Sometimes I have parents asking why my kids can be so calm whenever they meet smarties. I guess because we are always exploring the outdoors and connecting to nature whenever possible. So why does nature got to do with their characters or behaviour? It is because the fresh air and the calm vibes allows them to feel relaxed. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city environment, nature helps to balance (or should I say reset?) our busy city lives. On top of that, it rejuvenates the body and spirit.
Last weekend, we found a new outdoor area that we can connect to nature. That calm and soothing place is Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve located in the northwest area of Singapore and we were blessed with good weather to slowly enjoy and explore. There’s a huge map that shows you the walking trails. Smarties were planning on which trail they should take and where to head first. Good chance on learning how to read a map, huh?
They spotted the Junior Adventure Trail and headed straight for that. Unfortunately half of the area was under construction but that didn’t deter them from having fun. We had great fun with just the Up and Down and Step and Jump challenge, a series of obstacles designed to look like mangrove roots. As mei mei’s legs are short, she had a little problem hopping over to the next step but no worries for that as her hero will always be there to her rescue.
After the challenge, we headed towards the The Little Heron Deck, which is a pretty lookout point. You read it right:”Watch out for crocodiles”. Smarties were patiently waiting to spot one there but in vain.
There are also giant mudskippers statues right in front of it. Now smarties have a clearer picture on how a mudskipper looks like and how to lookout for it while exploring the rest of the mangrove forest.
The walk along the trail was pretty cooling and relaxing. There is a Mid-canopy Walk which consists of a springy, wooden bridge where you may wobble along while walking on it. Oh yeah, the “IN” pose that kids like nowadays. Smarties definitely won’t miss it. They like it because they don’t have to face the camera.
We noticed that throughout the trail it was very well paved and has a boardwalk that brings visitors over the water.
We had a short break here and, at the same time, enjoying the cool breeze and the breathtaking view. We hope to catch sight of some exotic birds too.
Gor gor loves reading and he loves all the information provided along the way for him to read up and understand better about the inhabitants that stay there. He kept us really busy when he asked all the “whys” and we have to keep googling for the correct answers but it was a lovely experience where we get to learn together.
Finally, we found the well-known onion-shaped pods. There are five pods constructed at various locations around the wetland reserve extension where it provides the visitors unobstructed views of the reserve and the sea on the raised viewing platforms. Smarties were excited when they spotted the first one.
We were really lucky when we were there as it was low tide and we got to spot several mudskippers! Didn’t managed to take a photo of it though as we didn’t bring any pro-camera for close up shots. Not only that, we also managed to soak into the Mud Experience while enjoying mangrove boardwalks that lead us down to its surface via a fun rope bridge!
The experience at the wetland reserve was really awesome and we had a great time enjoying and exploring the nature. Smarties want to come back again hoping to catch more inhabitants in the wetland reserve.
Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Visitor Centre Address: 60 Kranji Way, #01-00, Singapore 739453
Wetland Centre: 301 Neo Tiew Crescent, Singapore 718925
Opening Hours: 7 am to 7 pm
Smoke-Free!
Entrance Free!
