Hotels in Toa Payoh

Toa Payoh is a planning area and matured residential town located in the northern part of the Central Region of Singapore. Toa Payoh planning area borders Bishan and Serangoon to the north, the Central Water Catchment to the northwest, Kallang to the south, Geylang to the southeast, Novena to the west and Hougang to the east. Toa Payoh New Town is situated in the eastern portion of the Toa Payoh planning area. The latter occupies a much larger area, encompassing estates such a Potong Pasir and Bidadari.

In the Hokkien dialect, Toa Payoh translates as “big swamp” (with “Toa meaning “big” and “Payoh” meaning “swamp”). The Malay word for swamp is paya. It is the Chinese equivalent of Paya Lebar, which translates to, big swampland. Toa Payoh's old Chinese name was known as Ang Chiang San (alternatively An Xiang Shan) or "Burial Hill". The area was called as such because of the presence of an old cemetery located in the area. John Turnbull Thomson, a government surveyor, refers to Toa Payoh in his 1849 agricultural report as Toah Pyoh Lye and Toah Pyoh. Unique to the rest to the housing estates in Singapore, roads in Toa Payoh are given Malay street suffixes, (i.e., "Jalan Toa Payoh", "Lorong Satu Toa Payoh") as when the town was conceived, Singapore was a state of Malaysia at that time.

Toa Payoh was once an extensive and notorious squatter district. Most squatters were engaged in farming and rearing pigs. The others were hawkers, factory workers, mechanics or domestic helpers. The squatters started moving out in 1962 as a result of increased compensation rates and other practical inducements offered by the Government. Clearance work was able to commence, and the redevelopment started in early 1964. Toa Payoh New Town is Singapore's second oldest satellite town and the first to be built by the Housing and Development Board after the development of Queenstown by the Singapore Improvement Trust in the late 1950s. Before its time as a residential town, Toa Payoh was a squatter district, with a prominent agricultural heritage in the area. Throughout the 1960s up till the beginning of the 1980s, the town, much like Geylang today, was infamous for its vice, being home to some of Singapore's largest crime syndicates and gangs. Notable cases such as the horrific Toa Payoh ritual murders of 1981, brought the town widespread attention. As such, Toa Payoh has also been coined by the media as the "Chicago of the East" and the "Chicago of Singapore". Queen Elizabeth II visited the area in the years 1972 and 2006.

How to Get There

By Train

Toa Payoh MRT Station (NS19) is an underground station along the North-South Line (NSL). It is located within the Toa Payoh Central planning subzone, and near the junction of Lorong 1 Toa Payoh and Lorong 2 Toa Payoh. The station has a ticket concourse located at Basement 1. They feature faregates for automatic fare collection and provides access between paid and unpaid areas of the station, with at least one bidirectional wide-swinging gate for the benefit of passengers-in-wheelchairs and those carrying bulky items or travelling with prams. General ticketing machines allow commuters to purchase tickets for single or multiple journeys, and along with TransitLink Add Value Machines, offer contactless card transactions. The station office functions as a Passenger Service Centre and is staffed during operating hours, where commuters may make travel inquiries or perform card transactions using cash payment. A TransitLink ticket office is also located at this station, operating from 12.00pm to 7.30pm daily. Toilets and retail shops are located in the unpaid areas of the station.

Tourist Attractions

The legendary ‘Ci Ern Ge’ tree shrine in Toa Payoh Central

Following a restoration after its collapse in 2013, Toa Payoh’s tree shrine now only stands at half of its former glory. Locals believe that a spirit stands guard over the tree and protects the residents of the area. Over the years, the shrine has attracted hordes of believers and non-believers alike, to come and pay their respects to the “Goddess of Mercy”, whose statue resides in the shrine. Legend has it that during the development of the estate a string of strange happenings took place around the tree. Machinery would inexplicably malfunction around the base of the tree, only allowing them to reverse and not move forward.

