Singapore/North and West

The northern and western parts of Singapore are the city's hinterlands, consisting of jungle dotted with public housing blocks and a significant industrial area in Sungei Kadut and the reclaimed area of Tuas. In addition there is a reclaimed island, Jurong Island, made from the merging of 7 previously smaller islands.

Travel to Singapore/North and West

The western junction of Jurong East is 20 minutes away from the downtown on the MRT East-West Line. Traveling there by the North-South Line will take closer to 60 minutes as it goes one big loop to Woodlands and the North.

See Johor Bahru for information on crossing the Causeway and the Second Link from Malaysia.

What to see in Singapore/North and West

The sights of Singapore's hinterland can be easily divided in two: there's the zoo and the bird park, and then there's everything else.

Wildlife

Orangutan_singapore_zoo_c - Orangutans at the Singapore Zoo

Without a doubt the top attractions in the area and the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, River Safari and Jurong Bird Park offer joint tickets valid for one month (Park Hopper tickets). Adult combination tickets to any two attractions vary from $26 to $49, while combination tickets to all four parks cost $89.

• Jurong Bird Park - A 20.2 hectare open-concept park dedicated to, you guessed it, birds representing various species. This is Asia’s largest bird park with a collection of more than 5,000 birds from 380 species. The park is attractively presented and quite enjoyable even if you aren't a hardcore ornithologist. The park has 4 free-flight aviaries including the world’s largest aviary and the African Waterfall Aviary, with over 600 free-flying native African birds. There’s also the Lory Loft, where you get to feed the colourful lory and lorikeets. This is a chance to get up-close with these friendly little birds. Don’t be alarmed if they end up perching on your hand, shoulder, or even head. You can also explore the Southeast Asian Birds’ aviary, which features Asia’s largest collection of Southeast Asian birds, including the critically endangered Bali Mynah. The fourth free-flight aviary is Jungle Jewels, home of the colourful birds from South America. The park also has a collection of penguins which are housed in an outdoor enclosure. The Breeding & Research Centre provides a behind-the-scenes look at how eggs are hatched and taken care of. For kids needing reprieve from the tropical heat in Singapore, head over to Birdz of Play, a bird-themed water playground.

• Singapore Zoo - This rainforest zoo is home to over 3,000 animals from over 316 species. The animals are kept in spacious, landscaped enclosures, separated from the visitors by dry or wet moats. The park boasts the world’s first free ranging orang utan habitat in a zoo. To spare yourself walking under the hot tropical sun, you can board a little tram that trundles through the park.
• Bring along swimsuits for kids, so they can cool off in the "Rainforest Kidzworld".
• There's also an award-winning programme and the Jungle Breakfast with Wildlife ($29/19 adult/child extra), daily from 09:00-10:30, where you get to enjoy a buffet in the company of elephants, orang utans, snakes, and more. Advanced booking is highly recommended to ensure a spot.
• Night Safari - A completely separate wildlife park situated near the Singapore Zoo, this is the world's first wildlife park built to be viewed at night. The grounds are larger than that of the Singapore Zoo and animal exhibits are accessible to visitors on foot via 4 walking trails and a guided tram tour (Tram Safari). There is a 30 minutes show at the amphitheatre with trained animal displays at least three times per day (weather permitting). The guided tram tour is recommended if you do not have the time to do a lot of walking and it brings you to the eastern part of the park which is not accessible by walking. Lighting throughout the park is minimal, but sufficient. Stopping at the second tram station is a must as there is a walking path (The Leopard Trail) for viewing giraffes, flying squirrels, lions and others. There are three other walking trails situated around the park – Fishing Cat Trail, East Lodge Trail, and the newest addition, Wallaby Trail. Explore the walking trails to see animals not visible from the tram journey. Flash photography is not allowed, so a tripod is recommended. Some other animals you can expect to see include tigers, lions, hyenas, tapirs, elephants, bats, hippopotamus, porcupines, leopards, badgers, and pangolins.

• River Safari - Mandai's latest attraction and the River Safari is themed around river ecosystems from the Amazon to the Yangtze to the Congo and Mississippi and is a rather fascinating mix between a zoo, an aquarium and a bird park. All areas are surprisingly under cover and protected from the elements, making it a good choice in bad weather. The highlight of the park is surely Kai Kai and Jia Jia, giant pandas on loan from China along with their associated merchandise, although you'll only get to see them for 15 minutes as they sometimes hide in their dens. The Amazon River ride is now open to the public. Here you can take a boat ride around the river, and see many types of animals like jaguars an flamingos during the ride. It is similar to the Amazon Forest. The manatee enclosure is a very soothing endpoint (if traversing the park clockwise).

