pulau ubin island’s kampongs

North of Singapore Island was Pulau Ubin Island on the eastern end of Johore Strait. In 1824 Crawford claimed it as British territory. Rubber tapping ceased in the 1980s and granite was quarried until 1999. By the 1990s fewer than 200 people lived on the island, and only one house held a resemblance of the earlier presence of the British.

Kampong near Kampong Durian, Pulau Ubin Island

Gardens by the bay

Within Singapore’s elaborate gardens, I saw more gardeners and cleaners combing the park than tourists. This explained why the site was without one piece of garbage and the gardens immaculate.

Gardens by the Bay’s Super tree grove

I arrived at the most photographed place in Singapore and lucked out on two counts — it was nine in the morning before tourist buses arrived and a weekday.

Submerged in the tastes of Singapore

I may have gorged myself on South Indian food every morning and night during my last visit to Singapore, but the city had more to offer, so I set aside part of the day to try Chinese or Malay dishes.

All that glitters is usually gold

Singapore is one of the few cities where I comfortably walk alone at night. I feel like it’s the safest city in the world to be a woman. So on my last visit, I took advantage of this nightly freedom to stroll through crowded footpaths of Little India where all that glitters is usually gold.

WW11 Kranji Beach Battle Site

This was the second location I stumbled upon depicting a battle against the Japanese during World War II.

Drifting across the straight

While I wandered through Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on the north side of Singapore Island, I kept seeing highrise buildings and hearing droning traffic in the distance.

Sungei Buloh Wetlands’ Coastal Trail

There were silver fish cutting up the water in the tidal ponds, but it was hard to discover what kind they were. Along the Coastal Trail when I peered into the water past Kingfisher Pond, a whole other world opened up. A variety of creatures intertwined and swam in a maze like world.

Buloh Tidal Ponds

On the Migratory Bird Trail of Sungei Buloh Wetlands, I soon discovered the warnings posted about crocodiles.

Sungei Buloh Wetland Mangrove Boardwalk

There was something artistic about the large leaved mangrove of the wetland reserve located on the north side of Singapore Island. The roots curved over like bent backs grasping the muddy swamp beneath.