Neighbourhood guides: Lesser-known places to visit in Bukit Panjang

We’re betting that you don’t know much about Bukit Panjang – apart from the fact that it’s a really hilly area, perhaps. Check out our list of the top five must-visit places in Bukit Panjang and uncover this neighbourhood’s well-kept secrets!

• Cultivate your green thumb by growing vegetables at these community gardens
• Ditch climbing gyms and go rock climbing at this old quarry
• Feast on the best fish head curry at this authentic Indian restaurant
• Support the students from Assumption Pathway School by dining at this training restaurant
• Be transported to Vietnam with this Vietnamese food stall that serves amazing pho

Cultivate your green thumb by growing vegetables at these community gardens

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Bukit Panjang has not one, not two, but a total of ELEVEN community gardens wherein you can plant edibles and medicinal herbs. These are maintained by the community gardeners under the Community in Bloom (CIB) programme, launched by National Parks Board in 2005.

If you’re an aspiring gardener who would like to cultivate your green thumb, contact CIB (email  CommunitylnBloom@nparks.gov.sg) to rent out a space at one of these community gardens.

Need some inspiration? Common varieties that are favoured by the gardeners include winter melon, bitter gourd, brinjal, pandan and lemongrass.

Ditch climbing gyms and go rock climbing at this old quarry

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This one is for all the adrenaline junkies out there. If climbing at a rock climbing gym just doesn’t cut it anymore, why not level up and go climbing in an all-natural setting like the old quarry Dairy Farm?

A word of advice – safety should always come first, so make sure you have a reliable belayer with you and that both of you are equipped with helmets and appropriate gear.

Feast on the best fish head curry at this authentic Indian restaurant

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There’s nothing quite as enjoyable as a pot of steaming hot fish head curry, enjoyed in rainy weather. The best place for fish head curry? Karu’s Indian Banana Leaf Restaurant, without a doubt!

Fans of Karu’s sing praises about the richness and intensity of its curry, as well as the unlimited biryani rice, papadum and vegetables that come along with it. If you have space for more, order their chicken masala, which comes highly recommended as well.

Support the students from Assumption Pathway School by dining at this training restaurant

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If you’re not familiar with Assumption Pathway School, it’s an alternative school that seeks to empower students who are unable to complete mainstream secondary school education.

The Assumption Restaurant for Training, or ART Restaurant, is located within the school’s premises to serve as a training ground for the APS students enrolled in Hospitality Services. The restaurant serves up a wide range of both Western and Asian cuisine at very affordable prices – a lunch set, for example, goes for just $13.50 nett!

Be transported to Vietnam with this Vietnamese food stall that serves amazing pho

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Saigon Food Street might be a humble stall at Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre, but it serves up a mean bowl of pho. In fact, they are flavourful and satisfying enough to rival some of the larger Vietnamese restaurant chains. If you’re not in the mood for noodles, the same stall also does great banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches) and spring rolls.

Want to stay around Bukit Panjang?

If you like what you see and can foresee yourself staying here in the future, check out this table of average resale flat prices in the past!

Source: HDB.

Want to get a condo instead? Here are some great options in Bukit Panjang:

Nicon Gardens – $634 average psf.

Maysprings – $876 average psf.

The Linear – $926 average psf.

Phoenix Heights – $1,130 average psf.

The Tennery – $1,260 average psf.

Hillion Residences – $1,320 average psf.