Bidadari is a growing housing estate, and it might be hard to believe that the area was once a cemetery. But fret not; this isn’t the filming spot for the next instalment of Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey. Instead, the chill, cute variant of the friendly Pooh bear we’re all familiar with is what inspired the newly opened Bidadari Park. Confused? Read on.
Bidadari Nature Park opened to the public on 3rd September 2024, and covers an area of 18 football fields. The Bidadari cemetery was disinterred in 2004 to make way for new housing developments, but years of waiting called for nature’s interference.
The development of Bidadari Park is a combined effort of Singapore’s Housing and Development Board, National Parks Board, PUB, and National Heritage Board to provide residents with greenery within the vicinity.
The park is only a short 5-minute walk away from Woodleigh MRT station. Cut through The Woodleight Mall upon exiting and cross the traffic light. Alternatively, those residing along the Circle Line can also reach the park via Bartley MRT, which requires a longer walking distance of 20 minutes.
We first met the star of the show, Alkaff Lake. Built to resemble the serenity of the former Alkaff Lake Gardens, it is an ideal recreational spot for picnic dates with bae or some solo wind-down time.
Before you assume that the body of water is merely for aesthetics, it’s not. At the lowest point in the estate, the lake acts as a stormwater retention pond and protects nearby estates from flash floods.
Water levels in the lake remain at around 1.5m on normal sunny days and are said to rise to a whopping 4m when heavy rain hits, submerging nearby walking paths. Although rare and would take 1.5 hours of intense rainfall to reach that height, warning systems are in place to warn pedestrians to steer clear of the lake once water levels hit 2m.
Hikers can walk through the trails that weave through the woodlands. Stroll along the boardwalk and spot tiny inhabitants like frogs and turtles hiding in the marshlands.
The park has 2 community spaces – Tembusu and Open Lawn – which can host larger-scale events when the need arises.
Bidadari is hailed for its rich birdlife, and the area especially sees the arrival of many migratory birds. Forested areas are kept within the park so the public can enjoy the wilderness.
If your legs need a break, there are birdwatching pods dotted along the trails that double up as resting spots. Try spotting the Finlayson Squirrel, a population limited to the Bidadari area and you can recognise it from their cream and dark brown fur.
The first and only one in our nature parks, the raptor nest platform is a 20m-tall nesting site for birds of prey, such as Singapore’s most distinct raptor, the white-bellied sea eagle.
Remember to check out the hillock as well. It is an extension of the park and the highest spot, making it another great place to birdwatch. Parkgoers can access this area via a 100m bridge with bountiful plants and blooming flowers.
Inspired by the houses of Pooh and friends, the Adventure Playwoods is a 5m tall treehouse playground resembling the fictional ones standing in Hundred Acre Woods.
It is perfect for the kiddos to run around. Think tall slides, climbing nets, and a mini zipline; it’s enough to ignite the child in us. Climb to the very top, and you’ll find yourself in an observation pod, where you can look around and hope to spot a yellow bear in his red shirt waving at you.
Learn about the history of Bidadari and the heritage walk through storyboards. The walk is located along the former Upper Aljunied Road, which has since been pedestrianised and renamed Sang Nila Utama Boulevard. Part of the walk is yet to be fully completed, but the remaining part is said to be ready by the end of the year.
Singaporeans can also look forward to a memorial garden, which will be completed in the first half of 2025 and will feature artefacts from the former Bidadari Memorial Garden.
Singaporeans can now add Bidadari Park to the list of nature parks to explore in our garden city. Take a morning or evening stroll with the fam, join the kids at the playground, or just bird watch. Afterwards, you can head down to the nearby Woodleigh Mall if you’re feeling peckish.
For more nature-related content, read:
Photography by Jaslyn Tan.
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