Previously, I have written two articles related to the Punggol Promenade. There was this article that I wrote about the Punggol Waterway, a manmade waterway located in the heart of Punggol East and another about the Punggol Promenade Riverside Walk located near Popeyes Chicken and near the Lorong Halus Wetland. Now, I will be talking about Punggol Point Park also known as Punggol Beach which has recently undergone renovations and has been turned into a lifestyle park. Find out more about this park by clicking Read More or scroll down.
Navigate Punggol Point Park with Ease
I apologise if any of the photos look squished because of my phone camera's resolution. This is the map of Punggol Point Park which looks similar to the one that I have seen while walking along the Punggol Promenade Riverside Walk. The great thing about all these Punggol Parks is that they're all connected together. Punggol Point Park will connect to Punggol Waterway and Punggol Waterway will connect to Punggol Promenade Riverside Walk. If you really want to take it up further, you can even walk all the way to Hougang Park Connector in the Hougang estate. This is a great route to take if you are planning to find a new route to run or cycle and it's also great for walking as well.
Public Transport Options to Punggol Point Park
Getting to Punggol Point Park is relatively easy. All you have to do is head all the way to Punggol MRT Station and walk to Punggol Bus Interchange. At the interchange, just transfer to bus service 84 which will go all the way and loop at Punggol Road End. Once you're at the looping point, you'll see this bus stop where you should alight. Of course, the bus will actually go through several forests but you don't have to worry as the bus stop is not located in the forests. There's also an LRT station nearby but it's currently closed due to little development around the area.
The Punggol Jetty
This is the Punggol Jetty. It's an iconic part of Punggol Point Park and Punggol Beach and it has been here for a very long time. I'm not exactly sure which boats will stop here or which boats will pick up people here. However, I did see a boat dropping off some workers here. Not to worry though, there is a police post so whenever a bunch of people drop off from a boat here at the Punggol Jetty, their bags will immediately get checked. You are free to walk around the jetty to get a great view of the sea as well.
History of Punggol Beach and Viewing Deck
Right at the jetty near where the police post is located is a plague that commemorates the Sook Ching Massacre that happened here during the Japanese Occupation. I'm not going to go into detail into the deadly massacre but you can read up more by clicking on the picture above or by searching for "Sook Ching Massacre" on Google. This plague serves as a reminder to visitors that many lives were lost at this particular beach and that history will never be forgotten.
Oh and if you want an even better view of the sea, the viewing deck is just right above where this plague was located and just right above the police post. The viewing deck allows you to have awesome elevated views of the sea and nearby Malaysia.
Jogging Paths and Walking Trails Along Punggol Point Park
This is the jogging and cycling trail which you can walk, jog or cycle on. There are plenty of steps available here for you to just to sit down, relax and just enjoy the nice view of the sea and to feel the wonderful seabreeze. It's a great picnic spot as well but if you really want to have a picnic here, I recommend you to have a picnic on the beach itself which I'll show you later on. Of course, if this looks familiar to you, well, that's because the pathway and even the benches located right here are similar to the ones found at the Riverside Walk.
Both the Punggol Point Park and the Riverside Walk are part of the Punggol Promenade. Also, like I said earlier, you can walk along this trail to check out the other parks as well but do take note that it's very very far. Punggol is a big estate. It's very windy if you come here so if you want to cool yourself down in this beautiful weather, this trail is definitely the right one for you.
Ponds and Children's Playground at Punggol Point Park
There is also a Children's Playground, a pond and some outdoor toilets as well here at the park. You don't have to worry about not having fun and you don't even have to worry about having to go because everything that you need is already here. Plenty of people can be seen having fun and enjoying the beautiful sunset so you don't have to worry about visiting an empty park because it's not that empty after all.
It would be great if I can actually feed the fish that's in the pond right here as the park does not have a fish food dispenser. If you're feeling thirsty, there's no shopping centre or shops nearby but there is a Pokka vending machine (which is the norm for almost every public park in Singapore) which lets you quench your thirst. Communal showers are also available along with a feet washing corner which makes it even more convenient for beach and parkgoers.
Pulau Ubin in a Distance
As you walk along the trail that I have shown you earlier, you will definitely come across this beautiful offshore island in a distance. Don't fool yourself into thinking that's Malaysia and that Malaysia is this close to our shores. That far away island in a distance is actually Pulau Ubin. If you don't know what's that, it's basically an offshore island that's part of Singapore and one of the very few places in Singapore that's still stuck in time. You'll see lots of villages and lots of natural greenery and the island looks just like how Singapore looked like back in the 1960s.
Unfortunately, you can't actually access Pulau Ubin from Punggol, although that would definitely be a great idea. You can only access the offshore island by taking a boat ride from Changi. I'm not so sure about the details as I have never taken a boat ride nor have I ever been to Pulau Ubin so I'm not in that position to answer those questions. Still, it's rather cool to see Pulau Ubin in a distance and I definitely would like to visit the place at least once.
