25-31 May: Highlight of the week ahead

Wild walks

Special event!

31 May - 5 Jun: Traditional Wayang at Pulau Ubin
Come to Pulau Ubin to enjoy authentic traditional wayang in celebration of Tua Pek Kong Temple Festival.
Photos of the festivities by Jerome Lim on facebook.
June school holiday fun!

Wondering what to do with the kids during the school holidays? Check out the highlights of exciting nature activities specially for kids lined up for the school holidays! And the highlight is Ubin Day with a weekend of family fun at Pulau Ubin, Singapore's last kampung.
Uncle Andrew pointing out critters during an Ubin Day walk!
Photo by Tze Kwan Fung.
Special events include an intertidal walk at Changi, night walk at Pasir Ris boardwalk. Also walks at Chek Jawa boardwalk, Labrador forest, Ubin kampung, along the Southern Ridges, Sungei Buloh's new Extension, Lower Peirce Reservoir. Learn about monkeys, birds, Join nature art workshop, nature camps. Volunteer to save horseshoe crabs, clean up the mangroves. And lots more!

And MORE fun school holiday activities to discover and enjoy Singapore's biodiversity!

31 May - 5 Jun: Traditional Wayang at Pulau Ubin

Come to Pulau Ubin to enjoy authentic traditional wayang in celebration of Tua Pek Kong Temple Festival.
Photos of the festivities by Jerome Lim on facebook.
Thanks to Victor Yue for highlighting the celebration. He says "every year, on the same day as Vesak Day (4M15), the Pulau Ubin Tua Pek Kong Temple celebrates in honour of Tua Pek Kong." There will be festivities, free wayang shows with free evening ferry rides.

Thanks to Jerome Lim for sharing the notice of the celebrations:
click on image for larger view.

Thanks to Victor Yue for translation of the notice.
31May15 (4M14) Sun
10am: Invite Tua Pek Kong
11am: Prayer ritual starts
3pm: First Taoist Ritual
7pm: Second Taoist Ritual
7pm: Sin Sin Yong Hua Teochew Opera starts
10pm: Invite Jade Emperor 
1Jun15 (4M15) Mon (Vesak Day - Public Holiday)
10am: Prayers starts
11am: Lion and Dragon Dances
2.30pm: Distribution of Temple Offerings
3.30pm: Send off Jade Emperor
7pm: Sin Sin Yong Hua Teochew Opera
8pm: Tua Ji Ya Pek (First and Second Grandpa deity from the nearby temple) visit 
2Jun15 (4M16) Tue
7pm: Sin Sin Yong Hua Teochew Opera 
3Jun15 (4M17) Wed
7pm: Sin Sin Yong Hua Teochew Opera 
4Jun15 (4M18) Thu
7pm: Sin Sin Yong Hua Teochew Opera 
5Jun15 (4M19) Fri
10am: Teochew Opera Singing (From Sin SIn Yong Hua)
6.15pm: Pulau Ubin Fo Shan Ting Da Bo Gong Night (Getai) with Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Minister for Defence & National Development, Mayor for South East District, and MP for East Coast GRC as Guest of Honour
10.30pm: Tua Pek Kong returns 
Free Ferry Service
31May15 - 4Jun15:
from Changi Jetty (6.30pm to 9pm)
From Pulau Ubin Jetty: (8pm - 10pm)
5Jun15
from Changi Jetty (6.30pm to 10pm)
From Pulau Ubin Jetty: (6.30pm - 10.30pm)

Links to more

30 May (Sat): Muddy and his friends

Join Muddy and his friends for an adventure in the wetlands of Sungei Buloh. Be amazed listening to his interesting story and participate in the morning nature walk.
Suitable for children. Limited to 20 persons. Register online.

Time: 9.30am-11am
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Visitor Centre
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

30 May (Sat): World of Flowers Trail for kids

In tandem with the 'World of Flowers' Exhibition at the CDL Gallery, this guided tour invites participants to take a closer look at parts of a flower and understand their forms and functions. Enter into a world of colours and let the mysterious roles of flowers unfold before you!
Suitable for children in K1 - P6 levels. Register online here.

