Islands and day trips from Singapore

Question 1

How do I get to Pulau Ubin, and how much is the bumboat?

Accepted Answer

Take a bumboat from Changi Point Ferry Terminal beside Changi Village, a 10-minute crossing that typically costs S$4 each way. A bicycle adds S$2. Boats usually run from 6am to 7pm and leave once 12 passengers are aboard, and they're privately run, so confirm the fare before you board. Bus 2 from Tanah Merah MRT or bus 29 from Tampines MRT gets you to Changi Village. Pulau Ubin covers the island.

Question 2

Do I have to hire a bike on Pulau Ubin?

Accepted Answer

No, you can walk, cycle or hire one of the island's vans. NParks puts Chek Jawa about 3km from the jetty, a 40-minute walk, so a bicycle from the main village saves time. Rent a helmet too, since steeper stretches have signs telling cyclists to dismount and push. We'd ride out to Chek Jawa and walk the rest. Pulau Ubin Bike Rental has the details.

Question 3

What if I miss the last bumboat back from Pulau Ubin?

Accepted Answer

Call the NParks helpline on 1800-471-7300 if no bumboat is waiting at the Ubin jetty for your return. Boats usually run until 7pm, but operators may sail later, or with fewer than 12 passengers, at a higher fare agreed privately, so confirm the price before you board. If you plan to stay past 7pm, arrange the crossing with a boatman beforehand. Ubin on the early boat plans a day that ends in good time.

Question 4

Where can I eat on Pulau Ubin?

Accepted Answer

Pulau Ubin has four restaurants, and NParks lists all of them. Encik Hassan's, next to the jetty, serves Malay dishes such as mee rebus and nasi lemak, usually at weekends. Cheong Lian Yuen, near the jetty, and Sin Nam Huat, opposite the wayang (street opera) stage, serve seafood, and Sin Nam Huat adds kopi. Season Live Seafood, on the road to the Ubin Volunteer Hub, has a sea view of the jetty. Village shops sell snacks, drinks and chendol.

Question 5

What time does Coney Island Park close, and can I camp?

Accepted Answer

Coney Island Park is open from 7am to 7pm, and camping and fishing aren't allowed. There's no carpark on the island, so walk in from the west entrance near Punggol Point Walk or the east one near Lorong Halus. NParks asks visitors to wear long trousers and covered shoes against sandflies, and to keep their distance from wild boars and box jellyfish. Coney Island Park has the walk.

Question 6

Which island trips from Singapore need a passport?

Accepted Answer

Trips to Bintan, Batam and Johor cross a border, so you show your passport at immigration. The Southern Islands ferry from Marina South Pier is passport-free, its operator says. Bintan's ferry company asks for a passport valid for at least six months, and for Indonesia's digital arrival card within 72 hours before you land. The Southern Islands are the easy first pick.

Question 7

Do I need an arrival card for a day trip to Johor Bahru?

Accepted Answer

Yes, foreign visitors fill in Malaysia's MDAC within 3 days before arriving there, and Singapore's SG Arrival Card within 3 days before coming back. The SG card is free, and Singapore citizens skip the MDAC. Show your passport and your registration at immigration. Day trips lists the ways across.

Question 8

How do I get from Singapore to Johor Bahru for a day trip?

Accepted Answer

Take a scheduled cross-border bus, KTM's Shuttle Tebrau train between Woodlands and JB Sentral, or a licensed cross-border taxi, since private-hire cars aren't allowed on cross-border trips. The train costs S$5 from Woodlands for non-Malaysians, and your passport is your boarding pass. LTA targets the end of 2026 for the RTS Link, a five-minute train with both countries' immigration done before you board. Day trips has the rest.

Question 9

Can I do Batam or Bintan as a day trip from Singapore?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Batam and Bintan both work as a day trip, with first boats at 7.40am from HarbourFront and 8.10am from Tanah Merah. The last Bintan Resort Ferries boat leaves Bintan at 6.35pm local time, an hour behind Singapore, and Batam Fast runs back from Batam Centre until about 8.30pm local time. Check in 90 minutes early for Bintan, and bring your passport. Bintan Resort Ferries has the fares.

Question 10

How do I get to LEGOLAND Malaysia from Singapore?

Accepted Answer

LEGOLAND Malaysia lists coach services from Singapore: WTS Travel picks up at Suntec City and Jurong East, and EU Holidays runs a second coach. Drivers cross by the Tuas Second Link, or by Woodlands Checkpoint and the Coastal Highway from Danga Bay. Either way, you show your passport at the border, and foreign visitors also need Malaysia's arrival card. LEGOLAND Malaysia Day Trip has the ticket details.

Question 11

Can I visit Pulau Semakau and its landfill?

Accepted Answer

NEA's page says visits to Semakau Landfill are temporarily suspended, so there is no official tour to book. The landfill lies about 8km south of Singapore, and NEA arranges visits to its waste-to-energy plants on request instead. If you want an island day from the south, Southern Islands Hop covers Kusu, St John's and Lazarus on one ferry ticket.

Question 12

Should I go to Pulau Ubin or the Southern Islands first?

Accepted Answer

Go to Pulau Ubin first if you'd like a day on a bicycle or on foot among old kampong houses, mangroves and the Chek Jawa boardwalks. Choose the Southern Islands if you'd rather have a ferry ride, a temple on Kusu and the Lazarus sandbar. We'd start with Ubin, which can fill a whole day, and keep the islands for a second trip. Southern Islands Hop is one ticket for all three.