Hiking - Former Lorang Halus Landfill

Hi Blog,

Today's post is a backdated one, as I went on 31st August 2025. I should space out my posts for different months; hence, this was a long post for August. Anyway, back to the topic.

Great weather! I was going to bring my waifu, but ZN needed my help with his hiking competition, so I went out to explore a bit before meeting up with him and his wife.

As titled, I will explore the former Lorang Halus Landfill. At the end of my previous post, 'Three Forests along Serangoon River', I saw a beautiful and possibly exploration-worthy place, so I decided to do it today.

I am curious about what I can expect to see in that location.

Since it used to be a landfill, I probably won't see anything interesting, just some pavements.

Arrived. I thought it would be cloudy today, but surprise! It wasn’t.

The Lorang Halus Landfill is right across from that famous red bridge.

Good thing not many people are on this bridge, so I won't be judged by anyone.

Anyway, they probably just want to avoid me so they can enjoy the beauty around them without having to deal with this eyesore.

Yeah, there are better things to look at.

While walking along this road, can you imagine that this area was previously a sanitary landfill in Singapore, functioning from 1970 to 1999?

(Credit Google Maps) In 2011, this place transformed into Singapore's first man-made wetland.

From my urbex adventures, I think this place is all about peace and quiet.

Here is the only path to enter.

Oops.

So, I walked a bit more and found a fork in the road – left or right; here’s the left one!

If they had ceased dumping waste in 1999 and permitted this area to transform into a man-made wetland by 2011, it implies that the plants here are over 10 years old, as is this path.

Observing the opposite side of the land, it was once filled with numerous farms, dog shelters, and nurseries. Unfortunately, they have all disappeared, possibly to make way for future housing development.

It has been a long time since I last saw this plant. I recall it was located at Lazarus Island. Is it possible that, since Lazarus Island is a landfill site, these types of plants were introduced to allow nature to reclaim the area?

The weather is pleasant, but it also means I might get sunburnt; it's an expected outcome. I wish I could achieve a tan line while wearing my swimming trunks...

Another fork in the road, I will cover the left first.

I found myself in an exposed spot near the road, and I dressed disgustingly in public, so it is not advisable to proceed. Since this path is sloped, I'm going to head back and find the right one... 

This path is pretty flat and well-kept, right?

So, this path just stops halfway and isn’t shown on the map, so I have to go back to the first fork and explore the right path.

On the right path, a parked excavator caught my eye. I've never been so close to such an impressive machine in my life; I always dreamed of operating it just for fun like a kid.

Another clean path.

An unpleasant odour lingered in the air. I came across information indicating that this man-made wetland was specifically designed to purify any residual toxins before the water is returned to the main flow. This process is crucial for protecting the environment and ensuring cleaner water for everyone.

Another fork in the road again.

I generally follow the rule of exploring the left side first.

Oooo! Something interesting!

A cage! In one of my posts, I explored the Old Jurong Road B Trail. That was my first cage, and sadly, when I revisited, I could no longer enter.

Let's enter!

The surroundings felt muddy, and a familiar smell lingered. It seemed as though they were keeping chickens here.

I continued and spotted another fork in the road. According to the map, taking the left path will be a loop.

I think this quiet path is perfect for some drama or a photoshoot without any disturbance if it’s not too sunny.

It appears there is another fork in the road that is not shown on the map.

I really love this tall grass; it’s like a fragile wall you can hide in!

It looks like the left side of the fork in the road ends pretty quickly.

Let's continue the right side.

This path looks different from the others and has a nice grassy area. It seems like there are people to conduct grass maintenance regularly.

So far, we get that this man-made land has a purpose, and they keep up with the grass maintenance. Looks like they have some future plans for it too. Let's explore the right side path.

In this area, they tend to plant a significant number of these types of trees, which are commonly planted for reclaimed land.

Here we are at another fork in the road, but both ends are blocked this time.

I kept exploring, but honestly, I was super worried about running into someone here.

Oooo, if this didn't fall...

I might not enter at all.

This path is what I imagine a hiking trail should look like.

It appears that this path has had workers present here in the past, or possibly even currently.

Yep, it’s confirmed. Something’s definitely happening here.

I am hesitant to explore this path due to some ongoing work I observed during my previous hike in the area, which is also the reason I wanted to discover more of this forest.

From my previous post, there is something they are working on.

I saw this path and noticed an opening, so it looks like there's an entry.

Ah! Man-made lake!

I think they blocked the entry because people might litter here. But hey, I don’t see any trash around! That’s great!

Oh, CCTV! I think I'll just stop exploring now.

I can easily envision this place becoming a mini park with a lake or some houses in the future. It's awesome that they're giving this area the attention it needs to transform from a trash land to a landfill to a mini, untouched trail.

Observing numerous dragonflies, butterflies, and birds in this area indicates that this is an excellent method to allow nature to rejuvenate before any further actions.

Time to hang out with ZN and his wife! Bye-bye, former Lorong Halus landfill; it was a great time!

Just an update on the map routes if it helps anyone out!

I am feeling quite fatigued after my hike. I met with ZN and his wife to explore additional hiking areas in Punggol, which contributed to my exhaustion... After hiking for over four hours in the heat, I am grateful that ZN provided me with beverages to quench my thirst.

And got a wanted tanline... I want a swimming tanline!

Overall, the exploration concludes that there isn’t much to see except for clean trails and the chance to enjoy a moment of tranquillity.

Jeff