MacRitchie Reservoir
MacRitchie Reservoir
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
871 reviews
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JiJi
New York City, NY36 contributions
Feb 2025 • Solo
Very scenic and peaceful! I walked along the reservoir via the Boardwalk before continuing to one of the longer trails. The boardwalk is not very wide so it can be annoying to squeeze past people especially groups. Bring bugspray and sunscreen! There are some benches where you can rest along the way, and there are some plaques with information about the wildlife on the sides of the boardwalk.
Written 8 February 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SB01
Sonning Common, UK980 contributions
Nov 2024 • Family
It’s really remarkable that large wooded areas like this exist in the middle of Singapore’s concrete jungle. We walked anti-clockwise from the visitor centre, across the zigzag bridge and then along the lakeside boardwalk until we reached the golf course, then doubled back through the forest trail. I estimate we walked about 5 miles over a near 2 hour period. We saw several smallish lizards, Kingfishers, turtles, large fish and a very large monitor, that scuttled underneath the boardwalk as we walked over it.
We visited just after rains - the mist rising off the water and through the trees was magical. It cost about S$15 to travel by Grab from the city centre.
We visited just after rains - the mist rising off the water and through the trees was magical. It cost about S$15 to travel by Grab from the city centre.
Written 1 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JeffLeong
Singapore, Singapore3,675 contributions
Aug 2020
The silver lining of Covid-19 is the lack of crowds at MacRitchie Reservoir. It is almost like having the park to yourself and a few others. The prevailing cool weather brought about by occasional rains has made our visit to the park even more pleasurable.
We visited in the late afternoon to catch the changing atmosphere from day to night. We shared the park with a few families, joggers, dog walkers and a few groups of young adults. Everyone seemed to enjoy the tranquility of the park. It was lovely to watch the setting sun casts its amber colours across the shimmering water and darkens the trees around the reservoir.
We stayed until 7.45pm when the last light in the sky has receded. The park was almost empty by this time. A lovely outing indeed.
We visited in the late afternoon to catch the changing atmosphere from day to night. We shared the park with a few families, joggers, dog walkers and a few groups of young adults. Everyone seemed to enjoy the tranquility of the park. It was lovely to watch the setting sun casts its amber colours across the shimmering water and darkens the trees around the reservoir.
We stayed until 7.45pm when the last light in the sky has receded. The park was almost empty by this time. A lovely outing indeed.
Written 12 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kim buay p
Singapore, Singapore13,844 contributions
May 2021
One of the most scenic trail in Singapore is the Prunus-Petai Trail. The boardwalk trail skirts the edge of the water on one side and the forest on the other. The water appears turquoise at most time. Early in the morning, one can see the straight beam of the sunlight streaming through the forest. There is a hut with seat for comtemplation along the trail while there are other platforms with seats for lookout. I enjoyed learning more about nature from the numerous information boards along the way such as rusting of the leaves ( a common sight ) being due to the growth of a type of algae on the leaves. It may prevent the leaves from absorbing sunlight for photosynthesis.
I also noticed many leaf litter plants and fan palms along the way.
As it is a short trail of only about 2 km, the exit leads to the MacRitchie Nature Trail, an earth trail with its undulating path.
Some two kilometres from the starting point of the MacRitchie Nature Trail, there are many brown Keruing leaves on the ground indicating that elements of the primary forests have returned. Besides the dipterocarps, there are other plant species of the primary forest such as Dysoxylum cauliflorum with their fascinating fruits. Its 3–5-chambered red fruit is top-shaped and develops either solitarily or in clusters from the trunk.
When the British colonists arrived in 1819 followed by the immigrant settlers, much of the primary rainforest in this area were felled to make way for the cash crops such as gambier and rubber. However these cash crop were abandoned as the years passed.
With the abundant rainfall on the island, the forest soon grew back and became impenetrable with the tangle of undergrowth characteristic of secondary forest. These secondary forest surrounds MacRitchie Reservoir today. At the entrance of the trail near the Little Sisters of the Poor, a few rubber trees can be spotted and they immediately betray this forest's past. The ground are often littered with the rubber seeds around here. It is possible to find the intact rubber fruit containing the three seeds before it opens by explosion.
