Singapore might be small, but that doesn’t mean the good stuff is all within walking distance. Some of the most interesting spots are scattered around the island, and by far the best way to access them is by car. We’ve put together five exciting themed road trips, to make it easy for you to plan a day of exploration.
FAR-OFF FOOD | FILMING LOCATIONS | SPIRITED AWAY | RURAL SINGAPORE | WAR REMEMBRANCE
Far-off Food—67KM
Singapore’s status as a food haven is well established. There are some places, however, which are a pain to get to without a car. Troublesome? Maybe. But absolutely worth it. Some stops will involve drinks, so have a designated driver at the ready.
STOP 1—Bistro @ Changi
Changi Beach Park Carpark 1, 260 Nicoll Dr., 6546-5229. Open Mon-Thu 11am-11pm; Friday 11am-1am; Sat-Sun 9am-1am.
Start your trail with a cocktail and some light bites at this bistro by the waters of Changi Beach and watch planes fly overhead towards the airport. Set lunches are available, but remember, you’ve got a long day ahead of you.
STOP 2—Ponggol Seafood
Marina Country Club, 600 Ponggol 17th Ave., 6448-8511. Open Mon-Fri 11:30am-2pm and 5:30-10:30pm; Sat-Sun 11:30am-10:30pm.
A contender for the title of Singapore’s national dish, the chili crab at this long-time favorite in the Punggol wilderness is a must-try.
PIT STOP—Punggol Promenade
You’ll probably need to walk off a little bit of excess during this foodie adventure. This recently-opened 4.9km strip of parkland is a great place to do that.
STOP 3—Sunset Grill & Pub
140B Piccadilly, 6482-0244. Open Mon and Wed-Sun 4-11pm.
Deep in the enigmatic colonial-era Seletar Camp, Sunset is famous for one thing only—its chicken wings. With 30 levels of spiciness to choose from, this could mean a pleasant taste of the US of A or a date with your gastroenterologist.
STOP 4—Colbar
9A Whitchurch Rd., 6779-4859. Open Tue-Sun 11am-8:30pm.
Located in Wessex Estate off Portsdown Road, everything about Colbar is old-fashioned and charming, from its classic chicken cutlets and all-day egg, sausage and beans breakfasts, to its rustic structure. Great English beer selection, too.
STOP 5—The Cliff
2 Bukit Manis, Sentosa, 6371-1425. Open daily 6:30pm-midnight.
This restaurant overlooking the South China Sea has seven different types of oysters and a tasting selection with four different methods of preparation. A simple, delectable way to conclude your feast.
Map and Directions
Filming Locations—23KM
Say what you want about Singapore, but you can’t deny that it’s picturesque. With a distinct blend of composite elements, our city is a cinematographer’s dream. With the bourgeoning Singaporean film scene, it’s nice to visit some of the places that have played a role in older films.
STOP 1—Read Bridge, Clarke Quay
In the closing scene of Peter Bogdanovich’s Saint Jack, Jack Flowers (Ben Gazzara) departs what is now the Fullerton Hotel before crossing Read Bridge (where People’s Park Complex and the Pearl Bank apartment building are visible) and disappearing into the charming mess that was once Clarke Quay.
STOP 2—The Majestic
80 Eu Tong Sen St.
Dating back to 1928, The Majestic is featured prominently in Glen Goei’s Forever Fever, and it’s where the character Hock (Adrian Pang) watches the Saturday Night Fever knock-off that inspires his dance moves.
PIT STOP—Goldleaf New Taiwan Porridge Restaurant
110 Amoy St., 6324-3268.
Also featured in Saint Jack, 110 Amoy Street is now a place to get your porridge fix.
STOP 3—Mount Faber
Mount Faber and the cable car system connecting it to Sentosa took center stage during the climactic mid-air chase sequence in the action-packed (and frankly hilarious) 1978 B-movie They Call Her Cleopatra Wong.
STOP 4—Blocks 172-174 Stirling Road
The stories of people living in three different HDB units were told here in one of the best films ever to emerge from Singapore: Eric Khoo’s 12 Storeys.
STOP 5—Faber Heights
Beneath a bridge lie the remains of the KTM Jurong Line. Follow it, and you’ll follow the path of adventure taken by the three Junior College students in Liao Jiekai’s Red Dragonflies.
