Springleaf

Springleaf neighbourhood is known for its sense of mixed worlds. The area offers central area living, yet possesses the laidback air of a peaceful residential neighbourhood despite the built-up environment. Springleaf has many local restaurants & eateries, as well as hipster cafes serving up some of the best coffee in town. Its vicinity to several nature parks makes the neighbourhood a perfect place for a family home. Students and working professionals who want the proximity to town at a slightly more accessible price might find this neighbourhood quite a catch as well. The new Springleaf MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line serves the area, bringing rail connectivity to surrounding parks and residential developments.

Public transport and amenities in Springleaf

Springleaf is located in the North Region of Singapore, a part of the large neighbourhood Yishun (formerly known as Nee Soon). Springleaf area was formerly part of the Chan Chu Kang village, named after the headman Chan Ah Lak who acquired the land near the Seletar River to cultivate gambier and pepper. The village was located in the kangkar of the river, meaning the land around the riverbank in Teochew. There were over 10 other villages in the surrounding area, including Kampong Telok Soo, Kampong Jalan Kula Simpang, and Sembawang village.

Stay - Springleaf

Springleaf neighbourhood today compromises mostly of shophouses and low-rise private homes. A number of residential mixed-use developments can also be found in the vicinity.  Local residents say that the size of these properties are value for money and are much bigger than similar properties that are more central. If you enjoy rural living and being surrounded by nature & wildlife in your everyday life, the Springleaf neighbourhood might be perfect for you. 

Eats and Drinks - Springleaf

Where to eat in Springleaf? Several of local’s favourite restaurants include the Springleaf Prata Place, Han's at the Springleaf Garden, and the Word Cafe at Thomson Road. The Springleaf Prata Place is your one-stop family restaurant for delicious Indian food. They are halal caterers who can make prata at your venue. They also do catering for all occasions and offer various varieties of foods like prata, thosai, noodles, murtabak, and set meals. 

Among the menus, make sure that you try their famous Chicken Floss Prata for a great taste on your palate. Meanwhile, one of the must-tries at Han's is Hor Fun with pork, prawn, and fish. Velvety smooth hor fun cooked to a charred flavour, topped with sliced pork, sliced fish and prawns soaked in a savory gravy will definitely steal your heart.

Tucked away along Thomson Road lies a little cafe with a nice ambience and quiet area. The Word Cafe serves delicious food at reasonable prices. While visiting the place, make sure to order the aubergine stack which has a nice flavour and very soft texture. For a fresh one, take the lemongrass mojito to accompany your sunny day around the neighbourhood.

Shop - Springleaf

The biggest shopping mall found in the area is probably Northpoint City. It is just a couple of minutes away from Springleaf. Northpoint City is the first and largest integrated mixed development in Northern Singapore and serves as a vibrant lifestyle, recreation, and transportation hub. In addition to a diverse range of retail offerings, the mall also features over 50 food and beverage concepts, including family favourites like Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice and Tenderfresh. It has a second food court in addition to a specialty food precinct named "The Makan Town”. It also has an education cluster, as well as other thematic shopping zones.

Play - Springleaf

Living in the neighbourhood, you will find one of Singapore’s biggest attractions just next door. The world-famous Singapore Zoo, for instance, is home to more than 2,400 specimens of over 300 species, 34 per cent of which are threatened. Set in a rainforest environment, the Singapore Zoo is renowned for its ‘open concept’, which offers visitors from around the world the opportunity to be inspired by the wonders of nature and wildlife. Animals here live in spacious and landscaped environments, simulating that of their natural habitats. The zoo is also constantly evolving into an open, learning experience about wildlife, where interactive and educational content has become a feature of its exhibits. Through these, guests get to learn more about our animals and wildlife conservation efforts in an engaging way.

