Ok we are reaching the final part of the journey. If you haven’t read on Part 1 (Jurong East-Woodlands) and Part 2 (Woodlands-Bishan), you are recommended to do so.
NS17 BISHAN
Do you know? Bishan was built under a former cemetary, and had rumours of haunted stories. However, now with Circle Line and being a MRT interchange, I guess it’s too crowded for the ghosts 😛
Walk down Bishan Road, pass by RI, and enter Bishan Harmony Park.
Cross Braddell Road and get a good view of the road and Bishan/TPY.
Cut through TPY Industrial Estate and reach Toa Payoh North. There’s a zhichar not bad there. Walk up to Lor 1 and see Yellow Pages, which is where the MRT station is.
NS18 BRADDELL
Welcome to Toa Payoh/Braddell! There are 6 hawker centres (Lor 1, Lor 4 x2, Lor 5, Lor 7, Lor 8) for you to choose, adding on to the standard food you see at Central. There’s Tim’s Restaurant and Cafe tucked at some ulu corner around Lor 3/4.
And that’s just for food. For photographers, there are plenty of high-rise HDBs (40-storeys) for you to take unobstructed view of Singapore.
Although The Peak is not open, you still can go to Blk 79A-E Toa Payoh Central. The photos below are taken at Blk 79A:
Sidenote: For view of the East, go to Blk 79E..
NS19 TOA PAYOH
Being the second HDB town in Singapore, Toa Payoh has full of heritage, until there’s a Toa Payoh heritage trail. Basically it’s the Toa Payoh observatory tower, the dragon playground, Shuang Lin Monastery etc.
Just cross opposite of the Interchange to reach another feature of TPY, Toa Payoh Town Park. It was built in the 70s and was a hotspot for couples to take wedding photos. Here are some photos: (without couples…)
Cross the PIE overhead bridge beside the Swimming Complex to say goodbye to TPY and to Balestier. The first attraction is HomeTeamNS Clubhouse, which I frequent for the Ten Dollar KTV!
Balestier has much heritage too, and deserved a Balestier heritage trail. The first attraction beside the clubhouse is Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, or 晚晴园. You can go in and learn more about Sun Yat Sen inside with an admission fee of $4, or just take a few quick photos outside:
After visiting, you may visit Zhongshan Park opposite the small road. Basically a new development with many atas and standard restaurants to scam tourists. There are more variety along Balestier Road. Bah Kut Teh, Fish Head Steamboat, Chicken Rice, Big Prawn Noodles… Probably need another post for it. Balestier Market is back open after renovation works! Whampoa Food Centre also not bad.
Yep too many choices. But for this time, I am trying Wheeler’s Yard.
The concept for this restaurant is hippie. Cycling, photography, coffee, ulu, spacious, all my fav!
Oh the food. Don’t harbour too high expectations for food though.. But still a good place for the ambience, buy fries and coffee and lepak away the afternoon there.
From Balestier Road to Novena, you can cut through Shan Road and Irrawaddy Road and pass by MHA New Phoenix Park, and many hospitals, which you just need to know Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Novena is developing into a medical tourism hub.
NS20 NOVENA
Basically we can say here is the start to go to the city, where you won’t find HDBs from here. That also means the MRT stations are located even closer to each other. There’s numerous shopping centres, from Korean-themed Square 2, to sports-oriented Velocity @ Novena Square, to family-oriented United Square and Goldhill Plaza.
From Goldhill Plaza, just walk along Newton Road and navigate yourself around Newton Circus to reach Newton MRT. Not forgetting Newton Hawker Centre, but let’s just give that to the tourists..
NS21 NEWTON
Do you know? Newton MRT station is the shallowest underground MRT station at 12m deep. That explains the short escalator, and I can even hear the MRT moving sound without even go to the basement.
Just walk along Scotts Road, which is just filled with office buildings, then reach Far East Plaza and Orchard MRT station.
NS22 ORCHARD
As someone who doesn’t like to shop, I think you can do a better job in naming the shopping centres and signature shops inside in Orchard Road, which holds Orchard, Somerset and Dhoby Ghaut MRT Stations.
Orchard Road is one place where I should take photos at night instead of the day, especially when there’s christmas lightings. You can see for yourself:
NS23 SOMERSET
313, orchardcentral, centrepoint, cathay cineleisure, orchardgateway… Seems like nowadays I go Somerset more than Orchard lol
One place to visit for a bookworm like me is library@orchard, which is at Level 3 and 4 of orchardgateway.
The design of the library fits well in Orchard district and being cool. It specialises on arts and design books though so don’t bother find science.
