How to Plan a Hike in Singapore - Enjoy the outdoors in the Lion City.

 Regarded as one of Asia's top hiking hubs, those holidaying in Singapore can enjoy some of the best hiking experiences up for grabs in the region. With easily accessible hiking trails crisscrossing most of the island, avid trekkers will be spoiled for choice when it comes to exploring Singapore's wild side on foot. From picking the right trails to making the most of each hike, here are some tips on how to enjoy a memorable hike in the Lion City.

1. Know What to Expect

Hikers who are heading to Singapore should first and foremost read up on the types of hiking trails accessible in the island nation and adjust their expectations accordingly. Singapore is a tiny island that's smaller than the capital city of Sri Lanka so expecting long, challenging hikes will only lead to disappointment as most of the treks in Singapore and short or a handful of kilometres in length. While it may seem a disadvantage, the positive side of containing dozens of short hikes is that one will be able to enjoy nearly every hike or hiking trail on the island during a vacation. This is ideal for travellers who wish to squeeze in as many hikes as possible during a trip while the diversity of natural sights will also make each hike a unique experience, unlike longer treks that take a day or more to complete.

 2. Set Out Early

As a country that enjoys tropical weather for most of the year, the heat and the humidity are elements one must contend with when engaging in hiking activities in Singapore. This is why an early start, right after or even before breakfast is ideal as the sunny conditions only increase along with the humidity as the day wears on. Those who hail from colder climates will find hiking in the afternoon is less than pleasant and the only solution to beating the heat and enjoying a fantastic hike is to set out at the crack of dawn or as soon as the national parks and other reserves are open to visitors.

 3. Hit the Nature Parks

Singapore's nature parks offer some of the most breathtaking trails in the country with plenty of wildlife and local flora thrown into the mix. The Thomson Nature Park boasts five trails where one is likely to run into Malayan porcupines and endangered species such as Raffles' banded langur monkeys among others. The ruins of what was once a Hainan village are also found within the confines of the park while the Chestnut Nature Park is more suited for beginners and intermediary hikers as the country's largest park also includes trails where hidden waterways and mountainous landscapes are part of the experience. As the country's biggest park, the trails combined offer 5.6km of hiking potential.

 4. Coastal Trails

    
                                Jurong Lake Gardens| Img via Flickr

Those based at Park Hotel Alexandra or any other hotel near Harbourfront Singapore should also check out the Coast to Coast trails which run a whopping 36km. Providing hikers with a day's worth of trails, the Coast to Coast trek runs bridges the distance between Coney Island and Jurong Lake Gardens. Travellers can also break up the trail across several days while Coney Island is another ecological wonderland ideal for exploring North-Eastern Singapore. The tranquil woods and the secret beaches in this area make this hike well worth the effort while spotting native birds, butterflies and macaques are another treat hikers will come across on the island.

 5. Nature Reserves

The Southern Ridges and Labrador Nature Reserve and the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve are other spectacular trails accessible to visitors based in Singapore. The Learning Forest, on the other hand, is a scenic hiking hub located in a botanical garden.