Trip - Pulau Ubin Exploration

Hi Blog,

Today I decided to visit Pulau Ubin with my bro and dear ex-pupils, Yue Min, Eugene and Max. honestly I was a bit worrying especially for Max, as he just started learning how to cycle. It had been more than ten years since I cycled there after witnessing my friend's accident - the moment how she fell off her bicycle....  

Anyway... let me do a brief introduction on what is Pulau Ubin, it is one of largest islands situated in North-East side of Singapore. It is considered the last 'Kampung' aka village in Malay, which make you feel like you are back to simpler lifestyle.... 

In this post, let me show you pictures of our experience on Pulau Ubin.

to get there, you need to take the only transport, boat at Changi village.

At Changi Village, there is a Changi Point Ferry Terminal
where you can go to Pengerang (which I hope to visit) and Pulau Ubin.
I took a picture of the operation hours and price for reference.

They need to get around 12 passengers to sail off, this is what we called boat-pool.

We shared this boat with other MTB cyclists.

Our friendly uncle who will be the boatman for today.

Sailed off!

My dearest and proudest pupils, Eugene, Yuemin and Max (left to right from the picture)
Even after they graduated, they will want to hang out together. Bless their kind souls. 

Today weather seemed perfect for outdoor activities.

A mini boat racing session and admiring the expensive MTB...

Love the sight of how the water moves....

Check out the window glass.
The debits which hit onto the glass. 

Around 5 mins later, Pulau Ubin was getting closer.

and Singapore started to shrink...

Look at the island, it is a completely different lifestyle.

Vast Sea in between Singapore and Ubin.

We reached the Ubin jetty.

Rocky shore and hmmm... non-clear water.

Here is the bridge which connects the jetty to the island, where has seemed many millions faces...

Let's go!

Can't wait to step onto Ubin asap.

Welcome to Pulau Ubin!

The first feeling of this island was remarkable, it really brought you back to the past.
Simple and busy street, you will see villagers in their tee and slippers. 

A picture of Pulau Ubin.
It is advisable to take a picture of it for reference.

The first thing that you will notice, was roll and roll of bicycles.
The villagers rely on renting bicycles to tourists for living and we decided to rent a bike to tour Ubin.

There was this villager runs the first bicycle stall, started to 'sell' us his bicycle.
He said the old run down bikes (where he pointed) rental fee is $8, and if we don't like, he got a better one (which he was holding on it in the image above) which rents for $12. 

It looked okay but....

This was my first time renting a bike on this Island, previously I was not the one who organised a cycling trip.
So I told myself to trust this person, and rented five bikes from him since he claimed those are new.

Let's have a wefie together!

Our aim was to visit all the quarries on this island, so our first stop is Pekan Quarry where is nearer to the town.

Pekan Quarry

Nice and quiet place

more pictures of Pekan Quarry

and this

Just look at how peaceful the water is :)

SMILE!

What do you know... This bike after our first 5 mins, broke down!!!
The gear was rusty! Feeling CHEATED! Never mind... I should embrace this.

Stop laughing, Igauna! lol

Along the way of Jalan Jelutong, I found Fungus! :D

Another yellowish small fungus

Different from the one I found in Singapore.

West side of Ubin Quarry

Eugene shared their experience when they had their camp here.
Their senior told them here is one of the beautiful quarry and the beauty is at the opposite side from here.

Wefie here :)

Oh! The common fungus found here too.

Found a sacrifice ritual area!

Oops, nope XD.
it is a bicycling training park

After a Big around West side of Pulua Ubin, Ketam Mountain Bike Park and Ketam Quarry (forgot to take a picture of it), we did not go in further. The route seemed muddy and no suitable for us especially Max, worst of all, the mosquitoes having feeding fest on us! So we quickly got out of that area and cycled back to Puaka Hill where we embraced the overview of Pulua Ubin!

Going up to Puaka Hill

Just beside Merbah Hut, there is an up slope trail and we came to the first viewing spot. 

then we looked at the right, there was another deeper path upward.

We climbed up with cautious as the steps are slippery. 

After ten mins of climbing, we reached the end of the trail.

The fence doesn't stop us from climbing over to look at the view.

Hahaha Xuanyi seemed happy :D

The scene was breath-taking!

He surely dared to try new pose.

The overview at the Hill.

I feared someone will play a prank of me

Look at the reflection

Pose for the day!

Another shot

Hahaha we agreed to post the same pictures with the same pose on our instagram and our facebook profile pic

Yuemin's turn - Just too handsome 

Max, come on, your turn. Too bad, Eugene was at the foot of the hill to look after our bikes.

