Singapore/North and WestImage:Jurong_LakesideMRT.JPG|thumb|240px|HDB blocks and MRT station, Jurong 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 the reclaimed area which was once '''Jurong Island'''. ==Get in== The western junction of '''Jurong East''' is 30 minutes away from the city center on the MRT East-West Line. Traveling there by the North-South Line will take closer to 60 minutes. See Johor Bahru for information on crossing the Causeway and the Second Link from Malaysia. ==See== ===Zoo, Night Safari and Bird Park=== Image:sg-proboscismonkey-jpatokal.jpg|thumb|Bored proboscis monkey, Singapore Zoo Without a doubt the top three attractions in the area, the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and Bird Park offer joint ticketing: combination tickets to any two attractions cost S$25, while all three (on the same day!) are S$30. ''Getting There'' *By Bus, From the city, take service 171 to Mandai Road, then alight at the first bus stop and transfer to service 927. Whole trip takes about 1hr 15min to 1hr 30min. *By MRT, From Ang Mo Kio MRT, take bus service 138. From Chua Chu Kang MRT, take bus service 927. Both bus trips take approximately 30-40 minutes. * '''[http://www.zoo.com.sg/ The Singapore Zoo]''' (80 Mandai Lake Road) is one of the best zoos in Asia if not the world. The animals are kept in spacious, landscaped enclosures, separated from the visitors by dry or wet moats. To spare yourself walking under the hot tropical sun, you can board a little train that trundles through the park. The zoo's hours are 8.30am-6.00pm daily and adult admission is S$14. * '''[http://www.nightsafari.com.sg/ Night Safari]''', a part of the Zoo but located on completely separate grounds that are closed during the day, is the world's first wildlife park built to be viewed at night. The grounds are in fact larger than the main Zoo and only parts are accessible to visitors on foot, so most people opt for the guided tram tour instead. Open 7:30pm to midnight daily (last admission 11pm), adults S$18 plus optional tram tour S$6; get there on the same buses as the Zoo itself. There is a 30 minute show at the amphitheater with trained animal displays three times per night. (Sit in the center section three rows from the front for a nice surprise.) The tram tour is highly recommended unless you have the time to do a lot of 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 Lepard Trail) for viewing giraffes, flying squirrels, lions and others. Flash photography is not allowed, so a tripod is recommended. Some other animals you can expect to see include are various types of tigers, elephants, bats, flamingos, porcupines, leopards, otters, badgers, and storks. * '''[http://www.birdpark.com.sg/ Jurong BirdPark]''' is a 20.2 hectare open-concept park. It is the largest in the Asia Pacific and claims to be one of the finest bird parks in the world. Its collection of more than 8,000 birds from 600 species is among the largest in the world. The Park specialises in birds from Southeast Asia and the more exotic and colorful tropical birds. Adult admission is S$14.00 plus an optional S$4 for the Panorail monorail around the park. ===Gardens=== * The extensive '''[http://www.sbg.org.sg/index.asp Botanic Gardens]''' features trees and plants from tropical climes around the world. Walking and jogging trails are throughout. Outdoor sculptures dot the gardens. Look for the girl on the swing that appears to hang from an invisible chain in the air. The Gardens are open daily from 5AM to midnight and admission is free; the main entrance is on Bukit Timah Road. * The '''National Orchid Garden''' is a part of the Botanic Gardens, but an admission of S$2 is charged. This is where you can spot Singapore's national flower, the '''Vanda Miss Joaquim''' orchid, and many more. Open 8:30AM to 7PM. Accessible by bus or car, parking at the visitor's center. * The otherwise lackluster '''Chinese Garden''' and '''Japanese Garden''' are worth a visit during the '''Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival''' (Sep-Oct), 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. Entry S$13/9 peak/off-peak during the festival, $4.50 otherwise. Next to Lakeside MRT. ===Other=== * '''Reflections at Bukit Chandu'''. 31-K Pepys Rd, [http://www.s1942.org.sg/bukit_chandu/homepage.htm]. Small but well-implemented commemorative museum for the last stand of the Malay Regiment in World War II's Battle of Bukit Chandu. Admission $2, open daily 9 AM-5 PM except Mondays. Nearest bus stop Pasir Panjang Community Centre (lines 10, 30 from central Singapore), but it's still a bit of a hike up the hill from here. ** If visiting here, make a short detour to the free '''Canopy Walk''' next door, an elevated footpath through the jungle offering nice views of Singapore's heartlands. * '''[http://www.science.edu.sg/ Singapore Science Centre]''' was set up to promote interest and learning in science and tecnhology through assortment of exhibits. There are more than 850 exhibits in the various exhibition galleries and it is not possible to view all exhibits in one visit. Admission charges are $6 for adults, $3 for children and $3.60 for senior citizen. Opening hours are from 10.00am to 6.00pm and closed on Mondays except school and public holidays. * Just beside the Singapore Science Centre is the '''[http://www.science.edu.sg/ssc/otmovie.jsp?type=8&root=0&parent=0&cat=78/ Omni-Theatre]''' where OMNIMAX movies and Plantarium shows are viewed on a 23m and 5 storeys high screen, tilted at a 30 degrees angle to the horizon. Admission charges are $10 for adults, $5 for children and $7.00 for senior citizens. Opening hours are from 10.00am to 8.00pm and closed on Mondays except public holidays. Accessible by car, with ample parking lots. By train, take the