Maps Of Ubin

Posts Tagged ‘Maps of Ubin’

Travel distance within Pulau Ubin –

The distance by road from Ubin Jetty to Chek Jawa takes about 3.6 km. The ferry trip from Changi to Pulau Ubin takes about 15 to 20 minutes covering a distance of about 2.4km.

Here is a travel distance table to other parts of Ubin for your convenience.

Update: 21 Mar 2011

Direction signposts with distance are now erected at major junctions which makes easier to get around Pulau Ubin. You may print out a detailed map of Pulau Ubin as free maps are no longer given out.

Sunset at equatorial Singapore is around 7pm so give yourself plenty of daylight time to walk back to Ubin jetty before it gets too dark or to catch the last ferry. Bring a flashlight just in case and jot down emergency numbers from here. Go back the same way from the path you took. Ignore Nparks traffic directions as they are meant for vehicles plus you have to walk up and down 3 slopes.

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Getting There –

Tourist map of Pulau Ubin. Click on the map below to enlarge.

Here is Pulau Ubin on Googlemaps.

How to get there by bus
Bus numbers 2, 29, 59, 109 will take you there. Stop at the terminus. Head towards Changi Point Ferry Terminal (click for interactive map) northeast on Lorong Bekukong about 100 meters away.

Getting there by Taxi/Car

Ask for Changi Village, turn right into Lorong Bekukong next to the Bus Terminus. The carpark in front of Changi point jetty is often full so familiarize yourself with carparks nearby. Driving directions from Loyang Ave.

Make sure you mention the correct ferry terminal by repeating “Changi Village, Changi Point Ferry Terminal” as there are 3 ferry terminals nearby including Changi Ferry Terminal (3.9km away), Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal (12 km ), Saf Ferry Terminal (2.1 km) .

Ferry to Pulau Ubin island.
Take the bumboat ferry, the boat trip takes about 15 to 20 minutes covering a distance of about 2.4km. It costs $2.50 per passenger and $2.00 per bicycle. Free ride for babies in arms. The boat departs when there are 12 passengers or when the boat get chartered for $30 when there are not enough passengers. Restrictions apply for pet dogs.

The first ferry usually leave at 7-8 am, its usually filled with passengers going to work in Ubin such as contractors or shop owners. No problems if you plan to go earlier as some boatmen, especially older ones, prefer to sleep in their boats. They are usually at the jetty from 2am onwards.

There is no last ferry service. The boatmen stop ferrying when the crowds thin down. On weekends, the crowds thin out from 4pm onwards going to Ubin and from 7.30pm 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 Point 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.

Taking a taxi home from Changi Point.
The best place to hail a cab is probably at the Changi Point Ferry terminal itself.

You can also book a cab via sms by sending “book 499172 #changi point ferry terminal” to 71222.

Other info

Maps of Ubin. Brochures of Pulau Ubin with maps are no longer given out. They ended as rubbish all over the island. Instead, informative signposts and wall maps are found at all junctions. The bicycle rental shops will provide photocopies if they are needed for route planning purposes. More links on detailed maps.

Chek Jawa

Tourist map of Chek Jawa

Map of Chek Jawa (GoogleEarth overlay)

360° panorama virtual view of entrance to Chek Jawa

Other information

For info on hotel stay and restaurants at Pulau Ubin and surrounding Changi area.
Bumboat ride video link 1, video link 2

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Bukit Puaka – Pulau Ubin Highest Point –

Ubin Highest Point

Click here for panorama view of Ubin from Bukit Puaka, its highest point.

The last time we went up there was more than 10 years ago. Then, fallen branches and overgrown bushes would block our path making progress slow and difficult. I was deterred also by the uncomfortable vertigo sensation and the worry of being struck by lightning.

But weather has been dry in Ubin for several weeks already (that was in February 2009, this post is being moved). The sun was hot and its good time to update the blog by taking pano shots and record its tracks on gps.

We went up but were again blocked by overgrown bushes. As machetes are viewed unfavorably by the police, we can only use a little saw from a Swiss army knife to cut through.

Our efforts at making a trail for others were in vain when ants from a disturbed nest went on a biting rampage. Its was only then when we were looking for an alternative way that we found out there is a already a well maintained trail leading to the top.

The trail is easy to find and is just next to Merbah hut. It is also easy to climb and slightly steep at one point. The view is just magnificent. Do watch from a safe distance. Do not peer over the cliff and lose your balance as a result.

