Cycling Adventure at Punggol Waterway and Coney Island, Singapore

Coney Island Park, Singapore's latest nature attraction finally opened its doors to the public on 10 October 2015. Also knows as Pulau Serangoon, this 50-hectare sustainable park being managed by NParks (National Parks Board)  is located off Singapore's North East coast.

Coney Island also known as Pulau Serangoon, features diverse habitats, including coastal forests, grasslands and mangroves and casuarina woodlands. This rustic park is an ecologically sustainable park with many environmental initiatives. It focuses on conserving energy and water, recycling and retaining of the natural elements in the park. 

The island is best explored by foot or by cycling. Start exploring the forest and mangrove habitats on the newly built boardwalk and move on to the beach which can be accessed at five locations. 


Let me share my video while exploring the island, coming from Punggol Waterway Park.  I hope you'll enjoy the video!

Pls subscribe to our youtube channel! ;)

Park Information

How to get there: From Punggol interchange, take bus 84 to Punggol Point Park/Punggol Settlement. Walk about 500m east along the Punggol Promenade Nature Walk to get to Coney Island West Entrance.

Park Size: 50 hectares

Park opening hours: 7am to 7pm (gate will be closed at 7pm)

Nearby Parks/Park Connectors: Punggol Promenade Nature Walk, Punggol Point Park, Punggol Waterways.

Accessibility: Barrier Free Access and Wheelchair accessible at the East and West ends. Cycling is allowed along the main path.

Specific Do’s and Don’ts: No Camping. No Fishing

	Pin It
Tweet

Cycling at Punggol Waterway

Punggol Waterway is Singapore's longest man-made waterway at 4.2 km long. It is also known as "My Waterway@Punggol". It features a landscaped promenade, five footbridges, viewing decks, cycling and jogging paths, exercise and water-play areas, lush greenery and eco-friendly features.

Punggol Waterway has earned global recognition when it won Global Superior Achievement Award (First Asian country to secure top honours from International Water Association) and Gold Award for the 2012 International Award for Liveable Communities, for its excellence in water engineering, innovative design and eco-friendly concept.  

The park is definitely one of a kind! Alas for me, I was lazy to bring my bridge camera so all photos posted here are taken using my husband's HTC mobile phone. Hey, c'mon the photos are still great except for the night shot! hehe..

overlooking Sunrise Bridge 

The park is a great place for the whole family. Fitness enthusiasts will have a fun time running on the well-maintained tracks while admiring the view. Bikers and skaters will enjoy challenging tracks designated for them. The kids will be entertained by their water playground offering a wet-and-wild day of fun. A nice venue also for hanging out with friends, they even created a bridge to best watch the sunrise and named it Sunrise Bridge (picture above).

overlooking Pasir Ris Bridge Connector 

overlooking Jewel Bridge 

One of the viewing decks along the park

Overlooking the other side of the park connected by Sunrise Bridge

overlooking the housing estate 

Pasir Ris Bridge Connector

At either ends of the waterway are a variety of restaurants and recreational facilities. We took a break for a while to take a drink. We enjoyed the bike track!

Wave Bridge

How To Get There: Take the LRT from Punggol MRT Station to Damai LRT Station. Walk towards Punggol Road and you will find a path heading to the waterway. 

Buses to Punggol Bus Interchange: 3, 34, 43, 62, 82, 83, 84, 85, 136

Lighting Hours:     7:00pm to 7:00am

Accessibility Info:  Wheelchair-friendly

Surface:                  Gravel, Grass, Tarmac, Pavement

Reminder:              No fishing is allowed at the park.

	Pin It
Tweet

Cycling Adventure to Chek Jawa Wetlands

Chek Jawa Wetlands is situated in the far south-east of Pulau Ubin, it is one of Singapore’s richest ecosystems. The 100-hectare wetlands was discovered when the area was included in the government's plan for a reclamation project, but because of the immense richness of the ecosystem, plans for the development of Chek Jawa have been deferred and it is now one of the most visited area in Pulau Ubin.

