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Guide to the Sembawang Park Battleship Playground in Singapore: Declare war against boredom!
- Things to Know
- How to Get to Sembawang Park Battleship Playground
- What to Do in Sembawang Park
- Enjoy the naval-themed playground
- Play a game of petanque
- Take in the relaxing views of the garden
- Fishing
- Birdwatching
- Take your dog on a walk
- Where to Eat at Sembawang Park
- Beaulieu House
- Magnolia Ice Cream Hawker
My kids love doing a bit of rough play. While we have enough space at home for them to do a bit of rumble and tumble, nothing beats the freedom they experience when playing at a playground.
One of our family’s favourite outdoor play areas is located in Sembawang Park called the Battleship Playground. The spot has a lot going for it, and I’m here to tell you all the things you can do during a visit here.
Things to Know
Address: Sembawang Road
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday, Open 24 hours
Cost:
- Free
How to Get to Sembawang Park Battleship Playground
By Bus: The bus lines that pass by Sembawang Park are 167 and 882. These will drop you off in front of the park.
By Taxi: To get to the park fast, you can also just take a taxi. Base taxi rates start at SGD 4.00 with an additional SGD 0.70 for each kilometre travelled.
What to Do in Sembawang Park
1. Enjoy the naval-themed playground
From peggy_snapshot
Sembawang Park used to be a naval base, and that’s why it’s located by the Straits of Johor facing Malaysia. It has great access and views of the ocean and surrounding greenery.
The spot’s naval history influenced the park’s establishment of its naval-themed playground. Our kids love this play area shaped like a huge battleship made from wood and steel. They had fun running through its entire length and playing tag around it.
Pro Tip:
- Keep an eye out for announcements posted around the Battleship Playground, as park management sometimes posts signs informing guests about routine maintenance on certain portions of the play area.
2. Play a game of petanque
From petanquesg_official
To be honest, I’d never even heard of petanque until I visited Sembawang Park. It has a petanque court where we watched some visitors playing.
They threw metal balls to hit smaller wooden ones scattered across the court. It didn’t seem too hard at first, but it’s actually tricky. They have to maintain their stance within a circular area, and if they go out of bounds, they’re out.
Pro Tip:
- Keep off the court while play is in progress so you don’t disrupt the game and the players.
3. Take in the relaxing views of the garden
From akosi_josephzandro
There are two gardens located in the park—the Therapeutic Garden and the Allotment Garden. Personally, I prefer the former, but both gardens are great spots if you want to appreciate lush flora.
My kids didn’t have a dull moment at the Therapeutic Garden’s butterfly garden. Plus, there’s a playscape with challenging obstacles like balancing beams and boulders.
The Allotment Garden, on the other hand, is where you can sign up if you want to grow greens!
Pro Tip:
Visit their website to learn about their upcoming events or if you want to apply for a spot in the allotment garden.
4. Fishing
From kelvin_yong
Fishing here at Sembawang is pretty neat considering that you get to practise your angling skills while enjoying scenic views of the strait.
Park staff told us that most guests catch spotted sicklefish, chermins, groupers, and catfish. We sat down, watched the other visitors as they fished, and hoped they would score their big catch for the day!
Pro Tip:
Before you take out your fishing rod, check for any signs that tell you whether or not you’re at a designated fishing area. You can also visit the park’s website to learn about where to fish.
5. Birdwatching
From wonderbugs2013
While watching the group fishing at the jetty, we also spotted other visitors holding binoculars and some pointing their phone cameras skyward to capture photos of the park’s avian residents.
I read in one of the park’s brochures that you can spot different kinds of birds here. These include the white-bellied sea eagle, brahminy kite, purple heron, and striated hero. I think I saw one of these sea eagles diving down into the water to catch fish, directly competing with the anglers at the park!
Pro Tip:
- You should leave nesting birds alone if ever you encounter one. The park also requests guests not to share the location of these nests online.
6. Take your dog on a walk
From jessica-maychoi
We don’t own a dog because our rented home doesn’t allow pets. If I had a dog, though, I’d probably be walking that 4 legged bundle of fur every chance I get, and looking at the folks taking their dogs out for a stroll at this park makes me envious.
The dog run area of the park is huge, covering around 3,000 square metres. I also saw a gentle slope that gave dogs a fantastic place to roll and run.
Pro Tip:
Make sure that kids are supervised whenever they interact with the dogs at the park, and ask for permission from the dog owners, of course.
Where to Eat at Sembawang Park
1. Beaulieu House
Address: 117 Beaulieu Road, #1 Sembawang Park Car Park
Website: https://beaulieuhouse.com.sg/
Contact Number: +65 6257 9234
Operating hours:
- Monday to Friday, 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM and 5:30 PM to 10:30 PM
- Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM
After an action-packed day at the park, our family was famished, so we checked out the park’s restaurant called Beaulieu House. It’s a seafood restaurant that looks like a rural mansion with its white facade and well-maintained grounds.
Our kids went for the fish and chips. However, we adults wanted something more filling, so we ordered their crispy marmite chicken and deep-fried baby squid.
The chicken was salty and slightly spicy while the deep-fried baby squid was cooked just right and had a delicious fish sauce taste.
Pro Tip:
- Book a reservation on the restaurant’s website.
2. Magnolia Ice Cream Hawker
From naaz.arora
Operating hours:
- Saturday and Sunday, 12:00 NN to 7:00 PM
Before leaving the park and calling it a day, my kids requested (in unison) some ice cream. Good thing there is a Magnolia Ice Cream Hawker near the car park area.
My kids each got a chocolate and mango ice cream waffle while we adults tried out the more unique flavours on offer. I got the durian bar, and it didn’t have any of that infamous durian smell! It had a creamy and milky taste that just got better with each bite.
Pro Tip:
- Aside from waffles, you can also choose other ice cream combos. Other customers, for example, went for their rainbow bread combo while some went for the simpler ice cream cup.
