Pulau Ubin - Yesterday Once More
Northeastern Coast of Singapore

Pulau Ubin - Yesterday Once More

Want to step back in time – Singapore style? Then head for Pulau Ubin, a small island off the northern coast of Singapore. Shaped like a boomerang, it has long been a favourite haunt of locals seeking a break from the humdrum of urban life.

Rustic villages dot the island; fondly called kampongs by locals, these are the remnants of the island’s heyday when thousand of people settled there to work the granite quarries.

There are a lot of forests, plantations and abandoned orchards you can explore. Visit old houses built on stilts or look for fascinating range of plants, birds and small animals.

The best way to see Pulau Ubin is on bicycle. There are shops renting out bicycles at very affordable rates at the tiny town centre by the jetty.

The Red Jungle fowl, the ancestor of the domestic chicken, may also make an appearance, as Pulau Ubin is one of the few places in Singapore where this rare bird occurs naturally. The sharp observer may also observe hoof prints in the ground belonging to the Wild Pig, which is usually difficult to encounter as it hides in the forest. Up on the trees are Oriental Pied Hornbills, which are characterized by raucous cackling.

Alternatively, you can take Sensory Trail and walk yourself through a 1.5 kilometer stretch of vegetable and fruit plots, mangroves, forest and an old prawn farm.

Chek Jawa , a natural beach teeming with marine wildlife, boasts a collection of distinct habitats like coastal forests, mangroves, sandy beaches, mudflats and coal rubble. It is now a protected area and guided tours are the only way you can view its natural splendor. The Carpet Anemone, looking like flowers in the sea, exists in a variety of colours and is abundant at Chek Jawa.

Do You Know…

The 1019 hectare of Pulau Ubin was a cluster of 5 smaller islands separated by tidal rivers, but the building of bunds for prawn farming has since united these into a single island. Two other islets, Pulau Kelam (Crab Island) and Pulau Sekudu (Frog Island), lie to its south.

“Local Lingual”

Pulau Ubin is pronounced as” Pull-lull” “Ooh-bin”

Getting There

First, go to the Changi Point Ferry Terminal by taking the train to Tanah Merah MRT Station and then Service 2, 29, 59 and 109. The Ferry Terminal is adjacent to the Bus Terminal.

Alternatively, take a taxi and inform the driver specifically that your destination is Changi Point Ferry Terminal at Changi Village.

At the Ferry Terminal, take a bumboat ($2 one –way). Do note the boats will leave when there are 12 passengers but you can also opt to pay the difference for the boat to leave immediately.

Open hours / admission:

24 hours, but boats ply mainly between 8am -7pm; entry is free.

Contact:

6542 4108 (Pulau Ubin information Kiosk)

Guided Walk:

For information on guided walks, please contact the Pulau Ubin Information Kiosk or visit the National Parks Board website (www.nparks.gov.sg, look under “ Parks and Gardens).

Pictures Courtesy by Jammy Chang - Young NTUC 20/20