It is also home to the Night Safari, the world’s first nocturnal wildlife park. Close to 900 animals from approximately 100 species, of which almost 41 per cent are threatened, inhabit the 35-hectare park. In line with its mission to promote biodiversity, the park focuses on the captive breeding of threatened species. Over the years, it has bred Malayan tigers, Asian elephants, fishing cats, red dholes, anoas, markhors, bantengs, Malayan tapirs and Asian lions, among other threatened species. A visit to the Night Safari is a journey into the wilderness. Designed to be explored on a 30-minute tram ride, you will be taken through six geographical regions, from the Himalayan foothills to the jungles of Southeast Asia. Through engaging and exciting live commentary, you will get a deeper understanding of the habitats of the nocturnal animals and an appreciation for wildlife conservation.

The River Safari is the newest addition to the Singapore Wildlife Reserves' portfolio of award-winning parks. It is also Asia’s first and only river-themed wildlife park. Occupying 12 hectares and developed at S$160 million, the park is home to 400 plant species and over 7,500 aquatic and terrestrial animals representing close to 240 species, including one of the world’s largest collections of freshwater animals. It is also home to threatened species such as the giant panda, manatee, and Mekong giant catfish. River Safari aims to inspire visitors to appreciate and protect fragile freshwater ecosystems. These magnificent animals are housed in themed exhibits that mirror iconic rivers of the world from the Mississippi to the Amazon.

Move - Springleaf

Added to the list of stations serving Yishun, Springleaf MRT is a new station on the Thomson-East Coast Line. It is located next to the row of 2-storey shophouses along the Upper Thomson Road, bringing rail connectivity to parks and residential developments in the area. Springleaf MRT station connects to two bus stops in the vicinity, as well as taxi stands and passenger pick-up points. It is also the nearest MRT station towards the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, and River Safari. Bus 138 goes directly from TE4 Springleaf MRT station to the Singapore Zoo within 10 minutes.

Parks and Gardens - Springleaf

People living in the Springleaf neighbourhood would say that they find wildlife and greenery all over the place, every single day. It makes sense because the area is surrounded by nature parks. A small one, the Springleaf Nature Park, is located just off the Upper Thomson Road. The park sits at the fork of Sungei Seletar or Seletar River. There is a lookout point which you can view the river. This stretch of Sungei Seletar eventually connects to the Lower Seletar Reservoir. From the main area of the Springleaf Nature Park, you can take a short walk along the park connector to reach a low bird watching platform. The six-hectare park is home to over 80 species of resident and migratory birds. You can look out for species such as the White-throated Kingfisher, the Yellow-vented Bulbul, and the Blue-tailed Bee-eater from the observation deck.

Another world filled with lush greenery and rich history 99.co recommends you to visit is the Upper Seletar Reservoir Park. With natural vegetation, the park is teeming with flora and fauna, making it a favourite spot for nature lovers. What to do in this 15-hectare park? Put on your running gear and go for a heart-pumping and invigorating jog around the park.

Alternatively, take a leisurely stroll and admire the serenity of the reservoir and the majesty of the park’s iconic rocket-shaped tower. For the more adventurous, climb up to the top of the tower and be rewarded with stunning panoramic views of the waters and adjacent greenery. Visitors can also trek along the park’s many trails or go on a nature walk and discover the park’s inhabitants. Nature lovers will be thrilled at the sight of the resident long-tailed macaques, but are cautioned not to expose food or drinks in their presence as they might bite.

Located to the east of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR), between the Old Upper Thomson Road and New Upper Thomson Road, the Thomson Nature Park complements existing nature parks including the Springleaf and Windsor Nature Parks to extend the green buffer for the CCNR. This 50-hectare buffer park is unique for its rich cultural heritage as the site of a former Hainan Village. It is also home to a rich array of biodiversity and is notably a key conservation site for the critically endangered Raffles’ Banded Langur.

Explore the five trails spanning 3.8 kilometres around the former village's road network. They have been specially curated to provide visitors insight into the ways of life during the kampung days as well as into the variety of floral and faunal species found in Thomson Nature Park.

The Ruins and Figs Trail gives visitors a chance to experience the heritage highlights of the Hainan Village through carefully conserved ruins, while the Stream and Ferns Trail enables visitors to appreciate the freshwater habitat in the Thomson Nature Park and observe the great diversity of ferns and aquatic animals present.