Map and Directions
Spirited Away—58KM
Modern and developed Singapore may be, but let’s face it—many of you still believe in ghosts, don’t you? Well, whether your answer’s yes or no, here’s a road trip that will make you think twice about looking in your rear-view mirror.
STOP 1—Sembawang Park
Off Sembawang Rd.
Where better to start than Singapore’s north coast where people have seen and heard it all—from pontianaks to pocongs, spirits of soldiers, disembodied voices and possessions.
PIT STOP—Buckaroo BBQ & Grill
12B Andrews Ave., 6481-4986. Open Mon and Wed-Sun 4-10pm.
Return to the world of the living and brace yourself for the night ahead (we’re assuming you’re bold enough to attempt this after dark) at this classic American restaurant.
STOP 2—Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
Off Hindhede Rd.
It may be an idyllic suburb today, but Bukit Timah has a dark past. There are stories of the slaughter during World War II (when the caves in the reserve were rumored incorrectly to have been used as torture chambers), and ancient tales of a mysterious holy man who disappeared while meditating on a rock here 500 years ago.
STOP 3—Bukit Brown Cemetery
Off Lorong Halwa.
Beyond the obvious terror associated with going to a cemetery at night, Bukit Brown also holds interest as a place that will soon be lost to development, and as a place where many of Singapore’s early Chinese pioneers lie buried.
STOP 4—The Red House
191 Jalan Loyang Besar.
Inspiring fear from the start with ominous twin stone lions guarding its gate (believed to be capable of turning their heads), the Red House has a number of creepy stories associated with it, not limited to a rocking chair, floating heads and unexplained odors.
STOP 5—Old Changi Hospital
Off Netheravon Rd.
Of course there is only one place this road will lead to: The mother of all haunted places in Singapore, the inspiration behind the film Haunted Changi, and the site of many a chalet horror story. Thousands came through the doors of the old Changi Hospital in its 80-year existence; some haven’t left.
Map and Directions
Rural Singapore—48KM
Read about the origins of any part of the country and you’ll inevitably find that it was once a nutmeg, coconut, gambier or pepper plantation. For a country that started out that way, we’ve done wonders to eliminate our countryside. But, as tends to be the case with Singapore, you just have to dig a little deeper to find that remaining slice.
STOP 1—Ericsson Pet Farm
16 Pasir Ris Farmway 2, 6581‑3333. Open daily 10:30am‑7pm.
Located on the “ulu” side of Pasir Ris, Ericsson Pet Farm is a one‑stop pet‑lover’s dream. It sells puppies, kittens, various small animals and all sorts of accessories. The farm is also home to Mdm Wong’s Shelter, a place of refuge for abandoned, abused and stray animals. Donations of food, bathing products and newspapers are welcome.
PIT STOP—SoulOut @ Farmway 1
Aquafauna Centre, 11 Pasir Ris Farmway 1, 6747‑7911. Open Mon‑Thu 3pm‑1am; Fri 3pm‑3am; Sat‑Sun 11am‑3am.
Sri Lankan crabs, Western and Asian food and cold beers in a setting that couldn’t seem further away from suburban Pasir Ris.
STOP 2—Kampong Buangkok
Gerald Dr./Lor. Buangkok, off Yio Chu Kang Rd.
Like a shanty town straight out of a history textbook, the zinc roofs and wooden walls of Kampong Buangkok belong to another time. Singapore’s last village dates back to the mid 1950s and around 20 families still live here. The peace of this postage‑stamp of a settlement makes you wonder about what we’ve lost with progress.
STOP 3—Orchidville
10 Lor. Lada Hitam, 6552‑7003. Open Mon‑Fri 8am‑6pm; Sat‑Sun 8am‑9:30pm.
There are few things more Singaporean than orchids and there are over 2,000,000 individual specimens in the 43 hectares of Singapore’s largest orchid farm. Orchidville conducts farm tours and orchid cultivation workshops, has a rainforest‑themed restaurant, and sells a range of books, gardening supplies, potted plants and cut flowers. Sadly, it’ll make way for an MRT depot next year, so visit while you can.
STOP 4—Jurong Frog Farm
51 Plot 56 Lim Chu Kang Lane 6, 6791‑7229. Open Tue‑Sun, 9am‑5pm.
The wide open spaces of Lim Chu Kang and Kranji form Singapore’s largest remaining area of farmland and Jurong Frog Farm is one of its more interesting attractions. The constant drone of around 20,000 bullfrogs fills the fresh air as you take a 30‑minute self‑guided tour and shop for exotic meats (including frog, of course).
