Bukit Timah is undoubtedly one of the places with the most vegetation in Singapore, and it is also a place where I go when I want to train to go uphill. In this article, we will pass through the old rails of the Bukit Timah rail corridor, climb many stairs, and even visit one of the quarries in Singapore.
Bukit Timah Hike
There are many natural parks in Singapore; my favorites are Windsor and Fort Canning, but hiking Bukit Timah Hill is different because the road is uphill; according to the rock at the summit, Bukit Timah’s hill is 163.63 m.
The beauty of this hike is that you will be immersed in a large portion of tropical rainforest.
The start of this hike is Beauty World MRT station: Walk inside Beauty World and take the overhead bridge on the last floor to start. After crossing, you will find yourself in the Rail corridor. This hike is almost 9km in length and lasts 2 hours. Download the map and use it in Google MyMaps (not to be confused with Google Maps) or apps such as Outdoors Active or Maps Me.How to get there?
About this hike
Map with route
The start of the hike
After crossing the bridge from Beauty World, you’ll discover the Rail Corridor, a hidden gem nestled in the bushes. This was once a bustling railway line, and you can still see the remnants of the rails, adding a historical touch to your hike. It’s a perfect spot for running, hiking, or biking.
The entrance of the park
You will see a small staircase on your right just before reaching the rails. Go down there and follow the Hndhede Dr to the park’s entrance.
The visitors center has information about the park and is also a place where you can buy drinks.
Prepare to climb many stairs
There are many steps to get to the top, and there are usually also many people in this part. The good thing is that the climb is not long; when you least expect it, you will find yourself at the summit!
The Summit
Apart from the rock that indicates the summit data, what caught my attention the most was seeing a group of people doing some martial arts. I thought it was Tai chi, but I am not an expert. It was nice to see them move with such flexibility and harmony.
Giant trees
Along the way, we were accompanied by giant Seraya trees. We saw a sign indicating that some could be as tall as a building. Their thin trunks stood on the sides of the road, and their branches and leaves provided plenty of shade.
Going downhill
At a certain point, we had to go downhill toward Dairy Farm; to do this, we had to go down many iron stairs. We met many people in the opposite direction uphill, almost out of breath!
Alternative road
Our next stop would be Singapore Quarry. We had the possibility of taking the path that ran along the street or an internal route between the trees. We took the internal one since it had shade, was nicer, and there were fewer people there. On that road, the vegetation changed, and we saw many palm trees.
The path for mountain bikes
At the end of the road, we reached a point with two paths. The one on the left seemed more beautiful and serene, with a pile of stones probably from the quarry on one side.
We continued until we came across a sign indicating that entry was strictly prohibited. When we saw the bikes coming with skill at high speed, we realized that it was a path only for mountain bikes; from there, we turned back and took the other route.
The Singapore Quarry
To our surprise, the road to the Singapore Quarry was wide and paved, with very few people. We ran into a little girl riding her bike and some families with children—even babies!
The Singapore Quarry is beautiful despite the intense sun. The water acted as a mirror for the enormous rocks. This is also a place loved by bird photographers. Several cameras with telescopic lenses were positioned in various directions, probably to capture some special bird in the area.
Back to the Rail corridor
We turned back from the same road we came from, and at a certain point, we took a path to the left. This path led us to a small bridge. After crossing the bridge, take the stairs down, and you will be at the rail corridor.
The End of the hike
Our walk ends in the same place, “Beauty World,” where we took the subway.
After two stops, we got off at Sixth Avenue to have lunch at the Living Cafe, where we tried the best latte made with homemade almond milk and coffee with chocolate notes. I accompanied it with a delicious salad bowl, sweet potato, tempeh, kimchi, and avocado with rich tahini sauce. The atmosphere is pleasant, and the staff is amiable and helpful. It is a place where I will return very often!
Final thoughts
Hiking Bukit Timah Hill is unique because it offers multiple routes, depending on what you want to see. Next time, I will also visit the Hindhede Quarry which is along the route. A pleasant surprise is that the rail corridor passes nearby.