One of my favourite places in Singapore is the little island in the Johor strait off the northeast coast – Pulau Ubin. It’s just south of the border with Malaysia. It’s not that easy to get to Changi village where the bumboats leave from, but it’s worth the trip to see some nature and get away from the city. You can rent bikes when you get off the boat, and there are lots of quiet roads and trails around the island. The name means ‘granite island’ and there are old quarries that are now small lakes, as well as mangrove swamps. There’s a lot of wildlife there – monitor lizards, wild pigs and turtles; and parrots, fish eagles, herons, orioles and hornbills. A great way to spend a Saturday.

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