Getting closer to wildlife at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

When it comes to places for spotting wildlife, not many places in Singapore come close to Sungei Buloh. In fact, it's so popular with nature photographers that just before I visited, I came across this disheartening article on their actions stressing animals just to catch the perfect shot. As such, I resolved to stay on the path, not disturb any living things and leave good photos to chance.  

Part I - The Boardwalk

Enter the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Visitor Centre via Kranji Way to gain access to the new boardwalk which was opened to visitors late last year. The route through this area is full of lookouts, and you'd be able to see the Johor Straits, and the mud levels. 

I enjoyed this part tremendously because of the beautifully designed, vaguely conical lookouts which reminded me of both acorns and birds' nests. The structures blended perfectly with the surroundings and made for some interesting photos.  

This area was also particularly rich in wildlife, with familiar animals such as crabs, mudskippers, spiders, wild dogs, birds, monitor lizards and I've heard that you can even catch sight of a crocodile if you're lucky! We didn't, despite our best efforts, so we might have to go back there to give it another go. 

The red pincers gave it away.

A pretty shy mudskipper.

I spy a spider.

There were quite a few of these lookout points along the boardwalk.

The steps going up and down through the reserve made it a real "Jungle Gym".

The pretty shaky rope bridge was amusing to cross.

Part II - Mangrove

The reserve can be accessed by another entrance, with parking, via Neo Tiew Crescent.

The bridge that links the visitor centre to the reserve.

This part was significantly different. It was no longer a wooden boardwalk structure. Instead, we found ourselves walking on a dirt track that led us round the perimeter of the mangrove.

From one of the lookout towers. Spotted some white birds from here.

At this point we were probably a tad tired out from the noon sun and the initial exploration at the board walk. However before we left, one of  the inhabitants at this small pond with "deep water", came by to say bye.

Sungei Buloh is huge and if you really want to see it all, it would probably take 4-5 hours. Also, it is no Bishan-AMK park. There aren't any food places around, so you might want to bring along some snacks and drinks for the walk.

Resources:
NParks - https://www.nparks.gov.sg/gardens-parks-and-nature/parks-and-nature-reserves/sungei-buloh-wetland-reserve 
Straits Times - Get closer to nature at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

From Buona to Tanjong Pagar on the Green Corridor

Earlier in April, I explored part of the Green Corridor, from Buona Vista to The Rail Mall, which you can read here. 

Curious about the other half which runs from Buona Vista to Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, I set a date with Thamsy to take on this 6km route. 

The journey down south had ample greenery and snaked through the back of some of the older HDB estates which looked as if time had stood still since the 90s, especially when it was quiet in the morning. We had an enjoyable time walking, but what we saw became rather repetitive. Comparatively, going northwards was more interesting - with highlights such as the Bukit Timah Railway Station and some parts of the railway which was still intact. 

Our end point, Tanjong Pagar Railway station, now only opens during public holidays and special occasions. It became a bit of a disappointment as we had to make our way out of a fenced-up dead end - a field - that didn't offer much. Hence, if you're thinking of trying this route, and you can check out some maps here, it would be more rewarding if you went on a day where the Tanjong Pagar Railway station was open. It would really be the perfect end to this long walk.

Nevertheless, here are some things you can expect to see while making your way down this route:

Graffiti my soul.

"I'm not religious, but it feels so good, makes me want to pray, pray you'll always be here."

The old and the (relatively) new.

The black dog actually invited us to be part of their "entourage" but we were too slow.

The Interlace, one of my favourite residential projects. The stacking blocks amaze me always.

From an overhead bridge

This would probably be a barrier for the train which runs through the track, now just a brown path on the left

Said disappointing field that marked the end of our journey, but was relieved to have ended the long walk!

Next up, an entry on Sungei Buloh! If you can't wait, you can check out my instagram for some pictures to tide you over till then.

Strolling the Green Corridor

The Green Corridor is possibly one of the most interesting walking routes that I've done in Singapore and I highly recommend that you check it out! 

Also called the Rail Corridor, it is the path that traces the route connecting us to Malaysia by train. The Singapore portion is about 24km, stretching from Tanjong Pagar Railway Station to Woodlands Road, which would probably take an entire day to complete! Being flexible and to a greater extent, less ambitious, we started at Buona Vista and headed northwards with no fixed end point in mind. It took a morning for us to cover 6km leisurely, bringing us to The Rail Mall, a convenient place to grab lunch. 

The terrain is flat, clearly because that would have been most ideal for a train, making the walk easy and relaxing. The path snakes through swathes of greenery, housing estates and sometimes schools. Often, there'd be interesting landmarks, most commonly bridges and the most iconic, at least along this route, being the Bt Timah Railway Station. 

Parts of the track have been left intact, such as those at the railway station and bridges. The impressive steel structures make for dramatic photos and were the highlight of the trip. 

Walking in the "woods". There's a clear path where the rail used to be.

Off the path, there are spaces to discover.

Bamboo doesn't break. It bends.

A Bangladeshi woman was getting some vegetables that apparently goes well with prawns.

One of the railway stations that is still standing! 

Bukit Timah Railway Station

A bridge overlooking the road, near Jardin condominium, with Bt Timah nature reserve ahead.

The bridge overlooking the road near The Rail Mall

Explore, go your own way. Throw caution to the wind. 

What to bring for the Green Corridor walk:

Unlike other NParks-type of places, there aren't shelters along the way having an umbrella would be helpful if it rains. It's a continuous route apart from when the rail intersects some roads and finding a convenience store would be challenge so bring all your refreshments - chips, biscuits, water - with you. You could even stop and have a picnic at the wide open spaces such as the Bt Timah Railway station if you wanted (I hope it's not illegal) - just whip out a mat!

I read these before the walk, just to get an idea of what I was getting into:

The Green Corridor website, with maps and suggested routes: http://www.thegreencorridor.org/category/maps/ 
Development-weary Singaporeans back Green Corridor: https://sg.news.yahoo.com/development-weary-singaporeans-back-green-corridor-000451690.html
URA calls for proposals for Green Corridor: https://sg.news.yahoo.com/development-weary-singaporeans-back-green-corridor-000451690.html

Since I haven't completed the entire trail, I'd definitely be back to complete the last segment from Buona to Tanjong Pagar Railway Station.

Let me know if there are other walking routes that I should explore!