Flanked by the National University of Singapore and Singapore Science Park, Kent Ridge Park is an oasis in a sea of academia. Natural vegetation, ponds and teeming wildlife give this park an untouched quality. History buffs can learn all about its WWII history at ‘Reflections Bukit Chandu’ museum before heading onto the Canopy Walk. This elevated boardwalk will bring you up close to squirrels, sunbirds, doves and other fauna in the rich forest. It also conveniently connects to Hort Park and the rest of the famous Southern Ridges walk – so put on your good walking shoes.
If you didn’t know that Buona Vista was part of the Queenstown district, you’d be forgiven. While Queenstown retains much of its old-world charm, Buona Vista seems to have hurtled into the distant future with the development of the high-tech business park one-north. Think Mediapolis, Fusionopolis, Biopolis, the ‘Sandcrawler’ building and even The Star Vista, which are architectural marvels that give the subzone a distinct sci-fi skyline.
One thing’s for sure – the Silicon Valley working crowd has created fertile ground for hipster cafés and bars, making this the new cool spot in the West. And Buona Vista (meaning ‘good view’ in Italian) will forever live up to its name for its serene parks and the awesome natural vistas you can catch from its hilly ridges.
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