One of the Last Uninhabited Places in Singapore
Here's another offshore island that you can find when walking along Punggol Point Park. Initially, I did not know what this island was and after walking in front for a while, I realized it's actually Coney Island AKA Pulau Serangoon. Not to be confused with the carnival island located in New York, USA, this island is mainly an island that's one of the last places in Singapore to be uninhabited by Singaporeans. No humans live here, just pure lush greenery and wild animals. Let's take a closer look at this interesting find shall we?
A Closer View of Coney Island
I walked up further to find out more about Coney Island and there was a bridge that connects the Punggol Point Park to Coney Island. Although the bridge looks like a vehicular bridge, it doesn't seem like any vehicles have gone through this bridge before except for some maintenance vehicles. Someday, the bridge may have a road extended all the way to the Punggol HDB estate. Unfortunately, Coney Island is not publicly accessible except for authorised staff which may be the reason why this island is one of the last uninhabited places in Singapore.
Despite all that, I do wish that the island can be accessible to the public in the future. Not all hope is lost though. On the gates, there was a sign saying that Coney Island is undergoing redevelopment. Details of the redevelopment have been scarce so far but there is a chance that the island may turn into a rustic public park with facilities like benches, jogging paths and so much more. Basically, it may be an extension to the existing Punggol Point Park. Hopefully, they won't turn it into another Sentosa. Whatever redevelopment works they are having here in this island, I am definitely looking forward to the opening sometime in the future and I also do hope that they still keep it rustic and natural-looking as possible.
Dirt Track at Punggol Point Park?
After checking out Coney Island, I decided to go back to where I have started the trip from. Unfortunately, the trail only stopped for a short while and if you wish to continue, you have to go through this so-called 'dirt track' which will lead you all the way to Punggol Waterway. Not to worry because I noticed a nearby poster posted up by NParks saying that the trail will be completed very soon and sure enough, there was a construction crew preparing to construct the rest of the trail. It would be great if they can finish it as soon as possible so that more people can enjoy the beautiful views from here all the way to Punggol Waterway.
More Jogging Paths and Recreational Options at Punggol Point Park
I walked along the other side of Punggol Point Park and there was a long jogging path that will lead to other parts of Punggol. I'm not so sure which part of Punggol this side of Punggol Point Park will lead to but this jogging path is definitely a great route for joggers/adventurers. Punggol Point Park also has plenty of comfortable benches with some of them looking like wooden sofas. Not as comfortable as the real thing but at least it looks like it.
There was also a business operating at the park where it's all about adventure and recreations like cycling called Jomando. It was closed at the time of visit mainly because the opening hours stated that it's closed on Tuesdays. When I did some research on the internet for this company, they announced that on 19 January, a week after I visited the park, the company will be closed for three months due to upgrading works at Punggol Point Park. It's unfortunate to hear that this business had to close down.
Beautiful Beach and White Sands
Of course, there's a reason that Punggol Point Park is also called Punggol Beach. There is an actual beach right over here. Just like other beaches, there's plenty of sand and you are free to take off your shoes and walk along the very nice white sands. However, this beach is a little on the unusual side mainly because of the huge rocks scattered around the sand. It's a little bit hard to walk but at least it's natural and they look beautiful in photographs. Plus, look at the view. It's simply stunning. I recommend you to come here in the evenings so you get to indulge in this beautiful view at Punggol Point Park's beach. Or even better, come here in the morning and you may get to see the sunrise.
A Horse Stable at Punggol Point Park
Last but not least, there's also a stable that's right behind the bus stop. This place is one of the few places in Singapore that allows you to go horse-riding. Personally, I have never entered this place before but it definitely looks interesting. Do take note that this is not a place for you to bet on horses but a place for you to ride on them and have some fun. If you want more details on this horse stable at Punggol Point Park, do check it out at their website right over at http://www.gallopstable.com/. There was also a small building at the Punggol Point Park that houses a restaurant and some other facilities as well. Not so sure what's the name of the building but what I do know is that there's going to be a seafood restaurant and as of January 2014, it's still under construction.
Conclusion
Overall, my visit to Punggol Point Park was excellent. I had a great time viewing the beautiful seafront, checking out the nearby islands, visiting the children's playground, walking along the white sand and so much more. All these things, although simple, does decrease your stress by a little bit and it seems that time is ticking much slowly. Sure, there may not be a lot of things going on at Punggol Point Park but if you want to visit a simple park that's sure to impress you with beautiful views, this is definitely the right place for you.
Runners and cyclists will definitely enjoy exercising while the wind blows right over here while families with children will enjoy the children's playground and the nice sandy beach. Also, don't forget that Punggol Point Park is part of the Punggol Promenade just like the Punggol Riverside Walk and Punggol Waterway. I have already done articles on both those parks so do check them out as well. Feel free to take some time off to visit these places and I guarantee you that everything is just much more relaxing when you do such things.
Getting Here
Bus services available: 84 (Bus stop along Punggol Road at Punggol Road End)
Nearest MRT Station: Not available
Website: Punggol Point Park Website
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