Escape the City

Our Local Expert Says:

A great escape from the city to see a glimpse of a more peaceful life.

Description:

Pulau Ubin is the second largest of Singapore's offshore islands and makes an excellent day trip from Singapore. As you alight on the jetty it is almost as if you have stepped back in time to the days when Singapore was a rustic village, with traditional kampong houses, swaying palm trees and little traffic.

Several well-signposted walking and biking trails allow you to explore the island with ease, and bikes are available to hire on arrival. The main square also contains several restaurants dishing up fresh seafood and shops selling drinks and snacks – there are no other refreshments stops around the island so make sure you stock up before you head off exploring. One of the main destinations for visitors to the island is the Chek Jawa Wetlands, one of Singapore's richest ecosystems, which includes a viewing jetty, a boardwalk offering mangrove and coastal loops, and the 21-metre Jejawi Tower.

To get to Pulau Ubin, take a bumboat from Changi Point jetty in Changi Village (not the Changi Ferry Terminal). The boats run from sunrise to sunset and leave once they have 12 passengers on board.

Our Local Expert Says:

A great place to unwind and relax.

Description:

Just a 15 minute walk from the retail frenzy of Orchard Road brings you to the relaxing and peaceful Botanic Gardens. This 52 hectare park provides a huge variety of areas to explore, including lakes, fountains, sculpture gardens and well-manicured lawns, all linked by well signposted paths.

The highlight is undoubtedly the National Orchid Garden, where you can marvel at the largest display of tropical orchids in the world - over 1,000 species and 2,000 hybrids, all cultivated here. In 1957, the Singapore Government began to honour state visitors and other VIPs by naming selected orchid hybrids after them. There are now over 100 of these VIP orchids, so keep a look out for the Margaret Thatcher, Princess Diana, Nelson Mandela, Jackie Chan and even Ricky Martin orchids!

Other visitor favourites include the Rainforest – a 6-hectare slice of the original rainforest that once covered the island of Singapore; the Evolution Garden, which takes you on a journey through time, from the era of the dinosaurs through to the modern world of flowering plants; and the Jacob Ballas Children's Garden, a fun and educational area specially designed for kids, including a maze, suspension bridge, tree house and secret cave.

Our Local Expert Says:

A great day trip to head into the heart of the rainforest.

Description:

The MacRitchie Reservoir Park is one of the most popular of Singapore's nature parks and is the destination for joggers, walkers and nature-lovers. The nature reserve is home to more than 840 flowering plant and 500 animal species, so keep a look out for Long Tailed Macaques, Monitor Lizards, White-bellied Fish-eagles and an abundance of butterflies and birds which are often spotted along the trails.

The Park offers several boardwalk treks around the reservoir and more rugged forest trails which vary in length from 3km to 11km. All are well signposted, and signboards along the routes offer information and encourage you to look at nature's wonders. Don't miss the HSBC TreeTop Walk, a free-standing 250m long suspension bridge which gives you a bird's eye view of the plants and animals in the rainforest canopy.

Description:

Sentosa, home to the Resorts World Casino and Universal Studios is also where to head to if you want to spend the day on the beach.  Lining the southern side of Sentosa Island – Siloso, Palawan and Tanjong are popular hangouts for locals and visitors alike, especially at weekends when all beaches become particularly crowded with sun-worshippers and beach-sport lovers. The beaches are home to several bars, restaurants, shops, hotels and tourist attractions, meaning you can happily while away an entire day or week here. A leisurely stroll from one end of Siloso Beach to the far-end of Tanjong Beach will take you around two to three hours and there are plenty of refreshment opportunities on the way. Free beach trams run the length of the beaches if your weary legs won't carry you back again.

Description:

Before the days of Stamford Raffles and commercialisation, much of Singapore was covered in lowland tropical rainforest. More than 90% of the original vegetation was cleared for logging and cultivation during the 19th century, but the rainforest at Bukit Timah remained relatively undisturbed, and is now managed by the National Parks Board.

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve has one of the most diverse ecological systems in the world – besides 840 flowering plant and 500 animal species, it also contains more tree species in one hectare than in the whole of North America! In addition to being an ecological hotspot, Bukit Timah is also home to Singapore's highest hill, which peaks at 163.63 metres.

