What’s better than working up a sweat? Treating yourself to some tasty grub to replace all those calories you just burnt. Now we know, exercise may be painful, but a good meal at the end makes it more palatable. If that proves to be an incentive, here are six hiking trails in Singapore that will lead you to some delicious food.
Since the country was imagined as a garden city, urban planners have been incorporating trails and greenways into the environment. The push has only accelerated in recent years, and the authorities have set a target of 360 kilometres of curated trails and 500 kilometres of park connectors by 2030.
Much of the trails below can be navigated on foot or by bike. They also pass many food centres and bathrooms. The next time you strap on your walking shoes, think of these six trails that will reward at the end.
6 best hiking trails in Singapore that end with good food:
Coastal Park Connector to Changi Village
Distance: 15 kilometres
Difficulty: easy
Suitable for: hiking or cycling
Estimated time: 3 hours on foot or a 1.5-hours by bike
Bathrooms / water stops: yes
The Coastal Park Connector is a route that skirts the country’s airport and eastern coast. It links to other park connectors as well, but start at Tanah Merah MRT Station for easy access. From there it’s a short jaunt down the Bedok Park Connector before veering east towards Changi Airport.
The trail takes you along Changi Coast Road, where you can watch planes take off and land amid lush greenery and an ocean breeze. Changi Jurassic Mile also forms part of this path, where you can view over 20 life sized dinosaur exhibits. The path ends at Changi Beach Park, one of the oldest coastal parks in Singapore and the jumping off point to Pulau Ubin.
For food, head to Changi Village. The venerable Changi Village Food Centre is well known for its nasi lemak, satay, hor fun, goreng pisang, and much more. Chock Full of Beans cafe does intricate latte art, while A Spoonful of Sugar dishes out ice cream. Little Island Brewing Company has a large outdoor space where you can drink craft beer brewed onsite. Find the full list of the best Changi cafés and restaurants here.
MacRitchie Reservoir Loop to Upper Thomson
Distance: 11 kilometres
Difficulty: moderate
Suitable for: hiking
Estimated time: 4 hours
Bathrooms / water stops: yes
MacRitchie Reservoir, which forms part of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, is Singapore’s oldest reservoir. There’re a few entrances, but we recommend starting from Windsor Nature Park, an adjacent green space that links to MacRitchie.
From there, follow the yellow trail towards the Treetop Walk (currently closed for renovations). You’ll pass streams, old stone bridges, and Jelutong Tower, which you can climb for a treetop view of the surroundings. The trail then meanders around the Singapore Island Country Club golf course before dipping back under the foliage of the Lornie Trail. Alternatively, take the boardwalk that skirts the reservoir’s edge. Stay on the yellow trail to end up where you started, and head out from Windsor.
There are plenty of dining options by Upper Thomson MRT Station. Thomson Plaza is one, which has a food court known for its laksa and popiah. Japanese restaurants like Hajime Tonkatsu & Ramen and collagen hot pot from Tsukada Nojo are popular too.
Further down from the mall is the long-surviving Roti Prata House, famous for its crispy take on the dish. Meng’s Kitchen draws in the crowds with their bak chor mee, and Nam Kee has been serving chicken rice in the area since 1960s. Columbus Coffee offers cold brews and waffles, while Shawn’s Beer Nest pours craft beer from their taps.
East Coast Park to Katong
Distance: 10 kilometres
Difficulty: easy
Suitable for: hiking or cycling
Estimated time: 2 hours
Bathrooms / water stops: yes
East Coast Park runs parallel to Singapore’s southeastern shoreline with views of cargo ships in the bay and Indonesia in the distance. It’s especially crowded on the weekends with families flocking to the beaches.
There’re many ways to get onto the trail, but one easy option is by Stadium MRT Station. From there, head west on the Geylang Park Connector towards Tanjong Rhu Promenade, loop around Passion Wave @ Marina Bay, and you’re on East Coast Park proper. It’s an easy, quiet walk (on weekdays) through tall, swaying trees before you encounter more people along the beaches.
