24-30 Oct: Highlights of the week ahead

Walks in wild places

• Istana Nature Guided Walk
• Paint Along with Pui San at Sungei Buloh
• Civic District Tree Trail

For Nature Society (Singapore) members only

• Night Insect Watch in the Vicinity of Kranji Marshes

Go wild on your own!

This long weekend, why not explore our wild places free-and-easy? Great destinations include Pulau Ubin and a wide range of seashores, mangroves and forest destinations. 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!

MORE events next week

MORE events for the month ahead.

30 Oct (Sat): Civic District Tree Trail

The Civic District Tree Trail takes you through Singapore’s historic Civic District where you will be marveled by many majestic and interesting trees, some of which have stood tall for many generations and witnessed the transformation and progress of Singapore through the years. Join this free walk that takes you through part of the trail starting from Raffles Landing to CHIJMES.

More details and register online.

Time: 9.30am - 11am
Venue: Empress Place, Raffles Landing
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

30 Oct (Sun): Paint Along with Pui San at Sungei Buloh

Conducted by Mr Tham Pui San, a volunteer of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Pui San is an avid artist who expresses his passion for nature through his art work. Bring along your art materials and enjoy learning different drawing techniques at Sungei Buloh.

More in the art in the wetlands blog.

Limited to 20 persons. Register online.

Time: 8.30-11.30am
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Visitor Centre. Meet at Api Api Lab (Kranji Way entrance)
Website: http://artinwetlands.wordpress.com/ and http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

29 Oct (Sat): Night Insect Watch in the Vicinity of Kranji Marshes

Members Only - Registration Needed

Tan Ming Kai from the Entomological Network of Singapore (ENSING) will lead us on a night walk to spot insects, including flower-visiting ones, in the secondary forest close to Kranji Marshes.

More details on the NSS website.

Time: 8pm - 10pm
Venue: Enter at Neo Tiew Lane 2 and meet at the carpark of Kranji Marshes Visitor Centre.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

29 Oct (Sat): Istana Nature Guided Walk

Sign up for the Nature Guided Walk during the Istana Open House. 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.

More details about the Istana Open House on the NParks website and the Istana website. Also on 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 and 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

Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

22 Oct (Sun): MacRitchie Nature Walk with BES Drongos

Join the volunteers of BES Drongos on a remarkable adventure through the stunning forests in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve along the well-trodden Petai Trail!

The BES Drongos are a group of nature lovers from the Bachelor of Environmental Studies (BES) programme at the National University of Singapore (NUS) who have come together to manage guided walks open to everyone and anyone. We want to bring people to appreciate and understand local biodiversity and our ecological systems in Singapore through our guided walks on the Petai Trail at Macritchie Reservoir Park.

More information and registration online.

Time: 8.45am to 12noon
Website: http://besdrongos.wordpress.com/

22 Oct (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: 9.30 - 11am
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Wetland Centre, meet at the Information Counter.
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

22 Oct (Sat): Race Against Time - Science behind a Botanic Garden Tour

This session introduces the research facilities at the Singapore Botanic Gardens such as the Library of Botany and Horticulture, Orchid and Micro-propagation laboratory and the Herbarium.

Highlights of this 45-minute tour includes a visit to the Herbarium which stores physical records of reference plant materials, some dating as far back as 1790. In addition, learn about our hybridization programme for orchids, a process introduced back in 1930’s by the then Director, R.E Holttum.

Limited to 25 people, for ages 9 and above.

This tour repeats every fourth Saturday. More details on the NParks website.

Time: 10am, registration is required at the Service Desk 15-minutes before the scheduled start time.
Venue: Botany Centre, Tanglin Gate (nearest MRT is Orchard station)
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

17-23 Oct: Highlights of the week ahead

Walks in wild places

• MacRitchie Nature Walk with BES Drongos
• What's in my mud?
• Race Against Time - Science behind a Botanic Garden Tour

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10-16 Oct: Highlights of the week ahead

For kids and the family

• Free Chek Jawa boardwalk tour with the Naked Hermit Crabs

Walks in wild places

• Love MacRitchie Walk by Toddycats - Venus Drive
• Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research Programme
• Birdwatching 101 at Sungei Buloh
• Mandarin guided tour at Sungei Buloh
• Kampong Tour at Pulau Ubin
• What's in my sky?

Dive Singapore waters!

• Dive Pulau Hantu with the Hantu Bloggers

MORE events next week

MORE events for the month ahead.

16 Oct (Sun): Love MacRitchie Walk by Toddycats - Venus Drive

Join the NUS Toddycats of Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum in discovering the forest! Learn about amazing plants and animals living in our backyard as part of the Love Our MacRitchie Forest movement.

