Singapore's TidbiTs

One of the 17 fresh-water reservoirs in Singapore, Bedok Reservoir was a former sand quarry that collects rainwater runoff from the eastern part of Singapore. The reservoir and surrounding area have been turned into a recreational park where other than admiring the views from the boardwalk or floating deck, you can also fish, do kayaking or simply enjoy the walk around the reservoir, admire ants' hills, Tiger Orchids, the largest orchid in the world and appreciate the reunification of Germany with a segment of a Berlin walls right here in the park. Bedok Reservoir is located in the eastern part of Singapore, close to Bedok North and Tampines West so especially great for those living in these housing estates. Bedok Reservoir is also linked to other parks in the eastern corridor such as Pasir Ris Park and Tampines Eco Park via the Park Connector Network or PCN so you can cycle or walk between parks. Nature is bountiful in Bedok Reservoir Park. As you enter you will be greeted with...

Fort Canning Hill is one of Singapore’s most historic landmarks. It was originally a cone-shaped mound that stood at a height of 48 metres above sea level. It was very likely that in the 14th century, the royal palace of ancient Malay rulers stood on the summit of this once “Forbidden Hill”. The memory of this was still alive that when the British arrived in 1819, the Malays refused to climb the hill, known as Bukit Larangan in Malay, saying that it was forbidden without the permission of the ancient rulers. In Southeast Asian cultures, hills and mountains were associated with supernatural and divine powers. Major General William Farquhar, the first resident and commandant of Singapore ascended the hill with the Malaccan Malays in 1819, since the locals were unwilling to climb, and atop the hill he fired a salute and erected a pole from which the Union Jack was flown. The hill was renamed Government Hill. Sir Stamford Raffles established a bungalow here, which became a residence for go...

Anyone who has visited Coney Island before, will certainly have been awestruck by the tall and lush casuarina trees, probably the largest clusters of casuarina trees in one place one has seen in Singapore. There are casuarina trees almost everywhere on the island. Also known as the Common Rhu, there are casuarina trees elsewhere in Singapore too like at the Big Sisters Island , but not in the same scale as at Coney Island Park. Located off the northeastern coast of Singapore, between Pulau Ubin to its northeast and the mainland to its southwest, Coney Island is the starting or the ending point of the 36km (22 miles) coast to coast trail, depending on if you start from there or from Jurong Lake Gardens . Connected to Punggol Point and Punggol Promenade by a bridge on the west entrance, the 87-hectare Coney Island fronts the new Punggol Town and provides respite to the residents there. Actually, there are several parks around Punggol area including the Punggol Waterway Park and Sengkang...

Mention MacRitchie Reservoir to anyone here, two things usually come to mind. The scenic tree-top walk and the long-tailed macaques who are the long-time residents of the forest. Named after municipal engineer James MacRitchie, MacRitchie Reservoir is Singapore’s oldest reservoir, and an important source of the city’s water supply. The reservoir, within the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, has also been transformed into a venue for recreation which is part of Public Utilities Board’s Active, Beautiful, Clean (ABC) Waters Programmes to bring community closer to water. Do you know that the Central Catchment Nature Reserve was first established as a nature reserve under the directorship of the Singapore Botanic Gardens in 1990? You can stroll along the submerged boardwalk, take in the scenic views from the bandstands, chill on the benches among the huge park, enjoying the bright looking flowers amongst them. Rows of bright orange flower trees of Kock's Bauhinia (Bauhinia kockinia) an...