Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is Singapore’s 2nd ASEAN Heritage Park and was established on the 18th of October 2011. The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is only about four hundred acres in size, but despite its small size the reserve is considered one of the most productive forests in Singapore. This is primarily due to the foliage, which mainly consists of dipterocarp trees. Along with the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve the park is part of a network of over thirty protected areas. The nature reserve is probably most popular for its tallest hill, which lends it name to the park. The hill (which in Malay means ‘tin hill’) is roughly 163 metres tall and has served as a filming location for many local movies.

The park is covered in lowland, tropical forest similar to the foliage found on the island before Sir Stamford Raffles came. As they trek through the forest, visitors will feel like they are journeying through time. While many of the island’s forests have been subjected to logging, the Bukit Timah reserve remains relatively untouched. The park reserve is home to an amazing biodiversity, containing representatives of almost forty per cent of Singapore’s entire fauna and flora. There are over five hundred species of animals and over eight hundred species of flowering plants. Here visitors will find rare species like the Singapore Freshwater Crab and the Forest Praying Mantis. One can also find other animals such as pangolins, colugo and flying squirrels.

 

Nature lovers visiting Singapore should definitely stop by the park. Parking is available near the park although visitors are encouraged to use the car park at the Dairy Farm Nature Park. An alternate entrance is located here. Tourists are advised not to visit Bukit Timah during rainy weather as branches can fall off. It is always best to double check the weather forecast before heading to the reserve. The forest reserve is located a mere twelve kilometres from Singapore’s central business district, the Downtown Core.

Thanks to the island’s efficient and extensive public transport system, one can get around with relative ease. When looking for Singapore serviced accommodation try a place that is located close to an MRT Station, like the La Residenza Serviced Suites. They offer comfortable serviced apartments Singapore just minutes away from Singapore’s most beloved tourist spots.