Balestier, Newton, Novena is Toa Payoh they are considered as a single district located in the central part of the city of Singapore.
To know
Located on the North-South Line north of Orchard Road, these neighborhoods absorb the expansion of Singapore and are home to its inhabitants. They are not a real tourist destination but they are good for those who stay for short or medium-term periods, not too expensive and still affordable on prices.
Balestier offers the widest choice of budget hotels after Geylang. As you can imagine, even here the main customers are patrons of brothels and neighboring gambling dens, even if they keep a very low profile so there's nothing to worry about.
Newton is Novena they are rapidly expanding suburbs and are home to numerous foreigners and only one MRT stop to the north is located Toa Payoh (pronounced "Tor Pah-yoh"), where over one hundred thousand people live.
How to orient yourself
Balestier: full screen map.How to get
Newton, Novena and Toa Payoh can be reached on the North-South MRT Line. Balestier does not have convenient access via the MRT, although it is possible to walk there from Toa Payoh or Novena stations (10-15 minutes). There are however many buses along Balestier Rd, the most convenient being the SBS 145 to Bugis, City Hall, Boat Quay is Chinatown, 130 for Bugis, City Hall and Ang Mo Kio, and the 124 for Orchard Road and City Hall. There is also the 167 da Sembawang to Orchard.
How to get around
What see
Toa Payoh has nothing special but it is an example of the "real Singapore". Walk around the area ofToa Payoh Central, almost entirely occupied by a large shopping center with small shops and restaurants around ..
In Balestier there are two smaller places:
- Sasanaramsi Burmese Buddhist Temple, 14 Tai Gin Road (Near Balestier Rd), ☎ 65 6251-1717.
Free. 
Mon-Sun 6: 30-21: 00. Completed in 1990, the only Buddhist temple outside Myanmar to be built according to their typical architecture. Inside, the best thing is the Buddhas wrapped in LED lights. - Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, 12 Tai Gin Road (Near Balestier Rd). 3$. Built in the late nineteenth century as Wan Qing Yuan (晚晴 园), the villa was offered in 1906 to the Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat Sen. Restored and reopened to the public in 2001, a bit boring unless you have a certain passion and knowledge of Chinese history.
Free. 
Mon-Sun 6: 30-21: 00. Completed in 1990, the only Buddhist temple outside Myanmar to be built according to their typical architecture. Inside, the best thing is the Buddhas wrapped in LED lights.What to do
- Singapore Polo Club, 80 Mount Pleasant Road (bus 54, 162, 166 from Novena MRT), ☎ 65 68543999. It dates back to 1886, with colonial-style clubs and where you can relax watching a polo match. Lessons Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 5pm, riding lessons are also given but are generally for members and residents only. The $ 19.90 three-course lunch at the Mountbatten Room is a steal.
- Toa Payoh Sports Hall and Swimming Complex, 301 Toa Payoh Lorong 6 (Toa Payoh MRT), ☎ 65 62567153. Gym $ 2.50, swimming pool $ 1. Mon-Sun 9: 00-20: 00. Swimming pools, gymnasium and badminton courts.
Shopping
Many Balestier shops sell illuminations and other interior decorations. In both Novena and Toa Payoh there are large shopping malls near the MRT stations.
- Square 2, 10 Sinaran Drive (Novena MRT). Mainly Korean products are sold in its 500 small shops above the MRT station. Built according to some similar centers in Seoul.
- United Square, 101 Thomson Road (Novena MRT, then pedestrian underpass). Located at the intersection of Thomson Road, Newton Road and Moulmein Road diagonally to the other two Novena shopping centers. United Square is more geared towards children and education. Next to the dining options you will find plenty of shops selling clothes and toys, as well as training centers that will teach your child to become an Olympic fencer or virtuoso violinist. A branch of Cold Storage supermarket hides in the basement.
- Velocity, 238 Thomson Road (Novena MRT), ☎ 65 63505110. The largest in Novena and known for sportswear, there are also restaurants, the Kopitiam food court and a supermarket.
How to have fun
- Montero's Pub, 1 Newton Road # 01-01 (Goldhill Plaza Podium Block), ☎ 65 62599053. 6/10$. 17:00-01:00. Western pub with many beers and pool table, ideal for relaxing.
