When Mr Yusof decided to strike out on his own, he made the choice to work only with non-venomous snakes. He felt they were safer and less aggressive, easier to handle for both him and the audience.

Now 61, the third-generation performer is known as Singapore’s snake king and one of the last surviving snake charmers in Singapore.

The sixth of eight children, Mr Yusof would tag along, picking up the skills, when his dad performed in places like Tanglin Road, Sentosa, and Haw Par Villa in the 1970s and 80s.

Coming from a family of snake charmers, he said that his comfort with snakes came naturally, and he was never afraid of them.

Crowds would watch in fascination as the seemingly hypnotised snake would sway to the music of the flute. In actual fact, said Mr Yusof, it is not the music that enchants the snake.

Mr Yusof’s tools of the trade include a snake pipe and flutes.

“The snake follows the movements of the snake charmer playing the pipe, not by responding to sound, but by tracking the charmer’s visual cues,” he says in Malay, letting The Straits Times in on a secret of the trade. “The snake responds to the subtle motions rather than the music itself.”

Today, he cares for two snakes, an albino python named Mr Bean, who is over 15 years old, and a younger brown python he calls Charlie.

ENTWINED

Mr Bean, he says, is adorable and funny, with playful antics. He is more sociable and comfortable with the human touch, which is why he is usually the snake that performs.

Mr Bean is kept in a traditional rattan basket, which is properly tied up for safety. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

Both snakes, which are licensed, were gifts from his father-in-law and were only about a metre long when he got them. Now, they have grown to at least three times that length.

For about five years, Mr Yusof worked as a bus driver, balancing his driving shifts with his snake charming performances. In 1994, he decided to follow his passion and made the leap into being a full-time snake charmer.

Today, if he’s not performing onstage at an event, he sets up a table with Mr Bean in a basket in front of Madame Tussauds Singapore in Sentosa, where, for $5, the public can hold Mr Bean and have their pictures taken with him.

Mr Yusof at his booth in front of Madam Tussauds Singapore in Sentosa, where he offers photo-taking sessions with Mr Bean.

Mr Yusof says snake charming is both an art form, requiring skill and creativity, and a trade, passed down through generations and often performed for a living.

His wife, Madam Nishah Hayat Basah, 60, whom he met through a relative, also comes from a family of snake charmers.

Mr Yusof and his wife, Madam Nishah Hayat Basah, a housewife, at their home in Lower Delta Road. Both Mr Yusof and Madam Nishah come from generations of snake charmers.

His father-in-law helped him further hone his skills, guiding him to transition from street performances to stage shows.

Mr Yusof, then 34, charming a small cobra out of its basket in 1998.  ST FILE PHOTO: STEPHANIE YEOW
Mr Yusof spending about 22 hours with snakes in a 3m-by-3m acrylic cubicle to raise funds for Muhammadiyah Welfare Home's annual charity fair in 1998.  ST FILE PHOTO: STEPHANIE YEOW

Since 1994, Mr Yusof has been performing at various community and grassroots events, Chingay parades, and National Day celebrations.

Mr Yusof (in orange vest) with politician Yatiman Yusof, who was the guest of honour during a welfare fiesta at Muhammadiyah Welfare Home in 1996.  BH FILE PHOTO: JOHARI RAHMAT
Mr Yusof with politician Chan Soo Sen in 1998.  BH FILE PHOTO: TUKIMAN WARJI

The most memorable individuals he has performed for include late former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew and late former president S R Nathan, he says.

For added convenience and protection, the rattan basket containing Mr Bean is secured with a large cloth after being tied up, ensuring both easy carrying and extra safety during transport.
Mr Yusof transporting Mr Bean and his equipment on a trolley as he moves between performance venues.
Mr Yusof carefully securing Mr Bean, nestled in his rattan basket, inside his motorcycle box. For years, the motorcycle has been his reliable mode of transport as he rides to shows and Sentosa, with his loyal companion in tow.

Despite the grey skies on the day in January that ST went with Mr Yusof to Sentosa, at least 10 groups of visitors gathered eagerly around his “photo booth”, cheering on family members or friends as they posed for pictures with Mr Bean.

Mr Yusof preparing his area in front of Madame Tussauds Singapore, by setting up his photo-taking standee and table.
Ms Piper Jones, a 23-year-old Australian tourist, was Mr Yusof’s first customer on Jan 26. She gamely posed for some memorable “wefies” with Mr Bean.

Most seemed pleased with holding a snake for the first time, but one or two did burst into tears of fright.

Five-year-old Isla Stiskala-Yu was eager to have her picture taken with Mr Bean. However, as soon as the snake started moving, her excitement quickly turned to fear, and she began crying, unsure how to react to the large snake. In cases like this, Mr Yusof stands near the frightened individual as a reassuring presence.

“Sometimes they don’t want to do this but are forced to by their family members, and they end up getting scared,” said Mr Yusof.

Mr Mohd Rahim Haji Ismail, 66, getting ready for his photo with Mr Bean. Mr Yusof says the snake is sociable and comfortable with the human touch.
Mr Yusof playing the flute as an audience member holds onto the python. He says it is not the music that enchants the snake but the movements of the snake charmer.
Six-year-old Hana Maisarah from Malaysia initially agreed to have the snake placed on her shoulders. However, as soon as Mr Bean was draped on her, she became afraid and quickly backed away.

Mr Yusof often holds the snake’s face beside his own to prove that Mr Bean will not bite.

Over the years, Mr Bean has gained significant popularity, leading Mr Yusof to joke that his snake has become more famous than him.

Mr Yusof says he has been bitten by snakes many times, mostly in the 1980s when working with wild ones, but never by his beloved two, Mr Bean and Charlie.

His most serious injury was a muscle tear in his left arm during a performance.

OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD

The injury continues to trouble him, and it has been especially painful in 2025, with his bookings up for the Year of the Snake.

Madam Nishah tending to his Mr Yusof’s injured arm, a result of years of snake handling. She rubs ointment on the spot where he tore a muscle before wrapping it with an armband. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

But he soldiers on. After each session, he places the money collected into Mr Bean’s basket for good luck.

Money collected from the public after each performance is placed inside Mr Bean’s rattan basket. Mr Yusof believes that doing so will bring good luck, and this practice has become part of his routine over the years.

Mr Yusof thinks the family trade will end with him, as none of his four children has shown any interest in learning and continuing it.

PRESSING ON

Despite this, he remains passionate about his craft and intends to carry on as long as he can.

 ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

The intrepid charmer says: “Once in a while, I’ll visit the snake farms in Kedah, where I play with and handle the snakes to keep my skills sharp and make sure I don’t forget how to handle wild ones. I’ve also helped rescue snakes stuck in drains and pipes when people call for help.

“Most people get scared when they come across wild snakes, but I get excited and just want to touch them.”