MacRitchie Reservoir and the TreeTop Walk

The TreeTop Walk is the place to discover that Singapore still has real rainforest. It sits in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, the largest nature reserve in the country, wrapped around MacRitchie Reservoir, the island's oldest reservoir, which was built in the nineteenth century to supply the colonial town with water. The walk itself is a freestanding suspension bridge about 250 metres long that connects the two highest points in the reserve, hanging around 25 metres above the forest floor. Walking across, you are level with the crowns of tall dipterocarp trees, looking out over an unbroken green canopy with the city completely out of sight. Birds, squirrels and long-tailed macaques move through the branches around you, and the bridge sways gently underfoot, which is part of the fun. The bridge is one-way, so once you start you continue to the other end, and it is open from morning until late afternoon, closed on Mondays. The catch is that you have to earn it. There is no road to the bridge: you hike in on forest trails, and the shortest common approach, from Venus Drive near Upper Thomson Road, is a loop of around seven kilometres taking two to three hours, including the rough Pierce Track and the lovely Petaling Boardwalk. The alternative from MacRitchie Reservoir Park, with its waterside boardwalks, is longer. Either way, it is a genuine walk in the jungle: humid, hilly in places and full of wildlife, but on clear, well-marked trails. For nature lovers, it is the most memorable free experience in Singapore.

Plan the route. From Venus Drive, the orange route takes you along the Venus Loop and Link, the Squirrel and Drongo Trails, then Pierce Track (the hardest section) to the TreeTop Walk, returning by the Petaling Boardwalk and Sime Track: about seven kilometres in total. There is a car park at Venus Drive, taxis can drop you there, and Bright Hill MRT is about a fifteen-minute walk away. From MacRitchie Reservoir Park on Lornie Road, the walk follows the reservoir's boardwalks and forest trails to the Ranger Station near the bridge and back, which is noticeably longer; allow half a day. NParks rates the trails moderate to difficult because of steps and inclines.

Go early. Starting before 8.30am means cooler air, more birdlife and a good chance of having the bridge almost to yourself; aim to reach it soon after it opens. Bring at least a litre of water per person, sunscreen, insect repellent and good shoes. There is no food or drink on the trail, and the Ranger Station near the bridge has the only toilets and water cooler in the reserve. Do not carry visible food or plastic bags: the macaques are bold and will grab them, and feeding them is illegal. Remember the bridge is closed on Mondays and in bad weather.

The TreeTop Walk suits fit adults and active families with children old enough to walk the distance; it is not for prams, and anyone afraid of heights should know the bridge sways. If you want the rainforest without the full hike, the boardwalks around MacRitchie Reservoir make a pleasant shorter walk with kayaks on the water and terrapins and monitor lizards along the banks. Combine with a late breakfast at the cafes of Upper Thomson Road or the hawker centres nearby afterwards.