Time: 10-11am
Venue: CDL Gallery, Tanglin Core, Singapore Botanic Gardens
Cost: $6 per child and $6 per accompanying adult. Make payment on the spot on the event date itself.
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: SBG Education Branch at 64719961or 6465 0196 or email: nparks_sbg_edu@nparks.gov.sg.

23 May (Sat): What's in my mud?

The mud at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is a key habitat for the plants and animals. This unique habitat is full of surprises!
Get close and personal to the mud and observe the rich biodiversity; critical to the ecosystem at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Join us for an interesting free guided walk featuring our lesser known creatures of the mudflats in Sungei Buloh.

Limited to 20 participants. Register online.

Time: 9.30am-11am
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Wetland Centre, meet at the Information Counter.
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

23 May (Sat): The Birthday Party: Sara at The Children's Garden

Sara is celebrating her baby brother's birthday party. At the last minute, she realizes she forgot the birthday present!
Help Sara search for the perfect gift at the Children's Garden. Along the way, have a fun and memorable experience in this Garden dedicated to children.

Suitable for children in K1 – P6 levels.

Register online here.

Time: 10-11am
Cost: $8.50 per child (includes $2.50 “The Birthday Party. Sara at the Children’s Garden” workbook); $6 per accompanying parent.
Venue: Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden, Bukit Timah Core
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: 6471 9961 or nparks_sbg_edu@nparks.gov.sg

23 May (Sat): Art in Nature with Jerome Pang

Started in June 2010 and resumed early 2013, this Nature Art workshop is for the serious artists and those with relevant art background. Get ready to busy yourself with sketchpads and paint brushes at Dairy Farm Nature Park. Volunteer leader, Jerome Pang will be sharing and guiding volunteers and participants to develop their art skills while raising awareness on conservation and native biodiversity.
Suitable for individuals age 16 and above. Each session a maximum of 15 people.

Register online.

Time: 9am - 12noon
Venue: Dairy Farm Nature Park, Wallace Education Learning Lab (WELL)
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

11-17 May: Highlights of the week ahead

For kids and the family


Wanders in wild places

For Nature Society (Singapore) members only


17 May (Sun): Paddle the Hidden Waterways of Sungei Khatib Bongsu 2

Open to the Public - Members Priority - Registration Needed

Join us as we explore Sungei Khatib Bongsu 2 (SKB2) by kayak. SKB2 is a land of giants compared to SKB1. Everything here seems to grow bigger, from clams to trees. The waterways and ponds are confusing, making navigation a challenge. Once inside, it is hard to know where things are relative to each other. Still, the allure of SKB2 lies in our curiosity to explore this almost-forgotten river. Paddling beneath the hanging roots of an immense fig, past canopied creeks, one cannot help but wonder if this natural playground can be conserved for others to appreciate the richness of one of Singapore’s last great rivers.

More details on the NSS website.

Time: 7.45am-1pm
Venue: Sungei Khatib Bongsu.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

17 May (Sun): Butterfly Walk at the Rail Corridor

For Nature Society (Singapore) members only

Simon Chan will lead us on a butterfly quest following the former railway track, from King Albert Park passing through Bukit Timah Railway Station and ending at Old Holland Road. The walk runs through Clementi forest and is probably the richest butterfly stretch along the entire Rail Corridor. A good mix of forest and open field butterflies is anticipated. Often Singapore’s largest butterfly the Common Birdwing, a nominee for the National Butterfly title, can be spotted here.

Things to Bring: Bring along your binoculars, cap, water and lots of sunblock.

Time : 9.30am - 12pm
Venue: Meet Simon at 9.30 am at the start of King Albert Park Road, off Bukit Timah Road.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

16 May (Sat): Pulau Ubin Kampong Tour Guided Walk

Take a walk with us to experience Ubin's wonderful natural and cultural heritage. The walk takes about 2 hour to complete. The tour will start at the Ubin-HSBC Volunteer Hub and take you through the spice trees around Jelutong campsite, Butterfly Hill, Pekan Quarry, Sensory Trail Ponds, Kampong House, Old Bin Kiang School site, Toa Pek Kong Temple and end at the Wayang Stage. You will hear about the use of spices in cooking and the interesting history of the different sites.
Do you know what the Ubin-HSBC Volunteer Hub was in the 1970s? When was the Toa Pek Kong Temple built? If you would like to know, then this is an excellent introduction to the heritage of the island.

