Living in Telok Blangah

About Telok Blangah

Did you know this is considered one of Singapore’s oldest historical locations? Sang Nila Utama, the founder of the kingdom of Singapura (1299), is thought to have battled a fierce storm off the coast of Telok Blangah before landing on the beach here.

The neighbourhood takes its name from the Malay words for “cooking pot bay”, presumably given to it on account of its shape.

Nearby Mount Faber, 106 metres high, was named after Captain Charles Edward Faber of the Madras Engineers. He was responsible for building the first road to the top of the hill (which press reports at the time described as “stupidly narrow”!).

Who lives in the neighbourhood?

Name: SURABHI NIGAM
From: India
Occupation: Model, actor, graphic designer, anchor and artist

The Specifics

What’s the name of the street where you live? Telok Blangah Road.

Exact words you tell a taxi driver to get home? “Skyline Residences, 610 Telok Blangah Road, next to the petrol station.”

Closest MRT station? Telok Blangah MRT (yellow Circle Line).

How long have you lived here? More than a year and a half.

Why here? The balcony view and the condo’s proximity to bus stops, an MRT station and NTUC FairPrice, plus a vet, market, petrol station, gym, laundry shop and hawker centre.

The Scene

The closest store to your front door is: The petrol station on the right side.

Your street would make the perfect backdrop for a remake of: Crazy Rich Asians!

The unofficial uniform of your street is: Gym wear.

When you’re in need of a dose of culture, you: Go to Little India, although Haw Par Villa is close by.

If you’re missing home, you: Meet or call my relatives in Singapore or Indian friends in my condo and around.

A mandatory stop for out-of-town guests is: Universal Studios Singapore, Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands – the list is too long!

A common myth about your neighbourhood is: That it’s so far away and there is nothing to do. But I think it’s so well connected here that it’s easy to travel around. There are also many things to do such as visiting Labrador Park, Henderson Waves, Haw Par Villa, Hort Park, Mount Faber and Sentosa.

A massive late-night rager on your street is likely to be: A Lamborghini Aventador hurtling down the road at 2am (admittedly, a rare occurrence) or a group of motorcycles (mostly Harley-Davidsons)!

The Superlatives

Your hands-down favourite neighbourhood joints are: Domino’s pizza just downstairs and the restaurants in VivoCity like Thai Accent.

You won’t find better local food than at: VivoCity, although there are many hawker centres around in Telok Blangah. We love a good bargain.

The best deals in your neighbourhood are: Shopping at the wet market and NTUC FairPrice.

One thing you’d never change is: The amazing view from our condo.

But one thing you wouldn’t mind seeing go is: The highway in front of the condo!

The city gives you $5 million to soup up your street. You use it to: Make the streets more even and covered for rainy days. Add escalators or lifts at the wet market, and overhead bridges. Also, we could use some road safety convex mirrors in front of the condo to prevent accidents.

Condo fact file

Name: Skyline Residences
Facilities: Swimming pools, baby pool, jacuzzi, tennis court, function room, barbecue area, gym, kids’ play area
Size: 283 units
Kid-friendly: Yes

For more helpful tips, head to our Living in Singapore section:

The expat’s guide on where to live
What’s it like living in Bugis?
Guide to Ang Mo Kio

This article first appeared in the October 2019 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase a copy or subscribe so you never miss an issue!