Taking the bumboat is one of the special charms of a visit to Pulau Ubin. Today, the boat fare was raised by 50cents to $3 per person one way. It has been a long time coming. The prices of everything have gone up and the bumboat operators too have to make a living. The price was last raised on 15 Apr 2008.
The bumboats are privately operated by individuals, many of whom have provided this service all their lives. Here's more about the bumboat operators and the priceless experience they provide in a simple bumboat ride to Pulau Ubin.
Thanks to Alan Tan for the heads up on the price change posted today.
The Boat Operators of Pulau Ubin: The final episode of NHB's "Heritage in Episodes: Season 2" focuses on the boat operators of Pulau Ubin and explores the history as well as the future of the trade. (1 Dec 2013)
Ubin boat operators prefer simple island life: Bumboat operators who ply the route between Singapore and Pulau Ubin are a dying breed. With fewer people living on the island and just a handful of visitors, mostly on the weekends, bumboat operators say they only make enough to get by. What keeps them going is their love for the sea and the idyllic island life. On Razor TV.
The bumboats are our first introduction to Life in the Slow Lane as we visit Pulau Ubin. Oh to be a kid again, on my first bumboat ride!
For our intertidal surveys, we rely greatly on Mr Chua to bring us to Pulau Sekudu, a small island off Chek Jawa. Recently, Mr Chua is getting too old to do this and his son has been bringing us. The experienced boatmen can bring us there safely with landing and departure by ladder.
So let's enjoy and appreciate our bumboat trips!
More about how to get to Pulau Ubin on this slideshow which has been updated with the change in price.