For all ages, children under the age of 13 to be under parental/guardian guidance.

Limited to 4 groups, each group a maximum of 15 people. Register online here.

Time: 9.30-11.30am
Venue: Meet at Ubin-HSBC Volunteer Hub, a 10-min walk from Ubin Jetty. More on how to get to Pulau Ubin.
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

16 May (Sat): What's in my sky?

Birdwatchers, join us in this free guided walk and learn to identify many amazing birds of different species that passes through or make Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve their home.

Limited to 20 persons. Register online here.

Time: 9.30am-11am
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Wetland Centre
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

16 May (Sat): Nature Appreciation Walk at Lower Peirce

Re-discover the wonders of Lower Peirce through this free nature appreciation guided walk. Along the shady, cool boardwalk, discover and learn about the amazing plants and animals that can be found along the trails.
Keep an eye out for pitcher plants, Macaranga (Ant-plant) and Nibong palms as well as macaques and on lucky days we might even get spot the Flying lemur (Colugo) in action. Gain a greater appreciation of Singapore’s rich natural heritage and the need to protect it for our future generations.

What to bring: Water, rain gear, umbrella, hat
What to wear: Comfortable T-shirt, long pants, and covered hiking shoes
Group Size: Max 15 participants per group

All Participants needs to be registered. Register online.

Time: 9.30-10.30am
Venue: Lower Peirce Board Walk. Meet at entrance of Hevea Trail.
Website: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/

4-10 May: Highlights of the week ahead

Sungei Buloh celebrates World Migratory Bird Day

For kids and the family

Walks in wild places

Making a wild difference

10 May (Sun): Birdwatching at Lorong Halus

Open to the public - registration needed.

In collaboration with PUB, the Bird Group will conduct a birdwatching walk at Lorong Halus. In 2011, Lorong Halus Wetland was created by PUB to help purify water that flows through the former rubbish dump. For years, Little Grebes have made their home at Lorong Halus and they continue to do so. Grassland birds such as Yellow-bellied Prinias, Munias, Baya Weavers and Long-tailed Shrikes also thrive here.

Maximum 30 participants. Kindly contact Lee Ee Ling (leeel60@yahoo.com.sg) for more information. Details will be emailed upon registration confirmation.

Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

10 May (Sun): Horseshoe Crab Rescue and Research

Open to the Public - Registration Needed

Horseshoe crabs (HSC) are in decline globally due to the loss of habitat, poaching and overfishing. They also get trapped in abandoned fishing nets and need our help to set them free. With such concerns, NSS aims to continually monitor our local HSC population to ensure that they stay around for many generations to come. Things to bring: cap, shoes/booties, sunblock, repellent, cutter for horseshoe crab rescue and camera. Washing facilities available after the event.

Please register http://tinyurl.com/nsshscreg. Details will be emailed upon registration.

Time: 9am-12noon.
Venue: Mandai Mudflats. Details will be emailed upon successful registration.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

9 May (Sat): I heART Nature Workshop for kids

This interactive free parent-child bonding session includes interesting art and craft activities and a short nature appreciation walk.
For children ages 5 to 7. Child must be accompanied by 1 parent. Maximum 10 children. Register online.

Time: 9-10.30am
Venue: Dairy Farm Nature Park, Wallace Education Centre
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

9 May (Sat): Free Chek Jawa boardwalk tour with the Naked Hermit Crabs

The Naked Hermit Crabs introduce you to Chek Jawa without getting your feet wet. Even though we are not going on to the shore, there is still much to see and enjoy. There are monitor lizards, fiddler crabs, spiders, rare plants, wild boar, mudskippers and lots of fruit trees. If we are lucky, we might even spot the Oriental Pied Hornbill, White-bellied Sea Eagle and the giant Atlas Moth.

Not more than five persons in a group, pre-register with this online form.

More details on the event and how to get to Chek Jawa, Pulau Ubin on the Adventures with the Naked Hermit Crabs blog.

