SengkangBabies, Author at Sengkang Babies

Chinese Garden Pagoda

The view from the top of Chinese Garden Pagoda is fantastic, it is windy too ! We are talking about the 7 storey Pagoda.

Video : Kids were running laps at the Pagoda and shouting at the top of their voice.

Anyway, we are on a tour of 4 iconic Towers or Pagodas in Singapore, starting with Upper Seletar’s Rocket.

Did you noticed the Pagoda kept hiding behind the trees? It is definitely a landmark for the neighbourhood. We always pass this Pagoda from our car or on the MRT, but it never occur to us that we should go up the Pagoda one day.

The Pagoda is opened from 8am to 7pm. Did we mention that you have to scale the spiraling steps up to the roof?

You will hear the kids’ echoes down the stairway, giggling and laughing as they hop up the steps. We seldom see these type of steps in Singapore.

Trust us, the view from the top is worth the perspiration.

These are the other icons around the garden.

Chinese Garden is not exactly big, but maybe because there is lesser crowd, kids got vast space to run and explore.

They can choose to go slow, catch some tortoise or feed the carps too (Ticketed exhibit).

Perhaps Hide and Seek in the bamboos?

Tons of photo opportunities all around.

Bollywood casting ?

Be it hopping across the pond on big boulders..

.. or throwing pebbles at the smaller Pagodas. We had so much fun!

Kids trying to spot more fishes under the bridge.

Do pop by our Fanpage album for more photos.

There are 4 Heritage towers in Singapore, and we have already covered :
– Upper Seletar Rocket
– Chinese Garden Pagoda (this post)

Daddy wondered whether the hexagonal bridge at Toa Payoh garden is still around?

Next on our list :
– Toa Payoh Garden Tower
– Jurong Hill Tower

Additional information :
– Entry to Chinese Garden is free, some exhibit might require tickets
– The Pagoda is opened from 8am to 7pm
– If you like Chinese Garden, we suspect you will like Japanese Garden next door
– More details about these two gardens can be found here
– Chinese Garden is 5 min from Chinese Garden MRT

Although we call it Chinese Garden, we see more Filipinos and Indians, Singaporeans are all hiding in JEM or ice-skating at Jcube?

Nakhon Thai Food at Kovan

Nakhon is a popular Thai eatery at Kovan.

A short 10 min walk from Kovan MRT. You will always notice a queue near the corner.

In fact, when we were there for dinner from 6pm to 7.30pm, the queue was never shorter than 15 patrons! Be prepared to wait up to 30 mins, find something to distract the hungry kids.

At all our Thai encounters, we never miss Fishcake for the children and Tomyam for the adults, You will also notice that the pricing at Nakhon is very reasonable. Food portion is only one size, but 3 adults 4 children are easily satisfied.

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**Fishcake (rated 3.5/5) – $6

Slightly spicy but quite addictive, dip the fish into the sauce for additional oomph.

**Tom Yam (3.25/5) – $6

Normal for Daddy, but Mummy laments the broth not spicy enough. A Thai meal is just incomplete without TomYam (be it clear or green versions).

**Kangkong Balacang (2.75/5) – $6

Not enough Balacang, Kang Kong not potent and crunchy enough.

**Fried rice (3/5) – $6

We always have to order rice or noodles, in case our kids do not like the side dish.

**Slice Fish (sweet sour) (4/5) – $15

Our universal favourite dish! Mummy actually saw this dish on another table, and we order the same fish. Crispy, love the sweet sour concoction, which enhanced our appetite.

**Braised Tofu Minced Pork (3.75/5) – $6

This was a last minute order as we were worried that kids are still hungry. You have tofu, minced pork, mushroom in a stew. The tofu has absorbed all the other ingredients and goes really well with rice.

**Oatmeal Prawn (3.5/5) – $12

Mountain high oatmeal, kids manage to dig out 8 or 9 pieces of prawn. We have tasted better cereal prawns before but kids are not complaining.

**Dessert is Mango Glutinous Rice (2.75/5) – $5

Another favourite for our family. However, Nakhon’s Glutinious rice is not hot enough and the mango is not sweet enough.

Bon appetite! You can be sure that we will be popping by again 🙂
We are ranking the overall experience as 3.5.

Do pop by our Fanpage album for more Thai food photos.
There is another famous Curry Fishhead stall in Kovan (nearer to NTUC), pop by Heng family’s review.

There are a lot of good food in Kovan Foodcentre (PO 530209), just look for the queues :p
Need another budget Thai eatery recommendation, try Soi Thai (Tampines).

Nakhon address :
– Block 212 Hougang St 21, #01-341 (S530212)
Contact : 6286 8785

– Block 136 Bedok North Avenue 3 (S460136)
Contact : 6245 5548

..ps.. please let us know whether Bedok’s Nakhon queue is shorter.