Page 12 - CSC Newsletter

feature Civil ServiCe Club 10

dIsCoverING tHe rustIC
Charm of pulau uBIN

in modern and skyscraper-rich singapore, it is hard
to imagine you can still fnd a spot of untouched
serenity. At pulau Ubin, theres no running water
and electricity; wild boars and macaques also
roam freely. the island is also home to less than
50 people.

in stark juxtaposition to singapore where cars and
multiple highways connecting the far ends of the
island are aplenty, getting to pulau Ubin is a bit of
a hassle. the only mode of transport is a primitive
bumboat from changi point Ferry terminal that
does not follow any timetable. operators depart
as soon as the maximum capacity of 12 passengers
is reached. however, that all adds to the rustic,
unspoilt beauty of pulau Ubin.
Unlike the organised, almost rigid rows of
apartment blocks that dot the island of singapore,
residents of pulau Ubin live in simple wooden
houses roofed with corrugated zinc. Abundant
jungles of palm, perepat and pulai trees provide today, it is a popular cycling site amongst locals unlike the organised,
shade and a landscape of lush greenery. and tourists alike. travelling on bike is the best
way to discover the island, a mere 10 square almost rigid rows of
Given the simple, almost decrepit nature of pulau kilometres in size. there are designated trails for apartment blocks
Ubin, it is diffcult to imagine the island was once bikers, including one dramatically named black
home to a fourishing quarry business. Granite cobra, designed for advanced cyclists up for a that dot the island of
was frst mined on the island in the mid-1800s, challenge. home to a multitude of fora and fauna,
then carved out in massive boulders to build Fort the island is an eye-opener. on the southeastern Singapore, residents of
canning, the horsburgh Lighthouse and Johor- tip, chek Jawa Wetlands teem with creatures like Pulau ubin live in simple
singapore causeway. the furry of mining activity fddler crabs, mud lobsters, sea snakes and monitor
supported thousands and many lived on the island. lizards. it is also home to the seashore nutmeg wooden houses roofed
As quarrying dwindled in the 1960s, the population tree, endemic to the wetlands. the peak of bukit
of pulau Ubin fell. Abandoned empty quarries have puaka offers a lookout to stunning views of a with corrugated zinc.
since been flled with rainwater, transforming them cobalt-hued quarry lake, vividly contrasted with
into beautiful lakes. the greenery surrounding its shores.