Yishun Park
Sorry Yishun, but your reputation truly precedes you. There’s plenty that Singaporeans know the neighbourhood for, most notably for its weird happenings that are still making the headlines today. But if you ask residents, the offbeat town in the North is not 24/7 chaos. On the contrary, it’s quite serene with lots of wholesome things to do – including exploring Yishun Park.
For folks looking for an alternative outdoor space to unwind at, this one has a decent variety of things to see and do for families, dog owners and nature lovers.
For things to do in the area:
Multiple playgrounds including a nature play garden
Image credit: @aussie_boymum_in_singapore
Some parks have sea views while others have treetop walks. At Yishun Park, find a nature play garden perfect for the little ones. With balancing beams and mini-bridges made of logs, your mini-me can have a ball of a time playing adventurer.
Image credit: @the.greener.side
You may be as surprised as we were to find out that there are multiple playgrounds scattered within the 17-hectare park. A stone’s throw away from the nature play garden is an old school playground with seesaws, swings and slides in a giant sandpit – an increasingly rare sight in Singapore.
Image credit: @the.greener.side
For the older kids, there are also climbing nets to let loose their inner Alexander Honnold. Parents can swing by the nearby exercise corner while the little ones run free.
Free dog run with plenty of furballs
Image credit: @puggyfuzzy
A gai gai trip to Yishun Park’s dog run is sure to make your fur baby’s day. Like all other public dog runs in Singapore, this one is free for everyone. And while it may not be the largest out there, it’s often flooded with furballs from corgis to collies so your pup will be able to make lots of friends.
Image credit: @puggyfuzzy
Durian, jackfruit and rambutan fruit trees
Image credit: @yenkk
OG residents will know that Yishun used to be a plantation back in the kampung days. Decades later, some of the fruit trees are left standing. Spotting a durian, rambutan, star fruit, jackfruit or coconut here is as easy as pie, as they grow right along the park’s trails.
Yishun Pond with spiral lookout tower
Image credit: @jia_xiu_baa
We’ve saved the best for last – across the road from the main area of the park lies the tranquil Yishun Pond. Perfect for a morning visit, the pond has nearby trails to jog along and relaxing streams you can meditate next to.
Image credit: @rosa83773
Head up the lookout tower for unobstructed vistas of the park. You might want to bring along a set of binoculars as Asian Koels, White-breasted Waterhens and Little Egrets are some of the many bird species spotted soaring across the sky here.
Visit Yishun Park for a relaxing day out
As much as we love the digital world, Squid Game and Hometown Cha Cha Cha ain’t gonna give you fresh air and vitamin D. Find a sunny day and step out of home for some exploring. Your neighbourhood park aside, Yishun Park is a good spot to visit if you’re looking for somewhere quiet and relaxing to recharge.
Once you’ve gotten your fill of the outdoors, there’s Safra right around the corner with Springleaf Prata and Yishun Park Hawker Centre where you can get some chow.
Getting there: Alight at Yishun MRT and walk ~10 minutes to reach the the park.
For more neighbourhood parks in Singapore:
Cover image adapted from: @rosa83773,@puggyfuzzy