Gardens

Bandstand, Singapore Botanic Gardens - 20060805 - Gazebo in the Botanic Gardens

• Botanic Gardens - This UNESCO World Heritage site was once considered among the finest botanical gardens in the British empire, and it is still a firm favorite for visitors and local residents alike. Features trees and plants from tropical climates around the world. Walking and jogging trails are throughout, and you can register for regular free guided tours highlighting different themes or areas such as the rainforest, and the healing garden. Outdoor sculptures dot the gardens. Look for the girl on the swing that appears to hang from an invisible chain in the air. Picnicking is allowed, but there are also quite a few cafes and restaurants (see #Eat|Eat). Sunday evenings often see musical concerts showcasing light classics, Chinese or Southeast Asian performances from local orchestras at the bandstand.

• Chinese Garden and Japanese Garden - Free and nice for a walk and/or picnic. Also check out the tortoise and turtle sanctuary in the Chinese Garden. $5 adult admission and $2 for leafy vegetables and food pellets let you get up close and personal with these wonderful creatures. Worth a visit during the Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival (September - Oct, exact date varies), when the garden is lit up with tens of thousands of lanterns, including complex installations with moving figures based on themes ranging from Hello Kitty to Chinese folk tales.

• National Orchid Garden - This is where you can spot Singapore's national flower and the Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid, and many more. Accessible by bus or car, parking at the visitor's centre.

Historical

Quite a few sites related to World War II are scattered around the island, but most will appeal only to war history buffs.

• Kranji War Memorial - The War Cemetery is the final resting place of 4,461 British Empire servicemen and women of World War II in marked graves. The names of over 24,000 personnel killed across South-East Asia whose bodies were never found are inscribed on the Memorial Walls. A number of other memorials are on the site. Quieter than the Singapore/East Coast|Changi Chapel, but no less moving.

• Surviving the Japanese Occupation: War and its Legacies - Old Ford Factory | War museum at the old Ford Motor Factory, where British Lt-General Percival surrendered Singapore to the (Japanese). Focuses on the subsequent Japanese occupation and the experiences of both civilians and POWs with modern presentation and multimedia gadgetry, but if you're pressed for time and the Singapore/East Coast|Changi Chapel covers much the same territory and is probably the more interesting of the two.

• Reflections at Bukit Chandu - Small but well-implemented commemorative museum for the last stand of the (Malay) Regiment in World War II's Battle of Bukit Chandu. If visiting here, make a short detour to the free Canopy Walk next door (a part of the Southern Ridges Walk), an elevated footpath through the jungle offering nice views of Singapore's heartlands.

Other

Hell LavaPit - Disrespect your elders? It's off to the lava pits for you!

• Haw Par Villa - Formerly the Tiger Balm Gardens, this is the former site of the villa of the Tiger Balm brothers, Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par, now packed with an incredibly bizarre assortment of statues illustrating Chinese legends and moral values. The most famous bit is the Ten Courts of Hell, which demonstrate in gruesome detail how sinners get punished in the underworld: for example, ingratitude is punished by grilling on a red hot copper pillar, while cheating in exams merits having your body dismembered and your intestines pulled out.

• Kong Men San Phor Kark See Monastery - Singapore's largest Buddhist temple and monastery sprawls over a hill in a residential suburb of Singapore. Founded in 1920 and the present buildings are all oversized and rather gaudy concrete structures, but it's still a rather surreal place. The highlight is the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas, whose dome is decorated on the inside with, you guessed it, ten thousand tiny Buddha figures. Runs meditation retreats (mostly only in Chinese though) and gets packed with worshippers on major Buddhist holidays.

• Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum - This museum showcases animals and plants with a focus on south-east Asia. The main floor contains many specimens, including two dinosaur and a whale skeletons. There is also a smaller section specifically on Singapore as well as an outdoor garden on the second floor. Reservation can be made online, but should not be necessary outside holiday time and weekends.

• Omni-Theatre | Omnimax movies and planetarium shows can be viewed on a tilted 23 m high screen. From Jurong East MRT, transfer to Bus 335 or walk 8 min from the station.

• Singapore Science Centre - Set up to promote interest and learning in science and technology through assortment of exhibits. There are more than 850 exhibits in the various exhibition galleries firmly aimed at younger children (6-10) and it is not feasible to view all exhibits in one visit. There is also an interesting water park area near the front entrance.

• Baba House - Located at the fringes of Chinatown among a row of shophouses and the Baba House is a showcase of Peranakan culture in Singapore and features traditional furnishings typical of Straits Chinese households. The house has a distinctive blue exterior.

Best things to do in Singapore/North and West

To find out what a sauna full of bugs feel like, go for some steamy jungle hiking. Best times are very early in the morning or in the late afternoon.

