Chek Jawa

It's a really weird name for a mangrove site. People went like :"huh?? Is it in Indonesia?"

Sited at Pulau Ubin, Chek Jawa is about 10mins van ride from the Ubin jetty. Back in 2007, visitors were allowed to stand on the shoreline during low tide and touch the marine life such as starfishes that were washed ashore, small anamone, mud skippers, crabs and the likes. But since then, the NParks had built boardwalks on the shoreline instead so that visitors could admire the marinelife without getting their feet wet. Visitors still could opt to go down to the shoreline. This would be guided tours at about $60 per group of about 12 (i think) and advance booking had to be made online. I didn't know about this change so we didn't get to be on the waters. Managed to only see huge crabs, tiny-miny crabs, mud skippers, from where we were on the boardwalk. Riyan was a little disappointed that there were no starfishes as the tide was coming in real fast when we got to the boardwalk.

We started at 8-ish am. The trip from mainland SG to Pulau Ubin was a mere 10 mins or so... on a bumboat. The first for kids. Of course, they were thrilled! especially the younger one.

At Ubin, we got onto a van that took us to the furthest point the four wheeler could take us to Chek Jawa for $4 per person, return trip. Henceforth, we walked! Lots of mosquitoes. The kids got bitten many times and I sprayed them with the anti mosquito repellent like there was no tomorrow! Tracked on the mangrove boardwalk trail to the bird watch tower, with a name similar to Jiwang! ahahhaha
This bicycle haven reminds me of China.
I take you and you take me, ok?

The mangrove trail.
From the bird tower.


The conquerors.

In isolation.
Tide getting in.

This was a big-ass crab! But my 'too powerful' lens didn't do justice to its size.


The boardwalk.





There were wild monkeys who were not even scared of humans. They even rummaged through visitor's food baskets and toppled the bicycles in search of food.

He stole an apple and was trying hard to open the crackers in the packaging. Try again, my friend!
It was a good bonding session with my cousins and kids... all in about 3 hours. Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves although tired and perspired loads! Loose clothing and a headgear is a MUST for those visiting Chek Jawa. The heat really got into me although i donned my favourite cap. Had a terrible headache on the way home. But had a good slurp of icy cold pineapple drink and chicken rice at the Changi Village Food Centre before heading home...
Lots to see at Chek Jawa, even Ubin itself... and monkeys too! See how they outsmarted the visitors who cycled by rummaging through the basket of food on the bicycles! Go forth and conquer Chek Jawa! We did and we loved it!

While we set back to city life, parts of Ubin was and still is frozen in time...