SIGIR 08 - Singapore traveller

Singapore is a city-state with more than 4.5 million people in just 700 km² of land. So you would expect that much of Singapore is urbanized and built up with commercial buildings as well as housing flats. But who says that Singapore is totally devoid of greenery and nature? While we don’t have the grandeur of Niagara Falls or Grand Canyon, we do have our little spots for nature lovers, away from the tourist traps such as Sentosa and the like.

The Bukit Timah Hill, at 164 m above sea level, is the highest point in Singapore, and is located in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve at the geographical central part of Singapore. Here you can see the tropical rainforest that is typical in the equatorial territories. According to National Parks Board, there are more than 840 species of flora and 500 species of fauna in this relatively undisturbed nature reserve. Adding to the tranquility of this place are two disused quarries, and occasionally you can observe monkeys and other animals roaming about. While it is possible to reach the summit from the entrance in 30 minutes using the most direct Main Road, I suggest that visitors explore the various side trails, such as the Dairy Farm Loop for added surprises, as well as some physical challenge. For more information, see http://www.nparks.gov.sg/nature_bukit.asp.

At Sungei Buloh Wetlands Nature Reserve, you can get to see a natural mangrove swamp in Singapore that faces Johor Bahru in southern Malaysia, well away from the bustling city center. The area covered by the ponds where fresh water and salt water mix is large enough that you can spend an entire afternoon or even a whole day in it. This nature reserve also serves as a refueling point as birds migrate between the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere during the migration seasons, making it a paradise for bird watchers. Along the way, you might also see iguanas, koi fish, small crabs, mudskippers and others roaming freely about. Also noteworthy are the prawn farms where the traditional method of harvesting can be seen. For further details, please go to http://www.sbwr.org.sg/.

For nature lovers, the HSBC Tree-Top Walk is also a must. This is a suspension bridge that connects two of the highest points in the MacRitchie area, and gives a bird’s eye view of the forest canopy below. According to National Parks Board, this bridge is about 250 m long and is up to 25 m above the forest floor, and facilitates research on how the forest ecosystem work. Located in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, it is fairly near Upper Pierce Reservoir, although it is more easily accessed from MacRitchie Reservoir. The trails in this catchment area that leads to the Tree-Top Walk also brings you through different parts of the mature secondary forest as well as the tranquil water reservoirs. Please refer to http://www.nparks.gov.sg/nature_central_treetops.asp for more details.

There are quite a few more places in Singapore for nature lovers. Check out Chek Jawa in Pulau Ubin, Labrador Park, Fort Canning Park and others!

Posted on April 20th, 2008 by Yee Fan
Filed under: nature, singapore, what to do