Although the heartlands of Singapore is not as renowned for its beauty as say, Jewel Changi Airport, it’s hard to beat the heartlands in terms of value for money and peace of mind. Every neighbourhood in Singapore has That Place where its residents in-the-know frequent and for the Toa Payoh neighbourhood, it’s Toa Payoh Town Park.
Built in the 1970s, it has aged remarkably well. The long branches of graceful willow trees hover over ponds, where land masses are joined by sloping stone bridges. There are also stepping stones in-between the manmade islands, so you can hop your way from one stone to the next. Gigantic hexagonal shapes form the white railings of the wooden walkways where you can admire the view by the water.
There’s also a 27m tall Observation Tower, which you can ascend to look at the birds. Although the tower can no longer be considered tall for our time, it has lost none of its charm.
Go there on the weekdays and you’ll be able to skip most of the crowd. And if you drive, parking likely won’t ever be an issue as there is plenty of places to park.
When you walk, be mindful that some of the animals here have lived in Toa Payoh Town Park for generations!
If you’re lucky, you might even see a White-breasted Waterhen or perhaps a Red Junglefowl.
When you’re done with your walk, head up to Oasis Taiwan Porridge which has been in operation for almost 4 decades. Though they were formerly located at opposite the old National Stadium building, they have since become a familiar sight to residents here in Toa Payoh.
Whether you’d like a Chye Poh Omelette with your porridge or Prawn Rolls, Oasis Taiwan Oasis has everything you want. There’s even a Cold Dish Platter, Deep Fried Salted Chicken and two full pages of desserts!
And because Oasis Taiwan Porridge’s views are some of the most serene in Singapore, it’s the perfect place to dine, even if the company isn’t that great. All you need to do is look out of the window and pretend you’re in a music video.
The scenery will do your job for you.
Address: Lorong 6 Toa Payoh, opposite Toa Payoh MRT Station
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