- Brauhaus, 101 Thomson Road, # B1-13 / 14 United Square, ☎ 65 6250 3116. Mon-Thu 11: 00–02: 00, Fri – Sat 11: 00–03: 00, Sun: 17: 00–01: 00. Huge list of foreign beers, cheaper than Boat Quay / Clarke Quay tourist traps. English Premier League matches and other sporting events on a large screen outside.
Where to eat
The food here is plentiful and cheap.
Balestier is famous for two products: bean sauce tau sar piah, and the pork soup bak kut teh. Thanks to the large crowd, many restaurants are open late.
Moderate prices
- Newton Circus (Newton MRT). Known for fish but it's also a place where touts can be really annoying. Always check prices before ordering. Refurbished in 2006, it is now neater and more pleasant and with more seating. Smoking is forbidden.
- Novena Peranakan Cuisine, 273 Thomson Road # 01-02 (Novena MRT, in front of the Novena Velocity), ☎ 65 62561430. 10$. Peranakan cuisine with dishes such as ayam buah keluak (chicken and keluak nuts) e babi pontek (pork stew). No frills but great prices from $ 3.80 and main courses from $ 6.
- 2nd Mini Steamboat Delight, 273 Thomson Road # 01-04 (Novena Garden, in front of the Novena Square), ☎ 65 62550600. 20$. Choose chicken soup (medium) or tom yam (letalel), add ingredients of your choice and go. The menu is extensive and includes a lot of exotic and expensive fish, but the basics are cheap and plentiful. Try the fish glue ($ 4 "isinglass"), a spicy fish cream, very good despite the name.
- Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice, 275 Thomson Road # 01-05, ☎ 65 62556396. 5$. Restaurant that has nothing special but is full of people who want to try the chicken with rice. Also try the shui jiao (dumpling with minced pork and prawns).
- Founder Bak Kut Teh, 347 Balestier Road, ☎ 65 63526192. 8$. The only one with air conditioning. Their soup bak kut teh is full of pepper ..
- House of Tau Sar Piah, 529 Balestier Road, ☎ 65 65203008. 0.50 / 0.70 $ per piece. Not original but spacious and very famous.
- Loong Fatt Eating House & Confectionary, 639 Balestier Road. The original tau sar piah.
- Teo Seng Teochew Porridge, 457-461 Balestier Road, ☎ 65 62563031. 4$. Mon-Sun 9: 00-4: 00.
- Cafe De Hong Kong, 586 Balestier Road (Near Thomson Road), ☎ 65 62553865. Authentic Hong Kong cuisine, among the best French toast in Singapore.
Where stay
Moderate prices
- Fragrance Hotel, 255, 263, 418 Balestier Road, ☎ 65 62526888. From 89 $. Singapore's cheapest hotel chain, with three hotels on Balestier Road, all of which are acceptable.
- Value Hotel Balestier, 218, 302 Balestier Road, ☎ 65 63522323. Three other budget hotels, slightly better than the Fragrance. Rooms from $ 89; the Value Hotel Thomson is the best of the three, it also has a swimming pool but is more expensive, around $ 129.
Average prices
- Quality Hotel, 201 Balestier Road, ☎ 65 63559988. 145$. Recently refurbished 3-star hotel. The best in this part of the city. Free shuttle service to Novena MRT and Orchard Road.
- Royal Hotel, 36 Newton Road (8 minutes from Novena MRT), ☎ 65 62534411. 100$. Three-star hotel with four low-level nightclubs, which gives an idea of the environment, even if renovated in 2005. The restaurant Jade Room it is famous for "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall", a strange Chinese soup that costs $ 100 per person. Don't confuse it with the Royal @ Queens or the Royal Plaza!
High prices
- Sheraton Towers, 39 Scotts Road (Newton MRT), ☎ 65 67376888. 250$. Convenient but boring. Aside from Newton Circus there is nothing else nearby, but Orchard is only one MRT stop away. A little overpriced unless you get some discounts.
How to keep in touch
Internet
- @ Corner, 1 Goldhill Plaza # 01-11 (Opposite the Novena MRT on Thomson Road). On promotion for only $ 2 / hour. Large and well-known internet café very popular with video game enthusiasts.