Similarly, there are many exits out of East Coast Park but we recommend reaching Siglap Park Connector before turning left on East Coast Road. Dining options are abound here. For local food, there’s the briny prawn noodles from Beach Road Prawn Noodle House, herbal style bak kut teh from Sin Heng, zi char from Sin Hoi Sai, or the popular 328 Katong Laksa.
Forty Hands, Homeground, or C Cafe offer a caffeine fix, while Petit Pain brings quality croissants if you’re prepared to wait. Dine on European inspired fare from Picotin and Casa Nostra, then enjoy quality gelato from Birds of Paradise. If you’re looking for craft beer, In Bad Company and Good Intentions have you covered.
Central Rail Corridor to Upper Bukit Timah Road
Distance: 6 kilometres
Difficulty: easy
Suitable for: hiking or cycling
Estimated time: 1 hour
Bathrooms / water stops: no
The Central Rail Corridor forms part of the Rail Corridor that runs from Tanjong Pagar to Woodlands. For this portion, start at King Albert Park station, walk a short distance along Dunearn Road and up to the former Bukit Timah Railway Station. Cross the Bukit Timah Road Truss Bridge and head north towards Woodlands.
The mostly dirt road runs parallel to Bukit Timah and is bordered by greenery on both sides. There isn’t much shade though, so bring a hat. The trail ends up at the Upper Bukit Timah Truss Bridge, and a flight of stairs next to it takes you to the popular Rail Mall. We, however, recommend continuing along Upper Bukit Timah Road until you reach Cashew MRT Station.
Just pass Cashew is Ga Hock Eating House. Most diners come here during dinner for Ga Hock Seafood, a zi char spot with an old school vibe and a large outdoor seating area. The eatery is known for its fish head curry, salt baked crab, but other dishes like har cheong kai, qing long vegetable, and pea shoots are excellent. There’s also Carol Satay and Otah, which makes a killer peanut sauce.
Slightly north of Ga Hock is Karu’s Banana Leaf Indian Restaurant. True to form, they serve their rice on banana leaves, and the briyani comes with free flow rice, appalam, curry, and vegetables. The garlic naan is also incredibly fragrant.
South Rail Corridor to Alexandra Village
Distance: 9 kilometres
Difficulty: easy
Suitable for: hiking or cycling
Estimated time: 2 hours
Bathrooms / water stops: no
We begin again at King Albert Park Station, but this time we head south towards Tanjong Pagar. Compared to Central Rail Corridor, the trail here is gentler on the legs thanks to the built up flooring, but longer in distance. Along the way, you can check out street art painted under bridges, the gleaming facades of Science Park, and colonial houses along Portsdown Road.
The trail currently ends at Alexandra (the final stretch to Tanjong Pagar isn’t ready yet), and you’ll come out at Jalan Kilang Barat, a side road off Jalan Bukit Merah Road. It’s a short walk from there to Alexandra Village Food Centre. The place is popular for their avocado shakes, as well as stalls selling claypot rice, bak kut teh, xiao long bao, gourmet burgers, and soy sauce chicken.
Coast-to-Coast Trail to Punggol
Distance: 36 kilometres
Difficulty: easy
Suitable for: hiking
Estimated time: 8 to 10 hours on foot or 4 hours on bike
Bathrooms / water stops: yes
Coast-to-Coast trail is currently Singapore’s longest walking and cycling path. It starts in Jurong then snakes it way through various neighbourhoods and landmarks before ending in Punggol. Due to the length, it’s advisable to start early if you intend to do the whole trail.
Begin your journey at Jurong Lake Garden, which has a winding boardwalk that runs by the water. The quarry pool at Bukit Batok Nature Reserve offers a nice photo opportunity, while Botanic Gardens lets you explore a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Try to spot the otters at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, then bird watch at Sengkang Floating Wetland. Peek at Malaysia from the Kelong Bridge in Punggol before finishing at Coney Island.
Near the end is Punggol Settlement, which houses numerous restaurants that look over the Straits of Johor. Treat yourself to the white bee hoon from White Restaurant, western fare from Fusion, or fresh crabs from House of Seafood. There’s also Indian dishes from Tandoor Lounge, Japanese beers and bites from Iazakaya 95, and mookata from Siam Square.
This article first appeared in Lifestyle Asia Singapore.
