Never ever would I have thought that I would walk the circumference of a country. But I am doing it (I did it!)! Okay it is one of the 20 smallest countries in the world, Singapore, the Little red dot with a landmass of 719.1 KM, my home for the past 8 and half years. You can drive from east to west in 30-40min, traffic dependent. But I am hiking and exploring the circumference of Singapore, on a 180km journey, add in the other islands and it is 200km (ended up being more than 215km).
Honestly, before I moved here, I didn’t know too much about Singapore, I knew it was on the tip end of the Malaya peninsula, and knew it was recognized for being the cleanest and one of the safest cities in the world. Pre my move here, I had many friends that transit through and visited Singapore on their travels to SouthEast Asia, and all enjoyed visiting here and told me I would love staying here. They were right. Looking at a world map, you see the name written, zoom in and there you find the little red dot in the centre of SouthEast Asia, perfect location for travelling as well. But with travel plans held off for the foreseen future, there is no better time than now to really explore this island, beyond the tourist attractions and the area we live in.
Inspiration
Now for the past year and four months we have not left the country, due to the big C. My luring for wanderlust started kicking in, I need to explore again, my curiosity needs feeding. Having seen most of the attractions, and been on most of the trails close to our home. I wanted a challenge, something I would not expect myself to do, also away from crowds but still exploring.
One day after watching my favourite show from SA on youtube, Voetspore, where they were touring around South Africa in their 4×4, I scrolled through Facebook to see what my mom has been up to (hello mom). And there I spotted someone posting about a challenge they did in October 2020. Intrigued, I investigated further. Circumferencing Singapore, what, can you do that?
I never really considered it, there are a lot of parks with short to medium trails, but circumnavigating Singapore, interesting.
A walk in nature is to witness a thousand miracles.
Mary Davis
Coming together
SGTreks hosted an online event last year where participants could complete the challenge within a month and upload images of themselves at certain checkpoints from around the island. The Voetspore series I was watching was one where they were also on a route circumnavigating South Africa.
So as I missed the SGTreks challenge (and I know in any case I would not do it in a month, I just know), my brain kick into gear. Why not create my own personal challenge? Mix the two, so while circumnavigating, explore like Voetspore.
The challenge
Now this is a challenge for me, not so much the walking, when I travel my style is to explore by foot, I walk and see. That is how you discover all those hidden gems most others would miss.
The challenge, the heat and humidity. I love that our condo has an air-con. I much more prefer a cold autumn day over a day on the beach.
So how will I concur this? Time to start planning, if I want to complete walking or hiking the circumference of Singapore, I need to personalise my route, add in ‘things’ that will make me want to continue walking in the heat.
As mentioned when traveling it’s all about exploring, I can walk for miles as long as I have something I am ‘looking’ forward too. Use the same concept of my travel and how Voetspore conducts an episode; drive- stop- explore- drive- repeat; plan your walks in manageable lengths, each with a sight, or activity at the end. In return, be active, enjoy and learn more about this beautiful country.
The plan
Planning the route
Planning a route was both easy and challenging. Nparks has made it so easy with an amazing web of networks connecting various parks called PCN (Park Connector Network), with toilet facilities even at some. Just look at their map, wow, so many routes. The difficult part, selecting what to do or where to stop for each leg. Starting with the RIR- the Round Island Route, a route of 150km around Singapore. Currently the construction is still underway, with the plan to have the whole route complete by 2035. The area completed runs from Gardens by the Bay in the south to the northeast of Singapore at Punggol. This will be my starting point.
- Firstly, a map, a bit old school but I love an actual map.
- Open Google maps to see where the PCNs are, draw onto an actual map.
- Research about each area, the history, what to do or see, or where to eat. Choose the ones that are different or where you have not been yet.
- Add the other islands, Singapore consists of 64 islands, which are I allowed to access?
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- Those that you can walk by crossing a bridge or suspension bridge, Sentosa, Coney, Keppel, Palawan islet – southernmost point of Continental Asia, Punggol Timor, & Punggol Barat. The offshore islands that are accessible by ferry are Ubin, St John’s, Lazarus, & Kusu.
- Those that are accessible by foot will be included in the journey. Those by ferry will follow after the main island is completed.
What sights am I adding?
Recently I have been reading books regarding Singapore’s history, especially WWII. With next year, 2022, being 80 years since the fall of Singapore during WWII in 1942, I thought it a good idea to brush up on my history about Singapore. I also came across a WWII trail booklet from The Heritage board. Certain historical sites that I noted form these are on my list.
Unexpected or lesser known places and activities, like the floating restaurant and kelong. Added a few heritage trees from our book ‘Tall Tales’ Heritage Trees Trail Guide by Singapore Botanic Gardens and look at Heritage roads from Nparks. Some of the other activities are more active, like kayaking in some of the last riverine mangroves. As well as cultural experiences, such as the Peranakan history and workshop. These are but a few of the planned activities.
The route & list
Update:
Started on 22 April 2021 and completed on 23 July 2021. Yey!!
Did not walk from 15 May – 16 June due to CB. So in total it took me 18 days over 2 months to complete, with all the activities planned as well.
