Pulau Ubin

Pulau Ubin, (乌敏岛)also simply known as Ubin, is an island situated in the north east of Singapore, to the west of Pulau Tekong. The Granite quarryused to be by supported a few thousand settlers on Pulau Ubin in the 1960s, but only about a hundred villagers live there today. It is one of the last rural areas to be found in Singapore, with an abundance of natural flora and fauna. The island forms part of the Ubin–Khatib Important Bird Area (IBA), identified as such by BirdLife International because it supports significant numbers of visiting and resident birds, some of which are threatened.

The National Biodiversity Centre, in partnership with Wildlife Reserves Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, and researchers Marc Cremades and Ng Soon Chye, implemented the Hornbill Conservation Project to aid in the breeding and recovery of the Oriental pied hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris) which had previously became extinct in Singapore but has since started to re-establish itself in places like Pulau Ubin and Changi.

Hornbills require tree cavities to nest in. However, tree cavities of sufficient size to accommodate the female hornbill and her young are not common in Singapore. The implementation of artificial nest boxes at Pulau Ubin and Changi have been successful and video cameras are even installed within the nest boxes to provide a better understanding of the behavioural and feeding patterns of these birds.

Since May 2009, the National Biodiversity Centre, together with volunteers from National Parks Board and nature groups such as Wild Singapore and TeamSeaGrass, initiated a project to monitor identified populations of seahorse (Hippocampus kuda) and pipefish (Syngnathoides biaculeatus) in several locations including Pulau Ubin for conservation management purposes. The data gathered will help to estimate the population size, growth rate of individuals and track their movements in their natural habitats.

Although the island attracted attention for development and planning only in recent years, Singaporean visitors have been visiting Pulau Ubin for summer camps and outdoor activities for many years.
Coastal boardwalk at Chek Jawa

With growing attention and interest in nature, visitors to Pulau Ubin has increased over the years. Pulau Ubin Recreation Area, which included Chek Jawa, was created to cater to local tourism. The site is about 700 hectares within the 1020-hectare Pulau Ubin.

One of the current popular tourist attractions on the island is Chek Jawa. A previous coral reef 5000 years ago, Chek Jawa can be said to be virtually unspoilt, with a variety of marine wildlife comparable to other islands, such as sea hares, sea squirts, octopuses, starfishes, sand dollars, fishes, sponges, cuttlefishes and nudibranches.

A boardwalk runs through the mangrove, allowing visitors to observe the plant and marine life at close range. During low tide, a limited number of people are allowed to walk on the tidal flats.

A local temple, Fo Shan Ting Da Bo Gong Temple, is also another frequently visited site.

Visitors may travel to Pulau Ubin from the main island of Singapore via a 10-minute bumboat ride from the Changi Point Ferry Terminal (previously known as the Changi Village jetty). In 2008 the one-way ticket price was increased from S$2.00 to S$2.50 per passenger. It was further increased to S$3.00 from 7 September 2015 onwards. Every bumboat can carry 12 passengers and the captain will wait until his boat has reached the maximum capacity. People who do not want to wait can pay S$36.00 for the whole bumboat and leave without waiting.
Most of the village consists of cycle shops and cafes

The rental price for bicycles range anywhere from S$5.00 to S$20.00 (for the entire day) depending on the condition of the bike, number of gears etc.

Mountain biking

Pulau Ubin is home to one of Singapore's mountain bike trails, Ketam Mountain Bike Park which was built in 2007. The trail is approximately 8 kilometers long and features a wide range of terrain ranging from open meadows to thick jungle. There are numerous steep but short climbs and descents. The trail is well-marked with signs indicating the difficulty level of each section.

The vast majority of the mountain bikers that ride this trail bring their own bike, although the rental bikes on the island can also be used. Besides adventurous mountain biking, Pulau Ubin has a lot to offer to recreational mountain bikers with a wide selection of bikes to that can be rented upon arrival. By cruising around the island one can stop by beautiful lakes and other natural spots. It is a great break away from the big and busy city of Singapore.

(wikipedia)