The MacRitchie Forest Trail at Venus Drive meanders along the banks of a crystal-clear forest stream that is full of freshwater life. Here live dragons and damsels, freshwater crabs and prawns, the Puff-faced Watersnake, Pygmy Halfbeak and Saddle Barb. Look out, too, for the Green Crested Lizard, Red-bellied Squirrel, Long-tailed Macaque, Blue-rumped Parrot and Colugo. Walk in the cool shade of old trees. Feel a kind of natural peace that only a rainforest can give.

The trail here is a dirt path which is relatively level and suitable for children and the elderly. Be prepared for some mud.

Come with us, and learn more about this rainforest. Feel our natural heritage at risk.

Register online.

Time: 8.30am - 11.30am
Venue: Venus Drive
Website: http://lovemacritchie.wordpress.com/

16 Oct (Sun): Dive Pulau Hantu with the Hantu Bloggers

YES! Singapore has awesome reefs and you can dive them. Join the volunteers of the Hantu Bloggers for a guided dive to see them for yourself. More photos on the Hantu Bloggers.

The Hantu Blog Dives are integral to their work on the island. More than just an educational field trip, their dives are also their primary source of funding to develop and maintain public education work in schools and at national events. By joining their dives, you’ll not only be signing up for an insightful and eye-opening weekend, you’ll also be contributing to our efforts to safe guard Pulau Hantu and its marine life.

More details on the Hantu Bloggers.

16 Oct (Sun): Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research Programme

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.

More details on the NSS website.

Time: 3.30pm - 6.30pm
Venue: Kranji Loop. Details will be emailed upon successful registration.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

15 Oct (Sat): Mandarin guided tour at Sungei Buloh

Join us for a morning guided walk around the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

This guided walk is suitable for everyone, including families with children.

The walk will be cancelled in the event of rain. Number of participants is limited to 20 people. Minimum number of participants is 5. Register online.

Time: 9.30 - 11am
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Visitor Centre. Please meet at the Information Counter, Kranji Way entrance
Website: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/

15 Oct (Sat): Birdwatching 101 at Sungei Buloh

Migratory bird season is here again. Every year, thousands of birds escape the cold north to spend the winter months in the warmer southern parts of the earth. Singapore, especially Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, is a favourite stop-over for these birds.

Want to know these birds but don't know how to get started? We are conducting a workshop for the novice. We will spend some time learning bird watching basics like
(1) Learning how to identify birds
(2) Learning how to use a pair of binoculars and the spotting scope to better see the details of birds
(3) Putting these skills into practice

No prior skill/knowledge is required. Come prepared in long sleeved tops and long pants (muted colours preferred). Bring along drinking water, pen and paper.

Limited to 10 participants (suitable for 16 years and above). Registration online.

Time: 9.30am - 11am
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Wetland Centre.
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

15 Oct (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. More on how to get to Pulau Ubin and to Chek Jawa.
Duration: Two hours
Cost: no charge for now, but donations accepted.
Website: http://nakedhermitcrabs.blogspot.com/
Contact: nakedhermitcrabs@gmail.com

15 Oct (Sat): Kampong Tour at Pulau Ubin

Take a walk with us to experience Ubin's wonderful natural and cultural heritage. The 2.2km trail takes about 2 hours 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.

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.
Cost: Guided tours charges: SGD$60.00 / Group (for a maximum of 15 people) Only payment via cheque are allowed until further notice. 4 groups per day allowed, each group can accommodate a maximum of 15 people
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

15 Oct (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.

Time: 9.30am - 11am
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Wetland Centre
Please meet at Information Counter, Neo Tiew entrance
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

3 - 9 Oct: Highlights of the week ahead

Walks in wild places

• MacRitchie Nature Walk with BES Drongos
• Nature and Landscape Sketching at Bukit Batok Nature Park
• A walk with your neighbours - the macaques of MacRitchie
• Rainforest Tour at the Singapore Botanic Gardens
• What's in my mangrove?

MORE events next week

MORE events for the month ahead.

9 Oct (Sun): MacRitchie Nature Walk with BES Drongos

Join the volunteers of BES Drongos on a remarkable adventure through the stunning forests in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve along the well-trodden Petai Trail!

The BES Drongos are a group of nature lovers from the Bachelor of Environmental Studies (BES) programme at the National University of Singapore (NUS) who have come together to manage guided walks open to everyone and anyone. We want to bring people to appreciate and understand local biodiversity and our ecological systems in Singapore through our guided walks on the Petai Trail at Macritchie Reservoir Park.

More information and registration online.

Time: 8.45am to 12noon
Website: http://besdrongos.wordpress.com/

8 Oct (Sat): Nature and Landscape Sketching at Bukit Batok Nature Park

Open to the Public - Registration Needed

Join artist Alpana Ahuja and Van Wangye for a fun and casual site drawing session at Bukit Batok Nature Park. Meet fellow nature art lovers to observe and sketch the park's beautiful landscape and biodiversity. No drawing experience is necessary.

