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- Chek Jawa Wetlands (boardwalk & jetty) — Six ecosystems condensed into a tiny corner: mangroves, seagrass, rocky shore, coastal forest, sandy beach and coral rubble. Walk the boardwalk at low tide and you’ll see sea stars, mudskippers, horseshoe crabs and fiddler crabs up close — it’s the island’s biodiversity show that you can’t replicate in a Singapore mall.
- Kampong Pulau Ubin (the village) — Rows of wooden kampong houses, old-school shops, the slow rhythm of island life. It’s rare in Singapore to still hear roosters, kids cycling to school and elders chatting by the roadside; wander the lanes for real everyday culture rather than contrived “heritage” setups.
- Tua Pek Kong Temple — A compact, well-kept Chinese temple tucked next to the village. Locals come here for birthdays, offerings
- Chek Jawa Wetlands (boardwalk & jetty) — Six ecosystems condensed into a tiny corner: mangroves, seagrass, rocky shore, coastal forest, sandy beach and coral rubble. Walk the boardwalk at low tide and you’ll see sea stars, mudskippers, horseshoe crabs and fiddler crabs up close — it’s the island’s biodiversity show that you can’t replicate in a Singapore mall.
- Kampong Pulau Ubin (the village) — Rows of wooden kampong houses, old-school shops, the slow rhythm of island life. It’s rare in Singapore to still hear roosters, kids cycling to school and elders chatting by the roadside; wander the lanes for real everyday culture rather than contrived “heritage” setups.
- Tua Pek Kong Temple — A compact, well-kept Chinese temple tucked next to the village. Locals come here for birthdays, offerings and festivals — great spot to watch genuine ritual, incense smoke and the quiet communal side of island life.
- Puaka Hill (the high point) — Small, sweaty climb with a payoff: 360° views over Ubin’s quarries, palms and the Straits. It’s the best place on the island for a sunrise or late-afternoon glow. Personal favorite — I go up early, sit on the rocks and pretend I’m alone on a tiny world.
- Ketam Quarry (Crab/Old Quarry) — Turquoise water hemmed by granite faces; photographers and birders love the reflections and migrant birds. It’s an unexpectedly scenic slice of wilderness that looks and feels unlike the rest of the island.
- Pekan Quarry / Ubin Quarry — Another legacy of the island’s granite industry: steep rock faces, shady fringes and quiet trails for spotting kingfishers and monitor lizards. The scale and texture of the quarries give Pulau Ubin a raw, geological character you won’t find on the mainland.
- German Girl Shrine — Hidden gem. A tiny, mossy shrine in the trees with a melancholic local legend attached. It’s an atmospheric, slightly eerie stop—best reached on foot while you’re exploring the quieter eastern tracks.
- Granite kilns and quarry ruins — Hidden gem. Scattered relics of Ubin’s old granite industry: rusted crushers, broken tracks, and concrete footings swallowed by vines. They’re excellent for history-minded wanderers who like imagining the island’s labor history rather than just its beaches.
- Jelutong Campsite & coastal camping spots — Go overnight to hear tidal rhythms and wake up with hornbills and sunrise over the water. Camping here is basic and proper — no glamping — which is exactly why it feels like leaving the city for a night.
- Low-tide intertidal flats (Chek Jawa fringes & eastern mudflats) — Hidden gem. Walk the exposed flats at the right tide and you’ll find sponges, nudibranchs, tiny crabs and feeding shorebirds. It’s a hands-on nature lesson: get your boots muddy, look closely, and you’ll see species that don’t show up on guided island postcards.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past decade, I’ve backpacked through 80+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.