Visitors to Singapore can’t help but be lured by the glitter and buzz of the famous Orchard Road. During the festive season, the entire stretch is decorated with tinsel arches, stars and streamers. The sidewalks are dotted with huge, lavish Christmas trees, beautiful reindeer and sleighs and even an X’mas photo booth. There are pretty window displays and tempting signs announcing festive sales. A walk up and down this road while munching on gastronomic delights is an experience in itself.
On my recent trip, I ventured to discover a not-so-well-known part of this pretty land that was a scant 20-minute taxi ride away from this road.
Southern Ridges was the outcome of a proposal put up by the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore to showcase the open spaces in the country that were left unexplored. The idea was that unique areas such as these would then serve as a sort of green playground that the residents and visitors could relax in. The ‘park’, as it is otherwise referred to, can be reached either from Hyderabad Road or Henderson Road. It is 9 km long and covers the stretch of rolling hills from Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park, Kent Ridge Park to West Coast Park. Our cab driver took us to the Henderson Road side of the Southern Ridges.
A map propped on a wide, old tree trunk shows your exact location. On either side of the car park are the walking and cycling trails, where no vehicles are allowed. We set off in the direction of Mount Faber Park. The trail began with an uphill climb over broad stone steps with weathered wooden railings. About a km into the walk, a board proclaimed that we had reached Henderson Waves. In front of us was a broad walkway that was made up entirely of closely packed balau wooden slats laid out in an undulating manner, hence the name ‘Waves’. The information placard stated that we were standing on seven curved steel ‘ribs’ that rise alternately over and under the deck. The deeply curved portions are perfect for fitting in semicircular seating for walkers to take a break. The view from up there is breathtaking. The walk up to Mount Faber Peak has a length of stone trellises with cascading creepers and flowers. Cable cars that are out of commission are placed strategically on the grass for the perfect photo op. A splash of vibrant coloured steps lead to the peak.
From the top, there is an unhindered view of the city sights, as well as the thicket of green. Sentosa Island is easily visible on a clear day and the view is peppered with cable cars ferrying passengers and tourists to and fro.
A cable car ride is another way to get a bird’s eye view of the surroundings at Mount Faber Peak. The cable car station also has a small gift shop and a lovely open space dotted with tables and chairs, which is just perfect for unwinding and soaking in the sights.
We couldn’t resist entering Spuds & Aprons, a restaurant. The décor is colourful and eclectic, and the walls are glass; we felt connected to the outdoors. The menu featured both Asian as well as European food. Our palates differed in our selection of dishes. We tried out a simple spaghetti, a turkey sandwich and a traditional seafood laksa, each one delicious.
A Bell of Happiness dating back to 1909 hangs there. The word is that when people come together and ring it, they are blessed with everlasting peace and happiness. Well, that’s just what we did and there was one loud, mighty gong.
The cable car journey is priced differently for adults and kids. It’s worth your while to have a roundabout trip and get back to where you got on. The distance seems far, but the trip takes under half an hour. The festively decorated cable car offers the perfect vantage point for looking at the park, the harbour and other areas of the city.
Every evening, the Henderson waves and the Alexandra Arch are lit up with LED lights. The next time you visit Singapore, take a day to check out sights off the beaten track.