More details on the NSS website.

Time: 8.30 - 10.30am
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

8 Oct (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: 5pm - 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/

8 Oct (Sat): Rainforest Tour at the Singapore Botanic Gardens

A free guided nature walk through a 6-hectare rainforest right in the heart of the city! Along a boardwalk, under the shade of giant trees, learn about our rainforests, spot forest creatures and strange plants.

This walk is conducted by the volunteer guides of NPark's Singapore Botanic Gardens and is held every second Saturday of the month.

Tours in Mandarin are available at 10am and 4pm.

Time: 9am, 10am, 11am and 4pm; Register 15 minutes before the tour at the Visitor Centre, Nassim Gate.
Tour duration: One hour.
Website: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/

8 Oct (Sat): What's in my mangrove?

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 this free morning walk and get to know the mangrove trees and plants of Sungei Buloh.

Limited to 20 participants. Register online.

Time: 9.30am - 11am
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Visitor Centre. Please meet at the Information Counter, Kranji Way entrance
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

26 Sep - 2 Oct: Highlights of the week ahead

For kids and the family

• Guided tour of Flower Trail of the Gardens
• Free tour of the Healing Garden, Botanic Gardens

Walks in wild places

• What's in my water?
• Free tour of the Healing Garden, Botanic Gardens

For Nature Society (Singapore) members only

• Labrador Nature Reserve and Sentosa Ramble
• Birdwatching for Beginners at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

MORE events next week

MORE events for the month ahead.

2 Oct (Sun): Birdwatching for Beginners at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

For Nature Society (Singapore) members only

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is a good place to learn how to identify the many migratory birds that overwinter in Singapore. This walk is targeted at novice birdwatchers to learn the basics in identifying shorebirds such as the Common Sandpiper, Pacific Golden Plover, Common Greenshank and Redshank. Bird Group members will lead the walk.

More details on the NSS website.

Time: 7.30am - 11.30am
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

1 Oct (Sat): Labrador Nature Reserve and Sentosa Ramble

Members Only

Led by Pandian and Sutari, this 12-km ramble starts at Labrador Nature Reserve. We will traverse Tamarind Hill and experience the Long Ya Men (Dragon's Tooth Gate) coastal forest. Thereafter, we will cross over to Sentosa’s Mount Imbiah and Bukit Serapong forest before returning to Vivo City.

More details and registration on the NSS website.

Time: 8.30am - 1pm
Venue: Meet at Labrador MRT station exit at 8.30am.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

1 Oct (Sat): Guided tour of Flower Trail of the Gardens

Participants will have the opportunity to take a closer look at selected flowering plants to learn about their beautiful colours and explore different parts of a flower as well as their different functions. The guided tour will introduce the variety of flowering plants in the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Suitable for children in K1 – P6 levels. Registration online.


Time: 10am - 11am
Venue: Singapore Botanic Gardens, Visitor Services Desk at Tanglin Gate Botany Centre, Botany Centre, Tanglin Core of the Singapore Botanic Gardens
Cost: $6 per child & $6 per accompanying adult. Please make the payment on the spot on the event date itself.
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

1 Oct (Sat): What's in my water?

What's that swimming in the water? A fish, a worm, an insect or a crocodile!? 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.

Time: 9.30am - 11am
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Visitor Centre. Please meet at Information Counter, Visitor Centre (Kranji Way entrance)
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

1 Oct (Sat): Free tour of the Healing Garden, Botanic Gardens

Launched in October 2011, the Healing Garden showcases over 400 varieties of plants used medicinally. It is laid out thematically relating to component parts of the body such as head, respiratory and reproductive systems. Spread over 2.5 hectares, this garden is designed as a tranquil retreat with medical plants traditionally used in Southeast Asia as the main focus.

Please note that the Healing Garden is closed every Tuesday, and opened 5am - 7.30pm daily. Admission is free.

Registration is required 15 minutes before the tour at the Visitor Centre. Mandarin tours are only available at 10am. English tours are available for all slots. This tour repeats every First Saturday of the Month.

This walk is conducted every first Saturday of the month.

Time: 9am and 10am, please register 15 minutes before the tour
Venue: Registration is on a first-come-first-served basis at the Visitor Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens
Website: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/

1 Oct (Sat): Southern Ridges Heritage and Nature Trail

Families and kids, join us on a free guided walk to discover the rich history of the Southern Ridges. The 2 hour walk will begin from Telok Blangah Hill Park, passing through Henderson Waves and ending at Faber Peak (Cable Car Station). Enjoy the spectacular views from the vantage points and encounter the variety of flora and fauna along the way.

More details and registration online.

Time: 4.30pm - 6.30pm
Venue: Multipurpose Plaza, Telok Blangah Hill Park
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/