Have your kiddos take a walk on the wild side and explore all that is nature! Singapore is home to some of the most beautiful and pristine natural attractions which is exactly what we bring to you. So what are you waiting for, pack your bags and head out for an adventure in nature with the whole family! Even with approved leniency, don’t skip out on the safety measures and keep these precautions in mind:
- Bring along a small bottle of sanitizer
- Wear masks
- Keep and remain a 2-meter distance from people
- If you notice an overly crowded place, avoid said place
- Use cashless payment options
- Keep from touching your face, advise the same to your little ones beforehand
- Immediately take a shower when you get the chance
Bukit Timah Hill
Bukit Timah Hill is Singapore’s highest point at a mere 163 metres. The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is a 164-hectare primary rain forest reserve just a half-hour ride from the heart of the city. It’s located along Upper Bukit Timah Road, at the end of Hindhede Drive. Admission is free, and the visitor centre opens daily from 8.30 am in the morning to 6.30 pm in the evening. The reserve is a popular spot during the weekend, with visitors ranging from teenagers on mountain bikes to groups of serious joggers. The park is clearly marked with trails, and you can breathe in the sights, smells and sounds of an authentic primary forest as you walk. This essentially, was Singapore hundreds of years ago, before development. Tall timber trees, liana vines and huge ferns abound in the forest. The place also boasts abundant wildlife – watch out for the noisy long-tailed macaques, who may just decide to follow you on part of your walk, swinging from tree to tree.
The Southern Ridges
The Southern Ridges is a 9-km-long trail across the south of Singapore, linking Mount Faber, Telok Blangah Hill Park and Kent Ridge Park. It’s a great place for outdoor activities, especially for runners, nature lovers and hikers. There are several different trails around Southern Ridges. All of them are well connected with good facilities along the way, with facilities including toilets, vending machines, restaurants and cafes. Popular trails include Marang Trail (800 metres), Henderson Waves (a 274-metre-long undulating bridge), Forest Walk (a steps-free elevated walkway) and Faber Trail (a 1-kilometre-long trail). The best thing about the Southern Ridges is that visitors can take as much time as they like, knowing that there are many places along the route where they can get public transport.
The Treetop Walk
The Treetop Walk at MacRitchie Reservoir is a big project and a pioneer of its genre in Singapore. Some 25 metres high and 250 metres long, the wooden walkway bridge gives you the opportunity to see Singapore in a different way – without one tall building in sight – just a fantastic panoramic view of the forest. This free-standing suspension bridge is a one-direction traffic system and allows only 30 people at a time on it. The starting point is at the Ranger Station via Peirce track (about 4.5 km from the bridge) and it will lead you through mature secondary forest. Another option is to get to the Treetop walk from Venus Drive off Upper Thomson Road which will help shorten the distance by about 2 kilometres. The walk along the bridge offers an unusual view of the forest canopy. Good walking shoes are necessary, as are drinking water, some and mosquito repellent. The round-trip hike takes from three to five hours depending on your choice of routes.
The Sungei Buloh Nature Park
The Sungei Buloh Nature Park is a great place for bird-watching, being a regional stopover for birds on their North-South migrations. An 87-hectare wetland reserve, the park is a little less than an hour’s ride by car from the centre of town. The park gives you an idea of the mangrove swamps that once surrounded Singapore. There are visitor centres, boardwalks and bird-watching hides, where you can go to spot night herons or the white-breasted water hen. Also, keep a lookout for various species of butterflies, mud-skippers and monitor lizards. There’s even prawn and fish farming carried out in the park, the little ones will surely get a kick out of that!
Hort Park
HortPark is a gardening and leisure/recreational concept. There are 20 themed gardens, for example, the Fantasy Garden features characters from the Wizard of Oz. Then there’s the Recycling Garden, Herb & Spice Garden, the Water Garden and a tree-climbing corner. HortPark serves as a link that connects Telok Blangah Hill Park and Kent Ridge Park.
East Coast Park
East Coast Park is not only the most popular but also the largest (1.85sqkm) park in Singapore. It was built on reclaimed land and offers various activities from water sports to cycling, rollerblading, bowling as well as an 18-hole indoor mini-golf course. Other facilities include a manmade sandy beach, shops/kiosks, restrooms, barbecue stations and holiday chalets. There are plenty of dining venues to choose from here. The East Coast Seafood Centre consists of 8 seafood restaurants. Some must-try dishes include the spicy sambal stingray and satay!
Chinese and Japanese Gardens
The Chinese and Japanese Gardens are off Yuan Ching Road, next to Jurong Bird Park. Each garden covers 13.5 hectares. The Chinese Garden is on an island in the middle of Jurong Lake and is done in the classical Northern Chinese Imperial style. Stroll around the Chinese Garden and take in the majestic stone lions at the entrance, the stone boat, the towering pagodas and the statue of Confucius. Marvel at the rockeries in the Garden of Romance and breathe in the smell of the culinary and medicinal herbs in the Herb Garden. The most interesting section of the Chinese Gardens is the Suzhou-styled penjing (bonsai) garden. This section houses some 2,000 pots of penjing and is a must for bonsai buffs.Across the Double Beauty Bridge are the Japanese Gardens, which are more minimalist in style. You’ll find serene gardens, zig-zag bridges, pebbled pathways, stone lanterns and traditional summer houses here.