Rediscovering Singapore: Pulau Ubin, the last Kampung

Every winter and summer, I head back to home to Singapore for a couple of weeks. Although Singapore is very small compared to the rest of the world, it continually changes and it feels like there is something new whenever I come back or something I missed when I lived there.

I love the little red dot and excited to share the beauty of Singapore! Here’s the second post for Rediscovering Singapore!

What is Pulau Ubin? Where is it?
Pulau Ubin is thought to be the last Kampung (village) in Singapore. The island is paved jungle, filled with wild monkeys, boars, lizards, and otters (and bugs). This island located on the Northeast of Singapore, north of Changi. From Pulau Ubin, you can see Malaysia. There are a lot of durians around the island. There are also a few shops that sell drinks, seafood, and durians. Camp sites are also available for those that want to stay there over night.

How do you get there?
Public transportation (bus, MRT) or taxi to Changi Ferry Point Terminal. From there, you take a little boat (fits 12 people) to the island. The boats costs 3 SGD one way.

How much time do you need there?
We were there for around 2-3 hours. To explore enough of the island when biking, that was enough for us. We didn’t even see the entire island with 2-3 hours.

What are the modes of transportation on the island?
By foot, bicycle, or “taxi” van. The mode of transportation depends on which sight you’d like to go. Not all paths are easy to bike on, which is where the car could come in handy or going by foot (which will obviously take longer).

We wanted to bike, so we rented bicycles. For an old bike, it’s 8 SGD and for a newer bike, it’s 15 SGD. When I say “old” bike, it really is old, where the gears don’t really work, so going up a “hill” (not really a hill) is difficult. You get what you pay for here.

What do you need to bring?
Sunscreen, insect repellent, and lots of water. Dress comfortably as it gets hot and sweaty.