Let's be real, Seletar isn't really a well-ventured spot for most Singaporeans, and with good reason: It's nigh impossible to explore the area without some form of personal or private transport. And sure, bus services like 103 and 117 do reach certain parts of the area, but I'd argue that there's seemingly nothing much Seletar offers in comparison to the effort it takes to get here in the first place. Or so I thought.
Contrary to popular belief, Seletar does offer much more than meets the eye. As a nation of foodies, the average Singaporean's first impression of Seletar would probably be: "Oh, atas food". And they wouldn't be wrong, as the area with all the nice cafes and restaurants (referred to as "The Oval") is most visitors' first port of call. But venture a little further and the eyes doth feast as much as the stomach.
Don’t worry, we've done the research and the legwork for you (or rather, our wheels did). Join us as we navigate the area of Seletar in our ride for the day: The Citroen e-C4 X.
Word of advice: Road conditions to take note of in Seletar
Traffic is usually pretty light, especially on weekdays. Drivers should have little trouble traversing the area, although there was an instance where the connecting road was permanently closed, but it showed the opposite on Google Maps.
And with a residential area nearby and with it being somewhat of a hotspot for cyclists (some roads even have designated bicycle lanes), drivers are reminded to keep a lookout.
1. Hampstead Wetlands Park (Not what I meant when I said I wanted to look at birds)
Right smack in the middle of JTC's Seletar Aerospace Park is a wildlife haven that seems so out of place, yet somehow manages to fit right in. And though not as "enticing" as others of its kind, arguably Hampstead Wetlands Park's biggest draw is its Bird Watching Pond.
Upon our visit, there was already a bird watching hobbyist perched in place along the boardwalk. Talk about passion. We did try to keep our eyes peeled for any unique-looking winged animal, but truth be told, our expertise lies more in four-wheelers than our feathered friends.
To see a somewhat shallow body of water with a couple of naked trees in the middle of it isn't something we usually lay our eyes on, but there it was. We assume that given its name, said trees serve as a nesting or resting point for the avians that come to roost and boost. But the birds weren't the only wildlife on show, as we also managed to see quite a lot of terrapins in the water.
Where to park: Hampstead Wetlands Carpark.
Ease of parking: 5/5. We say carpark, but it was more roadside parking, with about seven lots in total. Still, the space was adequate enough for the e-C4 X, which measures 4,600mm long.
Parking rates: Monday to Sunday/public holidays, from 07:00am to 10:00pm, $0.60 for every 30 minutes for cars, and $1.20 for every 30 minutes for heavy vehicles. No parking between 10:00pm to 07:00am except for season ticket holders.
2. Draftline Bikes (Fueled by carbohydrates instead of gasoline)
We also took a short detour to explore the area beside the aforementioned park, which is where Draftline Bikes, our next stop, is located. With Seletar being a hotspot for cyclists (there are even designated cycling lanes on some stretches of roads), it fits right in.
Described as a "space for cyclists, built by cyclists", it's certainly not your average bike rental place. In fact, it's way more upscale. Think of it as a garage for bikes, and you'll get our gist.
And that last part certainly rings true, as Draftline Bikes sells everything from two-wheelers to spare parts, components, and accessories. It's like a Lance Armstrong version of an Apple Store.
Where to park: Hampstead Wetlands Carpark. But if you're transporting your personal bicycle for some tinkering and prefer to park nearer to the store, you can park along the Old Birdcage Walk road (dotted white line, no lines on either side of the roads).
3. Seletar Airport (Now we know how Ronald Wayne felt like)
Our next stop is quite an eye-opener, but that's because my personal assumption of the place wasn't quite right in the first place. The lesser known and sparsely used (compared to that one in Changi) of the two civilian airports in Singapore, Seletar Airport helps to serve as a secondary destination to Singapore for turbo-prop aircraft, decreasing the load on Changi Airport.
This being the writer's first visit, I expected it to be a little less glamorous and taken care of, but I was pleasantly wrong. The truth is that it genuinely felt like a mini Changi Airport. The place was really well-kept, and the sole terminal was furnished nicely. We also did spot a few flights departing to and arriving from Subang, which were serviced by Firefly, a Malaysian low-cost carrier.
In fact, the only weird part about the place was that it was rather peaceful and relatively quiet. I guess I've been too accustomed to the hustle and bustle of its better-known counterpart.
Oh, fun fact about the place: It was originally a military airbase of the British Royal Air Force (RAF) before it was handed over to the Singapore government when the English left for good in 1971. Today, the runway welcomes Boeings instead of Spitfires and Hurricanes.
