Where we'd start
Any of these makes a good first stop.
Sengkang Riverside Park is the walk to start with: 21.3 hectares of man-made wetland along Sungei Punggol, free and open 24 hours, with birds in the middle of a new town. It has three plots, Visitor, Mangrove and Civic, each about five minutes from an LRT stop, and it's wheelchair accessible except the pond areas. The Round Island Route leads on to Punggol Waterway. Compassvale Walk Park, a 0.42-hectare therapeutic garden, has a foot reflexology path where the granite chips underfoot are part of the point.
In Hougang, Japanese Cemetery Park at 825B Chuan Hoe Avenue is the largest Japanese cemetery in Southeast Asia, on the Japanese Association of Singapore's grounds. Dress as you would for any cemetery. Pets and drones aren't allowed, and there's no picnicking on the tombs. Walk it early, then eat where the estate has breakfast: Kovan 209 and Hougang 6/7 are heartland markets at their best in the morning. Punggol Park, the older lake park at Hougang Avenue 8 and 10, belongs mostly to the people who live around it.
Kampong Lorong Buangkok, at 7 Lorong Buangkok, is Singapore's last mainland kampong, or village. It's privately owned and lived in, with no ticket, so come in daylight, in a small group, and don't look into the houses. From Buangkok MRT, walk towards Yio Chu Kang Road and Gerald Drive. For dinner, Chomp Chomp in Serangoon Gardens grills stingray and satay in the open air, and it opens only in the evening. It's a taxi ride from Kovan.
Getting there
Kovan 209 is a few minutes' walk from Kovan MRT Exit C. The Japanese Cemetery Park is a bus ride away: from Kovan MRT, take bus 119 or 136 towards Yio Chu Kang Road. At Sengkang Riverside Park, Kupang LRT is five minutes from the Visitor and Mangrove plots, and Buangkok MRT is the stop for Kampong Lorong Buangkok.
Best time
Go early. The Japanese Cemetery Park opens at 7am, the markets are at their best for breakfast, and Sengkang Riverside Park never closes. Kampong Lorong Buangkok has no posted hours, so weekday daylight is the considerate time. Chomp Chomp opens only in the evening.
A day in Sengkang & Hougang
This is the order we'd go in, though each stop works fine on its own.
Where to eat
- Kovan 209 Market & Food Centre, Block 209 Hougang Street 21: about two minutes from Kovan MRT Exit C, for breakfast before the Japanese Cemetery Park
- Hougang 6/7 Market: a second heartland breakfast on this side of the North East Line, with stalls on their own hours
- Ci Yuan Hawker Centre, 51 Hougang Avenue 9: 7am–10pm in Ci Yuan Community Club. From Hougang MRT, bus 72, 116 or 329 to Blk 665, then two minutes on foot
- Hougang Hainanese Village Centre, Blk 105 Hougang Avenue 1, off Lorong Ah Soo: a short bus ride from Hougang MRT, and its stalls keep their own hours
- Chomp Chomp Food Centre, 20 Kensington Park Road, Serangoon Gardens: stingray and satay in the open air, in the evening only
Questions
How do I get to the Japanese Cemetery Park?
It's at 825B Chuan Hoe Avenue, free and open 7am to 7pm daily, and a bus ride from the nearest station. From Kovan MRT, take bus 119 or 136 towards Yio Chu Kang Road, get off opposite the old crocodile farm and walk along Chuan Hoe Avenue. From Hougang MRT, by the mall, take bus 116. If you're eating at Kovan 209 first, use Kovan's Exit C. Coming up on Upper Serangoon Road by a mall means you've taken another exit.
Where can I walk a wetland in Sengkang?
Sengkang Riverside Park is 21.3 hectares of Punggol River bank and man-made wetland, open 24 hours, five minutes from Kupang LRT for the Visitor and Mangrove plots or Farmway LRT for the Civic plot. It's free and wheelchair accessible except the pond areas, and fishing isn't allowed. Carry on to Punggol Waterway along the Round Island Route.
Can I visit Kampong Lorong Buangkok?
Yes, but families still live there. There's no visitor centre, no ticket and no posted hours, so weekday daylight, roughly 9am to 5pm, is the considerate time. Keep to the public path, come in a small group, and leave the drone at home. From Buangkok MRT, walk or take bus 70 or 103 to the Church of St Vincent de Paul, and keep your camera out of the houses.
What can I eat at Kovan 209?
Kovan 209 is Kovan Market & Food Centre at Block 209 Hougang Street 21, with a wet market beside the hawker centre. Chai Kee Prawn Noodle at #01-66 typically starts earliest, around 6.30am, so it's the one to try before the cemetery. Yam Mee Teochew Fishball Noodle at #01-35 is the best-known bak chor mee. Bring cash, since one drinks stall takes notes only.
Which hawker centres are in Sengkang, Hougang and Serangoon?
NEA's list includes eight markets and hawker centres in Sengkang, Hougang and Serangoon. Sengkang has Anchorvale Village, Buangkok and Fernvale. Hougang has Ci Yuan Hawker Centre, Hougang 105 Hainanese Village Centre and the Kovan market at Blk 209. Serangoon has Chomp Chomp and Serangoon Garden Market. For an open-air dinner, we'd pick Chomp Chomp.
Things to do in Sengkang & Hougang
A handful to start with. Tap one for the price and how to get there.
FreeSengkang Riverside Park
A constructed wetland on Sungei Punggol in Sengkang
1.5 hours·Sengkang·Free
FreeJapanese Cemetery Park
Southeast Asia's largest Japanese cemetery, in Hougang
1 hour·Hougang·Free
FreeKampong Lorong Buangkok
Singapore's last mainland kampong, still lived in
45 min·Buangkok·Free
FreeKovan 209 Market
Kovan's neighbourhood breakfast market
1 hour·Kovan·Free
FreePunggol Park
A lake park, older than the waterway
1 hour·Hougang·Free
FreeChomp Chomp Food Centre
Open-air evening hawker in Serangoon Gardens
1.5 hours·Serangoon·Free
