Exploring Singapore With Megaworld Asia
Singapore, also known as the Lion City, is probably one of the most expensive places in Southeast to take a vacation. Due to its size and density of population, it’s not a place one might envisage getting off the beaten track.
For most visitors, it’s mainly about shopping, eating, and staying in luxury standard hotels along Orchard Road. The traditional sightseeing attractions such as the Singapore Zoo, Sentosa Island, and the Formula One event are definite draw cards, to be sure.
It’s probably the last place you might think to go for a jungle hike or see animals in the wild. And yet, it’s there, just a few kilometers away from the shopping malls of Orchard Road. Additionally, there’s also some interesting World War Two historical sites which are well worth a few hours of your time.
If you’ve got a few days to spare, there’s some great off-the-beaten-track locations to check out.
Recommended Accommodation In Singapore
Hotel prices in Singapore are expensive at the best of times. Being there when something is happening (Formula One or a Taylor Swift concert) sees prices double, or even treble.
To avoid these inflated prices, do a search on Google for public holidays and events in Singapore before booking your hotel stay. Accommodation choices in Singapore are endless and will cater to all budget ranges.
A good recommendation is to stay somewhere near one of the MRT terminals, so you can make use of the public transport which runs to just about all points on the island. An excellent accommodation option, if it’s within your budget range, is the HOLIDAY INN ATRIUM, on Havelock Road.
This hotel is reasonably priced for a five-star establishment and is only 200 meters from the Havelock MRT terminal, Thompson East Coast Line.
Click here for the Holiday Inn booking inquiries
The Best Form Of Transportation In Singapore
As mentioned, the cheapest and most efficient way of traveling around Singapore is by using the MRT (underground) system. Multi-day tickets can be purchased at any of the terminal ticket vending machines and the credit normally lasts for a few months.
If you need to take a taxi, then GRAB is a good option which is normally less expensive than standard taxis. Go to GOOGLE PLAY or the APPLE APP STORE to download the GRAB APP.
Where Is The Best Dining In Singapore
There’s plenty of food courts for cheap eats in Singapore. These are places you can go to, in the basement of many shopping malls, which offer good standard, inexpensive Asian food. However, if you want to eat something a bit more substantial (such as a decent steak dinner) then it’s not so cheap.
An excellent spot for a good NZ Ribeye (SGD 32) is OLLIES KITCHEN & BAR in the Centerpoint Shopping Mall on Orchard Road. They also serve up a great cheeseburger and fries.
Click here for a Google Maps link Ollies Kitchen And Bar
Where To Drink In Singapore
Unfortunately, beer and drink prices in Singapore tend to be on the expensive side. HARRY’S is a chain with bars, at several locations around Singapore, which offers a happy hour deal of two mugs of Tiger draught, for SGD 24. They also serve excellent pub food (Steaks, burgers, fries).
Click here for a Google Maps link for Harry’s Bar Angulia Park location<
Singapore’s Best Sightseeing Attractions
There are the usual bucket list sightseeing attractions in Singapore, such as the Zoo and Sentosa Island. However, if you want something which is a bit off the beaten track, then the hiking trails around the MACRITCHIE RESERVOIR are well worth checking out.
These trails run through some dense jungle areas where wildlife (monkeys and birds) can be seen. There’s also a TREE TOP TRAIL which is part of a 12 km hike around the Reservoir. For a trip into Singapore’s past, check out the KEPPEL HILL JUNGLE TRAIL with its World War Two bunker.
The MacRitchie Nature Trail
The MacRitchie Reservoir is a large body of water formed by a man-made lake in the center of Singapore island. The lake is surrounded by a large swathe of jungle with several excellent hiking trails running through it.
Note: The MacRitchie Reservoir is at the southern end of a broader catchment area which also includes the Pierce Reservoir, to the north. The trails in both areas have been developed with directional signage, stairways, and boarded trails to provide a safe hiking experience.
