Chek Jawa, Pulau Ubin. 16 January 2011

Sunday 8am
Previous Chek Jawa Trip

Pulau Ubin = Granite Island. Granite used to be extensively quarried from the hills. Altogether, there are 10 quarries at this island.
Currently, there are less than 100 families live in kampong houses without piped water and electricity. Villagers rely on noisy generators for electricity and wells for water.

Cycling to Chek Jawa from Celestial Resort takes about 45minutes. One bicycle rental will costs about SGD10-12. Alternatively, you can hire a van for SGD35 for a round trip, which takes about 10-15minutes. Contact Mr Moh 9731 7629.

Left- no bicycles beyond the entrance, so remember to ask for a bike lock when you rent one. Right- dad & his mangrove guide.

Do check the best time to visit Chek Jawa Wetlands before going. The array of marine life is only completely revealed during lowest of tides.

Getting upclose with two majestic Oriental Pied Hornbill.

Across this path on the left, we came to the coastal loop entry point which we didn't get to explore on our previous trip here.

Glass panel platform. En with her new toy - a pair of binoculars. SGD49 Celestron 12 x 25. Time to go bird watching. Raptor watch at Tanjung Tuan will be next on the list.

EnHui always pick up leaves, grass, flowers, stones etc etc..

We could see airplane takes off every few minutes.

Head to Mangrove platform. En tried to catch a fiddler crab.

From flower bud to branch with bud.

bakau kurap

we spotted lots of grasshoppers

a magnificient stick insect.

hop hop hop from one leaf to another.

Left- mud lobster forming huge mound which provide habitat to fiddler crabs, spiders and snakes.

Right- erected breathing roots grew out of the oxygen-starve mud to obtain oxygen.

Acrophobia attack at Jejawi tower but for showing off to the kids, I climbed with trembling knees. :))

Wild boar are common at Pulau Ubin. They are shy and generally avoid human but can be aggresive when cornered.

The charming cottage that has a fireplace which probably the only one working in Singapore.

The newly built platform which stretches out to the sea, just behind the charming cottage. I will come back at the lowest tide -maybe Mar/ Apr 2011.

Rubber tree at the rubber plantation.

Celestial Resort, Pulau Ubin, Singapore 15 January 2011

Currently, this is the only resort in Pulau Ubin. SGD83 for weekday or SGD97 for weekend, with breakfast for a single standard bedroom with a twin bed or two single beds. The check in lobby is 100m walk from the entrance.

The row of standard rooms.

En loves this one - single standard junior suite, said the next visit, we must take this room.

En mentioned  'It is her first time staying at a room with backdoor which lead to a backyard. Just like Uncle SC's room at Ruby Resort". When she sees tree, that's where she belongs. :)))

This a one of the ten quarries in Pulau Ubin, located within the vicinity of the resort. The water activities and the quarry area is of a different management. We have to pay to go in!!!  SGD5 for 4 of us.  The place behind the quarry is a restaurant, where dad and I could finished our meal while watched over them.

The bridge which links to the restaurant.

En pestered dad to go kayaking with her. Hui sat in the middle ! SGD10 unlimited time.

En caught these hermit crabs herself  - so she said when we came over.

EnHui's castle.

Split Gill commonly found on cut - log.

Most of the coconut trees here are surrounded with coin leaf. I felt creepy looking at it.

small area of beach, adjacent to the check in lobby.

Bumboat to Pulau Ubin, Singapore 15 January 2011

The boat will leave once there are 12 waiting passengers.

The jetty - Changi Ferry Terminal Point at Changi Village.

Cash payment on board.

En&Hui looking at the yacht, tugboats pulling tonnes of sands, shipliner and bumboats - lovely.

The journey took about 10 minutes. We came to visit Chek Jawa again.

EnHui's first Pulau Ubin trip.

Wet Singapore 17 June 2010

Thursday am.
Chek Jawa Wetlands, Pulau Ubin

I asked Hui,  " Will it rain today? " She replied, " Yes, later. afternoon. " I asked again, " How about tomorrow ? Will it rain? " She said  " Yes. It rain in the morning when we wake up. "

So off we went to Pulau Ubin before it rain in the afternoon. :) J, one of my close buddy cum former flatmate cum ex-colleague came along. :)
Bumboats operate from Changi Point Ferry Terminal ( Bus 29 from Tanah Merah MRT) to Ubin which takes 10 minutes to arrive. Cost SGD2.50 per person. There are no scheduled departure times to and from Ubin, as bumboats set off only where there are 12 passengers. From Ubin jetty, you can cycle or hire a van to Chek Jawa. We took a van @SGD2.50 per person. A walk to Chek Jawa will take about 40 mins.

Left- Chek Jawa Map. Right- Lots of bicycles rental shops when you walked in from jetty.

Left- We walked in to the mangrove boardwalk (Right).

Left - J helped En pulled some grasses and En tied it up as a deco (Right)

Left- Attap chee :)  Right- lots of fiddler crabs of various sizes and colours.

Left- EnHui showed the white puffy flower of a tree. The breeze blew the flowers off the tree and it flown beautifully in the air.  Right- Mudskipper

The mangrove boardwalk leads us to the coastal boardwalk.  We didn't continue as EnHui were exhausted and wanted to collect shells by the beach. Further down the coastal boardwalk, is one of the richest parts of Chek Jawa. Many species of sponges, fan worms, seahorses,nudibranches and starfishes can be found.

Left- Barnacles on the rock. Right- Beach at Ubin.

Left- En and her moat. Right- We saw two rabbits at one of the resident home.

Our shells from this beach.  

Clean toilet *phew*

Our van driver, Azman spotted a green thin snake while we drove back to jetty. He stopped the car and we got a good look at it for about 5 mins. :) Azman commented that it is hard to spot this snake nowadays as many were eaten by the hornbill !

Azman also showed us one of the quarry that filled with rain water.

Leaving Pulau Ubin. It started to drizzle as predicted by Hui.

Left - Our bumboat. En told Hui not to put her head under the white rope as she will fall into the sea!

This island getaway gave me a much-needed escapade from the hustle and bustle of busy city life.