Sungei_Buloh - Mangrove trees in Sungei Buloh

• Bukit Timah Nature Reserve - At 166 metres this is Singapore's highest point — if you don't count the city's skyscrapers. It is also one of the last places in Singapore that is home to the original primary tropical rainforest that used to cover the entire island. You can scale the hill in 15 minutes if you follow the paved road (boring) or 45-50 minutes if you do it the long way around (more interesting). Watch out for monkeys! Don´t expect a stunning view from the top, though. Almost nothing can be seen through the thick trees.

Four monkeys - Crab-eating macaques as MacRitchie Reservoir.

• MacRitchie Reservoir - Rather more exciting than it sounds, this serene artificial lake is surrounded by acres of virgin jungle (and not a few golf courses). On the north side and the HSBC Treetop Walk is a 250 m bridge suspended as high as 27 m above the ground. Trails range from 3 to 11 kilometers, and are of different difficulty levels. One can even hike all the way to Bukit Timah. There is a basic food court at the south entrance, and a ranger station with toilets and water at the 4.5 kilometers mark (near Treetop Walk) on the north side. The park is also a popular haunt of canoeing enthusiasts, joggers, and strollers. For history buffs, this was also the site of a Shinto shrine (then called the Syonan Jinja) built by the Japanese during World War II, and the ruins of the shrine, while largely inaccessible without navigational equipment, still survive. For wildlife enthusiasts and the area is also home to two species of monkeys; the crab-eating macaque, which is very numerous and you are almost guaranteed to run into, and the banded surili or banded leaf monkey, which is very shy and critically endangered in Singapore, meaning that you will be very lucky to spot some in the forest canopies.

• Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve - If you want to see a mangrove forest, this is your chance. As the reserve is basically a swamp, bring plenty of mosquito repellant and keep an eye out for crocodiles. The nature reserve is a site of international importance for migratory birds. It is also Singapore's first ASEAN legacy park.

And there are a few things to do that don't involve stomping about in the jungle

• Delta Sports Complex | ClubFITT gym, swimming pool, badminton, hockey and petanque courts.

• Singapore Turf Club - Kranji MRT | Host horse races, most commonly on Fridays (starting 18:30) but occasionally on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday as well. Betting is allowed, making this a major draw for local residents. The Upper Grandstand is air-conditioned, while the Lower is not.

• Snow City - The first permanent indoor snow center in Singapore; interesting enough for residents of the tropics but probably not on the top of the agenda for pallid Europeans escaping their own winter. Sledding, snowboarding and other wintry pursuits, including the inevitable sub-zero café.

• West Coast Park - Much less crowded than East Coast Park, with fewer amenities, although you can explore it on pedal-go-kart. Love pets? Bring your poochies for a nice walk and some doggy snooping at the local dog run. West Coast Park is an excellent place to bring the children. There are many activities like kite flying, a huge playground and rental barbeque pits. The western starting point of the Southern Ridges Walk.

• Skate With Us Skate School West Coast Park | Skate With Us offers professional inline skating and holidays camps at West Coast Park They offer free trial classes every month where you and your children can learn for free with supervision from a professional coach.

• Singapore Tchoukball | Newly located at West Coast Park, you can organise a game of tchoukball with your friends here in Singapore. Often used by companies for teambuilding activities, tchoukball is a game that promotes character building, discipline and a fun game for you and your friends to bond and make merry! Just rent the equipment for an hour and they have a professional coach that will teach you for free.

Muslim Friendly Shopping in Singapore/North and West

There is little interesting shopping in the north or west. The major shopping malls are Jurong Point (nearest MRT station: Boon Lay), IMM, Jem and JCube (nearest MRT station: Jurong East). A stroll around the HDB heartlands may uncover interesting finds, though, not to mention an authentic taste of ordinary Singaporean life.

• The Grandstand - The former turf club is now a fancy mall. A good place for European food and artisanal products.

Tourist attractions such as Singapore Zoological Gardens, Jurong Bird Park and Singapore Botanic Gardens have gift shops overflowing with cute plush toys and tacky local souvenirs.

Halal Restaurants in Singapore/North and West

• Samy's Curries - An old-school Singapore institution in an open-air colonial building, serving Rice and Curries on real banana leaves as ceiling fans whir. Waiters walk around with buckets of Curries (very cheap) and take orders for tandoori, fish head Curries and other treats (which can be more expensive). No air-con, no reservations.