Four colour-coded walking trails lead you into the reserve, with two of these – yellow and red – leading to the 'summit'. Keep your eyes peeled as you walk for long-tailed macaques and squirrels, and you may also spot lizards, snakes, butterflies, beetles and spiders along the way. It's worth taking the time to read up on the native flora and fauna of the reserve in the exhibition in the Visitor Centre before you set off on your walk.

Our Local Expert Says:

Watch out for crocodiles!

Description:

The Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is set in 130 hectares of mangroves, mudflats and secondary forests. This peaceful oasis has become well known for its abundant birdlife, particularly during the migratory season of September to March when huge flocks of shorebirds, such as Egrets, Sandpipers and Plovers visit the Reserve. Although a popular destination for bird enthusiasts, the Reserve is also home to an amazing diversity of other interesting plants and animals, including Otters, Monitor Lizards and if you are lucky, you may spot an Estuarine Crocodile.

There are three walking routes to follow, ranging from 3km to 7km in length, and a 500m Mangrove Boardwalk that leads from the Visitor Centre.

Free guided tours are available on Saturdays at 9.30am (except on Public Holidays). Each tour is limited to a maximum of 15 people per guide and is on a first come first served basis.

Description:

Representing two cultures of contrasting architectures, these gardens are set on adjacent islands in Jurong Lake linked by the Bridge of Double Beauty. The Chinese Garden is fashioned according to imperial Sung dynasty architecture with twin pagodas, pavilions, rockeries, a tea gallery and arched bridges. The Japanese Garden is laid out in contrasting simplicity, embracing classical Japanese motifs such as Zen rock gardens, traditional summer houses, stone lanterns and gilded arched bridges. Plain and serene, it is a conducive place for meditation, poetic inspiration or just a quiet picnic.

Our Local Expert Says:

Sums up Singapore - where the real jungle and the concrete jungle merge.

Description:

The Southern Ridges Walk starts at Mount Faber Park and ends in Kent Ridge Park, taking in several walking trails along the way. Although the walk takes you through various national parks, it has the feel of an urban walk and exemplifies the juxtaposition of the real jungle to the concrete jungle that is so unique to Singapore. While walking through sections of natural rainforest, you are never far from urban development, so the sound of the traffic merges with the buzz of the cicadas, and tower blocks soar over the treetops as you walk through tree canopies.

Highlights of the walk include:
Mount Faber Park, one of the oldest parks in Singapore and home to the Jewel Cable Car station, and the various bars and restaurants of the Jewel Box. Faber Point, the highest point of Mount Faber is a good spot for panoramic views over the city and out to sea.

Henderson Waves, the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore.

The Forest Walk, a meandering 1.6km elevated steel walkway, which gives you a bird's eye view of the rainforest.  

The Canopy Walk, an elevated wooden walkway that takes you through the tree canopy from Kent Ridge Park to Reflections at Bukit Chandu, the site of one of the last battles of Singapore during World War II.

Start the walk at the Harbourfront MRT station.

Description:

Mount Faber Park is one of the oldest parks in Singapore. The slopes of this 56-hectare park are covered by dense secondary rain forest, and are home to an amazing array of flora and fauna. The deeper you go along the walking trails, the more evident the jungle sounds of the cicadas and birds.

At the top of Mount Faber Park, you will find the Jewel Cable Car station and the various bars and restaurants of the Jewel Box where you can enjoy a drink or a bite to eat with a view.  Faber Point, the highest point of Mount Faber Park and the second highest in Singapore, stands at 106m. It is a short uphill walk from the Cable Car station and from here you will be rewarded with panoramic views over the city to the north and over Sentosa and the surrounding islands to the south.

To get Mount Faber, you can hike up the Marang Trail – a 15 minute uphill trek from Harbourfront MRT station, or alternatively take the Jewel Cable Car from Harbourfont Tower One. You can also visit Mount Faber as part of the Southern Ridges Walk.

Description:

Legend has it that Kusu Island was a giant turtle that transformed itself into a large rock to save two sailors--a Chinese and a Malay--from drowning. To honour this event, the island now has a Taoist temple and a Malay shrine. Offerings are made annually to Tua Pek Kong, the God of Prosperity, in October or November. The island is then impossibly crowded, so avoid coming if you do not wish to be swept up in the furore. At other times, however, its unspoilt beach provides a tranquil escape from the mainland. A daily ferry service leaves the Sentosa Ferry Terminal at 10a and 1:30p from Monday to Saturday and on Sunday and public holidays at 9a, 11a, 1p, 3p and 5p.