From the concrete jungles of Singapore’s urban sprawl it is
possible to completely leave it all behind and isolate yourself by allowing
nature to engulf you. The MacRitchie Reservoir and Bukit Batok Nature Reserve
in central Singapore are those places that offer a change of scenery from
towering skyscrapers to towering rain forest canopy.
From the MacRitchie Reservoir starts a 4.8km trail leading
away from a major road and into a different world. Soon the city sounds are
left behind and curious monkeys descend to get a closer look. Butterflies swirl
about, birds move from tree to tree and insects reign supreme on the forest
floor and while monitor lizards navigate the marshy waterways. It seems
impossible to be able to leave the city and enter such a serene world in only a
matter of minutes.
The walk to Bukit Batok’s primary rain forest includes a bridge 50 meters up spanning the canopy allowing spectacular views of the tree tops and natures lungs. Here you can experience being with the birds and monkeys carelessly moving about, and the only thing to separate you from nature and bring you back to reality is the occasional helicopter passing over head. With the temporary broken bond with the peace and nature it is hard to imagine that this pristine section of rain forest is not surrounding a city but is rather surrounded by the ever encroaching development of mankind.
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