Next stop, we decided to cycle up to Mamam Campsite where the toilet is and cycled down to visit Balai Quarry.

Mamam Campsite

We cycled from Jalan Jelutong, up to Jalan Batu Ubin to Former Headman's House, passed by Kampong Durian, followed by Jalan Sam Heng and lastly Jalan Mamam, we realised we cycled at the wrong direction.

But we didn't realise that until later part of the cycling, so we stopped at Mamam Campsite, thanks Xuanyi for taking this pictures below.

What a beautiful sky :)

Hmmmm maybe we can pitch a tent here.

Balai Quarry 

After Mamam Campsite, we made a turn at Beberek Hut and cycling on rough and unstable trail.

Overview of Balai Quarry

Here was where Eugene got his pose for his facebook profile pic.

Along the uneven cycling trail, Max fell off from his bike. Lucky it wasn't serious but his arms still bleed.

Punai Hut

At Punai Hut, we found a few volunteers who were kind to treat Max's wound.

Thank you for volunteering 

Max sat down there, feeling shy.

They also warmed us to cycle carefully and that trail was prone to injuries, and many serious cases happened over there. Oh Man! They told us that we cycled at the wrong direction, we started cycle from Jalan Durian to Kelichap Hut to this Wetlands, NO wonder there is this black arrow on the map...

Chek Jawa Wetlands

Despite of Singapore, or Pulua Ubin is small in size, but it has one of the richest ecosystem which has an unique nature habitat.

The overall view of the wetlands

Kiosk is Heaven to them.

for me, I was soaking with my sweat.

We walked along the trail and found a "Sabako" well.

Walking on a boardwalk to Jejawi Tower

Jejawi Tower

Despite of long hour of cycling, that didn't stop us from going up there

Look at the Mangrove forest.

Overview from the tower

Beautiful sky :)

Look at how peaceful the clouds are

But sunny too

Okay! Wefie!!!

Last admiring the sky before we left this tower

Chek Jawa Wetlands - the Mangrove forest are able to tolerate being partially submerged in seawater during high tide, and can grow on low-in-oxygen condition of mud, Amazing plants!

Ah! Caught a lv 2 creature

Busy exploring the surrounding...including this can...

Manage to capture this picture of a crab

Mangrove shove

And the boardwalk extended above the tides.

Mudslingers can be found too 

Include male spider.

Look at how tide fully submerge the mangrove

Due to hot weather, there isn't any people wanted to walk under the hot sun.

The tide under my feet

It seemed like it is going to rain.

Chek Jawa Visitor Centre

Spotted a cottage from the colonial era

Let's go in!

Free to enter.

You can even go to Viewing Jetty from this cottage

Yuemin busy taking pictures.

Oops! I am in the picture!

We felt so tired walking to the viewing jetty...

So let's take a picture together

Wefie :)

After visiting the Vistor Centre, we walked out and decided to return our lousy bicycles back to the shop... We saw a Wild BOAR!

It was searching for food

Many people were busy taking pictures of it, rare encounter.

Hmmmm oh well, we had to cycle back to where we came from, where Max fell off from his bicycle, and you know what... History repeats itself! Max fell off from bicycle at the same spot and this time, he injured his knee. Eugene went back to the volunteers to get some bandages for Max, but they just came for affording their service to treat Max.

Aiyoh yoh...

Honestly, I was worrying of anyone got into serious injuries, but I sensed it is fated and inevitable. Thanks Heaven, Max is okay and managed to get help from helpful people. :) Best outcome of the worst situation. Anyway we cycled back slowly, and thanks Xuanyi for taking care of them for me too.

OH! spotted an open well!

Anyone inside?

Going back to the village, I had another objective which was to find out the best offer of rent a bicycle, and I found this (below).

This rental shop affords washing service too.
It located near Wayang Stage.

I saw this bike which is better than ours, with great suspension.
one is $13, but if it can be rented out more than 3, it will be $12.
Regretful but nope.

Pray and thanks Heaven for blessing

AH! Fatbike! but expensive...
one is $38 a day.....

Returned the lousy bikes and we found they actually have even newer bikes... Feeling cheated. Oh well... our first and last. Thank you!

Good bye Ubin

My legs....

Heavy clouds

Thanks Ubin for great experience.

Overall, Cycling on Ubin is a great experience. I wish there is a possibility for camping or whatever other activities... I will need to do more research.

Jeff