We all need a place to relax, unwind and maybe breathe in some fresh air once in a while. Many of us may think that, it's hard to so due to the lack of natural areas and nature parks in Singapore. After doing some exploration and some research, I find that there are actually places located in Singapore that do let you relax and breathe in the fresh air. What are these two places? They're the Punggol Promenade Riverside Walk and the Pasir Ris Park. In this article, I will talk about these two places in further detail and why you should visit them.
Part 1: Punggol Promenade Riverside Walk
A place with a beautiful view
First of all, I will talk about the Punggol Promenade Riverside Walk. Punggol is a great place located all the way at the north eastern part of Singapore and it's very near to the Johor Malaysia area. It's a fairly new pathway that was just opened in 2012 (if i'm not wrong) and it's a great place to take a breather. Basically, the pathway is somewhat similar to a boardwalk and that is has great views and amenities.
One thing to note was that, during my visit, I actually spotted two wild dogs here. Punggol is still a rather underdeveloped town so there are still plenty of forests here with wild animals still existing. If you are afraid of dogs, I suggest you to just ride a bus straight to Punggol Waterway instead. However, you don’t really have to worry about the dogs. At that time, they were totally harmless and when they see a human approaching, they will give way. I will totally recommend if you can go here with someone or at least go with the presence of other park-goers.
Another beautiful view
Here is another great view when I was strolling along the Riverside Walk. I know it may be plain and there are not a lot of things going on here but that's a good thing, isn't it? Instead of seeing hordes of impatient people walking by or noisy cars zooming past, it's great to be in this kind of environment once in a while. Plus, it's just so relaxing and peaceful. Looking at the picture already makes me feel very calm. Anyway, right opposite the Riverside Walk is the neighbourhood of Pasir Ris. Yes, I know there are no HDB flats and it does not look like Pasir Ris at all mostly because that part of Pasir Ris is basically the Pasir Ris Farmway area. Not only that, it's also the Lorong Halus area which explains the forestry.
A Link to Lorong Halus wetland
Speaking of the Lorong Halus area, there is a bridge which links the Punggol Riverside Walk to the Lorong Halus Wetland. It's sort of similar to the wetland at Sengkang Riverside Park (article right over here). I do enjoy the architecture of the bridge and I can guarantee you that the views when crossing the bridge will be absolutely stunning. Honestly, I have not actually visited the Wetland before but hopefully, I get to visit the wetland and soon enough, maybe do a write up on it. Right now I can only show you a picture of this bridge which links to the wetland. If you have already visited this place, do let me know.
This is how the bridge actually looks like on the inside. It definitely looks very impressive for just a simple bridge that links from one place to another. If you want to bring your bicycle and cycle all the way here, please dismount and push your bicycle when using this bridge for the safety and wellbeing of others.
Popeyes Chicken and A Fitness Corner
Of course, just like other public parks out there, various amenities at the Riverside Walk are available. One of which is a fitness corner for you fitness buffs out there to workout on. In addition to the jogging tracks that are available throughout the Riverside Walk, there are also some fitness stations such as the Chin Up Station along with others. It's great that the majority of parks in Singapore have these fitness corners and jogging tracks catered to those who want to do well for their fitness tests and so on.
If you are feeling a wee bit peckish, there is of course Popeyes. It's a fast food restaurant that serves a wide variety of fried chicken meals (more on Popeyes over here) and side dishes. After a long hot day out at the riverside walk, it's certainly a great idea to come here and just relax, have a meal or two and get some cool air-con comfort. If you're not so keen on Popeyes, you can check out other food establishments located nearby. If you reach Popeyes or any other food establishment first and have maybe your lunch there and you feel guilty about it, not to worry. You can always take a walk along the Riverside Walk or workout at the fitness corner which I have just shown you.
Continuing your journey
Once you are done walking along the Punggol Promenade Riverside Walk, you can continue your journey to either the Lorong Halus Wetland or Punggol Waterway Park (which I have covered before right over here). Or, you can walk along the whole North Eastern Riverine Loop which will lead you to places like the Punggol Point Park, Sengkang Riverside Park, Punggol Park and so much more. It's much better if you cycle through the Loop. If you want to find out more about the North Eastern Riverine Loop, here is a PDF guide.
