Built in 1956 and having withstood the test of time, Kampong Lorong Buangkok today is the last surviving kampong left behind on Singapore mainland. 

Currently home to 26 families, the kampong is a small patch of yesteryear stuck in time amidst the high-rise skyscrapers of 21st century Singapore.

My running buddy and I recently visited Kampong Lorong Buangkok, working it into our 21km long run that day. Though we have both heard about the place, this had been the first time that we were both checking it out for ourselves.

We began and ended at Punggol, looping around SengKang and Hougang to complete our target mileage. This kampong is located around 7km from Punggol, making it easy for us to run there, as the route is mostly on PCN with a little bit of footpath.

However, for those who may not be so sporty, the kampong is also quite easily accessible by bus and train. 

Simply take the MRT to Serangoon Station and from there, hop onto bus service 70 or 103. It is a short walk from Yio Chu Kang Road into the kampong.

When we reached the kampong, I immediately felt as though I had been transported back in time.

While I have seen kampongs in Malaysia before and I do know how they look like, this is my first time seeing one right in the heart of Singapore. 

It felt rather surreal as the kampong came into sight.

That’s because if you look straight ahead of you, it feels as though you’ve suddenly been teleported into another dimension, with low-rise buildings and dirt paths all around you.

But then, look up skywards, and the skyscrapers that we have come to associate with 21st century Singapore come into your line of sight.

I suppose that the residents living there get the best of both worlds – the peacefulness and slow-paced living of a kampong life, together with the facilities and convenience of modern Singapore, when they step out of their houses and walk to the main road.

Kampong Lorong Buangkok today might be a lot smaller than what it used to be, due to urbanisation and development. But still, seeing the kampong with your own eyes and walking through it, the sense of nostalgia will hit you. And this made me realise just how far Singapore has come in terms of development, from the 1960s till today.

I have studied all about Singapore’s independence and urbanisation into a modern city in my history books at school, so it was great to see this small piece of my country’s history for itself.

A few of the residents had Singapore flags hanging on display, in a nod to National Day, which took place last weekend on 9 August. This had been a little reminder that we were still in Singapore. 

And while chickens and other feathered animals also roam around the area, I didn’t see any for myself though, during my fleeting visit to the kampong.

Nonetheless, it had been a nice trip to the last remaining kampong on mainland Singapore and as I continued on with my 21km run, I reflected back on the progress that Singapore has made over the decades, and how far we have come together as a nation.

I hope that Kampong Lorong Buangkok continues to exist in years to come. it is our last remaining link to our country’s past, and I hope to see it preserved, as a reminder of what Singapore used to be in yesteryear.