Day Trip to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in Singapore
Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is one of Singapore’s hidden gems. Known for its rich biodiversity and bird migrations, this nature reserve is a haven for bird watchers, nature enthusiasts, and for those looking to explore a different side to Singapore. Visitors can walk for kilometers on the maintained trails throughout the park and spot unique wildlife to include giant monitor lizards and even salt water crocodiles. A day trip to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is a must and is one of my favorite places to go to when visiting Singapore.
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Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is tucked away in the northern part of Singapore right at the border of Malaysia. That being said, it does take some effort to travel to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve but it is very possible and 100% worth visiting.
You can get here by a mix of taxi, buses, and trains. Honestly, I think the easiest way is just to use Grab, at least to get there. Getting back was a different story, at least for us.
We used the Grab app to call a cab and the driver dropped us off at the entrance of the park.
It’s about a 30-45 minute ride depending on traffic.
Although I highly recommend just using Grab to get to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, there are other methods to get here.
If you want to rely on the MRT, take the MRT to the Kranji MRT Station. From here, you will need to take the local bus or a taxi.
I found the local bus to be frequent and very cheap. Keep in mind, it only accepts exact change.
The local bus is the SMRT 925 that takes you to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.
When we left the Reserve, Grab was not available, so we waited at the bus stop across the street at Kranji Reservoir Pk B. From here we got on the bus to Kranji Station. Once at Kranji Station we were able to call a Grab that brough us back to Singapore’s city center.
About Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is a nature reserve located in Singapore’s northwest corner, right at the Singapore and Malaysia border.
Considered an ASEAN Heritage Park, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is an important location for migratory birds. The biodiversity here is rich and many surprising animals call this nature reserve home.
Did you know Singapore had Saltwater Crocodiles? I had no idea, but we saw at least 3 here. We also saw quite a few large monitor lizards.
There are numerous walking trails within Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve spanning for several kilometers.
Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is the perfect escape from the city and makes for a great day trip.
Admission and Hours
Admission
Free on weekdays
$1 for adults and $.50 for children, on weekends and holidays
Hours
7:30 am – 7:00 pm, Monday – Saturday
7:00 am – 7:00 pm on Sunday and Holidays
Visitor Center
First things first, once you get to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, stop by the visitor center.
We came here around 8:00 am, it was nearly empty and the staff at the visitor center were super friendly and willing to answer any questions.
They even showed us a group of bats nearby that hang out under a covered walkway.
The bats were Lesser dog-faced fruit bats.
At the visitor center, there are a few vending machines, clean restrooms, and some taxidermied animals on display.
The Trails
There are 5 main nature trails at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.
Coastal Trail – 1.3 km
Forest Trail – 300m
Mid-Canopy Walk – 150m
Migratory Bird Trail – 1.95 km
Mangrove Boardwalk – 500m
Coastal Trail
The Coastal Trail is an easy walk that hugs the coast of the Johor Strait. About 1.3 km in length, the Coastal Trail is easily accessible from the Visitor Center. Here you can go to Eagle Point, Kingfisher Pod, and Mudskipper Pod.
Keep an eye out for Kingfishers and Giant Mudskippers. We even saw several Milky Stork’s off in the distance. One of the prettiest birds we saw was the Pink-necked Green Pigeon.
Take your time on this trail, pay attention to the canopy of the trees, muddy areas, and the trail, you never know what animals you might encounter.
Forest Trail
The Forest Trail is a quick and easy 300 m long trail. The Forest Trail is accessible from the Coastal Trail and Visitor Center.
We didn’t find to much in terms of wildlife on this trail. I enjoyed the paved trail and just being out in nature listening to the cicadas.
Mid-Canopy Walk
The Mid- Canopy Walk was the shortest trail at 150m. Although short, this is a fun trail and not to be missed.
This trail is an elevated boardwalk. Although I didn’t see any animals along this trail except for a squirrel, I recommend doing the Mid-Canopy Boardwalk. After all, you never know what you will find.
Migratory Bird Trail
One of my favorite trails at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve was the Migratory Bird Trail. This nearly 2km loop surrounds the Buloh Tidal Ponds.
I came in the offseason, and didn’t spot any unique birds. But here I saw a gigantic salt water crocodile and a few monitor lizards.
If you want to spot salt water crocodiles at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, I recommend going to the Lookout Point at the Wetland Centre and Main Bridge to spot them in the Sungei Buloh Besar. I spotted three crocodiles in the area.
Mangrove Boardwalk
Another favorite of mine was the Mangrove Boardwalk. This 500m loop was full of excitement.
We spotted many of the Giant Mudskippers here. I also spotted Tree Climbing Crabs and also Horseshoe Crabs. The Horseshoe Crabs here were small, but I haven’t seen these prehistoric looking animals since New England.
Recommendations for Visiting Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
- There are signs all over the nature reserve warning to watch out for crocodiles. I hate that I have to say this but give them space if on the trail, don’t approach the crocodiles, and do not feed them!
- Same goes with snakes. There are dangerous snakes found here, to include cobras.
- Respect the nature and wildlife here. Give all animals space and enjoy them from a distance.
- Get your water from the vending machines from the visitor center and use the restrooms there as water and restrooms are very limited throughout the park.
- Bring your Telephoto Lens.
- Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. You will walk a lot and be outside the entire time. I wore hiking pants that are long and light. I also wore arm sleeves to protect my arms from the sun and a hat.
- Bring both bug spray and sunblock.
- Talk to the staff at the visitor center. They were outgoing and willing to answer any questions.
Conclusion
A day trip to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve from Singapore’s city center offers visitors an amazing opportunity to escape the city and immerse yourself in nature. Whether you are a nature enthusiast like me, bird watcher, or just looking to explore a different side of Singapore, the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is the perfect nature escape. This is one of Singapore’s hidden gems and I highly recommend visiting this nature reserve.
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Activities and Tours 🏖️🚁
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