Read more about each route or activities below by clicking on them:
| Route | Sights | Activity | Est. km | Act. km | |
| Day 1 | Helix bridge to East coast Starbuck |
|
Peranakan beading workshop with Straits Enclave | Est.9.8km | Act.12.2km |
| Day 2 | East Coast Starbucks to Stella restaurant |
|
Stella restaurant along the oceanfront | Est.11.4km | Act.13.3km |
| Day 3 | Stella Restaurant to Changi beach- Changi Coastal Loop |
|
Visit a kelong and Smith Marine | Est.13.5km | Act.13.5km |
| Day 4 | Changi beach – Pasir Ris |
|
Enjoy meal at Coastal Settlement
Changi war museum |
Est.13.7km | Act.11km |
| Day 5 | Pasir Ris – Punggol Marina |
|
Stay on a yacht in Punggol Marina | Est.10.1km | Act.14.3km |
| Day 6 | Punggol Marina – Sembawang Park |
|
Kayak vir Kayakasia | Est.12km | Act.14.5km
|
| Day 7 | Sembawang Park – Woodlands jetty |
|
Hot Springs (currently closed 17/06) | Est.11.3km | Act.13.7km |
| Day 8 | Woodlands jetty
– Kranji dam |
|
WWII Tunnels exploration with Beyond Expedition SG | Est.12.3km | Act.12.7km |
| Day 9 | Kranji dam – Bus stop 33029 (*take note- not recommended to walk around Kranji, no sidewalks and loads of trucks, rather enjoy the wetlands and take a taxi to the farms) |
|
Bird watching at the Sungei Buloh Wetlands & farm exploration | Est.10.9km
Wetlands- 5.4km |
Act.5.4km |
| Day 10 | Bus stop 33029 – Pioneer MRT
Or Joo Koon |
|
Pottery – Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle | Est.10.1km | Did day 10 & 11 together |
| Day 11 | Pioneer MRT – Tuas link MRT |
|
Tiger beer tour & Beer sampling | Est.13.3km | Act.28.5km |
| Day 12 | Tuas MRT – Jurong lake |
|
Bird watching, chasing waterfalls at Jurong Bird park | Est.11km | Act.11km |
| Day 13 | Jurong lake – Haw Par Villa MRT |
|
Haw Par Villa | Est.11.3km | Act.17.6km |
| Day 14 | Haw Par Villa MRT – Harbourfront |
|
Cable car to Sentosa | Est.8.4km | Act.8.4km |
| Day 15 | Harbourfront – Quayside Isle |
|
Coast walk | Est.8.7km | Act.8.9km |
| Day 16 | Harbourfront – ArtScience Museum |
|
Glass exhibition at Gardens by the bay, flower and cloud domes | Est.5.5km | Act.6.6km |
| Day 17 | Pulau Ubin trail |
|
Lunch at Season Live Seafood after return to main island a local beer at Little Island brewery | Est.17km | Act.14km |
| Day 18 | St John’s & Lazarus trail |
|
Beach & picnic | Est.11.9km | Act.8.4km |
| Day 18 | Kusu trail |
|
– | Est.1.7km | Act.1.9km |
| Est.204.4km
(without islands Est.173.8km) |
Act.215.9km |
What’s needed
-
- Water
- To make it a bit more challenging and in my eyes – part training for future treks like Kilimanjaro and Camino, a backpack with a few requirements (and a bit of extra for weight, scrapped this idea soon, haha).
- Sun screen
- Sun hat / umbrella
- Sunglasses
- Rain jacket
- Hiking socks to avoid blisters
- Comfortable clothing that is cool but preferably covering the legs.
- Proper shoes
- Mosquito repellent
- Energy snacks
- Extra mask
- Reusable cloth for face (no need for tissues, cloth can reuse).
- Plasters / First aid
- I personally like to take a second shirt with.
With EASe
I duly named the trek, “With EASe”, firstly giving it a name made it more real for me, secondly why not.
Now you might ask, what’s up with the “With EASe”? We all love a good old acronym, and this one can mean two things, either Exploring Around Singapore or Explorers Arzelle & Stephen. Breaking this trek up in small manageable segments also means it can be done with a bit more ease. Which is awesome for someone like me. Get it? “With EASe” Now I know there are hikers out there that have done it in only a few days, absolutely amazing, probably something my husband would do, he has cycled around the island before, but for me there is no fun in just getting it done, it is not exercise for me, I am exploring.
Hiking is a bit like life:
The journey only requires you to put one foot in front of the other…again and again and again. And if you allow yourself the opportunity to be present throughout the entirety of the trek, you will witness beauty every step of the way, not just at the summit – Unknown
And so it started, my exploration around a country, exploring the circumference of Singapore, the little red dot.
So how was it?
So after I started planning, hiking, and exploring the circumference of Singapore, I actually really enjoyed it. I walked to places I would probably never have seen or gotten around to going. The walk was half solo and half with my hubby. He joined in on parts he has not been, as well as those long tedious walks, to keep me company. I became fit and grew quite accustom to the heat and humidity. The original route planned was about 175km, but it ended up being 215km including the islands.
Would I do it again?
Maybe not as a whole 200km challenge but I have found a few new favourite areas to visit.
Doing this has made me added a few more challenges to my list. The one might take a bit longer as I do have a fear of placing my head under water, although I love to snorkel, (long story, but this fear came after my one lung collapsed in my 20s), will get into that later.
- Learn how to longboard and later dance on it!
- Green corridor – 24 km from North to South on the old railway that use to connect Singapore to Malaysia (SG)
- Coast to Coast trail – 36 km from east to west, C2C, mobile app for the checkpoints (SG)
- Cycle to lamp post 1 – only 22 km on the south western point of Singapore the only legally vandalised lamp post covered in stickers. Announced on 07/01/21 by the transport minister that this is the only lamp post exception to rule. (SG)
- Free dive- got to get over my fear of diving deeper than my head.
Happy walking! And see you on the PCNs!
xxx
*Opinions expressed here are my own.
Want to read about one of my top hikes so far on the Great Wall of China, here you go!
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