Asia

[Visited: December 2023 and several times before]

The efficient transportation system of Singapore takes us quickly to the far east of the island, where we have breakfast before boarding one of the bumboats providing transportation across the straits to Pulau Ubin. We have both been to the small island before, but want to give it another try. Sure enough, when we walk the streets of the village, the images I still have in my mind of a quiet backwater village have to be updated; the village has become pretty lively, choke full of shops renting out bikes. That is the best way to explore the island, and after some negotiations we ride our rickety bikes out of the village, heading west. To my surprise, we do so on a good asphalt road on which vans are shuttling people back and forth - not what I had in my mind. After a while, we park our bikes at the foot of a hill, and hike up for a view of one of the many abandoned quarry lakes below. Actually, Pulau Ubin means Granite Island in Malay, the island has lots of crater-like depressions filled with water that once were quarries.
Continuing west, we finally come to the relatively new mountain bike area, and are happy with our bikes, that are just strong enough to support the bumpy roads. We reach the yellow Shrine of the German Girl, where an urn holds the remains of the unfortunate girl who escaped British troops in 1914, and fell off a cliff, to her death. Walking towards the nearby trash-filled beach, we see some of the house boats off the coast, with Malaysia behind. Cycling some of the narrow biking trails was fun, and we continue to the northwest of the island, with an old Chinese cemetery next to the road. From here, we have to turn around, and after drinking a refreshing coconut, we cycle to the Wei Tuo Fa Gong temple in the middle of the island of Pulau Ubin. Stray dogs are taken care of here, and the place proves a peaceful retreat in the jungle with a laughing golden Buddha, several shrines, and a pleasant smell of incense. Outside, an older couple are harvesting coconuts in a peculiar way - the man handling some kind of giant knife reaching all the way into the trees, while the woman is trailing behind, kicking ahead the coconuts that her man has cut.
Cycling further east, we eventually reach the eastern side of the island, the Chek Jawa wetlands area. We have to park our bikes here, and continue walking through the dense forest. While the sun has been burning on us the entire morning, clouds have appeared, and we now hear thunder closing in. I climb a look-out tower from which I have a great view of the approaching tropical thunderstorm. It seems wiser not to be on top of a tower, so I go down, and we continue to walk around the Chek Jawa wetlands. Rain is coming down when we reach the mangrove forest at the coast; it is time to take shelter. After half an hour, we continue our walk, on the boardwalk that has been constructed around the cape of Chek Jawa. It offers great views of this side of Pulau Ubin and the coastal forest with reddish rocks sticking out into the sea. The dark grey clouds above the island now only add drama to the view, and we end up by the Swiss Cottage, where we walked the pier jutting out into the straits. Here, you fully realize the precarious location of Pulau Ubin: look east, and you have the impression of being in untouched nature; turn around, and not only do you see the skyline of Johor Bahru across the water, but also large jets make their final approach for landing at Changi International Airport that is really only a few kilometres away. The sun is coming through the clouds again when we cycle back to the village, seeing one of the traditional kampong houses, more quarry lakes and a beach on the northern side of Pulau Ubin, before we hand in our bikes, walk around the village, and have a well-deserved drink while the sun is slowly setting behind the island, casting a soft light over the wooden houses of Pulau Ubin. Many years later, I will come back once more to Pulau Ubin, again rent a bicycle, and explore some of the same places I have already seen before. The island is changing slowly, but most of the places are still quiet (at least on a weekday, I don't know about weekends or holidays). It is only when you turn around and see the highrise buildings of the city of Singapore on the other side of the straits that you know that you are just outside a metropole. I can only hope that this escape will be here to stay for those want a break from the city madness.

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Pulau Ubin (Singapore)

Pulau Ubin > Singapore > Asia

[Visited: December 2023 and several times before]

Around the World in 80 Clicks