Singapore mangroves, a few steps from an MRT station!

Right next to Labrador MRT station is a boardwalk through the mangroves of Berlayar Creek. In just a few steps, you are enveloped in a shady forest with birdsong. Spot squirrels and perhaps even otters!

Here's a video introduction to the Berlayar Creek Boardwalk.

It is cool and shady along the Boardwalk. Within minutes you are transported away from the city into the  mangrove forest ringing with the sound of cicadas calling.

There are two shelters along the boardwalk where you can look over the water, in the middle of the dense trees and spot wildlife in the water, land and air.

Find wildlife with your ears as well as your eyes!

There are lots of frisky Plantain squirrels which fill the forest with their shrill squeaks. Now and then, you may spot Malayan water monitors lazing along the banks or swimming languidly through the water.

The forest is filled with the song and calls of a wide variety of birds.

Otters are often seen swimming in Berlayar Creek!

Along the way, lovely views of the forest cloaking the hill at Labrador Nature Reserve.

The mangrove-lined Berlayar Creek flows out to rocky and sandy shores, with seagrass meadows, overlooking the forested coast of Sentosa.

Lush seagrass meadows can be seen from the boardwalk at low tide.

The mouth of the Creek overlooks Sentosa and has sandy shores alive with little crabs. The rocky shores are also alive.

One of the grand mansions featured on Remember Singapore can be seen from the Bukit Cermin part of the boardwalk. It is House No. 30, Bukit Chermin (early 1900s-present), one of the largest of the four existing black and white bungalows still standing at Bukit Chermin. It was likely to be the residence of the portmaster during the colonial era. The area of Bukit Chermin was given the conservation status in 2008.

The Berlayar Creek and Bukit Cermin boardwalk is part of the Labrador Nature Reserve managed by NParks.

Exploring the Berlayar Creek Boardwalk

The Boardwalk is open 24/7 and particularly romantic for an evening walk. Download NPark's A Guide to Labrador Nature and Coastal Walk and explore it on your own.

Following the boardwalk past Bukit Cermin towards Marina at Keppel Bay takes you on to Vivo City.

Here's a special way to enjoy Berlayar Creek!

On 27 Jan 2018 (Sat), join artists Van Wangye and Alpana Ahuja of the Nature Society (Singapore) for a fun and casual site drawing session at Berlayer Creek. Meet fellow nature art lovers to observe, appreciate and sketch Berlayer's Creek beautiful landscape, flora and fauna. No drawing experience is necessary. FREE and open to the public More details here.

Share YOUR experience at Berlayar Creek! We'd love to hear from you!

Links to more information

• Labrador Nature Reserve by NParks
• A Guide to Labrador Nature and Coastal Walk by NParks.
• The Wildlife of Berlayer Creek-Bukit Chermin Boardwalk by NParks.
• Surveys and trips to Berlayar Creek on wild shores of singapore.

Is it spelled Berlayar or Berlayer?
The correct spelling is Berlayar and not Berlayer. There is even a board sharing the story of Batu Berlayar at Labrador overlooking Sentosa, from which the Creek probably took its original and proper name.

This post first appeared in the wild shores of singapore blog.

Update 28 Jan: What happened during Art in the Park at Berlayer Creek? Thanks to Kerry Pereira for these photos.