I also noticed many leaf litter plants and fan palms along the way.
As it is a short trail of only about 2 km, the exit leads to the MacRitchie Nature Trail, an earth trail with its undulating path.
Some two kilometres from the starting point of the MacRitchie Nature Trail, there are many brown Keruing leaves on the ground indicating that elements of the primary forests have returned. Besides the dipterocarps, there are other plant species of the primary forest such as Dysoxylum cauliflorum with their fascinating fruits. Its 3–5-chambered red fruit is top-shaped and develops either solitarily or in clusters from the trunk.
When the British colonists arrived in 1819 followed by the immigrant settlers, much of the primary rainforest in this area were felled to make way for the cash crops such as gambier and rubber. However these cash crop were abandoned as the years passed.
With the abundant rainfall on the island, the forest soon grew back and became impenetrable with the tangle of undergrowth characteristic of secondary forest. These secondary forest surrounds MacRitchie Reservoir today. At the entrance of the trail near the Little Sisters of the Poor, a few rubber trees can be spotted and they immediately betray this forest's past. The ground are often littered with the rubber seeds around here. It is possible to find the intact rubber fruit containing the three seeds before it opens by explosion.
Written 8 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kim buay p
Singapore, Singapore13,844 contributions
Feb 2020
Although Singapore is a garden city, if you are a tourist who crave for some walking experience among nature-then this is a suitable place. It is easily accessibe with many buses (167, 980, 157, 132 etc) stopping at the bus stop right in front of the park. The nearest mrt stop is Marymount station.
There are 4 suitable trails for tourists: 1) Lornie Trail followed by Jering Boardwalk and Chemperai Boardwalk. This trail starts after the zig zag bridge and it takes about 1.5 hours round trip. 2) Macritchie Nature Trail followed Petai Boardwalk and Prunus Boardwalk round trip which takes about 1.5 hours. The trail starts quite near to Marymount mrt or the bus stop along Thomson road.
3) To do the treetop walk, it is easiest to start at Venus Loop, then Venus Link, Pierce Track, Treetop walk, Petaling Boardwalk, Sime track and Golf Link. One can exit at the end of Golf Link to Lornie Road or continue on using with Lornie trail or Jering Boardwalk to the entrance of Macritchie Reservoir. The Treetop walk is closed on Monday. This walk probably takes 2 hours. 4) One can walk around the reservoir in 2 hours by starting at Lornie Trail and ending at Macritchie Nature Trail or do the loop the other way round. There is a cafe at the park for refreshments near the entrance. This park is popular with the locals doing their exercise so it is safe to walk.
There are 4 suitable trails for tourists: 1) Lornie Trail followed by Jering Boardwalk and Chemperai Boardwalk. This trail starts after the zig zag bridge and it takes about 1.5 hours round trip. 2) Macritchie Nature Trail followed Petai Boardwalk and Prunus Boardwalk round trip which takes about 1.5 hours. The trail starts quite near to Marymount mrt or the bus stop along Thomson road.
3) To do the treetop walk, it is easiest to start at Venus Loop, then Venus Link, Pierce Track, Treetop walk, Petaling Boardwalk, Sime track and Golf Link. One can exit at the end of Golf Link to Lornie Road or continue on using with Lornie trail or Jering Boardwalk to the entrance of Macritchie Reservoir. The Treetop walk is closed on Monday. This walk probably takes 2 hours. 4) One can walk around the reservoir in 2 hours by starting at Lornie Trail and ending at Macritchie Nature Trail or do the loop the other way round. There is a cafe at the park for refreshments near the entrance. This park is popular with the locals doing their exercise so it is safe to walk.
Written 2 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kim buay p
Singapore, Singapore13,844 contributions
Aug 2020
I started at the trail beside the Island Country Club along Adam Road to shorten the walk. A longer hike would involve starting from entrance of MacRitchie Reservoir.
From here, it is about 2.5 km to Jelutong Tower and this stretch of the trail is most scenic especially along Golf Link. There is also a boardwalk along the way.
After Jelutong Tower, there is a sign post at the fork indicating the way to Bukit Timah Hill or to the Tree Top.
