Volunteer guide and nature expert, Quak Wan Ling, shares her passion for the environment, hidden gems in the wetland reserve and her favourite spots in Singapore.
Tucked away in the Northwestern corner of Singapore, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, the city’s first ASEAN heritage park, is a sprawling ecological gem consisting of 202 hectares of mangroves, mudflats, ponds and forests. The site also holds international importance for migratory birds, as they escape the cold from as far as Siberia. For a deeper look into the reserve, we got longtime volunteer guide and nature expert, Quak Wan Ling, to share her insights and recommendations for a day trip at the park as well as around Singapore.
I became a volunteer guide at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve…
in 2009, though I have been frequently visiting the park to bird-watch since 1996 when I joined Nature Society Singapore. Even though it has been many years since I became a guide, I find that there is always something new for me to learn every time I visit the reserve.
My tour at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve…
covers the history of Sungei Buloh, the mangrove environment, the kinds of plants and animals that live here, and how they adapt. I like to engage visitors by encouraging them to look for the hidden, well-camouflaged animals instead of giving their locations away. I also make it a point to include a conservation message in my tours. Nature lovers can visit NParks’ website for a list of upcoming tours. I do private tours as well, and I can be contacted through my blog, Big Bunny Trails.
Platform 2 along Route 1…
is an underrated but great spot to relax and wait for animals to show up. I have seen kingfishers dive into the river to catch fish, raptors perched on the nearby trees, woodpeckers, otters, and more at this place. For your day trip at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, wear comfortable clothes (preferably in earthy tones) and shoes. Keep yourself well covered and shaded from the sun, carry lots of drinking water and some snacks if you wish. Bring along your binoculars if you own one.
After exploring the reserve…
you can chill out at the bistros at Gardenasia, a stone’s throw away from Sungei Buloh, or at Bollywood Veggies, which has an outdoor garden with lots of local vegetables and fruits. Nature lovers may also want to consider visiting the Kranji Marshes, a freshwater marsh nearby.
If friends from out of town are here for a visit…
I will plan an outdoors-y itinerary for the active folks. We’ll rent bicycles and cycle from East Coast Parkway to Changi Village for nasi lemak (fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf, accompanied with an array of side dishes including omelette, fried whole fish and crispy anchovies), fried carrot cake (made mainly with rice flour and white radish) and teh tarik (frothy hot milk tea). On our way back, we’ll stop at the East Coast Lagoon Food Village for some satay (grilled meat skewers) and popiah (fresh spring rolls) before returning the bicycles.
Visitors who want to take things easy can…
do a nature walk at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, followed by lunch at Chinatown Complex. Be sure to try Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice (#02- 198/199)! After lunch, take some time to visit Singapore City Gallery – it’s an excellent place to learn about the transformation of Singapore for the last 50 years. Stop by Maxwell Food Centre for a quick refresher before making your way to Gardens by the Bay. End the day with a scrumptious local dinner at Satay by the Bay.
For a spot of tranquility…
take a bumboat ride to Singapore’s last kampong (village) Pulau Ubin, a nearby island Northeast of the city. Or, if you prefer to stay on the mainland, visit the former Singapore Quarry, which is now a wetland habitat.
Another beautiful nature spot to escape the hustle and bustle of the city is…
the historic Fort Canning Park – a former command centre for the British army. Other noteworthy green spaces in Singapore include Central Catchment Nature Reserve, where you can trek through the iconic, Instagram-worthy Treetop Walk, and of course, the 10km-long The Southern Ridges, which connects Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park, HortPark, Kent Ridge Park and Labrador Nature Reserve.
Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, 301 Neo Tiew Crescent, p. (65) 6794 1401
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