Having spent more than enough time indoors this year, we’re all itching to get out and about, and what better place to start than our gorgeous, wildlife-filled Garden City?

To help you embrace the Great Outdoors, and discover a new side to Singapore, we’ve rounded up our favourite weekend activities that are sure to work up a sweat.

Glide around MacRitchie Reservoir 

Had enough of hiking and trekking around Singapore’s oldest reservoir? Why not try kayaking upon MacRitchie’s calm waters. 

Kayaking will not only make you work up a sweat, but also turn your stress down a notch, and give you the chance to enjoy a change of scenery featuring monitor lizards and monkeys. For those experienced in kayaking, venture far and wide around the reservoir, while first-timers or inexperienced boaters should opt for the large area cornered off near the Paddle Lodge to prevent sailing adrift. Book in advance for weekends as the kayaks sell out fast! 

The Paddle Lodge offers a range of different kayaks from $12 per hour, including solo vessels and double kayaks for you to enjoy the water with a friend. For more information or to reserve a kayak call 6258 0057.  

Enjoy the serenity of the sea at Constant Wind

Offering a multitude of water sports, Constant Wind on Singapore’s East Coast is a water sports hub, ideal for aqua addicts. From stand up paddle boarding, windsurfing, powerboating and sailing, enthusiasts can sign up to a lesson with an experienced instructor or rent the equipment for a few hours. 

Rates start from $27 for one hour on the weekend and $20 for an hour during weekdays. For those who don’t want to get wet, we recommend booking a Laser Bahia — at 16 feet, these dinghies can comfortably fit up to five people and you sit out of the water. For more information, or to book your slot on the water, please call 6445 5108. 

Cycle around Pulau Ubin from Singapore 

As we’re currently unable to venture out of Singapore, Pulau Ubin is the perfect way to ‘jump ship’ and discover an area away from home. Shaped like a boomerang, the island is home to Singapore’s last kampungs — reminiscent of our Garden City back in the 1960s — and also includes Chek Jawa Wetlands, a rich ecosystem, which can be explored on a boardwalk or via kayaking. Situated only a 15-minute bumboat ride from Changi Village Ferry Terminal, Pulau Ubin is a hub of recreational activities and an entire island ripe for discovery. 

Featuring all sorts of tropical wildlife (watch out for monkeys on the road!), dense vegetation and quarries, Pulau Ubin offers Instagramers a variety of photo spots for taking pictures, as well as plenty to look at and admire. In our experience, Pulau Ubin is best enjoyed on a bicycle — bring your own or rent one there. Enjoy venturing across the island on foot, or on two wheels, and remember to take plenty of water and mosquito repellent with you. 

Get off-the-beaten-track 

The vast mangrove forest at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is about as far away from ‘normal life’ in Singapore as it gets. Situated in the Northwestern part of the island, visitors can venture through the pathways and discover an impressive array of wildlife including monitor lizards, and a selection of birds such as egrets, hornbills and crocodiles. Indeed, Sungei Buloh’s wetlands is home to the estuarine crocodile which are critically endangered and on the danger list of Singapore’s threatened animals due to habitat loss and sadly, poaching.  

What are your favourite off-the-track adventures in The Little Red Dot?