Pulau Ubin
Last Updated on 20 April 2023
An excursion to Pulau Ubin would usually find us at the crack of dawn waiting in line at Changi Point Ferry Terminal to get onto a bumboat. The boat sets off once it is filled with 12 passengers, and it usually does not take too long to get filled even on a quiet weekday morning. As we clamber clumsily onto the boat, we would hand over $4 per person to the bumboat driver and set off on the 10-minute ride to Pulau Ubin.
Pulau Ubin literally means “granite island” in Malay, named for the many granite quarries that can be found on the island. According to ancient legend, once upon a time, a frog, a pig and an elephant raced each other to reach the shores of Johor from Singapore. Those that failed to reach Johor would be turned into stone. None of the animals managed to reach their destination, so the pig and elephant turned into the giant rock island that we now call Pulau Ubin while the frog became Pulau Sekudu (also known as Frog Island) – an islet located off the coast of Chek Jawa east of Pulau Ubin.
Upon setting foot on the island, we immediately find that we have been teleported into a time in the distant past…
…a time when people lived in zinc-roofed houses surrounded by coconut trees…
…where wild pigs roam freely…
…and monkeys run amok.
With Chek Jawa Wetlands on the east and Puaka Hill on the west with a distance of 10 km in between, it can be quite a daunting task to squeeze all the must-see sights in one day on foot.
One of the most popular ways to explore the island is to travel on bicycle, which can be easily rented from one of the bike rental shops located in the village centre.
Most of the time we’d opt to hoof it around the island…
…so that we can take the time to smell the sweet fruits…
…get lost in the vegetable gardens…
…and hopefully catch a bird or two in action.
The Oriental Pied-Hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris) is one bird that can be frequently spotted, if not heard, in Pulau Ubin.
A native species in Singapore, the Oriental Pied-Hornbill once declined to the point of extinction, but later made a comeback in the last few decades when they were seen again in the mangroves of Pulau Ubin. As hornbills nest in large tree cavities, which are hard to come by in our urban city, free housing in the form of artificial nest boxes were provided in Pulau Ubin and various locations in Singapore as part of the Singapore Hornbill Project to help boost their population. That explains why we see a lot more of them these days!
Another majestic hornbill species we had the honour to encounter here is the Black Hornbill (Anthracoceros malayanus). Native to Southeast Asia, the Black Hornbill is rarely seen in Singapore, but once in a while a vagrant or two might wander over from neighbouring Johor to indulge in the abundant juicy fruits that can be found here.
A sudden appearance of a White-crowned Hornbill (Berenicornis comatus) on Pulau Ubin caused a stir among the local birdwatching community, and this event was even reported in the local news. Typically found in Peninsula Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo, this bird is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List due to the decline of its forest habitat. It is no wonder that its appearance on Pulau Ubin got everyone so excited.
Other birds that we have sighted on Pulau Ubin include the Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris)…
…the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus)…
…the White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus)…
…and the Cinnamon-headed Green Pigeon (Treron fulvicollis).
The star attraction of Pulau Ubin, in our opinion, is Chek Jawa Wetlands, which is where we’d usually head to catch the shore birds and marine creatures.
Located at the eastern tip of Pulau Ubin, Chek Jawa Wetlands is a unique natural environment that boasts its richness in biodiversity.
Ambling along the board walk, we are surrounded by coastal plants, many of which are not commonly found elsewhere in Singapore. The plants that grow here have to be very tenacious and well-adapted to the inhospitable environment, being exposed to strong winds, salt spray and the hot sun.
Along the rocky shore, an assortment of marine creatures can be found hidden beneath the rocks or wedged in the crevices, including cowries (sea snails), brittle stars (closely related to the star fish) and sea cucumbers.
On these rocks, the Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) would sometimes emerge to feast on the tiny insects, crustaceans and other juicy grub hiding between the rocks.
As we were walking along the board walk one day enjoying the sea breeze and spying on the sandpiper, something moving in the water suddenly caught our eyes.
We were delighted to see that they were otters! We were hoping that these might be the rare Asian Small-clawed Otters (Aonyx cinereus) that are known to inhabit the mangrove swamps and freshwater wetlands of Pulau Ubin!
The Asian Small-clawed Otters are less frequently seen than the Smooth-coated Otters (Lutrogale perspicillata) that are quite commonly found on mainland Singapore, though sometimes hybridisation can occur between the two species. Without a side-by-side comparison of size, we find it very difficult to tell them apart.
