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Excursions For a Half Day Pulau Ubin: The boomerang-shaped island with just 200 inhabitants is a favourite getaway for locals – and is consequently very busy at weekends. With its thatched huts, rubber plantations, mangrove swamps and traditional fishing kelongs, Pulau Ubin – known as Stone Mountain because it is rich in granite – offers a vision of a disappeared Singapore. But, typical of Singapore, this island is gradually being developed into a nature park with trails, shelters, camp sites and chalets. On the eastern tip is Check Jawa, a beach that has its fair share of marine life and can be visited only by boat during low tide. There are also a couple of colourful temples by the seashore, as well as seafood restaurants serving good local dishes and cafés selling drinks. The ten-minute boat ride from Changi Point jetty costs S$2 (S$3 with a bicycle) and ferries leave regularly 0600-2300. Visitors can charter the whole boat for S$20. There is a tourist information centre near the pier, and bikes can be hired from several shops by the pier as well. The National Parks Board can provide further information (tel: 6542 4108; website: www.nparks.gov.sg). For a Whole Day Johor Bahru: Singaporeans flock to Johor Bahru, just over the Malasian border. Known as JB, it is great for food, bargain shopping, golf and beaches. Situated just across the causeway, it should take less than an hour by car, but at weekends and public holidays, it can take three hours or more. A train journey from Singapore Railway Station could be the wisest option for getting there or a combination of MRT to Woodlands and a bus from the other side of the Immigration building. With its blend of historic and modern architecture, JB’s most striking building is the Royal Bakar Mosque, whose majestic domes and minarets overlook the Straits of Johor. There is a string of outdoor restaurants serving up seafood on the waterfront by the Eden Gardens Hotel. Riau Islands: The Indonesian islands of Batam and Bintan make for a great weekend getaway with luxury resorts, fairways, beaches, duty-free shopping and delicious seafood. Ferries leave daily from the World Trade Centre and the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. Singapore Sightseeing Tour East (tel: 6332 3755; website: www.singaporetours.com.sg) offers a day trip on a high-speed ferry to Batam, with visits to temples, markets and restaurants, for S$87 per person. Other operators include: Dino Shipping (tel: 6270 2228); Bintan Resort Ferries (tel: 6542 4369) and Widi Express Ferries Pte (tel: 6275 2220). Malacca: The 15th-century seat of the Malaya Sultanate, Malacca – a three- or four-hour drive from Singapore – was colonised by the Portuguese, Dutch and British in their attempts to gain control of the region and the lucrative spice trade. Located on the western cost of Malaysia, its quiet demeanour belies its historical significance: Malay folk hero Hang Tuah wandered its streets, while St Francis Xavier preached on St Paul’s Hill. SH Tours (tel: 6734 9923; website: www.travelasia.com.sg) offers day trips leaving every day at 0830, which visit St Paul’s Church, Chench Hooh Teng Temple and the ruins of the Portuguese fortress Port De Santiago, and cost S$75 per person. |
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