MRT to the Jurong East station, then transfer to bus no. 335 or take a 8 minute walk from the station. Here is a '''[http://www.science.edu.sg/ssc/upload/mid1/type13/cat209/3480_308_locationmap.jpg map]''' showing how to walk. ==Do== * To find out what a sauna full of bugs feel like, go for some steamy jungle hiking at the '''[http://www.nparks.gov.sg/nparks_cms/display_park.asp?parkid=8 Bukit Timah Nature Reserve]''' or '''[http://www.sbwr.org.sg/public/home.php Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve]'''. * '''[http://www.snowcity.com.sg Snow City]''' is 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. Opening hours are Tue - Sun (closed on Mondays) : 10.30am - 6.30pm and on public holidays: 9.00am - 8.00pm. ==Buy== There is little noteworthy shopping in the north or west, although the zoo and bird park have well-stocked gift shops. The major shopping malls are '''Jurong Point''' (MRT Boon Lay) and '''IMM''' (MRT Jurong East). ==Eat== ===Budget=== Hawker food is cheap in the boondocks, and there are a few culinary gems to be found — if you can find them, that is. * '''Bao Gong XO Fish Head Bee Hoon'''. Blk 721 Clementi West St 2 #01-100. This place lets you find out what happens when you add XO cognac to fish soup. Less adventurous souls may want to try sliced fish instead of fish head... * '''Joo Siah Bak Kut Teh'''. Blk 347 Jurong East Ave 1 #01-221. One of Singapore's best-known joints for ''bak kut teh'' (lit. "pork bone tea"), a peppery pork rib broth. Two bowls, rice and a serve of ''mui choy'' veggies will set you back S$9.10; add in S$0.50 for some ''you tiow'' fritters from the shop next door to dip in your soup. Open from Tuesday to Saturday 8 AM to 8 PM, and to 3 PM only on Sunday. * '''Zhen Shan Mei Claypot Laksa'''. Blk 107 Depot Road, #01-667 Chia Lee Eating House. ''The'' best laksa in Singapore according to Makansutra and its many regulars. Expect to wait at least 30 minutes. Order with shrimp instead of cockles if raw shellfish is not your thing. Open daily from 10 PM to 2 PM only! ===Mid-range=== * '''Colbar''', 9A Whitchurch Road (''off Portsdown Rd''). Stuck in the past and proud of it, this low-key eatery started life as a canteen for British soldiers, and fare like ox liver with peas and chips still figure prominently on the menu. Recently relocated (complete with original building) out of the way of an expressway, but still very popular. Most mains S$5-10, try the famous curries if British grub isn't to your taste. * '''Lim Seng Lee Duck Rice''', 38 South Buona Vista Rd. Well-regarded specialist restaurant serving up tender boneless duck with their special sauce; be sure to order some "spare parts", their name for liver and gizzard. Prices above average (around S$15 to feed two) but worth it. * '''The Lodge on Flamingo Lake''', in Jurong Bird Park. Visitors to the Bird Park may wish to dine here for local food at reasonable prices (S$10 and up) coupled with views of nearly 10,000 pink flamingos. * '''Marina Bistro''', 10 Tuas West Drive. In the Raffles Marina at the extreme west of Singapore right next to Second Link bridge to Malaysia, offers very competent Singaporean and Western food with mains in the S$8-12 range. Try the excellent beef satay. Open to non-members for lunch and dinner daily; to get there, take exit 25 from the AYE, immediately before the Tuas checkpoint. ===Splurge=== '''[http://www.hollandvillage.com.sg/ Holland Village]''' and nearby Bukit Timah is an expatriate enclave to the west of the city, featuring many high-quality restaurants. * '''Brazil Churrascaria''', 14-16 Sixth Ave, tel. 6463-1923. Waiters walk around with meat-laden skewers, just choose and eat all you can for $37+++ (drinks not included). Decent salad buffet for the vegetarian contingent too. Open daily for dinner only. * '''Original Sin''', 43 Jln Mera Saga, #01-62 Chip Bee Gardens. Continues to win awards for its Mediterranean vegetarian food. Another small cluster of upscale restaurants is nestled on the grounds of the Botanic Gardens. * '''Halia''', tel. 6476 6711. The location in the Ginger Garden of the Botanic Gardens is a reason in itself to visit especially at night, with stunning floodlit views of the surrounding jungle. The food is international with Asian twists, and comes at a fairly steep price; expect to pay around S$100 a head for a full meal with drinks. To get there, enter the Gardens by the Tyersall Ave side entrance and walk a few minutes following the signs. Reservations recommended. *'''Au Jardin Les Amis''', tel. 6466 8812, [http://www.lesamis.com.sg/webtop/aujardin/]. Part of the "Les Amis" group of restaurants and situated in a restored 1920s residence in the Gardens. The food is mostly French with some other European dishes thrown in and many given a little Asian twist, but given the very high prices (S$150+/head) the quality is a little wobbly. There is a superb wine list and a very helpful sommelier on hand to answer questions. The views of the garden are gorgeous. Enter through the Corner House Gate and follow signs to Au Jardin/EJH Corner House (the name of the building which houses the restaurant). Reservations recommended. ==Drink== Except for the odd karaoke TV pub and beer at your favorite hawker stall, there is practically no nightlife. ==Sleep== It's not really advisable to stay far from the centre in Singapore, but if you want to try life as the Singaporean live it you have one good choice: * '''[http://www.geocities.com/hostelone66/ Hostel One66]''' (Block 166 Woodlands Street 13, #01-545 Singapore 730166) is a brand-new hostel (opened March 2004) with dorm beds starting from S$18, singles from S$45. Located near Marsiling MRT on the North-South Line. First page | Prev | Next | Last page |

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