In my seven years in Singapore, I have stayed in different areas of the island, from the idyllic Upper Bukit Timah and West Coast to the exclusive Paterson and Balmoral roads. I've even spent two weeks in the ever-buzzling China town! But none of these places really compare to the balance of serenity, accessibility, community, and convenience that the Ghim Moh neighbourhood offers. I've never felt more at home in Singapore!
This article discusses what makes Ghim Moh so special.
Convenience and accessibility
Convenience and accessibility are, without a doubt, the biggest advantage of staying in Ghim Moh. From the building I'm staying at, the Buona Vista MRT is a mere 5- to 7-minute walk. Across the street is a stop for buses 100 and 111 that, between them, pass by major destinations such as Harbourfront, Vivo City, Robinson Road, Orchard, Suntec, and Esplanade. Just 10 steps from my building is another stop for buses 106 and 105 that again go to Orchard. The buses mentioned are the ones that I frequently use, but they are by no means the only buses available.
And lest you think buses and MRTs are the only attraction of the estate, you'll be happy to know (I sure was!) that Ghim Moh is famous for its food stalls. There's an extremely popular hawker center near the market, 4 Kopitiam-style eateries, and an unpretentious pizza place owned and managed by a true, blue Italiano! And the best part is, there's always a stall open any time of the day! What if you want home-cooked food? No problem! There's a wet market nearby, and a Shop n Save store that's open 24 hours of the day!
If chilling out and upmarket dining is more your style, there's no need to worry. Holland V is accessible by foot (and bus), and so is Rochester Park and the whole one-north shebang. And with all the development in the Buona Vista area, even the "ulu" (far) Portsdown is not so "ulu" anymore and is just a couple of bus stops away.
Another plus point of the estate is the countless shops that litter it! Here you'll find a barber shop, hair salons, and body spas. Dentists, medical clinics, and optical shops abound. There's a pet shop, a toto outlet, a dry cleaner, a video rental, and a photo shop. There's Hong Leong finance, too. And ATMs, AXS, and SAM machines. And a SingPost branch.
Philippine National Bank (PNB) has partnered with SingPost to allow PNB account holders to remit funds (in real time) to their PNB accounts. This means Filipinos don't have to travel to Orchard to send money! What about your calling cards, you say? Well, there's a shop in Ghim Moh that sells, among other things, international calling cards at discounted prices!
Community and serenity
For me, the best thing about the shops in Ghim Moh is that most of them are Mom and Pop stores. I don't know, there's just something about Mom and Pop stores that transport me back in time, when life was simpler and, should I say, more innocent? There's a sense of continuity and community in Mom and Pop stores that you don't get in malls and franchised shops, where, usually, the person who helped you in the shop and had a chat/laugh with, is gone a month later. Mom and Pop stores remind me of home, where I buy pork from my aunt and have my hair cut by the same person who groomed it 10, 15 years earlier!
But I found serenity not only in the sense of community that Ghim Moh fosters but also in its physical assets. With only 21 blocks, the estate is home to a fairly small community. It is also neighbour to a 70-hectare woodland.¹ The floor that I live in houses 2 units only, and has a great view of the woodlands, and the people who jog/bike/skates on a path along it.
However, a little caveat might be in order (if for nothing else but to manage expectations): Ghim Moh is an estate developed and managed by the Housing Development Board (HDB), and, therefore, wouldn't be as quiet, as less localized, and as impersonal ;-D as private developments. Although Ghim Moh is the first HDB estate that I've lived in, I've seen many and have been to a few. And for me, as far as HDBs (and maybe some private apartments) go, Ghim Moh is quite a winner.
Footnotes
¹ Unfortunately, a patch of this 70-hectare woodland had been cleared to make way for new buildings.
In my seven years in Singapore, I have stayed in different areas of the island, from the idyllic Upper Bukit Timah and West Coast to the exclusive Paterson and Balmoral roads. I've even spent two weeks in the ever-buzzling China town! But none of these places really compare to the balance of serenity, accessibility, community, and convenience that the Ghim Moh neighbourhood offers. I've never felt more at home in Singapore!
But I found serenity not only in the sense of community that Ghim Moh fosters but also in its physical assets. With only 21 blocks, the estate is home to a fairly small community. It is also neighbour to a 70-hectare woodland.¹ The floor that I live in houses 2 units only, and has a great view of the woodlands, and the people who jog/bike/skates on a path along it.
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