In December 2015, the second stage of the now-complete Downtown MRT Line (the Blue Line) was launched. With it, there was finally an MRT station for Bukit Panjang, directly connecting Singaporeans from the west to the central areas like Chinatown and Bugis.
To many people, Bukit Panjang is simply just the far western end station of the downtown line, but is there any more to Bukit Panjang than just an end station?
Today, let’s go on a journey to the west as we explore some of the places in Bukit Panjang that you should consider visiting.
Zhenghua Park & Chestnut Nature Park
Source: Chestnut Nature Park (nparks.gov.sg)
The western part of Singapore is well known for its nature reserves and areas with lots of greenery, whether they are nature reserves, local parks, or even army training areas. 💀
Zhenghua Park from the outside might look the same as any other park but what makes this place unique is that it is connected to a wider park network with Chestnut Nature Park.
Together, these parks offer something for all sorts of outdoor enjoyers. For runners, there’s a long path for runners with ample elevation. There are playgrounds and fitness corners for children and the elderly respectively.
For those who truly enjoy nature and outdoor activities such as hiking and off-road biking, Chestnut Nature Park can be accessed from Zhenghua Park via the expressway underpass.
Should the skies start to grey and thunders start to be heard, don’t worry as there will be man-made shelters that you can find around the area.
At the end of your hike or biking session, you’ll be able to reach the Chestnut Observation Tower, which offers a good view of the surrounding natural beauty.
To get to Zhenghua Park, you can take any bus, such as bus 972 from Bukit Panjang interchange, that takes you to the bus stop, Blk 270, which is the bus stop right before the buses enter the BKE expressway. From there, the park is just a short walk through some HDBs.
Senja Hawker Centre
Source: Senja Hawker Centre
For those coming to Bukit Panjang to satiate their culinary desires, you’re in luck as Bukit Panjang is where you can try one of the most recently opened hawker centres in Singapore.
Opened in late 2022, this hawker centre has multiple stalls which has awards such as the Michelin Guide for their other outlets. Furthermore, being in a hawker centre, these stalls will not be too harsh on your wallet.
One of the stalls which frequently sees long queues and sells out early is the Heng Gi Goose and Duck Rice stall. Their other outlet in Tekka Centre earned a mention in the Michelin Guide and while this is not the same outlet, it does show why this stall earned said mention.
Their signature dish, the Braised Duck Pumpkin Yam Rice costs $4.50 so it’s relatively budget-friendly for a stall with such an award. Don’t be fooled by the stall’s name however as although it’s in the name, there is no “Braised Goose Rice” on its menu.
Senja-Cashew Community Club
Source: Senja-Cashew Community Club
Senja-Cashew Community Club (CC) is a place that most Bukit Panjang residents will be familiar with or even visit often.
As a community club, it offers the standard amenities such as badminton courts, dance rooms, and so on however it is also integrated with some ActiveSG sports facilities.
Not only is there an ActiveSG gym inside, but there is also a whole swimming pool, both for children to play and for swimmers to swim in laps inside.
If you already frequent ActiveSG facilities, there will be no issue with using these facilities as they use the same ActiveSG balance as every other ActiveSG facility so whether you want to go for a gym session here or to go for a swim, accessing these facilities will be seamless.
There is also another thing that makes this community club special and that is the view of Pang Sua Pond right next to it which makes a great view. Even from the swimming pool, the view of the pond is visible so swimmers can enjoy the view while resting in between laps.
For those who don’t intend to swim or use the sports facilities, the scenery and setting is well worth the visit. Over the pond, there are aesthetically designed bridges that let you walk along the pond.
At night and during some festivals, there will be pretty lights that light up the bridges, making this place a perfect picture to take Instagram-worthy pictures with the pond as the backdrop.
To get here, it’s very simple as the bus stop is right by Pang Sua Pond. There are multiple busses that goes here, including buses 190, 184, and more which you can take from Bukit Panjang Station Exit C.
Hillion Mall
Source: HillionMall.png by Freeland Galbano – Wikimedia Commons
Last but not least, we have the landmark mall of Bukit Panjang, Hillion Mall. Located right next to and in fact, connected to Bukit Panjang MRT of the Downtown Line, Hillion Mall is nearly impossible to miss if you’re coming to Bukit Panjang.
A key feature of this mall is Seoul Street, found on level 2, where visitors can find an assortment of Korean food stores. On the top floor, there is also a Koptiam that has many stores, including an outlet for the Ayam Taliwang Nasi lemak stall.
For those looking for things other than just F&B, you can also find a MINISO outlet as well as some gacha machines for those looking for some collectables.
Furthermore, if you’re going to any other place in Bukit Panjang, you’re likely going to go into Hillion Mall anyways as this is where the Bukit Panjang bus interchange is located at.
With this, we hope that now you have some places that you can add on to your itinerary should you ever visit Bukit Panjang, whether it is for culinary, enjoying nature, or any other purpose.
If you’re looking for more guides to locations to visit while you’re in the heartlands of Singapore, stick around and perhaps you can check our travel guide for Choa Chu Kang here.
Related To:
Heartlands Travel Guide: Top 4 Places To Visit In Choa Chu Kang, Singapore
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