Make your way down to these six up and coming eco-spaces—while some, like the Botanic Gardens, are still being slated for further development, newly-opened places like Coney Island and the Eco-Link at BKE make for a great excursion outdoors.
Two dive trails at Sisters’ Islands
There are two new dive trails at Sister’s Islands, which opened on Nov 8. Each one is 100m in length. The shallower trail is about five to six meters deep, and leads to the more advanced deep trail, which lets divers plunge to a depth of 15m. You may see some feather duster worms, giant clams, anemone and clownfish. There are 20 stops along the way with signs highlighting what creatures can be found there. To go for these, an advanced level of certification is required. You also have to have good buoyancy control, and be able to deal with rough currents and low visibility. Check out the NParks website for future dives. The next ones are on Dec 5, 6 and 20.
Trekking through the new Eco-Link at the BKE
You can now go for a walk at the newly opened Eco-Link at the BKE. This path covers the Bukit Timah Expressway and also connects the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and Central Catchment Nature Reserve. You might see some birds like the emerald dove, snakes and the lesser mousedeer. But if you’re really lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of the Sunda pangolin, which is critically-endangered. Registration for these tours are full, but you can keep checking the NParks website for future ones.
The Botanic Gardens is getting an extension
Apart from the fact that the Botanic Gardens is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, there are a few more developments that will make this garden even bigger. 5 Gallop Road (which is believed to be the oldest colonial house in Singapore) will become the Forest Interpretive Centre, which will bring visitors through forest conservation efforts with interactive displays, with tips on how they can participate in these conservation activities. Another colonial house at 7 Gallop Road will be converted into the Natural History Art Gallery, with displays that will rotate from 2,000 art pieces from the Botanic Gardens’ archives. Botanic artwork from international galleries will be showcased as well.
Trendy developments at the Rail Corridor
Venturing to Coney Island
Cycle along the 2.4km park connector between Promenade and Pasir Ris Coast Industrial Park 6 and cross one of the two connecting bridges to get to Coney Island. There are 86 species of trees and 157 animals on the island, like the rusty-breasted cuckoo and spotted wood owl. If you’re in luck, you may spot the island’s resident Brahman bull chilling around the island. NParks also has guided walks, so watch their website for updates.
A cool extension of Zhenghua Park
Those who live in Bukit Panjang area, rejoice! The 3.8-gectare Zhenghua Nature Park Extension is finally open. It is home to 30 species of flora, particularly those that produce fruits, to attract the different types of birds. So far, 16 species have been spotted there, including the Olive-backed sunbird and the Black-naped oriole—bird-watching enthusiasts, take note.
