Coney Island was formerly only reachable by boat, a millionaire’s (Haw Par brothers) island and a wakeboarder’s dream. This changed on October 10, 2015, when two bridges linking the 50-hectare island to mainland Singapore were opened, making it accessible to the general public.
Now, this environmentally friendly park employs fallen tree wood for all of the park’s signs, seats, and the boardwalk across the mangrove swamp. It’s time to pack your belongings and travel to an unexplored part of Singapore, here is a guide for exploring Coney Island.
Mangrove Trail
One of Coney Island’s most visited features is the mangrove trail. With it, you can take a stroll through a mangrove forest on the boardwalk. You could spot mudskippers and, if you’re lucky, water snakes as well if you look hard enough.
To be courteous of other individuals hiking, remember to dismount from your bike if you’re riding one on the boardwalk. If you are feeling exhausted during your trip, keep in mind that one of the greatest views of Coney Island may be seen towards the end of the boardwalk so don’t give up and forge on ahead. If you do plan on visiting, do it after a season of heavy rain so that you can see more of the mangrove’s features in its best elements.
Haw Par Beach Villa
Image Credits: Haw Par Beach Villa, Expat ChoiceThe abandoned Haw Par Beach Villa has been discovered deep within the woods until lately. The single-story home with an open porch was built in 1937 by the Aw brothers the pair behind Tiger Balm brand and Haw Par Villa. The brothers are claimed to have owned it until the 1950s, but the building got taken over by the government in the 1970s. A graffiti on one of its walls is dated “September ’66,” implying that it was already abandoned at the time. The approach to the villa is muddy and marked with “no entrance” signs, so explore at your own risk.
Eating Food On The Island
You are welcome to have a picnic at Coney Island, but do so at your own risk. Keep in mind that the island has been maintained to serve the animals inhabiting it as well without destroying their ecological home, so there will be local macaques and other animals around.
The macaques are a naughty lot, but they’re harmless if you ignore them. Stick to exploring and avoid bringing plastic bags or visible food onto the island as the sound of plastic rustling draws them. However, there are indeed other animals that are worth stumbling upon like colourful birds and snakes you wouldn’t find on mainland.
Beautiful Sunsets
Coney Island’s gates close at 7 p.m., but we are sure that you could manage an evening hike if you are quick about it. Truthfully speaking, Coney Island’s sunsets are extremely magnificent, largely due to the fact that there aren’t any building blocking the view. As you walk down the main road or sit on the steps near the lake, watch the sun flood through the towering trees and enjoy a clear view of the sunset and shoreline before you head back.
How To Get There
To get to the island, you don’t have to swim over or even use a boat. You can go through Punggol’s residential estates away from the HDB clusters in the area with bus route 84 from Punggol Interchange. Arrive to the now-defunct Punggol Ranch, where you may stroll to Punggol Beach’s boardwalk, which connects to the island. Before heading to Coney Island, go through The Punggol Settlement where you can stock up on some water or borrow some bikes to travel to the island.
We hope that with this list, instead of the same old routine of binging Netflix shows on the weekend, you will consider bringing your family for a fun (but potentially sweaty) day out.
