Tuesday, September 13, 2011

My World Tuesday - Pulau Ubin - Chek Jawa


We took the van from the Jetty to Chek Jawa. It cost us S$2 per person one way and the driver will collect only when he comes and fetch us back to the jetty. He gave us a name card and to call him when we wanted to return after finishing visiting Chek Jawa. The van will move only when there are twelve passengers but we are a group of seven, he still take us.

You cant cheat him cause he can see you if you leave Pulau Ubin cause the vans parked just next to the jetty hahaha.

If you cycled, you have to park your bikes outside the gate so as to protect the marine life and beach.


It is just a short walk from the gate to the information kiosk. Do remember to spray insect repellant cause most of the places are mostly left untouched and lots of greenery and wooded. You might encounter some wild boars and monkeys but please do not feed them as they are wild.

There are plenty of food for them in the forests for them to fend for themselves.

Originally there were plans to reclaim Chek Jawa but it was saved by some nature loving group.

Some nature-loving members of the public found and helped save a beautiful beach on Pulau Ubin called Chek Jawa. Their efforts led to a rare policy U-turn in Singapore.It was by chance that botanist Joseph Lai, 41, stumbled on the lagoon and sand bars of Tanjung Chek Jawa in January. He was acting as a volunteer guide for some students from Raffles Girls' School, who were exploring the coastal forests in the area. They just happened to be there when the tide was low, and he remembers that the richness of the marine habitat left him 'speechless with wonder'. You can read more from source.

On reaching the information kiosk, you can collect map and brochures. Behind the kiosk is a house which I will tell you more about it later. The house is now a visitor centre.

Follow the map and you can come across a boardwalk or a bridge above the water. The boardwalk was built so as to protect the beach and marine life on the beach during low tide. You can walk on the bridge above the beach anytime without registering but if you choose to walk on the beach during low tide, you need to register online and most of the time it is full.

They have limit the number of people on the beach to protect the marine life in there. But we still can see some marine life from the bridge during low tide.





Too bad when I was there, the tide is not low enough otherwise I can see some crabs even without stepping on the beach.


I zoom on the another part of the beach from the bridge where I was standing. I saw several mud skippers on the lower part of the beach. We were so excited hahaha. Can you spot the mud skippers in the above photo (circled).

Saw many crabs further down the boardwalk. Some are hiding in the holes. Please do not capture or collect anything from the beach cause when you take the bumboat back to mainland Singapore, your bag have to go through the scanning machine at the ferry terminal at Changi Point. Anyway, I believe the marine creatures wont live long even if you capture them, they can only survive on sea water and not fresh water.


For photos on other parts of the world, please visit Our World Tuesday Meme. Thanks to the team of Our World for giving us the opportunity to share my world with the rest of the world.

7 comments:

Rajesh said...

Beautiful place for nature lovers.

Tina´s PicStory said...

Nice guide through your world :)

eileeninmd said...

Wow, what a cool place to visit. It is beautiful clear water. Wonderful photos, thanks for sharing your world.

Esther Garvi said...

What a beautiful walk on the pier!

Red Nomad OZ said...

Sounds like the van driver has worked out the best way to do business!! Looks like a lovely spot to visit!

carol l mckenna said...

So informative and beautiful photos ~~thanks, Carol ~ OWT ~ (A Creative Harbor) New England

Arija said...

So much to see in your world. I like the ants at the bottom of the tower.