Where to park: Seletar Airport carpark.
Ease of parking: 5/5. The carpark is pretty big, and with its relatively low foot traffic, one should not have any trouble finding a suitable parking space.
Parking rates: 24/7 parking rates, at $0.02 per minute (or $1.20 per hour) for motor cars/vans (capped at $4.40 between 10:00pm and 07:00am), and $0.65 per entry for motorcycles. And as stated on its official website, from now till 31 December 2025, complimentary parking from 11:30am to 01:30pm, as well as an extended grace period of 30 minutes*.
*Full parking charges will apply for vehicles that stay in the carpark beyond 30 minutes from time of entry
4. Rower's Bay Park (Row, row, row your- wait where are the boats?)
Eagle-eyed readers with a superb memory will recall that we made a pit stop here during our previous National Day edition of Sgcarmart Explores for our tea break.
But for this edition, we came to Rower's Bay Park with a different intention. And true to the nomenclature of this series, we explored a little further. Situated along the banks of the Lower Seletar Reservoir, PUB says that this place is a hotspot for competitive water sports, although we weren't surprised to see none in action on a weekday afternoon. Fishing here is also permitted, and that we did see.
The view was immaculate, and it felt pretty good to have an unobstructed view for a considerable distance, given the increasingly cramped surroundings of our little red dot. The Sgcarmart team were also discussing amongst ourselves that if the weather was like South Korea in the fall, this place would really hit the spot. Alas, we were more likely to suffer malaria than hypothermia.
Where to park: Seletar Club Road (no parking rates).
Ease of parking: 5/5. Drivers should have no problem finding adequate space to park their vehicles. Do take note that along this road, some stretches have dotted white lines and single white lines. Be wary unless you would like to unwillingly contribute to the government.
5. Seletar Camp Colonial Estate (A throwback to our colonial roots)
Personally, I'm ashamed to admit that I've passed the Jalan Kayu guardhouse numerous times (Bus 39 goes past there) and for some reason, I always assumed it was the entrance to the army's Seletar Camp. And now that I think back, the gates were always open, which would've been a serious security breach. Okay, okay, stop rubbing it in.
And if there's any saving grace, it's that I wasn't far off. Only by about 50-odd years. The black and white colonial-style houses were originally built for British RAF officers in the 1920s and 1930s. And up till the early seventies, they were still housing British soldiers and their families.
As of now, these well-preserved houses are marked as heritage buildings and are managed by the Singapore Land Authority. Some are rented out for residential use, while others have been converted into restaurants, cafes, and other businesses.
We did a short drive around the area and were pleasantly surprised to see that many of the houses were indeed converted into actual homes akin to what one would see in landed estates. It does give off a "countryside living" vibe that is hard to find in Singapore, which we would presume is this area's biggest draw.
Where to park: Anywhere by the roadside with adequate space.
Ease of parking: 5/5. Similar to a landed estate, but unless you're visiting a friend or loved one in the area, you shouldn't be staying for long.
6. Hangar66 Cafe (Aviation-themed dining spot)
And so, we end this Sgcarmart Explores with a delicious meal at our last stop of the day, which is a restaurant themed around flying machines. It's literally right beside a hangar too, which isn't all that surprising given the name of the place.
A few windows offered viewings of some parked turboprop planes, and with the "No Photography Allowed" rule in place, we weren't able to show you what they looked like. What we can show you, though, is the small gyrocopter parked on display in the middle of the eatery.
The food was positively scrumptious, although a big contributing factor might be that I was quite famished by then. All in all, it's a good option to try out on the weekends if you're looking for something a little out of the ordinary.
Where to park: In the Hangar66 Cafe compound. Parking is free for visitors of the eatery, with the only requirement being that they must be onsite. Just let the security guard post know and they'll let you in.
Ease of parking: 5/5. Again, there wasn't much traffic on a weekday afternoon, but the space for each slot is more than enough for any decent-sized automotive.
And there you have it, our take on Seletar. There's a lot more than meets the eye with this place, though. With a plethora of food options and many more nature spots to visit, why not put this on your list of weekend activities to take on? Just make sure to do so with a car, yeah? It would result in a lot less complaining, for sure.
And given the finicky weather we're recently having, it's also a good way to pivot to Plan B should the grey clouds start to roll in.
Don't forget to check out our previous road trips around the island here:
Sgcarmart Explores: Joo Chiat!
