If you’re doing more than a short stay in
Singapore and feel like getting out of the city, then there's no better place to do it than Pulau Ubin. As Singapore is officially a “city-state” you’d be forgiven for thinking
that there was none of the real wilderness found in bigger Asian countries. In
fact Singapore is more than just a city-state. Made up of 63 islands, it hides
many treasures waiting to be found by the adventurous traveller. One such
treasure is Pulau Ubin.
Offering a perfect glimpse into the past,
Pulau Ubin is Malay for “Granite Island”, named for the granite quarries that
were first dug when the British settled Singapore. Now Pulau Ubin is home to
some of the last traditional villages, known as kampongs, in Singapore. With
the diesel powered electricity generators and all the water coming from wells,
you will feel like you’ve gone in back in time. Plus it delivers an amazing
contrast to the modernity of Singapore City.
To get to Pulau Ubin from the mainland, you
need to catch a train to Pasir Ris and then catch a bus to the jetty at Changi
Village. From there you need to catch a bumboat to the island. The bumboats sit
12 people and the owners will wait for that many people until they leave. The
boat fare is $2.50. On a weekend the boats will fill up in no time. You might
have to wait a little longer on a weekday, however. The crossing itself takes
about 10 minutes.
Once on Pulau Ubin the three main
activities are walking, bike riding and kayaking. The main walking area is in
the wetlands known as Chek Jawa on the south-eastern tip of Pulau Ubin. The
area is unique as several ecosystems can be found in one area including sandy
beach, rocky beach, seagrass lagoon, coral rubble, mangroves and coastal
forest. Walkways have been carefully constructed so walkers can pass through
the area without disturbing the natural flora and fauna.
Another way to see the coast and get up
close to the mangrove forests is by kayaking. You can explore the vast system
of waterways and see animals you might not see further inland from the biking
or walking track. Lots of seabirds fish here and it’s sometimes possible to see
a troop of monkey climbing through the trees or trying to catch mudskippers
down by the water. The standard kayak trip takes you through the mangrove lined
rivers and lagoons on the south and east side of the island for a few hours. Or
for the more adventurous, you can travel to the north side of the island and
kayak all the way back through, using the creeks, streams and rivers that
criss-cross the island. Make you set aside an entire day for this as this
relatively small island feels a lot bigger when you have to kayak your way
across it.
The most popular activity on Pulau Ubin is biking.
As soon as you arrive on the island and start heading toward the main square,
you will see shop after shop renting bikes. The price for rental is based on
the condition of the bike. In these circumstances it’s always best not to skimp
too much as you don’t want to get stuck on the other side of the island with a
broken down bike. Biking around Pulau Ubin shows off the island’s history and provides some spectacular views. You
will see the traditional villages and farms where the same way of life has
remained unchanged for decades. You will also see what remains of the old
granite quarries. Now mostly filled with water, they look like spectacular
lagoons, but avoid swimming in them as they can be quite treacherous for
swimmers, hence the large fine that’s now imposed on anyone that decides to
take a dip. It’s not just sight-seeing that biking provides. For the more avid
mountain biker, a dedicated mountain bike park was built in 2008. The 45
hectare park contains 10 kilometres of dedicated mountain bike tracks. It is
also the first mountain bike park in Singapore where the tacks meet the
international standard for mountain bike competition. Even so, the park was
constructed with casual riders in mind, so don’t be afraid to explore the area
even if you’re an amateur.
As any activity on Pulau Ubin is
essentially a day trip, there are a few places to eat on the island. Sitting
outside by the main square while eating seafood is an enormous pleasure and so
far removed from eating in the hustle and bustle of the mainland.
Whatever you do make you sure you’re back
at the main jetty before 7pm when the last bumboat leaves. And remember they
only leave when there are twelve people so if you’re the last one there at 7pm
you will have to pay the equivalent of twelve fares.
If you want to see what Singapore was like
in the past, Pulau Ubin is pretty much the only place to experience it
first-hand. But be quick. With land running out on the mainland and developers with
dollar signs in their eyes, it might not be long before the island is developed
and modernised, and the old way of life is lost forever.
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