The ultimate guide to Lim Chu Kang

Travel back in time down this historical outback filled with the old kampong vibes, and the verdant greenery of angsana, broad leaf mahogany, and rubber trees, as well as the thick shrubbery of Simpoh Ayer and Common Sendudok. The mature trees that lined the rural road are the same ones that sheltered old attap and zinc-roofed houses back in the day. But before the 1900s, the road served the gambier, pepper, and rubber plantations that dotted the north-western countryside. As the population grew, the road became the main link between the villages and the city-bound roads of Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Timah. 

It's not known when the wooden jetty was constructed, but due to its rustic exteriors, it's probably one of the oldest. On a clear day, the jetty is busy with the loading and unloading of fish and other seafood. Made of wooden planks and pillars that stretched 100-metres into the Straits of Johor, the jetty has become synonymous with Old Singapore, making it popular among photographers for that rustic backdrop. However, its days may be numbered as a new jetty for fish farmers is set to be completed just a few hundred metres west by the end of this year.

Strap on your best walking shoes and trudge through the swamps of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve to learn more about the flora and fauna that call this mangrove forest home. This wetland reserve of mangrove swamps, ponds, and secondary forest is also home to 140 species of birds. Take a spot at the observation hides or rent binoculars to bird-watch. But keep a lookout for warning signs about the estuarine crocodiles – they’re known to be around the area albeit uncommon.

This mangrove-lined heritage landmark marks the landing of the Japanese troops when they first attacked Allied forces in Singapore in World War II. Protected by heavy artillery fire, the soldiers of the 5th and 18 Japanese Divisions made their way across the Johor Straits in a fleet of small boats on the night of February 8, 1942. The area then became known as Sarimbun Scout campsite, where scouts can put their jungle survival skills to the test with sea-based activities, high-ropes elements, and land expeditions.

What began in 2000 as the brainchild of Ivy Singh and her husband Lim Ho Seng has since grown (pun intended) to one of the most beloved farms on the island. Known for more than just its organic produce, Bollywood Veggies has, over the years, expanded to include a culinary school and a museum. There’s even a bistro that uses fertiliser- and pesticide-free ingredients harvested from the backyard. It doesn’t get fresher than this.

Established in 1988, Hay Dairies keeps about 800 goats of mixed breeds, and all of them get to live like bleating royalty. That’s because every goat here chews on hay shipped straight from the US, as well as special feed flown in from Australia. Perhaps that’s why Hay Dairies’ goat milk tastes so much better than off-the-shelf brands in your supermarket fridge – we kid you not. Drop by in the morning to catch the goats being milked, then bring a few bottles home at the end of the day.

Slated to open in 2022, the 18-hectare Lim Chu Kang Nature Park is set to feature five-kilometre nature trails that lead to Mandai Mangrove and Mudland Nature Park, allowing outdoor lovers to discover over 15-kilometre worth of trails within the Sungei Buloh Nature Park Network. Families can also look forward to nature-inspired play areas for the little kids to burn their energy.

Another key highlight is The Cashin House that sits on the Lim Chu Kang pier. The abandoned house was once a makeshift brothel for the Japanese in World War II, and became a resort for the Cashin family when they reclaimed it after the war. Since 2013, it has been fenced up and closed off to the public, with plans to restore it as a new visitor gateway.