Long before I realised what made Bollywood Farms special, I only knew it as the mandatory primary school excursion that came with an agonisingly long bus ride. Back then, I couldn’t have cared less about the greenery, preferring to poke fun at plant names and play hide-and-seek with my classmates within the farm.
It was only as I grew older that I began to appreciate what the place had to offer. As one of the last remaining farms in Singapore, its unpolished charm and tropical surroundings make it feel worlds away from the city. We visited for a last look before the farm’s lease expires in December 2026, and here’s what you can still see and do.
Bollywood Farms is helmed by Mrs Ivy Singh-Lim, former president of Netball Singapore, and her husband, Mr Lim Ho Seng, former CEO of NTUC FairPrice. The farm was built on a weedy patch of swamp in Lim Chu Kang after they won the tender for the land in December 2000.
But in 2020, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) earmarked 390ha of land in the area for a mix of defence and farming use, including the land where Bollywood Farms sits. As a result, the farm is set to close its gates for good when its lease expires on 31st December 2026.
With its fate hanging in the balance, now might be the time to revisit this old-school Kranji favourite.
Getting to Bollywood Farms can be tricky. Tucked away along Neo Tiew Road in the Kranji countryside, it is about a 12-minute drive away from Kranji MRT, with no direct public transport options available. However, free parking is available.
If you’re not driving, your best bet is to take a Grab from the MRT station, which costs around $10 to $15, though finding a driver out there can take a while.
But once you get past the initial hurdle of its ulu location, the trip is well worth it. Entry to the farm is free, with no tickets or reservations needed. Visitors can explore the 10-acre farm, which is split into 12 plots, via a self-guided walking trail.
The farm is laid out along a straight main path, with plots branching off on either side. Each section houses 2 plots, where visitors can turn left or right to explore either side.
Shade is hard to come by around the farm, so come dressed comfortably and bring a cap along. We learnt this the hard way while bearing the full wrath of the morning sun.
If you need a short break, there are several “Warriors Resting Points” scattered around the farm, each furnished with a few simple old-school classroom chairs and tables.
Bollywood Farms takes a more natural approach to farming, using methods such as composting and natural pest control to maintain soil fertility instead of chemical pesticides and fertilisers.
The first 2 plots near the entrance are collectively known as the Kitchen Garden. As the name suggests, these plots are home to edible plants used in our kitchens and favourite dishes.
These include familiar staples such as chye sim, chives, kangkong, spinach, and laksa leaves, alongside lesser-known varieties like wild pepper and Brazilian spinach.
You can also spot smaller sub-gardens within the plots, including a mini ASEAN Vegetable Garden showcasing produce commonly grown across the region, including sweet potato and orange cosmos.
Bananas are one of the most prominent fruits grown at Bollywood Farms, with most of them found in Plot 6.
The farm is said to be Singapore’s largest banana producer, with over 20 varieties grown there, ranging from familiar types to heirloom bananas, which are older and more traditional varieties. They are all allowed to ripen naturally on the tree, in line with the farm’s zero-chemical approach to growing produce.
You can also spot other fruit trees around the farm, including jackfruit, papaya, coconut, and noni trees, whose fruits are used to make juices believed to benefit the skin and body.
Look out for the sugar cane crops, recognisable by their tall stalks and long leaves that can grow up to 60cm. Their stalks can vary in colour from green to purple, and are typically harvested before flowering to retain their sugar content.
In the middle of the farm, you’ll come across a towering cotton tree with a thick, straight trunk. The tree is known for producing fluffy, cotton-like fibres from its seed pods, while its wide-spreading branches can grow large enough to support entire ecosystems of plants and animals.
The farm’s main irrigation pond is found in Plot 3, which primarily harvests rainwater. At around 6m to 7m deep, the pond is kept moving by a pump system to prevent stagnant water and mosquito breeding. The collected water is then pumped across the farm’s production plots to nourish the plants and trees.
At the very end of the farm lies its lotus pond, one of the largest natural lotus ponds in Singapore. This is also home to various wild aquatic plants, ranging from lily pad-like water poppies to water hyacinth, as well as water lettuce.
Plot 5 houses Bollywood Farms’ Butterfly Garden, where colourful local butterflies roam freely among the plants. The garden also features quirky touches, such as a pig statue painted with colourful flowers.
Be warned that while it might be tempting to climb up the farm’s lookout point, the tree trunks making up the structure are heavily eroded and brittle, with some parts crumbling at the slightest touch.
If you need to answer the call of nature midway through your farm tour, the nearest toilet besides the entrance is a lone cubicle near the end.
It might look a little too open to the elements at first glance, but with its colourful curtain drawn, you’re tucked away in your own little jungle hideaway, complete with a side of rustic charm.
There are both indoor and sheltered outdoor seats.
Despite its fairly secluded location, the farm’s eatery, Poison Ivy Bistro, is a destination in its own right. Many make the trip down specially for a meal, with its menu featuring dishes made with fresh produce grown on-site, alongside ingredients sourced from nearby farms.
We started with their Nasi Lemak ($10), which comes with familiar staples like a fried chicken wing and omelette. What made it extra special was the blue pea rice, made with flowers grown right on the farm, alongside their house-made sambal.
For something more substantial, the Warriors Platter ($12) comes with a generous spread of chicken curry, dhal, vegetables, moringa, and rice served on a banana leaf. All vegetables used are harvested straight from the farm.
We also got to see the bananas we spotted on the plants earlier put to good use in their Banana Bread ($4), served with vanilla ice cream on the side.
If you want to take a little piece of the countryside home, swing by the bistro’s counter for some farm-grown produce and homemade treats.
Pick up pastries such as their banana bread ($10), chocolate banana bread ($12), and sea salt brownies ($8); or browse essentials including soursop leaves ($12), pandan tea bags ($12), lemongrass tea bags ($12), and fried peanut and ikan bilis mix ($6); or even some freshly harvested bananas, alongside other seasonal produce.
Bollywood Farms also offers educational activities for children. These include Padi Planting, where kids can plant rice saplings in the farm’s rice plot.
Other programmes include Arts in Fruit Salad Making, where kids learn to prepare a fruit salad while discovering the benefits of fresh fruits, and Little Green Fingers, where they pot their own plant to bring home. Advance bookings are required for these programmes and group tours; contact Bollywood Farms for more details.
With its future still uncertain, Bollywood Farms stands as a rare reminder of Singapore’s rural past, one whose days may be numbered. As its owners continue to push for a further 3-year extension, perhaps the best thing we can do is appreciate this piece of countryside while it is still here. Once it’s gone, we may never see another place quite like it.
For other farms in Singapore, check out:
Photography by Shirlynn Koh.
Race season is finally here.
Nope, “S” doesn’t stand for “Singapore”.
Score savings on food, apparel, and home entertainment needs for a perfect F1 weekend without…
Keep your eyes peeled for these upcoming celestial spectacles.
There are free activities too!
The old PES grading system will be replaced by 3 separate assessments.