Experience the best of Pulau Ubin

Pulau Ubin is an island off the north-east coast of Singapore, reached by a short bumboat ride from Changi Point. Once home to granite quarries and a handful of fishing and farming villages, it has no high-rises and few cars, and bicycles are the usual way to get around. Its name is usually translated as Granite Island.

Chek Jawa, at the eastern tip, is a wetland of sandy flats, seagrass, mangroves and coral rubble, with a boardwalk and tower for watching birds and creatures at the water's edge. The island's old quarries are flooded and ringed by forest, and small temples and shrines stand beside the paths. Hornbills, monitor lizards and wild boar live in the woodlands.

Simple seafood and noodle stalls near the jetty serve fresh food to cyclists, and the kampong-style houses behind them are some of the last of their kind in Singapore. Hot, humid weather lasts all year with sudden afternoon showers. Early morning, before the heat builds, is the best time for the trails.