Visitors can either walk, cycle or hire a vehicle to get to Chek Jawa Wetlands.  We love to cycle so cycle it is! You can rent a bicycle for S$8 to S$12 for a whole day use.  For those who love to walk, it will take you round 40 minutes from the main land to reach Chek Jawa.

The bike trail is not for the faint hearted, it is rather rigorous and hilly. There are steep slopes along the way, you are advised to walk your bike at times, and make sure your brake works! It is best to rent a mountain bike going to Chek Jawa.

House No. 1 at Chek Jawa:

In the middle of the jungle you'll find this interesting cottage.  The cottage is a pre-war structure and best known as House No. 1. It was built in the 1930's in the English Lytyenseque or Tudor style. 

Today it houses a small visitor centre which serves as a museum containing information about the wetlands.

In front of the cottage is the restored jetty port:

The wetlands is best visited during low tide. Unfortunately, as you can see, we arrived during high tide. So sorry for us, we weren't able to explore the wetlands.

 the wetlands during low tide (picture not mine, taken from www.yoursingapore.com)

The wetlands provide a home for millions of creatures.

Even wild boars mingle with the visitors occasionally, and boy they are huge!

Chek Jawa includes such diverse ecosystems like mangroves, sandbars, seagrass lagoon, rocky shore and coastal forest. There is an abundance of natural creatures, rare plants and migratory birds.  If you are a nature lover, you will surely love this place. You can bring the kids, both educational and fun for the whole family! 

	Pin It
Tweet

Pulau Ubin - Singapore's Cycling Heaven

 

Scenic right? You are actually looking at an abandoned quarry in Pulau Ubin. 

Pulau Ubin literally means "Granite Island". Pulau is a Malay word for "island" and Ubin is a Javanese term for "squared stone". The granite stones on the island were used to make floor tiles in the past and were called "Jubin", which was then shortened to Ubin.

Granite quarrying used to be a major industry on the island which was started in the 1800's. Quarrying was stopped when the granite was mined below sea level. To date, Pulau Ubin is one of the last rural areas to be found in Singapore. It is a home to Singapore's last villages or kampongs, add up the rich and preserved wildlife, an untouched nature, abandoned quarries and plantations, what you have is one of Singapore's best tourist attractions.

Changi Point Ferry Terminal

Pulau Ubin can only be reached via 10 to 15 minutes bumboat ride from the Changi Point Ferry Terminal. The terminal is served by bus numbers 2, 29, 59 or 109 and 3 minutes walk from the Bus Terminal. 

Fare is S$2.50 per person, you can bring your own bike for an extra cost. 

To enjoy the island you can walk, hike,  rent or bring your own bicycle, or hire a taxi. Bicycle rental will cost you $8 to $12 which you can use the whole day.

Let me share some of our photos:

Cycling is the best way to explore Ubin. There are so many trails and routes to suit every preference. If you are an adrenaline junkie, you can take an off-road bike ride across the rugged terrain. Off-road routes range from easy to challenging trails.  If not so adventurous, just follow the asphalt road, there are maps everywhere to guide you.

When visiting the island, it a must to bring the following:

• Comfortable shoes, no flip flops please..
• Drinking water
• Snacks (you won't find any shops when you decide to take off-road trails) 
• Mosquito repellent
• Rain gear (it rains every now and then, better be prepared than be stuck in the middle of the jungle)
• Sun protection
• Plastic bags or ziplock to waterproof your extra clothes and electronic gadgets
• Camera and fresh batteries (if you'll have time to stop and snap photos)
• Phone so you can call emergency numbers if needed

so tired but Happy!!! 

I love nature so for me, this part of Singapore suited me more than the urban jungle it is best known for.  I can't wait to share some of the trails we tried. Till my next post!

	Pin It
Tweet