Hiking Around The MacRitchie Reservoir
To do a complete circuit around the MacRitchie Reservoir you can start at either the MacRitchie Amenities Centre, or the MacRitchie Tree Top Trail Head. If you start and finish at the Amenities Centre, it’s a complete 12 km loop around the reservoir. This loop includes the highlight of the hike, the TREE TOP SUSPENSION BRIDGE.
Starting From The Amenities Centre
This is a building at the southern end of the MacRitchie Reservoir. It has changing rooms, showers, and toilets and a large parking area to the front. From the amenities building, there is signage to take you to the start of the trail.
Click this link for the Google Maps link of the full loop circuit
The trail initially skirts the dam for the first few hundred meters. It then veers away from the dam and rises to forested high ground which eventually meets the trail coming across from the Tree Top Walk Trail Head (the Drongo Trail).
Note: there is an alternative track (via Petai Hut) which takes you around the edge of the reservoir and then rejoins the main trail. Keep in mind this will add a few hundred meters to the hike to the Rangers Station.
The MacRitchie Tree Top Trail
If you start from the Tree Top Trail Head, the distance back to the Amenities Center is 9.4 km. The Tree Top Trail head start point is at the Northeastern side of the MacRitchie Reservoir. This area is known as the WINDSOR NATURE PARK and it has several trails which lead to the Tree Top Bridge.
Click this link for the full route from the Tree Top Trail Head
Exploring The Windsor Nature Park
The start point is nearby the car park, and you have the option of taking the VENUS LINK or the SQUIRREL TRAIL. The Squirrel Trail is a boarded walkway which branches off from the Venus Link, approximately 300 meters from the start point. It’s the most popular route as it provides the opportunity to see the local wildlife (Squirrels) scampering between trees.
Stopping At Drongo Trail The T-Junction
This is the main intersection formed by the Drongo Trail – coming from the Tree Top Trail head – and the MacRitchie Nature Trail, coming from the amenities center. At the T-Junction there’s signage for the direction and distance to the Tree Top Bridge as well as the distance back to the amenities center.
The MacRitchie Tree Top Suspension Bridge
The suspension bridge is on the high point of this trail and is suspended between two ridges. The bridge is 250 meters in length and provides splendid views of the jungle terrain below.
Note: The bridge has been set up so it can only be crossed in one direction (from the Rangers Station End).
The Keppell Hill Jungle Hike
This is an off-the-beaten-track adventure hike which is located on the Southern Side of Mount Faber Peak (aka Keppel Hill), in Singapore. There is no developed trail to follow. It is an undeveloped jungle track which has obstacles, such as fallen trees and steep muddy slopes, to work around.
The Best Route To Take On The Keppell Hill Jungle Hike
The description which follows takes in four WW2 Historical Sites (THE AIR RAID SHELTER, THE OLD RESERVOIR, THE KEPPEL HILL BUNKER, THE JAPANESE TOMB) on the slopes of Keppel Hill, and ends just below the Mount Faber Cable Car Terminal.
Staying Safe On The Hike
To avoid getting lost, follow these detailed instructions and use a combination of MAPS ME & Google Maps to plot your course. MAPS ME will show the jungle trails which aren’t shown on Google Maps. Note: If you’re not an experienced hiker, don’t attempt this trail solo as there’s a significant risk of falling injury, or getting lost.
The Starting Point: This is at the SEAH IM PARKING AREA. The trail begins at the HERITAGE KAPOK TREE, as shown on Google Maps. To the left side of the tree, there’s a gap in the fence which will allow you to pass through and get to the first WW2 site, the AIR RAID SHELTER. Note: The Air Raid Shelter is only 30 meters beyond the Kapok Tree.
Click here for the Google Maps Link to see the starting point
Exploring The Keppel Hill Air Raid Shelter
As mentioned, this site is only 30 meters beyond the fence at the Kapok Tree. Once you pass through the fence you can see the brickwork of the entrance quite easily. There is a trail leading to the base of the brickwork. The entrance tunnel of the Air Raid Shelter is quite low and taller people will need to bend down to go through. This entry tunnel is approximately 3 – 3.5 meters in length. On the right, at the far end, there’s a drop down into the Air Raid Shelter room. There’s not actually much to see here. The floor is quite muddy and the walls are covered in graffiti.
