What you need to know about Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Singapore

You can always explore within Singapore when you have no choice to escape out from Singapore now. Sungai Buloh is a nature park that is in the northwest area of Singapore.

How to get here?

If you are coming by public transport, then the nearest MRT station is Kranji MRT station then board on SMRT bus 925 at Kranji MRT station and alight at Kranji Reservoir carpark, walk for 15 mins to reach the Reserve wetland. There is another direct bus from Kranji MRT station, that is Kranji Countryside Express bus which will bring you just outside the Reserve.

Free Entry

There are no fees to enter the Wetland reserve park. Free guided walks are also conducted at Sungai Buloh Wetland Reserve every weekend. I think it will be fun to have booked a guided walk as the experienced and knowledgable guide will point you to many interesting facts about the Wetland Reserve.

Bird Watching

This is the paradise for migratory birds due to its marshland landscape. During the weekends, you will see a lot of bird lovers bring along their biggest binoculars or camera to check on these birds.

There shelters and observation hides built at few places in the Reserve park so make sure you go into these shelters to look at the heron and egrets. There are season for the migratory birds that fly into the wetland,  from the month of September to Mar.  When you encounter rain and thunderstorm, do go into these shelters hide to wait for the rain to stop and continue your walk.

Monitor Lizard

Other wild animals you will encounter are monitor lizard, the one that we encountered was not too big. He was so shy and quickly stay away from us when saw us shooting pictures of him. Please note monitor lizards do secrete venom when they try to catch their prey such as crabs, insects, snakes, or fish but their venom is not fatal to humans. The right thing to do is still staying away from them and do not disturb them, just admiring them from a distance.

One lizard is swimming in the lotus pond.  The bottom one is opening its big mouth trying to catch its prey.  The water monitor lizards have forked tongues to assist their senses, big claws, sharp teeth, scaly skin, powerful legs, and strong tails. They can swim and run fast.

Crocodile

If you are lucky you will see the crocodile, they won’t pose a danger as long as you don’t wander off the beaten path. When you are in the Sungei Buloh Wetland, you just need to be patient and you never know what is coming out next.

Mangrove

A variety of mangrove and freshwater plants can be found in the Wetland Reserve. You may encounter some odours coming from the mangroves, as a result of organic matter breaking down. Bacteria living in the mangrove soil perform the decaying process. Don’t worry, the odour isn’t too bad to endure.

The roots of the mangrove are popping out the water, also known as breathing roots. Mangroves are important as they hold the coastline in place and giving it its shape and thus reducing erosion caused by storm.

Sungei Buloh Aerial Tower

The Aerial tower was made of wood altogether and in total there are four storeys high. When you are at the top, you get a glimpse of the 360-degree view of the whole Wetland area. There are also seats at the top for visitors to take a break and enjoy the view.

Walking up the wooden stairs to check out the scenery a the top.

Sungei Buloh Tidal Pond

The buildings that you see here are located in Malaysia, Johor.

Things to bring along:

• Umbrella and poncho in case raining
• Wear comfy shoes as some of the pathways are covered by small pebble stones.
• Wear a hat or apply sunscreen
• Spray a generous amount of insect repellent on your whole body, the mosquitoes here are very fierce.

Where we have our lunch?

Not very far from the Sungei Buloh Wetland, there is a nice ambient restaurant called Bistro Gardenasia. The moment you stepped into the restaurant compound, you feel peaceful and calm. The place also offers farm stay villas which are just next to the bistro. The whole place is surrounded by lush greenery and nature.

The food on the menu contains local, western, and even fusion. We ordered the Roti Prata and their curry sauce tasted different from the ordinary prata we had outside. It is one of their signatures that you must try out. The other dishes that we ordered are Char-grilled Ribeye Hor Fun. The ribeye was tender and goes well with hor fun.