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 the 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.

The Berlayar Creek 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.

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 article is written for Celebrating Singapore Shores as part of International Year of the Reef 2018.