices, all designed to educate participants while supporting local vendors.

These initiatives are typically hosted on request, but as part of their funding and outreach efforts, Pasarfish now runs two to four activities per week, ranging from market tours and workshops to booth activations.

“We host our activities in smaller groups, for example our tours are often capped at 8 to 10 people, depending on the day,” said Kenny. “If we include everyone that had attended our activities, excluding booths, we probably have engaged about 800 to 1000 participants at this point, in our year of operations.”

These participants come from all walks of life and all age groups, though Pasarfish notes that young adults and new parents—Millennials and Gen X—make up a significant portion of their audience.

A niche market

Despite the positive responses, both operators acknowledge that wet market tours still remain a niche space.

Traditionally, these experiences have catered primarily to tourists—in fact, among its customer demographics, Let’s Go Tour has seen an increase in visitors eager to explore Singapore’s wet markets, especially after the pandemic restrictions were lifted.

Still, as its spokesperson noted, “wet markets are not necessarily a universal attraction for all.”

Tourists taking part in Let’s Go Tour Singapore’s Market to Table Culinary Experience./ Image credit: Let’s Go Tour Singapore

Even when tourists are drawn in, focusing primarily on them has limitations. While such visits highlight Singapore’s cultural heritage, the founders of Pasarfish shared that they do little to support the markets themselves, since these visitors are unlikely to become regular customers.

As such, they are focusing on engaging the local community by focusing on affordability. Pasarfish’s market tours start from S$30, while also equipping Singaporeans with practical knowledge about fish, seafood heritage, and sustainable practices.

They’ve even released a comprehensive guide featuring 60 common fish varieties sold in Singapore—complete with local names, pricing, sustainability recommendations, and tips on how to select and cook them. The guide is available for free on their website, further supporting their mission to make seafood knowledge accessible to everyday consumers.

What needs to be done to make wet markets thrive again?

A lot still needs to be done to rejuvenate wet markets in Singapore. As Pasarfish points out, the way Singaporeans shop has fundamentally changed.

With digitalisation, grocery deliveries, and increasingly homogeneous food preferences, many people now prefer the convenience of eating out. “In some ways, it feels like swimming against the tide,” they shared, noting that few are willing to head to an “uncomfortable” wet market early in the morning.

(Left): Participants at Pasarfish’s tours; (Right): Kenny Lek, co-founder of Pasarfish./ Image Credit: Pasarfish

Robin Loh, the founder of Let’s Go Tour Singapore, echoed a similar sentiment. “Wet markets are still part of daily life in many older estates, but the traditional versions are definitely fading,” he said.

“As Singapore modernises, many markets have been refurbished or redesigned into cleaner, more organised spaces. In that sense, the old-style wet markets are slowly disappearing, not because they are no longer valued, but because of urban development and changing consumer habits.”

Both operators agree that for wet markets to thrive again, they must become more attractive to younger Singaporeans. Some ideas to make wet markets more appealing include staying open later so working adults can shop more easily, or trying out hybrid setups like in other Asian markets, where you can pick your seafood from a stall and have it cooked right next door.

Still, they believe that wet market tours are a small but meaningful step forward. “We believe that our Market to Table tours play a small but meaningful part in re-energising interest in Singapore’s wet markets by helping visitors see them with fresh eyes,” said the spokesperson from Let’s Go Tour Singapore.

Pasarfish shares a similar hope—they believe they have tried their best to reintroduce wet markets to Singaporeans by familiarising participants with the environment, as well as the dos and don’ts of navigating these spaces.

“As participants are better equipped with knowledge from our activities, we certainly hope they will be also motivated to continue support wet markets and value their importance.”