Psst! Want to know some of our favourite secret Singapore driving spots? The AutoApp team has curated an around-island drive to blast away those Circuit Breaker blues and do your car some good at the same time.
(Remember to observe all social distancing rules. Just to be clear, you’re meant to stay in your car on this drive and not jalan-jalan.)
As just about all of us have been more or less confined to our homes since 7 April, it’s understandable to get a little fidgety by now. After all, there’s only that many shows to watch on Netflix and playlists to listen to on Spotify, right?
Just like you, your car needs to get out every now and then as well. It’s likely that since this started, the furthest your car has been is to the nearest supermarket.
Like we mentioned in our other article, you should drive your car at least once a week to recharge its battery. If you’ve got a backup battery for your dashcam, that takes even longer to charge – over half an hour!
So for both the car and your mental well-being, we’ve put together a driving route around Singapore, starting and ending at the AutoApp office (naturally). Along the route, we’ve identified places you can grab a drink or bite without leaving your car, as well as some nice scenic places you can stop to chill at. Some of the waypoints here may be closed so best to stay in your car and keep driving.
Leg #1 | Tampines to Holland
START POINT: T-Space, 1 Tampines North Drive 1, Singapore 528559
We begin our drive at the AutoApp office in Tampines. Head directly onto the KPE, where the open road will let our cars stretch its legs a bit. Carry on till you see the sign for Exit 3 towards PIE (Tuas), then take the exit to merge onto the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) heading westbound.
Turn off the PIE onto Adam Road and head down to Farrer Road. You’ll soon arrive at Holland Village for the first refreshment pit stop! You might have heard of independent coffee joint Craftsmen Specialty Coffee, well known for their coffee and confectioneries. During the Circuit Breaker, they are offering a drive through takeaway service to help with social distancing. You’ll need to give them a heads-up via phone at 6463 1715 with your order, and their staff will bring your coffee to your car once it’s ready.
END POINT: Craftsmen Specialty Coffee, 275 Holland Avenue, Singapore 278993
Leg #2 | Holland to Buona Vista
START POINT: Craftsmen Specialty Coffee, 275 Holland Avenue, Singapore 278993
Coffee safely in the cup holder, it’s now time to find a spot to sip it in peace or better yet, during your drive. Head down North Buona Vista Road and onto South Buona Vista Road. Near the end of South Buona Vista road, take the left turn up Vigilante Drive and you’ll find yourself at the top of Kent Ridge Park, if the road is still open to public access.
Sitting 65 metres above sea level, Kent Ridge Park offers a great view of the port and Singapore Strait. Surrounded by greenery, it’s also worth noting that this was where one of the last battles for Singapore was fought during World War II.
END POINT: Kent Ridge Park, Vigilante Drive
Leg #3 | Buona Vista to Bukit Timah
START POINT: Kent Ridge Park, Vigilante Drive
Now that you’ve gotten your daily caffeine intake, it’s now time to head off and get some lunch! Head back down the twisty South Buona Vista Road and onto the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE). Through Clementi Avenue 6, head for the Beauty World shopping and makan enclave where lunch is waiting.
To give their customers a smoother takeaway experience, popular local chain Five Star Chicken Rice offers a kerbside takeaway service that allows you to drive up and pick up your food in a matter of seconds.
It was an initiative that originally started to deal with customers’ parking woes along Cheong Chin Nam Road. Here, diners of nearly 30 eating establishments had to jostle for parking space at just one carpark! It’s a simple system – give them a ring at 6466 3000 to place an order, and their staff will be on standby at the side of the road for a quick and smooth pickup.
END POINT: Five Star Kampung Chicken Rice & Kitchen, 7 Cheong Chin Nam Road, Singapore 599732
Leg #4 | Bukit Timah to Woodlands
START POINT: Five Star Kampung Chicken Rice & Kitchen, 7 Cheong Chin Nam Road, Singapore 599732
With lunch settled, head up North on the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) toward Woodlands Checkpoint. No, we’re not going to Malaysia – but it’s as close as it gets! Take the final exit on the BKE, Exit 10B, and turn right at the junction going to Woodlands Centre Road. Cut through the HDB estate around Marsiling Drive and Marsiling Lane, and you’ll catch a glimpse of the Causeway as you go around the corner.
You’ve arrived at Admiralty Road West, where you can take a cruise along the waterfront facing the Johor city skyline. At the end of the road is our destination, the Woodlands Waterfront Park. Offering not just a scenic view of the Straits of Johor, you’ll also be able to access Woodlands Jetty, which is one of the longest jetties in Singapore at 400m!
END POINT: Woodlands Waterfront Park, 21 Admiralty Road West, Singapore 757698
Leg #5 | Woodlands to Punggol
START POINT: Woodlands Waterfront Park, 21 Admiralty Road West, Singapore 757698
Tummy filled. It’s now time to give your car a workout with a 30-minute drive back toward the eastern part of Singapore. Thread your way through the Woodlands housing estate and get onto the Seletar Expressway (SLE) heading toward the CTE/TPE split. When you get to the split, keep left and merge onto the Tampines Expressway (TPE). About five minutes later, take Exit 7, then make a left and a right.
Take the right-turn pocket beneath the LRT tracks. You’ll arrive at the compound housing KFC Punggol East and its drive-thru. One of two KFC drive-thrus in Singapore (the other in Kallang). It is situated in a standalone building next to a golf driving range. Being a drive-thru, there’s no need to call ahead here – just pull up and place your order at the counter.
END POINT: KFC Punggol East, 60 Punggol East, Singapore 828825
START POINT: KFC Punggol East, 60 Punggol East, Singapore 828825
Grab yourself a pack of chicken tenders or popcorn chicken to go. Then take a short drive along Punggol Central and Punggol Way. Thread through the upcoming housing developments along Northshore Drive, and you’ll find yourself at Punggol Point Park.
Home to makan cluster The Punggol Settlement, this area is typically packed full of families and cyclists on weekends. These days however, an eerie silence has now fallen upon the area as Circuit Breaker measures kicked in. Those who grew up in the 1970s and 80s might recall the original Ponggol Hock Kee Seafood Restaurant for its fresh chilli crab and fragrant mee goreng in nearly the exact same spot!
END POINT: Punggol Point Park, 3 Punggol Point Road, Singapore 828694
Leg #6 | Punggol to Tampines
START POINT: Punggol Point Park, 3 Punggol Point Road, Singapore 828694
For the final leg of the drive, head back down Punggol Way toward the TPE. Merge on to the TPE towards KPE and PIE, then take Exit 5 to Tampines Avenue 10. After making a right turn underneath the TPE, take the left turn pocket. You’ll be back at Tampines Retail Park.
Thanks for coming along for the drive! If you need more ideas on what you can do to keep busy during the circuit breaker, check out our other articles at https://autoapp.sg/tag/covid-19/.
END POINT: T-Space, 1 Tampines North Drive 1, Singapore 528559
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