Living in the East is a treat. I love taking morning walks by the longkang canal beside my house to the MRT. If I close my eyes hard enough, I imagine that I’m in Amsterdam.
If I’m feeling adventurous, I might walk close to the grass patch, but I seldom do because of the imminent danger of stepping on dog poop.
It truly is like stepping out into the unknown.
Yeap, it can be hard to get a breath of simple, unadulterated nature unless you travel far and wide, like all the way to Botanic Gardens or even Coney Island.
But hey, it’s about to get a hell lot easier.
There’s A New Pasir Ris Heritage Trail With 3 1/2 Hours Of Walking & IG-Worthy Seaside Views
The National Heritage Board (NHB) unveiled a 3.5km stretch of the beach and 10.1km of paths inland which is set to be the 19th heritage trail.
It’ll also be divided thematically into three parts that altogether will take 3.5 hours to complete on foot.
It won’t be just any boring old trail either that will force you to scour through dense vegetation.
Nope, it’s a continuous trail that includes landmarks like the Sakya Tenphel Ling, one of the first Tibetan Buddhist temples in South-east Asia and Singapore’s only commercial saltwater fishing pond in Pasir Ris Town Park.
How cool is that? Not only can you clock your 10,000 steps a day but you can also snap pictures for the gram’.
An NHB spokesman explained that “Singaporeans will find out how Pasir Ris earned its reputation as a town for rest and recreation, and how it evolved from a getaway destination for the affluent to an affordable resort-like retreat for holidaymakers from all walks of life.”
Three Themes To Explore On The Trail
According to The Straits Times, the first theme is the area’s coastal heritage, aka the mangrove swamps, Sungei Api Api where settlers caught prawns to make belacan.
The second is the 5.6km architectural highlights walk which will have you marvelling at religious institutions like the multi-faith Loyang Tua Pek Kong Temple and the 24-hour Masjid Al Istighfar.
The last is the family-oriented 4.5km Play @ Pasir Ris Trail which passes by Pasir Ris Hawker Centre, Downtown East and one of Singapore’s largest playgrounds.
More Heritage Trails Across Singapore
But if you’re feeling a little left out because you’re not an Eastie, fret not because NHB has also announced plans to eventually have more heritage trails across the island with two more coming up in Hougang and Sembawang.
They also pointed out that existing trails at Bukit Timah and Singapore River are “well used by heritage buffs and families looking for a weekend fun family activity”, as well as tourists and schools.
It honestly already sounds like so much fun and I can’t wait to make plans.
