Pedal Ubin

Shaped like a boomerang, Pulau Ubin (Granite Island) is situated just off the northeastern corner of mainland Singapore. The 1020-hectare island was once a cluster of 5 smaller ones separated by tidal rivers, but the building of bunds for prawn farming has since united these into a single island. Two other islets, Pulau Ketam (Crab Island) and Pulau Sekudu (Frog Island), lie to its south.

Ubin is largely a series of undulating, granite hills. In the early days, granite mining supported a few thousand settlers. Much of the original vegetation was cleared for the cultivation of rubber and crops like coffee, pineapple, coconut and jasmine. Today, abandoned granite quarries remain as picturesque relics of Ubin’s history, while forests and grasslands have regenerated to cover up the ravages of the past.

How did Ubin get its name? Who was the German girl? Did you know about the monk who walked here from Thailand? Or about the resident family of hornbills or of plantations that speak of times long past? Essentially clueless about Pulau Ubin, Singapore's time capsule?

Well then, take a journey on bicycle with the Jungle Fowls, a bunch of friendly volunteer guides from NUS' Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, and discover the nature and heritage of Pulau Ubin.

No worries if you're a novice cyclist - if you can balance yourself on a bike, you will survive!

it was my first time biking at a place other than east coast park, and east coast park has no terrain to speak off, the gears has finally a use on those bikes, unlike the ones at the park. not sustaining any major injury was a pretty good achievement, though challenging i do not mind putting myself against the grain to try negotiating terrain again. its the only way to get better.

more pictures on flickr.