Ate too many pineapple tarts over Lunar New Year? Here are 5 hikes to help you beat the bloat

27/01/2023

If you have not seen this video clip on mindful eating by our Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, you might be in for a shock at the calorific content of some of our favourite Lunar New Year snacks.

But fret not if you have been stuffing yourself silly over the Lunar New Year celebrations! Because the best thing you can do is to walk it all away. 

“Walk where?” one might ask. 

Now, while Singapore might lack the mountains of Switzerland, nestled within our city are fabulous green spaces where we can hike all year round. 

1. Climb Bukit Timah Hill

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At 163 metres, Bukit Timah Hill can be considered a lump of soil in geographical terms. But reaching the highest point in Singapore is still a great (and exhausting) workout that takes you through the last vestiges of primary forest left in the country. 

There are currently four trails of varying difficulty up the summit, with the most interesting one taking us through an unpaved forest path, and past spooky caves dug by Japanese soldiers to store supplies.

Besides the trek to the summit, you can also combine it with a walk around Hindhede Nature Park. Located at the base of the hill, it is an excellent spot for birdwatching and hides a very Instagrammable quarry. 

Click here for a map of the trails in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. 

2. Walk along the Southern Ridges

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Singapore might not have mountain ranges for an actual ridge, but the man-made walkways connecting Mount Faber to Kent Ridge Park are close enough. 

Besides the forest canopy walk, the highlight of this 10km trail will inevitably be the architecturally striking Henderson Bridge, which provides some of the best panoramic views of the city, harbour and the Southern Islands.

Click here for a map of the trails connecting the Southern Ridges.

3. Explore Pulau Ubin on foot

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Ditch the bikes and take a walk around this sublime island instead. 

Visit the forgotten granite quarries of Singapore, climb up Puaka Hill for a panoramic view, or walk around the Chek Jawa Wetlands during low tide to check out its unique ecosystem.

For wildlife lovers, the ulu-ness of Ubin is the perfect place to spot wild boars, otters, hornbills and even the occasional dolphins off the coast.

Click here for a map of the trails around Pulau Ubin.

4. Trek the Rail Corridor

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Stretching from Tanjong Pagar Railway Station to Kranji when fully complete, the Rail Corridor is a 24km green passage running across Singapore. 

Besides the fun of walking on land that belonged to Malaysia until recently (i.e. 2011), the Rail Corridor offers you a chance to dive into the lush underbelly of Singapore’s little-explored wilderness, starting with the Clementi Forest and ending near the Kranji countryside.

After all, the trail was designed with wildlife movement in mind, allowing them to move freely between green spaces.

Click here for a map of the stops along the Rail Corridor.

5. Tackle the Coast-to-Coast (C2C) trail

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The mother of all hikes in Singapore, this 36km trail starting from Jurong Lake Gardens and ending near Coney Island is not for the faint-hearted. 

Cutting across central Singapore, the walk takes you through quarries, a UNESCO-heritage garden, reservoirs and wetlands. 

Of course, you can attempt it in one go. However, it is much more fun to do it in stages. And the best way to do so is to download the NParks Explore A Route (NEAR) mobile app, designed to complement the physical trail by highlighting the sights and attractions along the way. 

Click here for a map highlighting the different sections of the C2C trail. 

Make your steps count!

National Steps Challenge™

Now that you are inspired to walk, why not sign up for the National Steps Challenge

Clock at least 5,000 steps daily to improve your long-term health and get rewarded with Healthpoints, which you can use to redeem cash vouchers. 

Keeping ourselves active is one of the simple, proactive steps we can take to care for our health. In fact, preventive care lies at the heart of the Healthier SG initiative.

In order for Healthier SG to work, we as individuals, have to take charge of our own health and adopt healthier behaviours, working in tandem with the PAP Government and our healthcare providers.

Don’t wait any longer because there is no better time than now to put on your trainers and start walking towards a Healthier SG (and a healthier you!).

Images taken from NParks, Visit Singapore.