STOP 5—Hay Dairies
3 Lim Chu Kang Lane 4, 6792‑0931. Open daily 9am‑4pm.
You’ll smell Hay Dairies before you see it. About 800 goats reside in its long sheds, providing goat’s milk as an alternative for lactose‑intolerant people. You can view the milking process every day from 9‑11am and purchase takeaway bottles of milk. If you’re wondering how profitable the goat farming business is, just have a look at the Lamborghini parked upfront.
STOP 6—Bollywood Veggies
100 Neo Tiew Rd., 6898‑5001. Open Wed‑Sun 9am‑6pm.
Helmed by the irrepressible Ivy Singh‑Lim and her husband Lim Ho Seng, over 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables grow on this 10‑acre farm without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Around 20 types of banana are available here (used to make great curry and banana bread at the on‑site Poison Ivy Bistro) and various tours of the farm and its spice garden can be arranged.
Map and Directions
War Remembrance
We often forget about Singapore’s importance during World War II. The stories of the British surrender and the suffering during the Japanese Occupation were drummed into our brains every Feb 15th during our school days, but we now walk by historical markers and battle sites with nary a thought about all that. The significance of Singapore as the site of the Allies’ last stand, and of Changi Prison’s use as a Prisoner of War camp, is something we must all remember.
STOP 1—Kranji Beach Battle Site
Off Kranji Way.
On Feb 10, 1942, the 27th Australian Brigade and the volunteers of DALFORCE scored one of the final Allied victories against the Japanese before the occupation. The men repelled an attempt by Japanese troops to land here during low-tide, only to fall back to avoid becoming isolated by other Japanese forces landing in the west. This scenic spot in Singapore’s far north offers views of the Causeway, and Johor Bahru.
STOP 2—Kranji War Memorial
Off Woodlands Rd. Open daily 7am-6pm.
While the previous stop was all about the beginning of the Battle of Singapore, the Kranji War Memorial signifies the end of the road for thousands of servicemen. The names of over 24,000 who fought and died are inscribed on the walls of the main building, and more than 5,000 soldiers lie beneath its lawns.
STOP 3—Memories at Old Ford Factory
351 Upper Bukit Timah Rd., 6462-6724. Open Mon-Sat 9am-5:30pm; Sun noon-5:30pm.
Known by all as a site of surrender, it was here that Singapore became Syonan-to as Lt Gen. Percival gave in to the demands of Lt Gen. Yamashita. The Old Ford Factory is home to a collection of images, artifacts and stories from the war years, and the gardens around it are filled with plants and trees that provided Singaporeans with sustenance during the occupation.
Pitstop—Al-Ameen Eating House
2-4 Cheong Chin Nam Rd., 6462-1996. Open 24 hours.
Bukit Timah is well-known for its restaurants, but it’s hard to beat the briyani and prata here.
STOP 4—Reflections at Bukit Chandu
31K Pepys Rd., 6375-2510. Open Tue-Sun 9am-5:30pm.
At the foot of what was once known as Opium Hill, this black and white bungalow on Pepys Road stands as a memorial to the men of Askar Melayu, or the Malay Regiment. On Feb 13 and 14, 1942, men of the Regiment’s 1st and 2nd Battalions held out against the Japanese, resorting to hand-to-hand combat when ammunition ran out. The museum here preserves their stories.
STOP 5—Civilian War Memorial
Beach Rd.
The true price of war is the suffering endured by ordinary people. The Civilian War Memorial is a quiet gap of green in the city, but what many don’t realize is that the ashes of civilian war casualties are interred within.
STOP 6—The Changi Museum
1000 Upper Changi Rd. North, 6214-1179. Open daily 9:30am-5pm.
This museum pays tribute to the thousands of people who became prisoners of war under the Japanese with a collection of storyboards and personal items.
PITSTOP—Airfield Restaurant
Blk. 5 Changi Village Rd.
It may not look anything like its original incarnation, but Airfield Restaurant was once a popular haunt for Royal Air Force personnel stationed in Changi; the excellent Western food gives that away.
Map and Directions
If you don’t own a car, here are some trusty car rentals in Singapore.
Want to buy a car instead? Check out the three latest ones to hit our shores this year.