After crossing a stream by stepping on the stones, one can hear sound of rapid water quite near to the sign post pointing the way to Bukit Timah Hill. The path ahead is undulating and the soil is reddish in colour. The end of this Rifle Range Link leads to Rifle Range Road. After 10-15 mins walk along the road (there are very few cars here), one walk along the Rifle Range Flyover. Ahead is a clearly shown path to connect to either Bukit Timah Hill via the Catchment Path or onwards to Diary Farm. The path along the wide open field is scenic and easy to do. I took about 1.5 hour to reach Diary Farm Nature Park.
From here, it is about 2.5 km to Jelutong Tower and this stretch of the trail is most scenic especially along Golf Link. There is also a boardwalk along the way.
After Jelutong Tower, there is a sign post at the fork indicating the way to Bukit Timah Hill or to the Tree Top.
After crossing a stream by stepping on the stones, one can hear sound of rapid water quite near to the sign post pointing the way to Bukit Timah Hill. The path ahead is undulating and the soil is reddish in colour. The end of this Rifle Range Link leads to Rifle Range Road. After 10-15 mins walk along the road (there are very few cars here), one walk along the Rifle Range Flyover. Ahead is a clearly shown path to connect to either Bukit Timah Hill via the Catchment Path or onwards to Diary Farm. The path along the wide open field is scenic and easy to do. I took about 1.5 hour to reach Diary Farm Nature Park.
Written 27 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KGB777
Singapore, Singapore40,791 contributions
May 2020
I tried the "Coast to Coast" walk in May, or at least half of it, starting from Ang Mo Kio and walking to Jurong Lake Garden. Macritchie Reservoir was one of the stops along the way. Although I've been here many times before, it was still good to see it again.
Written 22 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fred T
Reno, NV724 contributions
Jan 2020
The large park has several sections and things one can do. There are places to eat near the main enterance. There are many hiking trails (mixture of concrete, gravel, dirt). There is a place to kayak (not sure if you can rent). There is a nature park (where I met monkeys, wild boars, lizards). There is a tree top walk (it was closed on Monday, the day I was there; the nearby Ranger station appeared to also be closed). There is a tower that is 5 or 6 stories high, so above tree tops. I spent many hours in the park walking to these various places. The park was free.
Written 20 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jo Thomson
39 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
This a beautiful rainforest walk. We spent 4 hours walking. There are different trails. We did all of them. There are short trails that are entirely on the boardwalk. The rest are on a cleared path. The tree top walk is amazing. You cross a suspended bridge.
There are monkeys everywhere. Beware, they will grab a plastic bag if they see it. One climbed up my daughter's leg when she stopped to take a photo! . Once past the boardwalk, there are fewer monkeys to be seen.
We also saw turtles, water monitors, birds, squirrels. The rainforest is a peaceful piece of paradise with beautiful birdsong. There is a Cafe at the start. You can also kayak. This is a must do if you enjoy nature walks. Make sure you have decent walking shoes. Much of the walk is in the shade. There are a couple of ranger stations on the way to refill water bottles and toilet stops. Do not carry plastic bags even in back pack. A monkey jumped on my backpack and unzipped it, taking out the contents. I tried to take the plastic from it but it bared its teeth. I picked up plastic bag remnants and juice bottles on the walk so it obviously happens often.
There are monkeys everywhere. Beware, they will grab a plastic bag if they see it. One climbed up my daughter's leg when she stopped to take a photo! . Once past the boardwalk, there are fewer monkeys to be seen.
We also saw turtles, water monitors, birds, squirrels. The rainforest is a peaceful piece of paradise with beautiful birdsong. There is a Cafe at the start. You can also kayak. This is a must do if you enjoy nature walks. Make sure you have decent walking shoes. Much of the walk is in the shade. There are a couple of ranger stations on the way to refill water bottles and toilet stops. Do not carry plastic bags even in back pack. A monkey jumped on my backpack and unzipped it, taking out the contents. I tried to take the plastic from it but it bared its teeth. I picked up plastic bag remnants and juice bottles on the walk so it obviously happens often.
