Introduction to Punggol Park
Punggol Park is a neighborhood recreational park located in the northeastern region of Singapore. It is a serene oasis that offers a wide range of outdoor activities for families and individuals. The park is known for its lush greenery, calm waters, and serene ambiance.
Punggol Park is connected to the Park Connector Network that connects to other parks in Singapore such as the Punggol Waterway Park via an island-wide network of linear green corridors linking major parks and nature areas.
The park mainly serves the residents around the neighborhood with occasional visitors that comes out from other parts of Singapore. Foreigners are rarely seen in the park.
I want to clarify that Punggol Park and Punggol Waterway Park are two different parks because it is common to mistaken one park for the other due to the similarity in naming.
Please be mindful of which park you are interested in as they are about 4km apart if you visit the wrong park.
Both parks offer an enjoyable atmosphere nonetheless.
How to get to Punggol Park
Commuting by Bus:
- Hougang Avenue 10 (Opp Blk 458)
- Bus Service 80, 80A, 82, 87, 88, 88A, 89, 89e, 119
- Hougang Avenue 8 (Punggol Pk)
- Bus Service 62, 74, 113, 119, 147, 672
- Upper Serangoon Crescent (Opp Blk 475b)
- Bus Service 324
Commuting by Train:
You can alight at Hougang MRT station. From the MRT station, you can exit to the bus interchange where you can then board either 74, 113, or 147 and alight at bus stop Opp Punggol Pk.
Driving there:
There is a 24-hour car park for those who are looking to drive there. The car park is operated by Wilson Parking Pte Ltd with 26 lots. The parking rate is as follows:
- Mon-Sun 08:30 – 22:30
- $0.60 per 30 minutes
- Mon-Sun 22:30 – 06:30
- $0.60 per 30 minutes
- Max $5
- Mon-Sun 06:30 – 08:30
- Free
Amenities
Punggol Park offers a wide range of activities that cater to visitors of all ages and interests. Here are some of the most popular amentities at Punggol Park:
Food options
Refreshments are waiting around the corner after all your activities in the park:
My time at Punggol Park
On mornings of my work-from-home days, I would wake up at 7 and head to Punggol Park for a walk. The park would be bustling with people already at this time. I’ll always see the same group of people meditating at a grass patch and varying activities at the recreational area. The activities includes line-dancing, tai chi, wushu, rollerblading, boxing, etc. The list is non-exhaustive, expect to see activities happening at the recreational space that is not in the list.
The regularly maintained track and fitness corner is excellent for early birds who exercises before they start work for the day. As the track is shared by both joggers and cyclists, be aware of your surrounding when you are on the track to avoid collision with others. Although I must say I do not see many cyclists in the morning.
I would have my camera with me on my walk to photograph the wildlife in the park. I’m a little bit of a wildlife enthusiast myself, just following and observing the animals gives me a sense of euphoria. I was startled by a junglefowl, in simpler terms – a chicken, that crowed on a tree as I was walking by. The junglefowl flew down (yes chicken can fly) and I proceeded to follow it for a bit to observe its behavior . With time, I come to learn that the junglefowl was a resident of the park as I would see him every morning I visited the park.
Another feathery friend I never fail to run into is the white-breasted waterhen, that hangs by the lake shore. Despite their name, they are actually from the crake family and not a hen. The waterhen are rarely alone and are usually seen foraging as a group. Because of their miniature size, you will only be able to see them at the right spots in the park. I have ever come across a lone waterhen showering in the rain.
After my walk in the park, I would call Yi Jia Bakery in advance to place my order for the quintessential local breakfast set and a piece of waffle. The waffles in Singapore are commonly made with coconut milk and pandan, so expect a different taste from the regular batter-based waffles. My order would be ready by the time I reach the bakery and I would enjoy my breakfast there if there are seats available, otherwise I would just bring the food home.
That sums up my regular mornings in the park. Although it is not much of an attraction, I strongly encourage visitors – both foreign and local to visit the park once to enjoy the same halcyon atmosphere that I am so blessed to enjoy on my work-from-home mornings.