(How to Get to) Pasir Ris Mangrove Swamp

The NParks website indicates that there are five entrances to the mangrove swamp and that it is best to start the walk at the Carpark B entrance 'for a more fruitful tour'. So I arranged to meet my friend at Carpark B. But it was so difficult to find!

From the main road (Pasir Ris Drive 3), you can't see any sign indicating 'carpark B' at all! There is only a huge sign saying 'Pasir Ris Park Carpark C', which is at Pasir Ris Green.

If you are heading from Downtown East toward Elias Road, the carparks start from A to F (not sure whether there are any more carparks after F, which is the furthest I have been to). So you should pass Carpark B before you see Carpark C. Carpark B's entrance is almost directly opposite the McDonalds drive-thru. You can see the carpark from the main road, just no sign.

[By the way, what I did was alight from cab at Carpark C, then walked through the mangrove to Carpark B.]

Have to walk a bit before you reach the mangrove entrance, but there are signboards along the way, so it isn't too hard to find.

It was indeed quite true that there were more things to see from the Carpark B entrance.. because a large of the mangrove swamp was quite dry! No water = didn't seem much like a mangrove swamp! Not sure whether it was because of the time of the day (we started walking just before 5pm) or weather or what.. (But I think it's seawater right? So I don't think it's the recent heat that dried up the mangrove swamp?) Anyway there was more water near this entrance.

There is a birdwatching tower too. I passed it while cutting through the mangrove to get to my friend, but we couldn't find it (or rather, forgot to try to find our way there) afterwards so we did not go up. Met a group of bird enthusiasts (with pro pro cameras!) and one of them pointed out a kingfisher and a few big bird's nests a distance away. The boys were too busy playing to bother about the nests, and I doubt Jiale would be able to see them even if I pointed them out to him.

We (meaning the mummies) also saw a few small crabs and two big dunno-the-name lizards. Hmm, didn't see much living things actually.

If you are interested to visit the Pasir Ris Mangrove Swamps, the Naked Hermit Crabs do conduct tours but I emailed them recently and they said they would not be conducting any tour at Pasir Ris till Nov earliest.

They also suggested I check out Mangrove Action Squad. I just left a comment at their blog asking about the next tour.

NParks also conducts guided tours, every 3rd Saturday of the month, but there is a minimum of 15 persons to start the group and you have to register with them at least 2 days in advance. See here for more info. It's not free, but I think $4 a person is worth it.

I am seriously tempted to bring the boys again in August, but I wonder how Jiale will react when he sees it's the mangrove swamp again! But I will only go with guides cos otherwise, I really don't know what to look out for. I should also have planned a simple unit study on mangrove swamps as an introduction to Jiale before going, so that he knows what he's supposed to be looking out for.

Sungei Buloh is tooooooo far.. and I don't dare to bring the 2 boys on a boat by myself to go to Chek Jawa!

Elephant Playground at Pasir Ris Park

The playground is located in the Hometeam NS chalets area. It's open to public, so we took cab almost right to the playground. It was quite deserted, only one chalet was occupied I think, and it was very quiet and peaceful. I guess not many kids come to this playground, so the place was quite clean. But the sand was rather coarse.

Two slides, two swings

The slides were rough, ouch!

But it was no problem for Jiale's butt

Doesn't the drop look scary..???

Taking shelter from the drizzle

Yes we spent more than an hour at this simple playground. Jiale just kept going up and down the slides, and I was even more amazed that Didi could quietly play with sand for soooooo long. Mummy? I had a relaxing time playing on the swing : ) In the end I had to make them leave because the mosquitoes came out in full force after the drizzle.

Tiong Bahru Park

The train playground is the highlight of the park. But it's actually rather challenging for younger kids. For Jiale, though he can navigate the features safely if he wants to, he couldn't just run wild in the train. Nevertheless, the boys still enjoyed the big big sand play area very much!

Jiale's first love - train!

The floor of the train carriages has gaping holes like this (it's a slide).

Another hole which leads to a ladder.

One of the features in the train.

Many 'escape routes' from the train :p

Old-fashioned merry-go-round. Mummy had a hard time turning it.. very heavy!

'Kidnappers' - the boys were the objects of adoration :p

He laughed and laughed and laughed : )

A high structure in the middle of the park. No idea of its purpose, but Jiale found it good for climbing!

The pond was not especially attractive.. but it did have many turtles!

Sunbathing turtles