As we still had some time before Javier was done for his SMO competition in NUS, we visited a new mall called Geneo in Science Park. Geneo (a blend of “Gen + Neo”) is CapitaLand’s ambitious new life sciences and innovation cluster, integrating work, live, and play within a single precinct.
The Canopy or Event Plaza is a grand, cathedral‑style, high‑ceilinged plaza that connects many of the buildings. It features tall timber arches and a large louvred glass canopy. This is the social heart of Geneo, a space for gatherings, events, casual meetups.
Geneo is more than just a mall. The entire complex includes F&B, Retails, Serviced Residence, Labs and Workspaces. There is also direct underground connection to Kent Ridge MRT. Geneo represents a shift in how mixed‑use developments are being done in Singapore. It's not just retails and offices, but integrated innovation, living spaces, public gathering zones, and sustainability all rolled into one.
At about 12:45pm, we drove to NUS to pick Javier up.
After we completed our walk in Kent Ridge Park, we paid a visit to Reflections at Bukit Chandu, a powerful World War II Museum that blends history, emotion, and architecture.
Nestled quietly among the trees at the edge of Kent Ridge Park, this beautifully restored colonial bungalow may look unassuming at first, but after stepping inside, we were immersed in a moving tribute to one of the fiercest last stands in Singapore’s wartime history. Admission is Free for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents.
“Bukit Chandu” means “Opium Hill” in Malay, a name that harks back to colonial-era warehouses nearby. But it’s not the opium trade that gives this hilltop its place in history. It was here, in February 1942, that C Company of the 1st Battalion, Malay Regiment made a heroic final stand against the Japanese forces during the Battle of Pasir Panjang, just days before the British surrendered Singapore.
The museum begins with a short immersive film and soundscape that sets the tone, not just about war, but about memory, identity, and courage.
Through the exhibits in the museum, we also learned about the formation of the Malay Regiment, its values, and the personal stories of soldiers, including 2nd Lieutenant Adnan Saidi, the iconic war hero who led the final stand and died defending the hill.
Reflections at Bukit Chandu is housed in a beautifully preserved black-and-white colonial bungalow, once used by senior British officers. Its peaceful surroundings now stand in stark contrast to the violence and tragedy that took place nearby.
On the second floor of the museum, we learned how opium was imported, processed, and taxed by the British colonial government. The trade was both profitable and controversial, with deep ties to the British East India Company’s operations in Asia.
Also, the artefacts and captions reminded us how opium affected local communities, especially the Chinese immigrant population, and how it was eventually regulated and banned in post-colonial Singapore.
Reflections at Bukit Chandu isn’t just a museum, it’s a story space. It tells the tale of bravery under fire, of ordinary soldiers who stood their ground, and of a hill whose name carries both the weight of colonial commerce and wartime sacrifice.
The museum is quite small, and we completed our visit in slightly more than half an hour. As we were feeling a little hungry, we decided to stop by a coffee shop at the foot of Kent Ridge along Pepys Road. We had a bowl of Prawn Soup Noodle, and apparently, it is a very popular stall as we consistently saw people driving here specially to patronize the stall. In fact, the bigger prawns were already sold out by 10am.
Early this morning, we drove Javier to NUS for the second round of Singapore Mathematical Olympiad (SMO) competition. While waiting for him, we decided to go for a walk in the nearby Kent Ridge Park.
Kent Ridge Park is a 47-hectare public park in southwestern Singapore that serves as both a tranquil green space and a powerful historical landmark. A part of the Southern Ridges network, it connects to other notable parks like HortPark, Telok Blangah Hill Park, and Mount Faber Park, offering a seamless and extensive trail for hikers and nature lovers.
One of the highlights of Kent Ridge Park is the Canopy Walk, a 280-meter elevated boardwalk that connects the park to HortPark. Suspended above the forest floor, it gives you a chance to see native wildlife, such as squirrels, sunbirds, and monitor lizards, up close, all without disturbing the forest ecosystem.
The park's ecosystem, primarily a secondary forest that has regrown on land that was once agricultural plantations, is a testament to nature's resilience. The park's vegetation is diverse, with native trees and plants from Singapore and the Malay Peninsula.
The park’s elevated terrain provides stunning views of the southwestern coastline and the nearby harbor. On clear days such as today, we were able to spot ships docked at Pasir Panjang Terminal and even glimpse the Southern Islands in the distance.
Thanks to its relatively undisturbed ecosystem, Kent Ridge Park is home to a wide variety of birds and insects.
One of the things that makes Kent Ridge Park such a rewarding place to explore is the variety of paths and stairways that weave through its lush landscape. The park’s elevation, historical features, and natural forest environment mean the terrain is more dynamic than many other urban parks in Singapore.
After we descended from a flight of stairs, we arrived at a pond in the lower section of Kent Ridge Park. Surrounded by secondary forest, tall grasses, and flowering shrubs, the pond offers a refreshing contrast to the more elevated ridgeline trails. It's smaller and quieter than water features in other parks, but while it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in atmosphere.
Kent Ridge Park may not have the glamor of Marina Bay or the crowds of East Coast Park, but that’s exactly why it’s worth visiting. It’s one of those rare places in Singapore where you can enjoy tranquility, history, and nature all in one place.
One of the unique aspects of Kent Ridge Park is how it blends natural beauty with wartime history. During World War II, the area was the site of the Battle of Pasir Panjang, where a small group of Malay Regiment soldiers held their ground against overwhelming Japanese forces. Today, visitors can learn more about this chapter of Singapore’s past at Reflections at Bukit Chandu, a museum housed in a restored colonial bungalow just off the park’s main path. I will share more details about this museum in my next blog post.
I've been working at this building for the longest time. After today, my office will move to ONE@Changi City. I was told that the new office looks nice and modern but after working here for so many years, I'm still a bit reluctant to leave this place.
Farewell to the below main lobby and staircase that leads to my office,
This building used to be called "CCB" (Computer Centre Building) and was renamed to "TechSQ" few years back.
After lunch, we took a private hire ride from Puhuangyu to Beijing Capital International Airport to catch our flight home. We passed through clusters of high-rises and see Beijing gradually thin out into broader highways and green medians.
Beijing Capital Airport is a blend of functionality and monumental scale. Terminal 3, in particular, is a visual spectacle with its soaring red-and-gold ceilings, massive windows, and sleek modern infrastructure.
Our flight home marked the end of our short Beijing trip.
As usual, it always felt great to complete a trip with a nice meal onboard. Looking forward to our next trip! :-)
