Its official name is Bukit Batok Town Park, but almost nobody calls it that. Instead, most people call this hidden oasis Little Guilin (or Xiao GuiLin) because of its similarity to the actual Guilin in China.
For those of you who are not familiar with Guilin, it is a city in southern China known for its beautiful landscape of limestone karst hills.
The Little Guilin in Singapore is admired by many people for its majestic granite rock formations that sit within a tranquil lake, surrounded by lush hills.
In the past, Little Guilin was a quarry that supplied granites. In the 1980s, the quarry stopped operation and the government decided to convert it into a park.
Today, the Bukit Batok Town Park has an area of 42 hectares, and a 400-metre long of trail along the west edge of the lake. There’s no access to the top of the hill at Little Guilin.
Many people think that Little Guilin is just a small park with a tiny plaza. Hence, they take pictures from the same viewpoint as everyone else. The truth is, they probably didn’t explore beyond the plaza and didn’t know that other viewpoints exist.
If you want to make the most of your time visiting this beautiful park, read on as I share my best guide for visiting Little Guilin.
Opening Hours
The Little Guilin (Bukit Batok Town Park) is open 24 hours daily. Park lighting hours are from 7pm to 7am.
How to get to Little Guilin
By MRT: Take MRT to Bukit Gombak Station, take exit B and you’ll find yourself at Bukit Batok East Ave 5. Turn left and walk about 350m (5-min walk) along Bukit Batok East Ave 5 to Little Guilin.
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Alternatively, from Exit B, you can also climb up the stairs to Bukit Batok Stadium. Then, walk along the edge of Stadium for about 300m (4-min walk) and you’ll reach Little Gulin (Bukit Batok Town Park).
Do drop by the Stadium because the view surrounding the stadium is pretty awesome. I’ve never seen a Singapore stadium with such a scenic view!
By bus: Take bus 945 from Bukit Gombak MRT or Bukit Batok Bus Interchange and alight at “Bukit Gombak Stadium” bus stop (bus stop no 43569) or “Opp Bukit Gombak Stadium” bus stop (bus stop no 43561). Walk a short distance to Little Guilin (Bukit Batok Town Park).
By car: Drive to Bukit Batok East Ave 5. There’s an HDB carpark at Blk 523 Bukit Batok Street 52, Singapore 650523. Alternatively, there’s another carpark next to Bukit Gombak Sports Hall & Stadium which you can access from Bukit Batok West Ave 5.
What to Bring
Generally, here are the things that you can consider bringing, although I feel that all of them are optional:
Water. There is no water fountain at Little Guilin. You can bring your own drinks, or you can buy them from the shops at Bukit Gombak MRT Station.
Umbrella/raincoat. There are not many shelters in Little Guilin, if you’re planning to spend a long time there, do bring umbrella or raincoat.
Sunblock. Little Guilin is mostly unsheltered, do wear sunblock to protect your skin if you’re planning to spend a lot of time at the park.
What to Wear
Little Gulin (Bukit Batok Town Park) is quite a well-developed place. The walkway/trail is well-paved. I think it’s alright to wear pretty much anything.
Just be mindful of where you step though. There are lots of ants throughout the park when I visited.
Little Guilin (Bukit Batok Town Park) Map
Things to do in Little Guilin
The main spot that everyone visits to take the Insta-worthy pictures is the main plaza which has a vast field with various rocks.
If you look closely, you will be able to spot some wildlife in the lake, such as monitor lizards and turtles.
Sometimes, doing nothing is also something worth doing. It’s such a therapeutic experience staring at the granite rocks and just marvel at its awesomeness.
Some people can be seen having a picnic at this park. Personally, I don’t think it’s an ideal spot for picnic because of the sheer amount of ants. If you do decide to have a picnic here, do be mindful to clear your litter afterwards.
Lastly, don’t forget to explore the rest of the trail. To get there, you need to walk out of the plaza, walk a short distance along Bukit Batok East Ave 5 and make a left turn when you see an opening to get into the trail.
Along the trail, there are two cute dome-shaped shelters covered by green plants which make great photo spots.
There are also various rock benches for you to sit down while taking in the breathtaking view of Little Guilin.
Each spot along the trail gives you a different view of the granite rocks. Here are some of my favorites.
Suggested Routes
Here is my suggested route:
- Start your hike from Bukit Gombak MRT
- Take the stairs to Bukit Gombak Stadium
- Visit Bukit Gombak Stadium
- Walk along the edge of Stadium towards Little Guilin
- Spend some time at the main plaza
- Exit the plaza and walk towards the trail
- Stroll along the trail
- At the end of your hike, you can consider continuing your hike to Bukit Batok Nature Park
Nearby Parks
Because Little Guilin is a small park, I recommend that you visit other nearby parks on the same day. Here are some parks located near Little Guilin.
Bukit Batok Nature Park. Located about 1.5km (18-min walk) away from Little Guilin is Bukit Batok Nature Park, home to an equally stunning granite cliff that originated from a former quarry. Read my guide to Bukit Batok Nature Park.
Bukit Batok Hillside Park. Bukit Batok Hillside Park is 1.4km (17-min walk) away from Little Guilin. It is an abandoned park located at Bukit Batok West Ave 2 and Bukit Batok West Ave 5. It doesn’t have marked trails, so it’s not suitable for beginner hikers. Read my guide to Bukit Batok Hillside Park.
Nearby Food
Bukit Gombak Neighbourhood Centre. This neighbourhood centre is located just opposite Bukit Gombak MRT Station. Here, you can find various coffeeshop stalls, supermarkets, and fast-food restaurants.
West Mall. If you’re looking for shopping malls, the nearest mall would be West Mall, which is located right next to Bukit Batok MRT Station. The mall has plenty of dining options including Subway, Pastamania, Encik Tan, Pepper Lunch and Ya Kun Kaya Toast.
FAQ
How high is Little Guilin?
The highest point of the granite rock at Little Guilin is 133m according to several sources, making it the second tallest hill in Singapore after Bukit Timah Hill. However, I’m not able to find official information to confirm this.
Is there any carpark at Little Guilin?
No, there is no carpark at Little Guilin. The nearest carpark is at Blk 523 and Bukit Gombak Sports Hall.
Is there any toilet at Little Guilin?
No, there is no toilet at Little Guilin. The nearest toilet is at Bukit Gombak Stadium.
Is there any water fountain at Little Guilin?
No, there is no water fountain at Little Guilin. The nearest place to buy drinks is at Bukit Gombak MRT Station.
Can you fish at Little Guilin?
No, fishing is prohibited at Little Guilin.
Can you learn the history of Little Guilin here at the park?
Some website mentions that you can learn the history of Little Guilin at the park. Well, nope! You can’t learn the history here. There’s no signboard that tells the history of the park.
References:
1. Remember Singapore
2. NParks
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