Click here for the Google Maps link to see the exact location of the Air Raid Shelter
Continuing on: To the left side of the air raid shelter entrance, a steep trail takes you up to a narrow sealed road (Keppel Road). At this road, turn left, then walk about fifty meters down to a fork on the right. Take this to get to the KEPPEL HILL RESERVOIR. This small side road is paved for approximately 100 meters. At the end of the paving, a dirt trail heads into the jungle. Use Google Maps GPS tracker and Maps Me to navigate your way to the Reservoir.
The Keppel Hill Reservoir
As mentioned, take the left fork at Wishart Road (where you see the sign in the attached photo) and follow until it joins a jungle trail. Use MAPS ME to keep on the correct trail. Approximately 50 meters from the end of the sealed pathway (from where the jungle trail begins), you will arrive at the southern end of the reservoir.
Click here for the Google Maps Link of the location
A WW2 site: Apparently this reservoir was a water supply for villages in the area prior to and during WW2. The pond is now surrounded with thick foliage. The location is very peaceful but there’s not much else to see here. It’s just on the route to the bunker.
Continuing on: To get to the KEPPEL HILL BUNKER, continue on the same trail (which goes up a slope). Note: If you’re facing the reservoir, go to the left. At the top of the slope, there are some low-hanging trees. Move slowly through these (going straight ahead) and you’ll eventually hit another trail. Turn left at this trail and follow it uphill until you reach the old brick footpath. Follow the brick footpath uphill until the point where it forms an L.
The Keppel Hill Bunker
As mentioned, coming from Keppel Hill Reservoir, you’ll eventually see a brick pathway. Follow it uphill until the point where it forms an L shape. At the corner of the L, a right turn will take you uphill to Keppel Hill Park. To get to the bunker, from the corner of the L, start moving slowly downhill and look for orange paint spots on the tree trunks. These are directional markers left by other hikers.
Click here for the Google Maps Link of the location
The bunker: This site is approximately 50 meters downhill from the end of the brick pathway. The flat roof of the bunker will eventually come into view. It has a large tree growing on the left side with roots spreading across the roof of the bunker. Step up onto the bunker and you’ll see a raised concrete box structure, on the far left corner. This is the manway down into the bunker. To climb down, use the steel rungs on the inside of the bunker. There are no entry points around the lower sides of the bunker. Note: To get to the JAPANESE TOMB, you’ll need to return to the reservoir and then go uphill from there.
The Japanese Tomb & Mount Faber Peak
The Japanese Tomb is located to the east of Keppel Hill Reservoir. To get there, from the reservoir, you’ll need to take a trail which goes uphill. If you’re standing facing the reservoir, next to the cement steps, the trail is to the right.
Trail Markings: The trail is marked by orange paint spots and strips of plastic, tied to tree trunks. Move slowly and look for these to ensure you are moving in the right direction. You will eventually come to the bottom end of a red brick stairway which leads up to the Japanese Tomb. Note: The trail and stairway are indicated on Maps Me. The tomb has a vertical spire with Japanese characters on it, but no date. Click the following Google Maps Link for the location:
Getting to Mount Faber Peak: From the Japanese Tomb head in a northeast direction and continue moving uphill. Note: There are trail markings along the way (mainly strips of plastic tied to tree trunks) but there are some branching trails. The main thing to remember is to keep going to the left, keep moving uphill, and keep looking for trail markings. Use a combination of Maps Me and the Google Maps GPS tracker to ensure you’re going in the right direction.
The Finish Point: The trail eventually comes out at the grassy area below Mount Faber Cable Car Terminal. However, if you feel confused or are unsure, go back to the Japanese Tomb and reconsider your next move. If you don’t feel confident about getting to Mount Faber Peak, go back to Keppel Hill Road.
Click on this Google Maps Link for the location of Faber Peak Cable Car Terminal
