On the surface, road-tripping in Singapore seems like an unusual concept. With just 3,356km of roads and few well-known scenic locations, going on a long drive isn’t usually top on the minds of Singaporeans when it comes to weekend activities. But that doesn’t mean long weekend drives don’t offer much in terms of things to see and do.
We took the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross out to the remote corners of Singapore to explore its lesser-known sites.
Sightseeing in the far east
Our day began with a cakes and coffee at Wheeler’s Estate, which is beautifully situated on a former British military airbase at Seletar Aerospace Park. Its revamped two-storey colonial bungalow and surrounding lawn, veranda and playground boast plenty of rustic charm and proved to be a great first stop in our quest to escape the urban bustle.
Seletar Aerospace Park was once an area that housed a British Royal Air Force station. Today, many of the colonial buildings have been slated for conservation and redevelopment, and play host a range of restaurants instead. Besides Wheeler’s Estate, the other beloved establishment in this area is Wildseed Café & Bar, a farm-to-table concept cafe that serves up hearty sandwiches and grills using ingredients grown from its nearby garden.
Our next stop was Canteen 398, located near Seletar Camp. This old-school kampung kopitiam dates back to 1969 and is quite possibly the oldest canteen left in Singapore. Back in the day, it catered to British military personnel stationed nearby, but today, its patrons are mostly NS officers from Seletar Camp and residents in the area, who come by for kopi and nasi lemak with a side of nostalgia.
From here, we headed out to Lorong Buangkok – known to be Singapore’s last surviving kampung. This area came under the spotlight late last year when plans for its conservation and possible redevelopment were discussed at a Parliament sitting. Much of this sleepy village looks slightly forgotten, almost as though modernity had decided to give this part of town a miss. Driving into the area certainly feels like you’re stepping into the quiet past, as the noise and hubbub from the main road fade away and you are greeted by wide dirt paths and small brick houses with their weather-beaten, corrugated zinc roofs and open metal gates – which together form quite the picture of yesteryear Singapore.
Journey to the west
Our plan was to visit the less frequently explored sites in the west as well, so we headed that way, making a quick stop by Far East Flora on Thomson for some of its freshly cut flowers, many of which you can get at far lower prices than elsewhere in Singapore.
Once we were done, it was off to Kent Ridge Park and its neighbourhood. Our first stop in the west was Paddy Hills, a cafe that is well known among west-siders for its famous, Insta-worthy wall just right outside. Inside, the café dishes out some pretty unique items, including duck confit with coffee-infused waffles, served with a side of red apple ribbons.entor
Then, it’s off to Kent Ridge Park, which is home to a variety of wildlife, from squirrels, sunbirds and the white-crested laughing thrush. At the various look-out points, you can also spot some of Singapore’s offshore islands, such as Pulau Duran Darat.
Kent Ridge Park has great historical significance, being the site of the Battle of Pasir Panjang, where 1,400 soldiers from the Malay Regiment made Singapore’s final stand against the invading 13,000-strong Japanese army during World War II. Reflections at Bukit Chandu, located at the southern end of Kent Ridge Park, is a museum set up within a restored black-and-white colonial bungalow that commemorates these soldiers for their heroism and courage against the odds.
We then headed off to check out the art galleries at Gillman Barracks. The first thing that greets you here is a massive pink pineapple-shaped pavilion, which forms the visual centrepiece of this contemporary arts cluster’s ongoing visual arts festival, DISINI (happening till 30 September 2018). This, together with various murals that decorate the walls of this former British military camp make the venue truly perfect for ‘gram shots. But if more upscale art is your thing, be sure to look in on local and international galleries such as FOST Gallery and the Sundaram Tagore Gallery.
Our day ended in the Portsdown area, where we walked through one-north Park and hunted down that Yoda statue at The Sandcrawler, Lucasfilm’s regional headquarters, before heading towards Colbar on Whitchurch Road. This café, which is short for Colonial Bar, is a holdover from Singapore’s colonial days, when it used to serve simple, Hainanese-styled Western food to British military personnel at its former venue in Queensway. The menu appears to have remain unchanged, as have its retro interiors and old-world charm.