The tranquil garden escape that is Toa Payoh Town Park

Just an overhead bridge away from the bustle of the Toa Payoh’s bus interchange lies an oasis of calm. With picturesque stone arch bridges and rustic gazebos lying around every bend, you’ll have a million and one chances to snap that insta-worthy picture. Catch a glimpse of the iconic Toa Payoh tower, a favourite amongst the locals of yesterday. Built in 1972, the tower, with its panoramic views, used to be a popular location for couples to take their wedding pictures. The hexagonal bridge feature is the perfect location for a romantic picnic for two.

The historical gem that is the Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery

Stepping through the main entrance of Singapore’s oldest Buddhist monastery will transport you back in time to imperial China. Prepare to be blown away by the intricacy of the temple’s façade, and the serenity of its outdoor courtyard. Encompassing architectural styles of ancient cities in both the Fujian and Guangdong province of China, it is not hard to see why the Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery is the only Buddhist monastery in Singapore to be gazetted as a national monument. Feast your eyes upon the seven-storey Dragon Light pagoda. Garnished with Buddhist motifs and carvings and towering at a staggering 29 metres above the ground. It is defining landmark that is hard to miss when passing through the area, and if you’ve got a couple of coins to spare, stop by the wishing well on your way out, and your wish might just come true.

The Queen’s visit to the “Y” Block 53

In the last 55 years, over a million flats were built by Singapore’s Housing & Development Board. Just imagine that how drastically Singapore’s landscape has changed. But of all the beautiful homes in Singapore, this particular block was graced by a queen. It is unmistakable shape won it the nickname “Y-Shaped Block” amongst residents. Perched on the roof of one of Singapore’s first HDB flats, is a viewing gallery. The gallery was created with the intention of giving foreign dignitaries a sweeping view of Singapore’s public housing programme.

Singapore’s First MRT – Toa Payoh MRT Station (NS19)

Today, a life without the convenience and efficiency of the MRT is comparable to a life without electricity and clean water. But for Singaporean growing up in the 80s, this was their reality. Single-deck non-air-conditioned buses were the only form of Public transport back then, so imagine how excited they must’ve been, standing in line to take their first MRT ride. Toa Payoh MRT Station (NS19) was the first of the five MRT stations along the North-South line to be completed in 1985. It was only two years later, on the 7th of November, that Singapore’s MRT finally commenced its passenger services. For your information, Toa Payoh was the first underground train station in the world to install safety screens on their train platforms.

An exploration of the senses at Sensory Park

Take a stroll through the Toa Payoh Sensory Park, the 1.1-hectare garden is broken down into five different zones, with each zone inspired by one of the five senses. An informative wall in the park also charts the growth of Toa Payoh and enlightens visitors on the types of flora and fauna they can find in the park. Bearing a slight semblance to that of a maze, the park leads you through the respective zones on a discovery of senses.

Hotels

1 Bedroom – Kinetic Hotel 7

1 Bedroom – Kinetic Hotel 7 is located in the area of Toa Payoh city. There are plenty of tourist attractions nearby, such as Toa Payoh MRT Station within 0.02 km and HDB Hub within 0.18 km. The splendid service together with a wide range of facilities provided will make you complain about nothing during your stay at 1 Bedroom – Kinetic Hotel 7. With all facilities offered, 1 Bedroom – Kinetic Hotel 7 is the right place to stay.

There are so many popular hotels that you can choose for your staycation in Singapore such as during public holiday Singapore. Here is the list of popular Singapore hotels that you can explore with Singapore hotel deals:

Marina Bay Sands | Hotel 81 | Shangri La Singapore | Fullerton Hotel | Hotel Boss | Sentosa Hotel | Andaz Singapore | Mandarin Orchard | Pan Pacific Singapore | Sofitel Sentosa | Capella Singapore | Raffles Hotel | Mandarin Oriental Singapore | Resorts World Sentosa | Ritz Carlton Singapore | Fairmont Singapore | Grand Hyatt Singapore | Intercontinental Singapore | Fullerton Bay Hotel | Goodwood Park Hotel | Hilton Singapore | Orchard Hotel | Carlton Hotel | Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa