Dear Cycling Lovers,

Imagine cycling on rustic Singapore roads but 20-years ago. Where you see only green, coconuts trees, dogs barking, no traffic (not to mention about jam) .....scenes that are long gone in our daily life.

You will find this in Pulau Ubin. Cycling is the common & great way to explore this last frontier of Spore.

Since this is for basic & intermediate, I will regulate the pace according to the skills & stamina of those who turn up. We will cycle on road, no off track into the forest - unless everyone agrees. Hopefully we can pluck some durians & rambutan.

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What Best is to enjoy this with friends of common interest as you, spending the day with fun, laughter & new friendship that last - how can you miss this trip ? RSVP now !

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Program :
8.00am : Members gather & start the boat trip to Ubin Island
8.20am : choosing & testing of bicycle
8.40am : safety briefing/grouping/planning of cycling route ->
Rock and Roll - cycling start, yee ha !
(if the pace of all cyclist is fast we will be able to cover whole island)
12.00pm : cycling end/feedback & comments
12.45pm : arrive changi ferry terminal
1.00pm : lunch (in Ubin seafood or Changi - upon to grp decision) on your own or with your new found friends

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Please bring extra cash for the following expenses :

1. Cost of the bumboat: $2.50/person/trip (wef 15 Apr 08).
--- Maximum 12 passengers per trip.
--- additional charge if you bring your own bike on the ferry
2. Bicycle rent will vary from $6 - $10 depending on type of bicycle you chose. I would highly recommend bicycle with full suspension.
3. Breakfast & Lunch (seafood ?)

Trust me : We want to arrive earlier so we can have all the good conditions bicycle & beat the Sunday crowd

Things you MUST bring or wear : pack as light as possible

1. at least 1.5 litres of water/isotonic drinks
2. comfortable shoe & sport wear
3. cap
4. sun-block

Please ensure you know EXACTLY how to get to the meetup point and ON-TIME. Pls download my map from the website under "File". To make sure you arrive on time, it's best to share taxi as the bus route is very long and unpredictable. See U there !

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Getting there
Do NOT confuse the meetup point with Changi Ferry Terminal. Its Changi Point Ferry Terminal that provide ferry to Pulau Ubin.

BEST is by taxi - the terminal is the last stop for buses - so the journey is much longer. Best if you can find others to share taxi from Pasir Ris MRT.
If you want to share cab from MRT - pls indicate on your rsyp so others can contact you

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About the island
Shaped like a boomerang, Pulau Ubin (Granite Island) is situated just off the northeastern corner of mainland Singapore. The 1020-hectare island was once a cluster of five smaller ones separated by tidal rivers, but the building of bunds for prawn farming has since united these into a single island. Two other islets, Pulau Ketam (Crab Island) and Pulau Sekudu (Frog Island), lie to its south. Ubin is largely a series of undulating, granite hills. In the early days, granite mining supported a few thousand settlers. Much of the original vegetation was cleared for the cultivation of rubber and crops like coffee, pineapple, coconut and jasmine. Today, abandoned granite quarries remain as picturesque relics of Ubin's history, while forests and grasslands have regenerated to cover up the ravages of the past.

Life on Ubin
A trip to Pulau Ubin is a throwback to Singapore in the 1960's. The island is home to Singapore's last villages or "kampongs" ? there are still about a hundred villagers living here. In contrast to the modern and efficient public utilities on mainland Singapore, Ubin residents rely on wells for water and noisy diesel generators for electricity. Some villagers depend on traditional farming and fishing for subsistence, while others tend to their provision stores and eateries. At the main village, near the jetty, some houses have been converted to bicycle rental shops to support a quiet tourist trade.

Ubin is a great day trip spent walking or pedaling through rustic roads under swaying coconut palms, exploring shady trails in overgrown rubber plantations, checking out secluded beaches and flourishing mangroves. On Ubin, the food tastes better, air is fresher and sights and sounds so soothing to the soul.