Arcadia Road
Just a short drive away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre lies Arcadia Road, a scenic avenue lined with mature Rain trees. Enjoy a calming drive as you navigate through Arcadia Road’s green tunnel. Slow down and take in the old civil service residences of Adam Park Estate, a lasting legacy of Singapore’s colonial past that’s nestled amidst the lush forests of the nearby MacRitchie Reservoir.
Before the Pan Island Expressway was constructed, Arcadia Road was a gentle curving track between the neighbouring hills, connecting road users to the numerous country pathways behind the Eng Neo private estate, in the direction of the former Turf Club. Today, Arcadia Road offers both residents and visitors a quiet and peaceful drive under the shady canopy of the majestic Rain trees.
Lim Chu Kang Road
Go on a journey back in time as you cruise the historical Lim Chu Kang Road. Drive along this tranquil outback as you take in the old kampong ambience and lush greenery of Angsana, Broad Leaf Mahogany and Rubber trees, as well as the thick shrubbery of Simpoh Ayer and Common Sendudok, that line its rural roads.
Built before the 1900s to serve the gambier, pepper and rubber plantations dotting the north-western countryside, the road became the main connection between the villages and the city-bound roads of Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Timah as the population grew. The stretches at Ama Keng and Thong Hoe Village were once lined with single and two-storey residences and shop houses. These shops provided for the everyday needs of the rural community. The old attap and zinc-roofed homes that were scattered along this beautiful road were sheltered by the same mature trees that are still standing today.
Mandai Road
Take a calm and relaxing drive on Mandai Road, one of Singapore’s oldest carriageways. Located along the verdant greenery of Upper Seletar Reservoir, this shaded boulevard allows you to enjoy a tranquil driving experience. As you cruise past rows of mature Rain trees with their widespread canopies, you will also be surrounded by lush vegetation of the secondary forest.
Constructed in 1855, the road served as one of the main links between Woodlands and Upper Thomson, connecting agriculture and poultry farming villages such as Bukit Mandai, Sungei Mandai and Nee Soon Village.
Mount Pleasant Road
Enjoy a slow relaxing drive as you navigate through the meandering and serene Mount Pleasant Road flanked by mature Saga trees. Take a trip down memory lane and experience the old world charm of period black-and-white bungalows fronted by wild sown trees such as cinnamon, palms and figs.
The elegant pre-war homes in this area were built to house families of Police Force officers during Singapore’s colonial era. An early resident, Mr G. H. Brown owned the estate in the 1860s and lived in a residence that shared the same name as the hill it was sited on – Mount Pleasant (Source: Makepeace et al, 1921*). Part of the property had been called Bukit Brown, possibly after Mr Brown, and cemetery grounds now cover the hilly slopes along Lornie Road.
South Buona Vista Road
Laid through the high ridges of Kent Ridge Park, South Buona Vista Road is a picturesque boulevard flanked by forest edges of Silver Backs, Acacia, Tembusu and Tiup Tiup, as well as planted Pelong trees, Kelat Nenasi, Salam and Yellow Flame trees. The notorious hairpin curves of this dazzling green tunnel links Dover to Pasir Panjang Road, and require careful navigation.
As its name suggests in Italian, the descending slopes of South Buona Vista Road used to offer drivers stunning elevated sea views. Constructed before World War II, the ridges were the site of the famous battle of Pasir Panjang, which took place in February 1942 between the invading Japanese forces and the Malay Regiment, led by Lt. Adnan.