Another place other than shopping centre is the Istana Park. The highlight of the park is the Festive Arch, which symbolises the gateway to City.
NS24 DHOBY GHAUT
Plaza Sing, the Cathay, Pomo…
On the short route to City Hall, you can explore SMU campus, which is amazing on how it is able to sit in the city, and National Museum of Singapore, which may have some interesting exhibitions her and there some time. It is free admission for Singaporeans btw.
Some exhibitions outside of National Museum of Singapore.
Stamford Road, North Bridge Road, tada!
NS25 CITY HALL
Another place where most are familiar and requires less explanation..
Pass through Esplanade Park, which have some monuments for heritage. Enter Marina Bay via Esplanade and Esplanade Bridge to the other side. There are plenty sites to take the Marina Bay skyline and CBD skyline, take first choose later!
Just go down into some underpass and make your way to Raffles Place.
NS26 RAFFLES PLACE
The underpass network for Raffles Place has developed even better than City Hall standard (CityLink Mall). Just as you can walk from City Hall to Esplanade Station, you can also walk from Raffles Place to Telok Ayer or Downtown Station. Underground and air-conditioned. Numerous stores in the underpass to entertain you too.
From Raffles Place you can walk all the way to Marina Bay Financial Centre underground and then Marina Bay Station is just nearby.
NS27 MARINA BAY
At the start Marina Bay Station is a ulu place out of the city. But now with much development like MCE, MBFC, Gardens By The Bay and Marina Barrage, it’s not that ulu. Furthermore now it’s not the terminal station, which means I have to walk further to end the journey..
Walk along the new Central Boulevard just opened for the MCE. Many developments and constructions still going on..
At last, get to see the new station – Marina South Pier. You can go up all the way to see the Southern seaview and ferries. There’s a Maritime Gallery at the second floor too.
Beside the Marina South Pier is the Marina Bay Cruise Centre, recently opened. There’s a sheltered walkway totally straight which seems like no end (132 pairs of pillars for that stretch..) The cruise centre’s design is like airport and causeway combined, or maybe that’s just a universal design for immigration places.
NS28 MARINA SOUTH PIER
Finally, in the new station, the design looks like Changi Airport, with seemingly super long platforms.
So that’s the end for the super long journey of NSL from Jurong East to Marina South Pier. It seems crazy when you first heard and think about it, then it seems rather easy from my posts, because words can’t describe how shag I was at that moment. But it is definitely achievable, with strong determination and integrity.
Based on this experience, here are some of my reflections on how to make this journey better, and some tips and pointers if you are trying out.
- This journey is focused on photography and parks, as it is the main highlight of NSL. You can always modify the focus to cycling (prob for NEL) or food (prob for EWL), but of course you need to be good in weighing opportunity costs. Trying to take photos halfway while cycling can be hampering your momentum. You have only one mouth and one stomach and limited money so can’t possibly try all nice food at one go..
- Nope I didn’t walk one shot from Jurong East to Marina South Pier. I did not have the luxury of time for that and that also applies to most of you. Feel free to adjourn your journey anytime, just remember where you paused at and continue and maintain integrity.
- With regards to walking overnight, it’s a good plan to hasten up the completion of the journey. Try to plan that on stretches where there’s nothing much to see. Or else it will be a waste when you can’t take a proper shot at night.
- For those who are concerned about safety, let me tell you that those places are too ulu until no criminals will camp there and prey for you (e.g. park connectors and parks[depends]). But still need to be careful at void decks which are deserted places where criminals may still camp.
- Also, find out 24h food stores on the route helps you survive the night with supper or power naps. There’s more than just Macs I can tell you that.
- Plan your route. Draw it out on map/street directory. Must do this homework (can’t emphasise more on this) so that you walk with a purpose, knowing what interesting places to visit on the way, and of course not horlan. You may not follow the route in the end when you realise got more interesting places, but that’s the fun of it!
- Hygiene can be an issue if walk continuous days. Prepare ample clothes. Find out swimming complexes/country clubs on the route for shower breaks. At least powder bath and change clothes and spam deodorant..
- I am quite a lone ranger so walk all alone.. Good thing is can go wherever I like and do whatever I want without any peer pressure. But if you are uncomfortable doing it alone, you can always find friends to do it. Got people to look after one another belongings and talk cock. Can house-hop friends’ houses if they happen to be on the route. But if finding someone as crazy as me/you is hard, at least knock their doors and give them a surprise “I WALKED TO YOUR HOUSE! ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED!”, or pull them to walk a stretch.
With that, I conclude the series of NSL by foot journey. Stay tuned for North East park connectors journey…
lhchchc 