Can you see the Serangoon Tidal Gates?
In a distance, you can see this quite eerie-looking building which is actually the Serangoon Tidal Gates. Unfortunately, I can't really get access to that building but still, it's a great sight to see. Basically, the tidal gates' main purpose is to control the tides at the reservoir (Sungei Serangoon). If you want to know more details about the Serangoon Tidal Gates, there is this blog post posted by another local blogger where he actually explored the building in person. Here is the link to that blog post.
Part 2: Pasir Ris Park
A great park in the east
Another park that is worth mentioning is Pasir Ris Park. The Pasir Ris neighbourhood is located just right beside the neighbourhood of Punggol so it's quite nearby. Pasir Ris Park is a popular hotspot for families to hang out and enjoy the cool breeze and it's also a great place to do fun things like cycling. Not only that, it's also located right beside the Downtown East leisure resort and the Costa Sands Resorts chalets. What's not to like? You have chalets, a shopping mall, a recreation centre and a beach park all located right beside each other.
The Pasir Ris Park Viewing Tower
Right over here is the viewing tower located at Pasir Ris Park. If you are feeling a little bit adventurous, this is a great place for you to climb up and see all the great things like the mangrove forest and anything that nature has to offer. You can see a wide variety of plants, trees and if you spot carefully, you can also see some not-so-typical birds. This viewing tower is also a great place for bird watchers to observe the birds that may fly past the park. When I last visited the park, it was relatively quiet and all the visitors of the park seem to enjoy themselves strolling, running and cycling around the park.
Enjoying the mangrove swamp
I'm not entirely sure whether to call Pasir Ris Park a beach park because it does not seem like a beach to me. Although there is some sand and of course, the sea, there are some parts of the park where it's very very swampy. After doing a read up on the NParks website, I just realised that Pasir Ris Park is also a mangrove swamp. Although the mangrove swamp looks awesome, I suggest you to not step on it. It's extremely swampy and who knows, it may even dirty your shoes. Still, like a regular beach, you are free to head over to the sandy areas and just enjoy the wonderful sea breeze. Forget about all your stresses right here at the Pasir Ris Park.
Enjoy a great BBQ with friends
Just like the other beach parks in Singapore, there are of course plenty of BBQ pits available for park goers to book and use. Not only is Pasir Ris Park a great place to take a walk around, it's also a great place for family gatherings or any other kind of gathering for that matter. Just like other BBQ pits, do take note that you have to book them through any AXS stations islandwide. Even if you don't wish to use the BBQ pits, you can just use the tables and sit down and maybe a have a picnic. Rubbish bins are also conveniently located right beside the pits for easy access.
There are also bicycle rental shops along with a convenience store right at the park (which actually belongs to Costa Sands Resorts) so you can have a leisurely cycle or even do some rollerblading. Like what I have mentioned earlier, there is even Downtown East if you want to do some shopping, have some fun like watching movies or eat at the various food establishments. The park is even a stone's throw away from Pasir Ris MRT Station and Bus Interchange.
Summary
Overall, the two parks featured in this article are great parks to get out of the stress and take a breather. When I visited both of these places in March, they were quiet and have few people visiting. Everyone there seemed to enjoy their time at the respective parks and I too enjoyed my time at the parks. It's even better if we head to those places with our friends and family. Pasir Ris Park is conveniently located near the Pasir Ris Bus Interchange and MRT Station and there is even a feeder bus service passing by the park. For Punggol Promenade Riverside Walk, it may be a little bit harder to get there. You have to ride the LRT to Riviera LRT Station on the Punggol East LRT Line and walk into this road called Tebing Lane. Accessibility issues aside, these two places are definitely worth your time and they're certainly great alternatives to popular parks.
Getting Here
Punggol Promenade Riverside Walk
Bus services available: 3, 85, 85X, 569 (Bus stop along Punggol East opposite Blk 166A)
Nearest LRT Station: PE4 Riviera LRT Station (Punggol East LRT Line)
Website: Punggol Promenade Riverside Walk Website
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Pasir Ris Park
Bus services available: 354 (Bus stop along Pasir Ris Close opposite Downtown East)
Nearest MRT Station: EW1 Pasir Ris MRT Station (East West Line)
Website: Pasir Ris Park Website
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