Singapore is called Garden City and you can find an abundance of green spaces and hikes. Quite different than the urban image many people know this popular travel hub as.

Last month I decided to explore the Southern Ridges. A 10-km trail, it links up several parks in the southern part of Singapore. The different terrain takes you all the way from Mount Faber Park to Labrador Nature Reserve. This means going through Henderson Waves, the Forest Walk in Telok Blangah Hill Park, Alexandra Arch, HortPark, Canopy Walk, Reflections (Bukit Chandu), and Berlayer Creek.

Alexandra Arch

My starting point was Alexandra Arch, heading toward Mount Faber Park. Both locations are easy to reach by public transportation. From Mount Faber Park, I walked Harbourfront MRT for the train home. This way, you can start and finish at any point on the South Ridges Trail without backtracking to grab your car.

I took the bus and hopped off at the junction of Hyderabab Road. If you’re driving you can also park at Hort Park and explore that first. The Arch is just a short walk from here (394 Alexandra Road).

Alexandra Arch is a connector between HortPark’s Floral Walk and Telok Blangah Hill Park. Its design is supposed to look like a leaf. Standing on this pedestrian bridge that crosses over Alexandra Road, you can see Interlace, a unique apartment complex. Blocks of six-storey apartments are stacked in a pattern, designed to give a view for each home. Singapore has some very interesting architecture.

The Forest Walk

Following the path, I soon found myself on the Forest Walk, high above the ground on a steel suspension bridge that continues on for 1.3 km. I stopped along the way to read the information on the birds and trees in this area of Telok Blangah Hill, one of the largest parks on Southern Ridges. Some of the birds include the Brown Hawk-owl, Large-tailed Nightjar, Pied Fantail, Spotted Dove, and White-bellied Sea Eagle.

Being a weekday, the trail was empty. Along the way, I passed only a couple of people.

Because I wanted to take my time and see what I would discover, I didn’t do a deep dive into the trail and at times I was not clear where to go. This was especially so when I was walking in the streets, outside of the parks. At some point, I did notice that the sidewalk had a yellow painted sign showing the direction to Henderson Waves and Forest Walk. I was not in a hurry and found my rhythm of where to stop. After leaving Henderson Waves, I stood on the sidewalk for some time to watch the ants I found tracking on the top of railing.

You can take a little detour to check out the Sembcorp Forest of Giants. The Alkaff Mansion is also nearby. An early 20th-century colonial mansion, this estate was built by Syed Shaikh bin Abdul Rahman Alkaff and was abandoned after the war. Alkaff Manion was a space that served many functions before and since the government’s acquisition in 1984.

Henderson Waves

Henderson Waves is the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore. At over 100 feet above ground, the design of Henderson Waves bridge creates an interesting contrast to the nature that surrounds it. Over nearly 900 feet long, the bridge is known for its undulating and curving shape. The slats of Balau wood underneath bare feet feel wonderful and I found a private spot to lay down to enjoy the view and observe the people walking by. I also watched a cat find their own resting/hiding place.

While it was already later in the afternoon, I did not have time to stay longer to watch the light display that goes on at dusk. I had dogs and a cat to get back home to. And I was not yet at my destination.

Marang Trail to Harbourfront

Here’s the last leg of the trail. I was getting closer to Mount Faber and I had some city views. At one point, I could see the gondolas going down towards Sentosa. Leading to Marang Trail is a staircase and then you’re back on a dirt trail again, in the shade of the forest.

Marang Trail is close to Exit D of the Harbourfront MRT Station and from there, it’s a quick train ride back home for me.

The Southern Ridges Trail is a great way to explore and see a different side of Singapore. I had planned to start at Alexandra Arch again and go the other way. The entire trail can take around four hours, depending on your pace and how much you stop. I definitely took my time for this stretch since I like to take photographs and random videos. It is also easy to take the train and visit a specific segment of the Southern Ridges Trail.