There is a rock at the top with drill holes large enough to stuff dynamite in. The quarry operators must be desperate to mine the last granite piece before giving up. Its top was blown up and the peak is now a few meters shorter from its original height of 74 meters. According to Ubin villagers, the top was lopped off for aircraft safety when Changi Airport was a military airport then.

During the Malayan Emergency, the hill provide vantage points for Ubin islanders watching RAF bombers on their bombing runs on communist targets. A futile show of force like what the Americans did when they bombed the jungles of Vietnam for their elusive enemies.

Bombing suspected communist hideouts

You can download the directions and view it on Google apps.

View in Googlemaps
Download for viewing on Googlearth

Update Apr 16, 2010: This tall peak was called Bukit Puaka. “Puaka Air” is a Malay term for water ghost which SPI followers are most keen to draw obvious connection. Puaka could also be a mispronunciation for a hill named in honor of William Farquhar, the 1st Resident of colonial Singapore.

Old map with Bukit Puaka shown. Grid scale 1km

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Lost in Pulau Ubin –

Update: 21 Mar 2011
Direction signposts with distance are now erected at major junctions which makes easier to get around Pulau Ubin.

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 is a vehicle barrier at the end of the road but adventurous cyclists are still able to cycle up further. Some would swim at Kekek quarry to cool off. But it’s considered illegal trespass. The long downhill slope next to the Chinese cemetery (now renamed “coffee hill” probably see the most nasty bike falls so be careful.

The German girl shrine is also located west within Ketam mountain bike park, with its cycling trails graded by level of difficulties, although it is not safe to take them at face value.

Also, one should stop midway at ‘y u so like dat’ for drinks and a scenic view of Ubin Quarry. Puaka hill is nearby which is worth climbing to the top.

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). First timers should go there first especially when tides are at their lowest. You can also sign up for Chek Jawa tours organized by Naked Hermit Crabs.

You will be passing the Malay kampung on the way to Chek Jawa. Worth stopping for refreshments and a relaxing view. There is a gaggle of hornbills that make their appearance around 5pm.

North (Marman beach)

Marman beach is further up north from the Malay kampung. It used to be scenic until ugly fences were put as border barriers. From there, you can follow the river bank towards “Orchid Farm”, taking a shortcut by going through the rubber plantation and back to the Malay kampung.

Marman beach

North (Noordin beach)

The other trip north (3.2km by road from Ubin jetty) ends at Noordin beach. The trip requires some steep cycling which already caused some nasty accidents. Probably not worth going as the view at the beach itself is also 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. 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.

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Ubin drownings –

The most tragic happened on Sun 7 Feb 1999 at Sungei Jelutong (Google earth latlng 1.406330, 103.961155) when 2 schoolgirls from Raffles Girls Secondary drowned on the last day of a 3 day intensive outdoor adventure camp. Fatigue and underestimating natural forces led to the disaster.

The scene of the fatal drownings (photo taken when river was at highest tide on 19 Mar 2011)

DROWNING Just last week, two teenage girls drowned in an accident at Pulau Ubin. Rachel Wu Sikorski and Sharon Lee Ying Ying. Both seventeen years of age. Well liked, good looking, hard working, intelligent. A bright future ahead. Junior college students, on the last day of a 3 day camp. Fitted with life jackets: Paddling down a river on a makeshift raft.

The river surface is deceptively calm. Caught in an undercurrent by a storm gate. The vortex of the undertow was fatal. They were trapped underwater against the storm gate until too late. By the time they were fished out they were drowned. Dead. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was to no avail. Two young lives snuffed out. Link.

Sungei Jelutong wetlands cover an area of 55 hectares. The volume of water draining in and out during tide changes is enormous as there are only 2 exits into the sea, south via Sungei Jelutong, north via Sungei Marman, both narrowed by sluice gates constructed decades ago for prawn catching. The current and pressure is so strong that snakes caught in the trawling nets were drowned. Its near impossible to paddle into the mouth of Marman river during receding tide. A Thai worker also drowned when he swam near the sluice gate at Marman to catch fish. Before both incidents, a girl drowned in Feb 1995 when she fell into Jelutong river while cycling crossing the bridge, prompting the authorities to build protective railings.

There is also a freak accident which happened in 2010 where a old lady fell and drowned while fixing her well near Republic Poly camp.

Older map of Pulau Ubin. Shaded in blue are all wetlands.

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Ubin

Posts Tagged ‘Maps of Ubin’

Travel distance within Pulau Ubin –

Getting There –

Bukit Puaka – Pulau Ubin Highest Point –

Lost in Pulau Ubin –

Ubin drownings –

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