Visiting Chek Jawa Wetlands at low tide is a completely different experience than when at high tide.
At low tide, many amazing sea creatures that live in the sea bed can finally be seen. It is at the lowest of tides (0.5 metres and below) that the coral rubble becomes revealed. This is when we can see a huge variety of flora and fauna, including sponges in many colours and shapes, corals, seahorses, fanworms and flatworms. To hit it at the lowest of tides, it is best to check the tide timings before heading there.
On the sea bed, we were fascinated to see an assortment of sea creatures and crabs decked in various attractive colours, such as the fiddler crabs…
…the Purple Climber Crab (Metopograpsus sp.)…
…and the horseshoe crabs.
A meandering board walk leads us deeper and deeper into the mangrove forest…
…where we might have the chance to encounter a mudskipper or two.
Information boards in the mangrove teach us about the important role the mangroves play in the ecosystem…
…and how the strange tangled roots of the mangrove trees help serve as sediment traps to prevent the silting of marine habitats.
A common bird that we frequently see in our mangroves is the Ashy Tailorbird (Orthotomus ruficeps), who came out to say a quick hello before darting back into his home.
Commonly seen in the mangroves are the Rodong Snails (Telescopium telescopium), which look like ice cream cones and are usually either buried in the mud or clinging onto trees. These snails have an extendible proboscis which helps them to suck up algae and detritus from the mud.
Lording over the mangroves are the vinegar crabs (Episesarma spp.), often seen burrowing in the holes of the mud lobster mounds. Also known as tree-climbing crabs, the vinegar crabs are so called because they are known to be pickled in black sauce and vinegar and eaten with porridge.
There are three species of vinegar crabs in Singapore, the Violet Vinegar Crab (Episesarma versicolor) with a distinctive violet palm and white-tipped fingers, the Pink-fingered Vinegar Crab (Episesarma chentongense) with a violet palm and pink and white finger tips, and the Singapore Vinegar Crab (Episesarma singaporense) with entirely red claws, like the one shown here.
At the heart of the mangrove forest is the seven-storey high Jejawi Tower…
…from which we can view the forest canopy and spy on the forest birds hiding out in the tree foliage…
…or spy on the shore birds camping out on the sand bank below.
Hanging out with us beside the tower were a pair of Pink-necked Green Pigeons (Treron vernans), who like us were also engaging in a sport of bird-watching.
Other than Chek Jawa, Pulau Ubin is also famous for its many granite quarries. There are a total of six quarries in Pulau Ubin: Petai Quarry, Pekan Quarry, Balai Quarry, Kekek Quarry, Ketam Quarry and Ubin Quarry. These quarries were once mined for their granite which were used for construction of public housing and roads on the mainland in the 1970s. Now these inactive quarries have been filled with water and turned into scenic viewpoints…
…where we can take a break from our long hike or bike ride…
…and have a picnic.
Pekan Quarry is also now a habitat for the Grey Herons (Ardea cinerea). Floating wetlands and platforms have been installed to provide nesting and roosting sites for these herons.
Without fail, we will always see Grey Herons galore whenever we visit Pekan Quarry. There will be herons standing on the snags…
…herons hiding out in the trees…
…herons sunbathing and airing their wings…
…and herons fluttering their gular in the hot sun. Gular flutter is what herons do to keep cool on those hot sunny days, which is most days in Singapore. Birds do not have sweat glands, so what they do is open their mouths and rapidly vibrate the thin gular membranes of their throat to expose the area to moving air.
Watching the herons fluttering their gular is a good reminder for us that it is time to sit down and have a cold drink at Ah Ma Drink Stall.
Feeling refreshed and energised, it is time to conquer Puaka Hill!
The trail to the hilltop starts off with a gradual incline…
…and gradually gets steeper as stairs magically appear.
The views at the top are well worth the climb.
As we climbed, we soon realised that we weren’t the only ones enjoying the views. We were accompanied by the Blue-tailed Bee-eaters (Merops philippinus)…
…the White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) and the Pink-necked Green Pigeon (Treron vernans).
At the top of Puaka Hill is a good place to try spotting raptors such as the White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)…
…the Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)…
…and the Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela).
What better way to end the day at Pulau Ubin than to have a lunch with a view at Season Live Seafood.
