Balestier

Completed in 1990, equipped with an eye-catching golden spire, it is the only Buddhist temple outside Myanmar to be built in the traditional Burmese architectural style. Inside, the most remarkable features for the lay visitor are the Buddha statues enhanced with swirling LED halos; be sure to climb up to the third floor to see the largest and most stunning of the lot.

Toa Payoh has no sights as such, but it's an interesting example of the elusive "real Singapore". Just take the MRT to the station and walk around the vast sprawl of Toa Payoh Central, much of which is taken up by an outdoor shopping arcade filled with little neighborhood shops and places to eat.

The Balestier area has two sights of minor interest:

Built in the late 1800s as Wan Qing Yuan 晚晴园, the villa was offered in 1906 to Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat Sen, who stayed here eight times while in exile. The villa has been lovingly restored and was reopened to the public in 2001, but the contents of the museum inside are a little dull unless you have a keen interest and solid background in Chinese history.