Time: 9.30am meet at the Chek Jawa Info Kiosk, Pulau Ubin.
Duration: Two hours
Cost: no charge for now, but donations accepted.
Website: http://nakedhermitcrabs.blogspot.com/
Contact: nakedhermitcrabs@gmail.com

9 May (Sat): A walk with your neighbours - the macaques of MacRitchie

The long-tailed macaques are the most conspicuous animals at Macritchie Reservoir Park. Although commonly seen, they are very misunderstood. Few seeing them realise anything about the social world these monkeys live in. They have kin networks, power struggles, friends, foes, and an otherwise complex social network. In many ways, they provide a mirror of our own sociality.
If you would like to learn more about your community and the interesting world of your neighbouring macaques at Macritchie, please join our free walk, led by experts from the Jane Goodall Institute Singapore.

Suitable for adults and children above 8 years.

Register at sg.monkey.walk@gmail.com, at least 3 days in advance. Do provide us with your preferred date, name, contact number (in case of cancellation, we will contact you), number of adult and children participants (at most, 5 participants per registration). Upon receiving your registration, we will reply with a confirmation email. The walk will be cancelled if there is bad weather 45 minutes before the walk.

Time: 5-6.30pm
Venue: Meet at Mushroom Cafe at Macritchie Reservoir Park. The walk will be at Macritchie Reservoir Park, Lawn @ Paddle Lodge
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

9 May (Sat): What's in my mangroves?

Mangrove forests are living borders of the freshwater and salt water. Out of 73 true mangroves species worldwide, 22 can be found in Sungei Buloh. Join us for a lovely morning walk and get to know the mangrove trees and plants of Sungei Buloh.

Limited to 20 participants. Register online here.

Time: 9.30am-11am
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Visitor Centre
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

9 May (Sat): Pebble paintings with Art in Wetlands

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve celebrates World Migratory Bird Day on 9 May 2015.
Enjoy painting and wish to contribute your artwork to the wetland reserve? Come on down to the Sungei Buloh for a fun morning painting pebbles, with birds in mind as the theme for the day. Materials provided. Pebbles to remain at the wetlands reserve and will be display as a composite artwork.

Time: 9.30-11.30am
Venue: Resource Room, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Wetland Centre (301 Neo Tiew Crescent)
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

9 May (Sat): Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve celebrates World Migratory Bird Day

But wait, isn’t the migratory bird season over? Not to worry, join Mr David Li, Sungei Buloh’s Senior Conservation Officer, and he will give you a sneak peek at what the Sungei Buloh's team do during the migratory season and you will be brought into the wonderful world of natural winged migration that happens every year since the turn of time.


Time: 9.30am
Venue: Theaterette, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Wetland Centre (301 Neo Tiew Crescent)
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

27 Apr - 3 May: Highlights of the week ahead

For kids and the family



Go wild on your own!
During the up coming holidays, why not explore our wild places free-and-easy? Great destinations include Pulau Ubin and a wide range ofseashores, mangroves and forest destinations. Check out the manyDIY Trail Guides on the NParks website. Lots of info for visitors on wildsingapore with tips on how to prepare for a trip, how to get there and what to see and do.

A tip for a long-weekend trip
Our wild places and parks can get VERY crowded on long weekends. The best way to avoid the crowds is to arrive early in the morning and leave early. Our wildlife is generally more active in the morning too!


2 May (Sat): What's in my water?

Join us for an interesting morning walk getting to know the creatures and plants that lives in and around the water edges of Sungei Buloh.

Limited to 20 participants. Register online here.

Time: 9.30am-11am
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Information Counter
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

1 May (Fri): Istana Nature Guided Walk

Sign up for the Nature Guided Walk during the Istana Open House on Labour Day. This guided walk is a collaboration between the President’s Office and the National Parks Board (NParks), which will showcase the Istana’s flora, fauna and biodiversity.
The guided walk starts from 10am to 4pm, and is conducted hourly. Please look out for signs on the Istana grounds to find out where you can register for the guided walk.

Register online here.

More details about the Istana Open House on the Istana website and Channel NewsAsia.

Time: 10am to 4pm every hour.
Costs:
$2 for each child aged 3 years & above.
$4 for Singaporeans / PRs aged 13 and above.
$10 for foreigners (aged 13 & above).
Family package, $12 for Singaporeans / PRs (family of 4) and $30 for foreigners (family of 4).
Please make the payment on the spot on the event date itself.
Each guided walk group can take up to 12 people