Written 24 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ginnyleeinwonderland
Hai Phong, Vietnam354 contributions
Jan 2020
I can't believe they call it a park. It was a huge area if you want to enjoy nature, the forest inside the city. When I first saw it, I knew I would love it very much. It was calm and fresh. You could learn a lot about nature, different kinds of trees, wild animals and see money hang around there. The tree top walk was amazing. It was the long bridge, from there you could see the whole area and the lake from far away. The view from there was magnificent. If you like hiking, it's your place for sure. I think I took long hard route because it took me about 4 hours to walk all the way around. The area beside Golf link with the lake was really calm, when I was there, many people were hanging around and it was fun. Walking in the forest was another amazing experience, too. All the way up and down, follow small paths.
Written 17 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Connor
Glasgow, United Kingdom
Walked on the boardwalk through the Forrest at MacRitchie Reservoir With a friend two years ago. We felt like we were walking through string or like strings were passing us is the best way to describe it... Is this place dangerous?!? I don’t believe in spirits so there must be some explanation?!? Hope I’ve not been possessed lol....
Written 8 November 2020
Hi. You probably had walked through a few lines of web spun by a spider.
The MacRitchie Reservoir boardwalk is generally safe but you need to look where you walk. Like watching out for monitor lizards and snakes although these critters will generally move away when you approach them. Monkeys can be a nuisance and visitors are well advised not to feed them, as they will grab your food or bags containing food.
Written 8 November 2020
Hi I believe you can. As long as your pet is leashed and you stay on the main public areas. What NParks, who run these nature reserves are concerned about is if domestic pets start to wander and hunt the natural species of animals that live in these habitats, such as monkeys, lizards, birds etc that freely roam the jungle there. I’m quite sure you can’t walk your dog into the nature trails, maybe it’s ok for them to be on the boardwalks?? Best is to check the National Parks Board website on MacRictie Reservoir Park. Hope this helps.
Written 6 October 2020
Are there water sports available? Kayaking or paddle boarding? Is the water clean?
Can you swim in the reservoir?
Thank you!
Written 28 June 2019
There are restrictions on where you can paddle -a small area and not the whole lake.
Must be a swimmer of course and you are normally briefed on safety and rules when renting canoes/kayaks.
Written 24 July 2019
James H
Hampshire, United Kingdom
Is there anywhere I can safely keep my travel luggage whilst I got on one of the trails? Thank you.
Written 26 August 2018
I saw many small locker with key on it which enough for keeping shoes, etc, it is just out side of the restroom. It close by the main entrance where they selling drinks ... have table there as well.
Written 25 August 2019
Hi, I would be visiting Singapore in August 2018 with my parents. My mother has knee problem for which she cannot walk too long. Is this park good for people like my mom, who can sit and enjoy the tranquility of the park?
Written 3 May 2018
Not really - whilst flat - its not the easiest place to get to from hotel areas of Singapore. Would recommend the botanical gardens and orchid gardens within.
Written 5 May 2018
It’s a suitable place for morning runs. Wonderfully peaceful and serene to jog or walk around the grounds.
Always better in the morning or evening to avoid the scorching heat in this region.
Written 20 February 2018
Hi, may I know how long does it take one way to reach the suspension bridge from the main entrance of the park? I do not have time for an entire 10 km walk so wish to visit only the landmarks in an hour or so..please guide..which path should be taken from the entrance ?
Written 13 April 2017
The new "Learning Forest" at the Botannical Gardens (Tyersall Ave entrance) has a smaller suspension bridge and some rain forest. Can see similar scenery in around 20 mins walking time!
Written 18 April 2017
Hey .. not sure ..I had not seen anyone walking them, saw people running, walking, cycling the but please check the website it may have some info ..
Written 27 January 2017
Hello,
This is Mrittika from India. Am visiting Singapore from 23-Feb'15 till 1-Mar'15 for vacation along with my parents. Would like to know about the entry fee per adult for this destination. Also, how do I get there using public transportation from Hotel Park Sovereign-Albert?
Thanks.
Written 14 January 2015
Hi,
There is indeed no entrance fee.
As for getting there: you can take the bus 139 ( direction Toa Payoh) opposite the Tekka market on Serangoon road, and switch over to bus 130 ( direction Ang Mo Kio) once you are on Balestier road, Get off at bus stop Macritchie (51071)
Isis ( bus company) has a good smart phone app which could be useful if you want to use busses on a regular basis in Singapore
Written 15 January 2015
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