• Bollywood Veggies - Tucked away in rural Lim Chu Kang, this exuberantly colorful bistro with air-con and alfresco seating draws crowds on weekends with simple local dishes, made from fruits and vegetables grown on their backyard organic farm. The menu changes regularly, but favorites include their nasi lemak (coconut rice), banana Curries, desserts like kueh kosui (coconut-brown sugar cake) and home-brewed teas. Kids can romp around the farm, while adults can pick up organic fruits, veggies and herbs to go. All Meat is halal, but the restaurant is not certified.

eHalal Group Launches Halal Guide to Singapore/North and West

Singapore/North and West - eHalal Travel Group, a leading provider of innovative Halal travel solutions for Muslim travelers to Singapore/North and West, is thrilled to announce the official launch of its comprehensive Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Singapore/North and West. This groundbreaking initiative aims to cater to the diverse needs of Muslim travelers, offering them a seamless and enriching travel experience in Singapore/North and West and its surrounding regions.

With the steady growth of Muslim tourism worldwide, eHalal Travel Group recognizes the importance of providing Muslim travelers with accessible, accurate, and up-to-date information to support their travel aspirations to Singapore/North and West. The Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide is designed to be a one-stop resource, offering an array of invaluable information on various travel aspects, all carefully curated to align with Islamic principles and values.

The Travel Guide encompasses a wide range of features that will undoubtedly enhance the travel experience for Muslim visitors to Singapore/North and West. Key components include:

Halal-Friendly Accommodations inSingapore/North and West: A carefully selected list of hotels, lodges, and vacation rentals that cater to halal requirements, ensuring a comfortable and welcoming stay for Muslim travelers in Singapore/North and West.

Halal Food, Restaurants and Dining in Singapore/North and West: A comprehensive directory of restaurants, eateries, and food outlets offering halal-certified or halal-friendly options in Singapore/North and West, allowing Muslim travelers to savor local cuisines without compromising their dietary preferences in Singapore/North and West.

Prayer Facilities: Information on masjids, prayer rooms, and suitable locations for daily prayers in Singapore/North and West, ensuring ease and convenience for Muslim visitors in fulfilling their religious obligations.

Local Attractions: An engaging compilation of Muslim-friendly attractions, cultural sites such as Museums, and points of interest in Singapore/North and West, enabling travelers to explore the city's rich heritage while adhering to their values.

Transport and Logistics: Practical guidance on transportation options that accommodate Muslim travel needs, ensuring seamless movement within Singapore/North and West and beyond.

Speaking about the launch, Irwan Shah, Chief Technology Officer of eHalal Travel Group in Singapore/North and West, stated, "We are thrilled to introduce our Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide in Singapore/North and West, a Muslim friendly destination known for its cultural richness and historical significance. Our goal is to empower Muslim travelers with accurate information and resources, enabling them to experience the wonders of Singapore/North and West without any concerns about their faith-based requirements. This initiative reaffirms our commitment to creating inclusive and memorable travel experiences for all our clients."

The eHalal Travel Group's Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Singapore/North and West is now accessible on this page. The guide will be regularly updated to ensure that Muslim travelers have access to the latest information, thus reinforcing its status as a reliable companion for Muslim travelers exploring Singapore/North and West.

About eHalal Travel Group:

eHalal Travel Group Singapore/North and West is a prominent name in the global Muslim travel industry, dedicated to providing innovative and all-inclusive travel solutions tailored to the needs of Muslim travelers worldwide. With a commitment to excellence and inclusivity, eHalal Travel Group aims to foster a seamless travel experience for its clients while respecting their religious and cultural values.

For Halal business inquiries in Singapore/North and West, please contact:

eHalal Travel Group Singapore/North and West Media: info@ehalal.io

Buy Muslim Friendly condos, Houses and Villas in Singapore/North and West

eHalal Group Singapore/North and West is a prominent real estate company specializing in providing Muslim-friendly properties in Singapore/North and West. Our mission is to cater to the specific needs and preferences of the Muslim community by offering a wide range of halal-certified residential and commercial properties, including houses, condos, and factories. With our commitment to excellence, client satisfaction, and adherence to Islamic principles, eHalal Group has established itself as a trusted name in the real estate industry in Singapore/North and West.

At eHalal Group, we understand the importance of meeting the unique requirements of Muslim individuals and families seeking properties that align with their cultural and religious trainings. Our extensive portfolio of Muslim-friendly properties in Singapore/North and West ensures that clients have access to a diverse selection of options tailored to their needs. Whether it's a luxurious villa, a modern condominium, or a fully equipped factory, our team is dedicated to assisting clients in finding their ideal property.

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Muslim Friendly Hotels

There are very few choices when it comes to accommodation in the west and the north of Singapore, and you are probably better off staying in the centre and taking the train out from there. If you really want to stay in this region though, we are soon updating this page.

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