The distance by road from Ubin Jetty to Chek Jawa takes about 3.6 km. At a brisk walking pace it takes about 1 and a half hour. Make sure you factor extra time for heat and rest, and time enjoying the views. Here is a travel distance table of other parts of Ubin for your convenience.
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Click here for panorama view of Ubin Jetty
Here is Ubin on Googlemaps.
Going there by bus(bus guide). Bus numbers 2, 29, 59, 109 will take you there. Stop at the terminus. Head towards Changi Point Ferry Terminal northeast on Lorong Bekukong about 100 meters away.
Take a bumboat ferry, it costs $2.50 per person. The boat departs when there are 12 passengers or when the boat get chartered for $30 when there are not enough passengers.
The first ferry usually leave at 7-8 am, its usually filled with passengers going for work in Ubin such as contractors or shop owners. No problems if you plan to go earlier. Some boatmen, especially older ones, prefer to sleep in their boats. They are usually at the jetty at 2am onwards.
There is no last ferry service. The boatmen stops ferrying when the crowds thin down. On weekends, the crowds thin out from 4pm onwards going to Ubin and from 8pm returning from Ubin so expect to pay more by sharing and chartering if you are impatient. You may be stranded in Ubin if the boatmen has gone home so don’t hang around too late.
Update Apr 16, 2010: Visitors’ level seems to have dropped. Its harder to get a boat to Ubin if you are planning to go there for fishing or camping at night. We played it safe by leaving for Ubin no later than 8pm when the boatmen are still around at Changi Jetty and sharing the full costs of $30.00 for the boat ride.
We would also call ahead and inform the van drivers to expect our arrival, saving us the long trudge to the interior in the dark. You can call Mr. Moh at +65-9731-7629/ +659084-8827 or Tien Song at +65-93468017.
Update Apr 16, 2010: An increasingly frequent sight which distress nature lovers are devotees, in acts of misplaced kindness, buying live seafood and liberating them at our coastal waters.
(Picture of devotees and their monks haggling with boatmen
Its hard to get lost in Ubin. But many got disorientated and need help with directions. Perhaps Nparks should have useful signs pointing the direction back to the jetty. You can get free maps at Nparks’ information kiosk. There are basically 4 main directions. East, West, and two separate directions towards north.
West
The West ends at Kekek Quarry (4km by road/track from Ubin jetty), where ‘Thai temple’ once stood. This important landmark is now lost forever except for the road named after it – Jalan Wat Siam. The distance is longest and is best visited on wheels. There are less shade so it can get very hot. Some would swim at Kekek Quarry to cool off. But it’s considered illegal trespass. The long downhill slope near Bubut hut probably see the most nasty bike falls so please be careful. Also, one should stop midway at ‘y u so like dat’ for drinks and a scenic view of Ubin Quarry.
Picture below. Thai monk sitting in front of his demolished temple.
East
The path East ends at Chek Jawa (4 km by road from Ubin jetty). You are under cool forest cover so walking is not as tiring. First timers should go there first. Especially when tides are at their lowest.
North (Marman beach)
From Chek Jawa you can make a side trip north towards Marman beach (2.1km by road). You may feel tired due to the long but gradual incline but one can always take a short-cut through “Orchid Farm” and visit Jack if you have never seen a wild boar before.
One should stop at the Malay Kampung for refreshments and a relaxing view. There is a gaggle of hornbills that make their appearance around 5pm.
North (Noordin beach)
The other trip north (3.2km by road from Ubin jetty) ends at Noordin beach (Seen on Googlemaps). The view at the beach itself is marred by fences. Its popular among anglers and campers however. On Saturday nights you can hear dangdut music blaring away from the Malaysian side. Mosquitoes can be a nuisance due to nearby mangroves. A spooky place. Was referred as Noordin kampong on old maps. Used to have a Muslim cemetery nearby.
Old map of Noordin beach(1000 metre scale)
NPCC campsite is also located at Noordin Beach. Its also probably the most environmental unfriendly place in Ubin. On Google Earth you can see its all built up with its own concrete parade square. Its floodlights are turned on the whole night, disrupting roosting birds. The camp is fogged regularly for mosquitoes, exterminating other insects and affecting its natural predators. There is a lightning detector that runs loud warnings on an endless loops. It should seriously consider relocating back to the mainland.
Click on the map below to enlarge.
Its either hot, humid or get drenched in tropical thunderstorms. So make sure you know where the next rain shelter at. Click picture to enlarge.
Our National Environment Agency (NEA) website provides some useful for the next 12 hous. There is even a 3 hours forecasts for Ubin.
Another source is this site showing satellite pictures of rain clouds 70 km away. You can determine if your Ubin trip needs postponing.
Wind, Weather, Windsurfing and more – 70km Weather Radar Animation
wild happenings Naked Hermit Crabs wild shores of Singapore teamseagrass Sheewai