Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
157
Kusu Island, but not large enough to fill a whole day of sightseeing. Toilets and public
phones are available.
Ferries
leave at regular intervals from the Marina South Pier (
&
65/1800-736-8672
);
take the MRT to M arina Bay, then bus no . 402 to the pier . The boat makes a cir cular
route, landing on both islands. A dult tickets cost S$15 (US$10/£6.75), and tickets for
children under 12 are S$12 (US$8.05/£5.40).
Tip:
Pack a lunch and bring drinks, sun-
block, and mosquito repellent.
PULAU UBIN
My favorite island getaway has to be U bin. Located off the nor theast tip of S ingapore,
Pulau Ubin remains the only place in S ingapore where you can find life as it used to be
before urban dev elopment. Lazy kampong villages pop up alongside trails per fect for a
little more rugged bicycling. It's truly a great day trip for those who like to explore nature
and r ural scener y. R umors hav e it that during the occupation, the J
apanese br ought
soldiers here to be tortured, and so some believe the place is haunted.
At the eastern tip of the island is the
Chek Jawa
marine reserve with a visitor center
and a kilometer-long (
1
/
2
-mile) boardwalk that loops over the seashore and the mangrove.
Halfway around there's a 20m-high (66-ft.) viewing tower that overlooks the tree canopy,
so look out for bulbul birds, owls, and bats. Come at low tide to get the best view of the
crabs, starfish, anemones, and sponges that cling to sur vival on the beach. Chek J awa is
about 40 minutes walk from the jetty, so rent a bicycle or a van to get there.
To get to U bin, take bus no . 2 to Changi Village (or just take a cab—the bus ride is
long). Walk past the food cour t down to the water and find the ferr y. There's no ticket
booth, so you should just approach the captain and buy your ticket from him—it'll cost
you about S$2 (US$1.35/90p). The boats leav e r egularly, but only when they 've got
enough passengers to justify a trip , with the last one r eturning from the island as late as
11pm (make sure you double-check with the ferryman so you don't get stranded!). If you
want to avoid a long wait for a boat, peak hours ar e from 7am to 7pm.
Once you're there, bicycle rental places along the jetty can provide you with bikes and
island maps at r easonable prices. The new 45-hectare (111-acre) Ketam Mountain Bike
Park has trails with thr ee levels of difficulty—one that meets international competition
standards. A fe w coffee shops cook up r udimentary meals, and y ou'll also find public
toilets and coin phones in the mor e populated areas.
7
10
SPORTS & RECREATION
BEACHES
Besides the beach at East Coast P ark (see “Attractions Outside the Urban Area,” earlier
in this chapter) and those on S entosa Island (see earlier), y ou can tr y the smaller beach
at Changi Village, called Changi P oint. From the shor e, you have a panoramic vie w of
Malaysia, Indonesia, and sev eral smaller islands that belong to S ingapore. The beach is
calm and fr equented mostly b y locals who set up camps and barbecues to hang out all
day. There are kayak rentals along the beach, and in Changi Village you'll find, in addi-
tion to a huge hawker center, quite a few international restaurants and pubs to hang out
in and have a fresh seafood lunch when y ou get hungry. To get there, take SBS bus no .
2 from either the Tanah Merah or Bedok MRT stations.
